Chapter Two-hundred-Twenty-Four
After discussing things with the nurse that was caring for the baby for the past week, Ashley took the small infant into her arms delicately cradling her.
“We’re definitely going to need to go shopping,” Nick commented as he watched Ashley interact with the baby. “Babies need a lot of stuff.”
“No shoot sherlock,” AJ replied while rolling his eyes some. Nick threw a look at him and then looked at the nurse who replied.
“You’re more then welcome to take some diapers and bottles and such to use in the meantime if you want. We don’t get much babies here, so we have plenty.”
“Thanks,” Nick replied, and she handed him a bag. He took it and began filling it with stuff that they would need. When he finished he turned and looked at her and Ashley.
“That will only last you for today. I would get to shopping as soon as possible,” She advised. Nick nodded and he wrapped his arm around Ashley and guided her out of the room and they all went back to the Orphanage wing.
“Do you think it will be okay if we took the baby outside? I want Kota to know about the baby and I want her to understand that there is no need to be jealous. It would be the safe thing to do.”
“Definitely,” AJ agreed.
“Why don’t you take her into the cafeteria with you? That’s where everybody else is at the moment because it’s about time for breakfast. I will go get Dakota and Sarah and bring them inside,” Nick suggested.
“Okay,” Ashley replied, and she headed for the cafeteria with Brooke and AJ following close behind her. Nick went out onto the playground to fetch his kids. When they got into the cafeteria, they found Brian, Riley, Howie, Brandon, Kori, and Wiley in there getting the cafeteria set up for breakfast. They all turned as they heard the door open and Kori raised her eyebrow at the baby in Ashley’s arms.
“It’s a baby…” was all she could say, as she gaped at the infant. Wiley laughed.
“Very good Kor.”
“Shut it,” Kori replied while rolling her eyes, and she went over to her sister.
“Ash…what’s going on?” She asked just as everybody else crowded around. Ashley smirked.
“This is mine and Nick’s baby. Couldn’t you all tell that I was pregnant?” Brooke laughed and AJ shook his head amused. Brian rolled his eyes playfully.
“Well, you sure gave birth to that kid, and healed mighty fast then,” he replied, playing a long with her joke.
“Well, you know, it’s the 2000’s…things are better now. Plus, didn’t you know? Doctor J is an excellent doctor.” Brian chuckled.
“Seriously – what’s going on?” He questioned, becoming serious now.
“This is my new little buddy,” Ashley answered as she looked down at the baby in her arms. “Brooke has assigned her to me. A young teenage mom gave birth to her here a week ago and didn’t want her. She asked Brooke to keep her here and provide her a safe and loving home.”
“Why’d the hospital wing keep her for a week?” Howie asked, looking at Brooke for this answer.
“They had her in the NICU. She was born with jaundice – a common disease that turns the skin yellow. It’s harmless but should still be monitored and can take up to one or two weeks to heal. They also didn’t have me here to find the baby a caregiver either. I told them Id ask around in the next two days, and since no one was up for such a huge job I asked Ashley.”
“Heh…that’s a very perfect choice. My sister has been so motherly like since she was three years old and was just handling baby dolls. Holding the dolls the correct way – mom never had to show her how, she just naturally knew. Dressing them, ‘feeding’ them, changing their diapers. She did it all. Mom and dad were always commenting on how she would make an amazing mom some day. Then as you all know, she used to do a lot of baby-sitting. She’s great with all kids, but babies are her specialty.” Ashley nodded.
“If my first career choice doesn’t work out, I might just settle for working at some daycare in a nursery.”
“What’s this little baby’s name?” Howie asked curiously.
“We don’t know yet. The mother didn’t want to name the baby – she felt if she knew the name or had anything to do with her it would make it harder for her to let her go.” Kori nodded, understanding all too perfectly. Just then, they heard the cafeteria door open and everybody turned to look and saw Nick walking in with Dakota rested on one hip, and Sarah on the other and Kevin was right behind him with Elenore, Spencer, Scott, Josh, Laila, and Ryan. When Nick approached with Dakota and Sarah, he stood next to Ashley allowing both girls to peer over at the baby. Dakota’s mouth dropped in astonishment and everybody laughed.
“She’s so tiny!”
“Yes she is. But you were that tiny too when you were a baby,” Nick told her in amusement.
“Nuh-uh…”
“Yeah huh. We’ll show you pictures and videos if you would like. AJ has a whole record of your life in pictures and on videos. You are a real movie star and didn’t even know it.”
“I wants to see it!”
