Page 70 of Babies at Coconuts

Chapter 50

Three days after Vanessa had moved out of Suzy’s house and back to her duplex, she called Jon and Fernando saying she was desperate for sleep and pleaded with them to take a night with the baby.

Jon agreed with more confidence than he felt. After they arrived, he reassured her he and Fernando could handle the baby. They were dads, after all.

Hair askew with dark circles under her eyes, a sleepy Vanessa thrust bottles of breast milk in their hands. “I’ve pumped all I have. This should last throughout the night. The baby’s over—” She forced a giggled. “Just follow the screams.”

“We’ve got this. Go to bed,” Fernando said.

Jon and Fernando exchanged glances, checked the baby’s diaper, grabbed a change of clothes and baby blanket, and eventually managed to get Violet strapped into her car seat.

They drove across town, luckily catching every green light. Once they parked, Fernando wrapped a soft blanket tight around her to swaddle the baby as Vanessa had shown them. Racing inside their apartment, both men stared wide-eyed at one another as her screams got louder and louder.

“Christ. Someone might call the police.” Jon peered into Violet’s red face. “Shhh, baby girl. It’s okay.” The baby screamed louder. He whispered to Fernando in a panicked tone. “We’ve got to get her calmed down before she wakes up the entire apartment complex.”

In a soothing tone, Fernando said, “Don’t act nervous. Violet Grace will pick up on it.”

Jon’s eyes widened. “What do you suggest?”

Both men alternately bounced, rocked, paced, and sang lullabies to no avail. After several minutes, which seemed like hours, the men loaded Violet back into Jon’s car. “Let’s go to Mom’s.”

A wild-eyed Fernando peered into the backseat. “Maybe the longer car ride will put her to sleep.”

“We can only hope.” Jon winced as his half-sleeping, half-tortured baby howled. He stared ahead and focused on the curvy road. “Let’s hope Mom didn’t change the locks.”

Once they gained entry, the dads, already worn out, breathed a sigh of relief after stepping into the kitchen. Jon put a finger to his lips. “I’ll let them know we’re here.” He tiptoed into Suzy and Ken’s bedroom and tapped on the door.

Ken called out, “Izzy, is that you?”

Jon heard his mom turn over in the bed and cleared his throat. “Sorry to wake you guys. We can’t get Violet to sleep and told Vanessa to get some shuteye. He glanced at his still-sleeping Mom and whispered, “Let her sleep. I’ll close the door. Fernando has an idea.”

Ken half sat up, mumbling, “Okay. Good luck.” He crawled back under the covers and rolled over.

Trudging past Izzy’s room, Jon assumed if she were like most teens she’d sleep through a hurricane. Her door was shut and what Fernando had in mind was at the opposite end of the house.

Jon watched his new husband bounce a red-faced, bawling Violet. “Doing okay?”

A perspiring Fernando said, “For now.”

“Looks like a long night. I’ll make some coffee.” Jon forced a smile but his heart thudded. “Surely we can handle a newborn. We’re grown men.”

Fernando stared at him. “I hope you’re right. She’s got a set of lungs on her.”

“I’ll hurry.” Jon made his way to the kitchen. As the coffee brewed, his thoughts jumbled. What if we aren’t cut out for this? What if we can’t handle a baby? Vanessa’s baby. My baby. Fernando’s baby. Soon he poured two giant mugs full of black, stout coffee and returned to the sounds of squalling.

After Jon set the coffee down, Fernando thrust baby Violet into his hands. “Watch and learn.”

“Go for it. Good luck.” Jon set his coffee mug on an end table as he cuddled a distressed Violet.

Pulling back the wooden piano cover to reveal well-worn ivory keys, Fernando flexed his fingers and rotated his shoulders.

“Will you hurry up? This isn’t the symphony.” Jon smoothed Violet’s sweaty hair. “It’s a good thing we didn’t name her Patience.” A chuckle escaped. “We’d definitely have to rename her.”

Fernando snorted as he played a soft rendition of “Scarborough Fair.” Within seconds, Violet’s waterworks stopped. Her body visibly relaxed as she appeared to listen to the soothing melody.

As Fernando continued with the second verse, Jon rubbed her back. “I think she just cooed.”

Smiling, Fernando asked, “Is she old enough to coo?”

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