Page 21 of Spring UnVeiled
Nine years of working for a school system that would replace her in a heartbeat.She loved teaching, though, and hadn’t wanted to give it up.Instead, she’d given up the man who was holding her.
Genevieve looked up into his eyes and saw questions.“I’m okay, now.”She kissed his cheek before she stepped back.
Well, damn.A group of young mothers had surrounded them, whispering their story to each new arrival.She managed a small smile and a nod of her head.“Thank you.It’s been a while.”Her smile grew as she looked at the babies.Those mothers had much more experience than she did using new inventions and technology.
Evan rubbed his hand up and down her back.“I’m going to step over to that aisle and look at car seats.”He smiled at the women surrounding them.“Ladies, I’m sure you can help Vivi much better than I can.”He pushed his cart away.He stopped in front of the plastic ducks and other animals, plucking a frog off the shelf and tossing it into his basket.She inwardly prepared for returning her attention to the young women.
For a moment, Genevieve wondered why so many mothers were in the store.Then it struck her—it was the middle of the month, a payday weekend.She remembered those days when they had lived paycheck to paycheck.
“I truly appreciate your advice, but I don’t want to keep you from your other shopping,” she told the group.
Several came up to her and expressed their condolences and wished her luck with the newborn.A few others shopped with her for a few minutes before their babies became fussy and they excused themselves.Within fifteen minutes, her cart was nearly full with doubles of everything and she was alone.
Turning down the car seat aisle she found Evan staring at his phone.She prayed he hadn’t been called into the office.“Is everything all right?”She glanced at his nearly empty cart.
He gestured to the line-up of baby seats.“Every one of these has bad reviews and good ones.I looked them up on that national consumer reporting agency— and those sons of bitches made me pay for a year’s subscription—but what they say is this is the better one.Then I went back to my original search engine and found that this one and this one have higher customer ratings.”
Genevieve broke out into laughter.“Ev, it’s the Internet, you can’t believe everything you read.”She reached into the pocket in front of the one suggested by the consumer agency and withdrew two cards.“These work for me.Besides, they pop out and become a baby carrier.”
“I read that,” he defended her choice.“That sounded like a brilliant idea.”
As they turned around, a man carrying a very small baby in a pouch against his chest walked by.Evan watched him carefully, then turned to look at the aisle behind him.He picked up each one of the baby packs, examining them thoroughly, and finally selected one that could be used later as a backpack with space to carry essentials like a few diapers, a changing pad, and side pockets for bottles.
She could easily see him carrying Ian in the pack.
Genevieve found a navy-blue diaper bag that would be perfect.
Together, they turned the corner and discovered baby food, small children’s utensils, plastic plates adorned with everything from princesses to superheroes, and formula at the far end.Ignoring everything in between, Genevieve headed to the cans of dry formula.
After examining several, she took the advice of one of the mothers who had previously helped her.Scanning for Evan, she found him studying the contents of baby food.
“Ian won’t be ready for solids for several months, and he needs to start with things like rice and oatmeal.”At least that hadn’t changed according to the young women.
Minutes later, they were both staring at a huge display of pacifiers.Fortunately, one of the women from earlier passed by and offered her opinion.She also pointed out the short string connectors, so the pacifier didn’t fall on the floor.Pure genius.Genevieve couldn’t count the number of times that Kylie had spit out her pacifier and they either couldn’t find it, or they rushed into a bathroom to run it under hot water before sticking it back into her crying mouth.
Then the young mother made a suggestion for bottles as well.
Genevieve looked up and down the aisle for sterilizer and finally asked their helper.
The woman looked dumbstruck.“Ma’am, you just put them in the dishwasher.”
“They don’t melt?”The words popped out of Genevieve’s mouth before she could stop herself.
“No, ma’am.”She gave them a quick smile.“Sorry, but I’ve got to run.My husband gets off work soon and I have to pick him up.Have a good day.”She waved goodbye and it struck Genevieve once again how fortunate she’d been at the young woman’s age.With her teaching salary and Evan a Navy officer, even with a baby they could afford two vehicles.They had truly been blessed, and she just hadn’t realized it.
Then she’d gone and fucked that up.
Chapter9
Loadingtwo of everything into the pickup truck was like one of the psychological tests given to SEALs where puzzle pieces passed along the bottom of the screen and the men had to fit them as quickly as possible to fill each shape which changed constantly.Evan had always considered himself above average in spatial acuity but there was just so much stuff.He was impressed at Genevieve’s ability to find small spaces where she tucked boxes of diapers, bags containing dozens of smaller items, and even suggesting that the boxes containing the beds be loaded on their sides rather than flat.They finally got everything into the truck bed secured and stuffed several small items behind the seats.
“I’d like to go back to the hospital and feed Ian,” Genevieve announced as soon as Evan slid behind the wheel.
“We can go see him tonight after we get all of this unloaded.”He let out a long sigh.“It’s going to take me days to put everything together for his room at your house.I can store my stuff at the temporary quarters they’ve assigned me.I’m hoping I can move into my own house on base late next week.”
“I can drive to the hospital while you start on the crib.”Then she shook her head.“No.I can’t.I’ve got all those bottles, nipples, and pacifiers that I need to open and get them into the dishwasher.Then I need to get the tags off all the receiving blankets, crib bedding, and clothes and get them into the laundry.”
Evan dug his phone out of his pocket.“Let’s call the nursery and check on him.”