“Well, we’ll show you later I promise.” Nick told her and Ashley moved out of the circle that people had made around her and she brought the baby over to a big space in the cafeteria. She sat down indian-style and placed the small infant so she lay against her legs comfortably, and still looked around her with big brown curious eyes.
“Come here Kota.” Nick set Dakota down then, and Dakota ran over to Ashley as requested. When she approached, Ashley wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close so she was standing at her side peering down at the baby. Dakota squatted down next to her. Nick brought Sarah over and sat down on the floor too, with Sarah in his lap and Dakota reached out and gently took one of the baby’s hands and she rubbed one of her fingers over the back of it.
“She’s soft huh?” Ashley asked while grinning a little and Dakota nodded.
“Be careful honey, she’s a lot more fragile then your baby dolls,” Nick reminded gently.
“What’s her name?” Dakota asked curiously.
“I don’t know yet. She doesn’t have one. Actually, I was hoping you would help me pick one out,” Ashley answered and she looked down at Dakota just on time to see her look up at Ashley in shock.
“Me? Really?”
“Mhm of course. And maybe Sarah too if that’s okay with you? Babies are a lot of work. I’m going to need all the help I can get. So I thought maybe my two special girls would want to be my little helpers,” she explained, looking back and fourth from Dakota to Sarah who both looked honored of the offer.
“I would love too,” Dakota insisted, the excitement evident in her voice. Ashley smiled down at her and leaned over and kissed her forehead before looking at Sarah who remained in Nick’s lap but was also reaching out and holding the baby’s other hand.
“How about you Sarah? Are you willing to help too?” Sarah nodded quietly, also making it very clear that she feels special that she was asked to help. A smile spread out on Ashley’s face then.
“Thanks ladies that means a lot. If you have any name ideas, be sure to let me know okay?” Dakota thought long and hard about this for a few moments, just staring down at the baby in awe. As the baby lay there in Ashley’s lap, she soon grew tired and her eyes began to droop. Nick got out a blanket that the nurse gave him, and he handed it to Ashley. Ashley placed the blanket over the baby and delicately rubbed her hand over her small fragile head, which was already full of brown hair. She can tell she was born with a lot of hair.
“How abouts Bella?” Dakota spoke up after awhile in a low voice now so that she doesn’t wake the baby.
“We could calls her Bells for a nickname.” Brian chuckled softly.
“Let me guess, you were thinking of Beauty and The Beast when you thought of this name, right?” Dakota beamed and nodded.
“An’ Christmas bells,” she added, pointing over at Elenore’s feet as her best friend was walking around the cafeteria with bells tied onto her laces and they were making soft jingling sounds with every step she took. “The baby was born near Christmas after all.” Brian suddenly looked highly impressed with his niece’s creativity.
“Very perceptive of you Kota. I like it.”
“How about you Sarah? Do you like Bella for a name?” Ashley questioned and Sarah nodded, smiling at Dakota, as she too was impressed by Dakota’s choice. But also kind of amused because she can fit Beauty and The Beast into anything that she does, no matter what it is. She’s surprised she even bothered to add the ‘a’ at the end, instead of going with just ‘Bell’.
“We need a middle name now too.” Sarah then wrote something down on her paper and she handed it to Nick who read it out loud.
“Rose. Bella Rose…that fits perfectly.” Ashley looked down at the sleeping baby in her arms.
“Bella Rose,” she spoke softly and she nodded. “Mhm, I think Bella Rose fits her quite perfectly.” Just then, Brooke came back into the cafeteria.
“We’re about to let the children in, just a heads up Ash.”
“Okay,” Ashley replied and she shifted the baby so that she was holding her with her head rested against her shoulder and the blanket wrapped around her and she has her hand placed at the back of her head for support. Nick stood up, set Sarah down and he helped Ashley up from the ground.
“Have you decided on a name yet?” Brooke asked curiously.
“Kota and Sarah have named her Bella Rose.”
“Aww, that’s a beautiful name” Brooke replied as she ruffled Dakota’s hair. Dakota beamed, feeling quite proud of herself that she had helped. Brooke smiled at Sarah then and gently touched her cheek affectionately. “You are going to have two very good helpers on your hands, Ash. I think taking care of this baby will be a piece of cake.”
“Me too,” Ashley smiled. Just then Doctor Johnson poked his head in the door.
“Incoming,” he announced, and then moved to the side holding the door open as a bunch of children began piling in. Nick kissed Ashley’s cheek then.
