“Are you sure you can handle her by yourself, D? You had your Mom and sisters over for the first week. Maybe you should wait till the daytime to actually do it alone. I just don’t think we should risk anything, I can stay the night…” Kevin called from Howie’s living room, gazing down in awe as he gently rocked Jillian. She offered a soft coo toward her new uncle, reaching her tiny hand up for him to kiss. He had just rescued the small girl from Nick’s clutches, realizing Nick planned to shake the baby up to make her a “spew-rocket” for Howie when he returned with her bottle. Nick seemed annoyed by the change, but quickly tackled Brian to calculate another form of entertainment.
“Kev, you don’t have to stay the night. I’ve been around babies before. After all, I have nieces and nephews!” Howie replied with a slight holler from the kitchen, warming Jillian’s evening bottle. He gazed around his kitchen, realizing the destruction the boys had caused with the various pizza boxes. The boys had spent the entire day with Jillian and Howie, easing them into the newly formed family. Needless to say, Jillian had seized all their hearts with her natural wonder. She was the perfect angel, so no one could refuse her in Howie’s life. She already seemed like a natural part of the Dorough household and had dramatically lifted Howie’s spirits.
“For the entire night by yourself?” AJ asked with skepticism, collapsing onto the couch with the wrestling Nick and Brian. He gazed over at Kevin in the rocking chair with Jillian as his mind began to overflow with smart comments. Yet, he had no time to plan his next quick-witted comment, for his face always revealed his wickedness. Kevin caught wise and delivered a sharp glare, causing AJ to quickly swallow his cleverness.
“AJ’s been intercepted!” Nick snickered.
"Why don't you spell that," AJ fired with a growl.
"I-N...huh?"
"Exactly, dumbass---"
“Guys, let’s lay the cards on the table. You don’t trust me with Jillian, do you?” Howie asked flatly, emerging from the kitchen with Jillian’s bottle at hand. He seemed oblivious to the atmosphere, but too caught up to really care. “I’m not Nick—”
“Hey!” Nick growled, folding his arms defensively across his broad chest.
“I’m just saying!” Howie replied easily, shaking the warm bottle to ready it for Jillian’s consumption. He motioned for Kevin to stand, quickly taking Jillian into the crook of his arm. He cooed down at the curious bundle before settling into the rocking chair. Jillian gazed up with her large emerald eyes, chewing on her tiny fingers with a hungry eagerness. Her beautiful eyes widened further as Howie held up the bottle for her view. Her lips instantly formed an ‘o’ of delight. Howie chuckled as she latched onto the bottle, sucking heavily to plump her soft cheeks with the satisfying formula. “Jillian and I are just fine. She’s a sweetheart and wouldn’t give her Daddy any trouble.”
“She may be a sweetheart, but what will you think at two in the morning? Because, frankly, I recall you being a bear in the early hours when I came back from clubbing,” AJ laughed with amusement. It was so simple to tease Howie’s good nature. He had always been so easygoing, so AJ always made it a point to find Howie’s trigger buttons.
“Like you can really talk. I think you’ve lost your last three girlfriends because you couldn’t get out of bed before one in the afternoon without making a voodoo doll of your morning caller,” Howie answered, clicking his tongue at Jillian as she suckled with contentment.
“Ouch, keep the gloves above the belt, D,” Kevin chuckled as AJ scowled.
“Oh fu—”
“No swearing!” Howie quickly chided, running his fingers down the soft slope of Jillian’s forehead to appease her.
“Huh?” AJ deadpanned for a moment. Howie’s home had always been neutral territory, allowing the boys to speak freely. “Since when—”
“The baby, duh,” Nick interrupted, obviously proud that he knew the answer.
“Thanks, Captain Obvious,” Brian snorted.
“Yes, the baby,” Howie retorted before the youngest men could erupt into a heated argument. He watched Jillian nestle sweetly into the crook of his arm, placing her tiny hands on the bottle as if to help her father. She parted her lips from the nipple long enough to offer a tender yawn. Howie smiled softly, stroking the soft down of her golden locks. Her emerald eyes finally locked against Howie’s chocolate eyes as she started to suckle again. A special bond instantly formed between the two. One of father and daughter.
“We’ll be fine,” Howie declared, ending the discussion.
“We are clearly not fine!” Howie yelped in pure disbelief, pacing around the living room in a state of sheer dismay. Jillian was perched against his shoulder, screaming with frustration for the last hour. Howie didn’t understand what could be so wrong; usually he could calm her frazzled state in a matter of seconds. Besides, she had been sleeping so peacefully, but when Howie went to rest all Hell broke loose.
“Alright, Jillian! Daddy’s holding you… What more do you want?” Howie continued to speak with the child in hopes that his voice would soothe her, but she never settled. His heart ached at the sight of the suffering child. He had never heard such a pitiful sound emerge from the depths of her raw throat. Her wails ended with shrieking pitches, causing Howie to cringe. Her small angelic features grew taunt with fury. Her cheeks deepened to a dark red as tears soaked down Howie’s shirt mixed with the baby’s mucous. He felt awful.
“What’s the matter, Jillian? What’d I do wrong?” Howie blurted with despair, bouncing the child against his chest. He couldn’t imagine how mothers did this all day. His head was starting to ache from the sharpness of her cries, he was exhausted, and just felt so helpless. “Jillian! Sweetheart! You already ate, you’re burped, we gave you a sponge bath, and you’re not wet or soiled. So, what’s wrong? Please, just tell me!”
Jillian didn’t seem satisfied with Howie’s pleas, however. She released another sharp wail, causing Howie to wince yet again. Yet, she did something unexpected – she held her breath. Fear gripped Howie’s heart as her commotion ceased.
“Jillian?” Howie murmured, holding her out for inspection. Her face was turning purple from the lack of oxygen. “Jillian! Breathe!”
The child continued to hold her breath, offering Howie a new feeling of doom. His heart seemed to burst from his chest with fear. He pulled the child close to his chest, scrambling for the phone. He cursed openly as the phone clattered to the floor because he was unable to balance the baby and his panic. Her breath still paused as he eased her into the car seat, grabbing the phone and then reaching in his back pocket to find his wallet. He snapped the wallet open to pluck Keveney’s business card free. He hurriedly dialed the home number.
“Jillian! Breathe! Breathe for Daddy!” Howie pleaded as the phone rang within his ear. He had never seen an infant pull such an outrageous stunt. No one had warned him of this Hell. He choked as he rocked the car seat with his foot. It seemed like an eternity till Jillian released another wail, causing Howie to fall back onto with relief. “Thank God!”
“Hello?”
Howie jumped at the sweet voice chirping affectionately in his ear. He drew his body upward and pressed the phone tighter against his ear. He was instantly captured by the twinkled melody of such a simple word. That was until Jillian offered another sharp scream from her seat, reminding Howie of his problem. His mind quickly settled back to the alarming noise. “Is this Keveney Moore? The Pediatric Nurse Practitioner?”
“Yes—”
“Thank God! I mean, hello! You probably don’t remember me, but you met me at the baby store? How—”
“Howie and little Jillian,” Keveney interrupted with an amused laugh as Jillian shrieked yet again. “Is that sweet little Jillian in the background?”
“Yeah,” Howie grimaced. “That’s why I’m calling. She’s fed, burped, bathed, dried, just everything’s done! But she’s pitching a fit! You did so well with her at the store, can I entice you to help a single-father in desperate need?”
“Go to a complete stranger’s house in the middle of the night?”
“Uh…yes…” Howie trailed, finally realizing how ridiculous it sounded.
“What’s the address?” she laughed after a few moments of Howie’s uncomfortable silence.
