Page 19 of Absinthe Minded

“Not helping.” My gag reflex took over.

He chuckled. “I’m still looking.”

Once I had Ella clean, I slid a new diaper under her butt and fumbled with the tabs. It looked looser than the one I’d taken off, but it stayed on. I eased clean PJs under her and stuffed her arm into a sleeve.

Ella cried until she shook, and her face turned an odd shade of magenta. “She’s turning purple.”

Zach helped me align the snaps along the inside of her legs. “They do that when they are pissed. She’s breathing, otherwise she wouldn’t be screaming.”

“True. Other than the images, did you find anything online?”

He picked her up and settled her against his shoulder. “Two webpages said smelly stools could be a food allergy. Maybe she’s allergic to milk?”

Ella quieted to whimpers and hiccupped breaths.

“We should call Maggie.” I fished my phone from my pocket.

“No, I’m sure she’ll be fine. Maggie doesn’t go out much. We shouldn’t bug her over poop.”

I followed him into the kitchen. If my brothers found out I’d asked the kid for help, they’d never let me live it down, but man-oh-man, was I grateful. “Should I feed her?”

“Yeah, good idea.” Zach traded me the baby for a bottle of water and a can of formula.

The instructions seemed simple enough. “This is a four-ounce bottle. The directions say two scoops. I mix drinks for a living. I think I can handle that.”

“You have to warm it in hot water.” Zach supervised as I made my first meal for my daughter.

I remembered Maggie said to test the temperature on the inside of my wrist. “I think it’s good. Now what?”

He took the bottle and brushed the rubber nipple across her lips until Ella got to work. “See, nothing to it.”

I couldn’t help but smile. I’d made my first bottle, and she seemed to like it. “Thanks. I’m clueless with this stuff.”

“You don’t have a lot of clothes for her. They go through a lot in a day. Plus, there’s poop on the blankets in the carrier.”

“I’ll put the dirty stuff in the washer.” I peeked around the corner at Chloe and Ryan, and glanced back to Zach.

“You need special baby soap.” He laughed, shaking his head. “You really are clueless.”

“Do me a favor and don’t tell your uncles.” I wondered if Ella would survive her first day in my care. “How come you know so much about babies?”

“I helped my mom out with Ryan when she had the baby blues. Do you want to try?” He held the baby up to me.

“Sure.” I fumbled to settle Ella into my arms but managed to coax her into finishing most of the bottle before she fell asleep.

“We should try to put her in the crib.”

I followed Zach down the hall to Joe and Rebecca’s room. The space looked the same as it had before they died, right down to the wedding photo on the nightstand. Why hadn’t Maggie changed anything? I’d be sleeping in a mausoleum.

The kid took Ella, laid her on her back, and lifted the side of the crib.

“Does she need a pillow?” I watched her sleep and wished I could crawl in with her. It had been one hell of a day.

“Not unless you want her to suffocate, and you shouldn’t use a blanket either. Her feetie-jammies will keep her warm.” Zach patted my shoulder. “It’s not hard, once you know the rules.”

“Thanks again, I owe you one.” I pinched the bridge of my nose to stave off a headache. “One down, two to go.”

“Those two are easy. Ryan needs a bath, but you have to sit with him. Chloe’s attitude will drive you nuts, but she can shower by herself. Make sure they brush their teeth, and Ryan has to pee twice before bed, once after he brushes his teeth and again after you read him a story. Don’t give him anything to drink or he floods the bed.”

---