“Go sit down at the table honey, I’ll go fix your plate. We’ll go shopping right after breakfast okay?” Ashley nodded and she took Bella over to their normal table and sat down in a chair. One by one, everybody got their food and came back to the table. When Brian came back with Josh at his side the two of them holding their plates, Josh sat down at the kid table that he and his friends normally sit at. Brian helped him get settled, cutting up his pancake for him so he wouldn’t have to handle a knife by himself.
“Josh, how about after breakfast you go have a talk with Chris?”
“I don’t want to,” Josh insisted. “He never wants to speak to me again.”
“I was thinking maybe you could invite him over to our house. Him and a couple of other boys if you would like.”
“And do what?”
“Well, your Grandma will be there. I bet it would be fun if we arranged a Gingerbread House Party.”
“A Gingerbread House Party?” Josh asked confused.
“Yeah. You could sweet talk your grandmother into making frosting for you – I’ll go buy a bunch of candy and graham crackers and you and your friends can make gingerbread Houses.”
“What about Ellie?”
“I think this should just be a boys thing today.”
“But—“
“—Josh buddy you spend every waking second with Ellie. Its not going to hurt you any to spend a few hours with some other friends too.”
“But I—“
“—Infact, I think it would be good for you.”
“But I can’t leave Ellie’s side. She’ll cry!”
“I think that will be taken care of,” Brian replied, as he noticed Jerald walk in. Josh looked over at him too and he scowled.
“He and Kevin are planning on taking her somewhere special. So I think a boys day at our house will be just fine for you.” Josh looked over at Elenore who was bouncing around next to Kevin, purposely making the bells that her Uncle Tim had tied to her laces earlier that morning jingle noisily. Kevin very much liked the idea when his brother suggested it because now he will always know if Elenore wanders off. It didn’t take long however, for Elenore to notice Jerald’s appearance. She twirled around and noticed him and her eyes widened in excitement and he smirked, clearly pleased that he had finally been noticed.
“Jerry!!!” She exclaimed, and she took off running for him, and he gathered her up in his arms and hugged her close to him affectionately.
“Hey sweetheart. I see you are having way too much fun with those bells.”
“Hehe,” She giggled and she wrapped her arms around him and snuggled into him.
“Where are you and Kevy takin’ me today?” Jerald chuckled.
“What makes you think we’re taking you anywhere, huh? What is this crazy talk?” he teased.
“Jeeerry,” she scolded, and she looked up at him.
“Will ice skating be okay for you, Ellie?” Kevin asked while approaching the two of them with two plates in his hand. Elenore gasped.
“Ice skating?”
“Mhm. If you would like,” Kevin answered gently.
“I’ve never been ice skating befores. How are we gonna goes ice skating, when there isn’t even any snow?”
“We’ll be taking you to an indoor ice skating arena.”
“Ohhh…do famous ice skaters skate there?” She asked hopefully.
“They have before. But I highly doubt there will be any there today. I’ve managed to get it so that we would have the ice to ourselves today so that we wouldn’t be bothered by fans or anything,” Kevin explained.
“Cool!” Elenore exclaimed excitedly.
“Will Tim be coming?” Kevin questioned, looking to his brother now.
“No, but we’re meeting him at a restaurant later for dinner and then he thought maybe Elenore would like to go looking at Christmas lights in the park.”
“What about mom?”
“She’s coming later on tonight also. She also wants to take her shopping too, like Jackie is planning on doing with Josh.”
“I think that will be okay for tomorrow,” Kevin replied while grinning at Elenore. “If I ask why Tim isn’t coming ice skating am I going to get a straight answer?”
“Nope,” Jerald answered with a smirk, and he started to carry Elenore toward the table. Kevin rolled his eyes.
“Can I at least go into my house to…you know…get some clean clothes and such?”
“I’ll get them for you – and anything else you should need. You can have your showers at Brian’s – or here.”
“This is insane. I am being kicked out of my own house.” Brian chuckled.
“It’s not like you’re there much anyway.”
“That is not the point,” Kevin replied, as he sat down in his spot at the table after handing Jerald Elenore’s plate and Jerald took her to the kiddie table.
“You’ll thank us for this later. Trust me,” Jerald insisted as he returned and sat next to his brother. Kevin scowled.
“Aren’t you going to go get some breakfast Jerry? You’re more then welcome to,” Brooke questioned suddenly.
“No thanks hon, I ate at Brian’s. Jackie’s cooking.”
“Psssh, rub it in our faces why don’t you,” Ashley teased and he smirked. It was then, that he noticed her holding a baby in one arm and balancing a bottle against her chin as the baby drank from it and eating breakfast with her other hand all at once.
“Who’s…baby?” he asked confused, and Ashley began to explain to him the whole story.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter.
Enjoy =)
Enjoy =)
