Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
“It’s all so cute,” I chime in. “The little outfits, the toys, the books, it’s fun to baby shop.”
“Right?” Corie agrees. “It’s so much fun.”
“I appreciate you ladies, really,” Baker says. He dips his head and swallows hard, trying to fight back his emotions.
“Hey,” Reid says, “I’ll have you know, I gave them my card and told them to buy you gifts too.”
“Me too,” Foster says.
“Yep.” Landry nods.
“And she’s my wife, so our gifts are from both of us,” Knox chimes in.
“What we’re trying to say is all this stuff you get to take home with you.” Foster points to the table full of gifts. “We’re about to be uncles. We take that shit seriously.”
“And aunts,” Corie adds.
“What she said.” Sloane points to Corie.
“We’re all here for you, Baker,” I say softly. “I’m not a parent, but as a child growing up in foster care, I know the kind of person it takes to be a great one. You are one of those people.” It’s true. I’ve been in enough foster homes to know that not everyone is cut out for parenting. I’m sure it’s a hard job, having a tiny human’s life in your hands, but cruelty is not something that should be associated with kids. I learned that at a young age, and I know for certain Baker’s baby will never know what that feels like.
“Careful,” Landry says, tossing his arm over my shoulder, making my heart skip a beat at his nearness. “You’ll make him think we care about him or something.” He winks at me, then turns his gaze to Baker. “We do. You know we do, and this shit you’re going through, man, it’s tough as hell, but we’ve got you. I’m not sure how I’ll do with diapers, but I’ll do my best.”
That makes everyone laugh, including Baker.
“Come on, let’s eat,” I tell them. Landry turns us, with his arm still wrapped around my shoulder, and leads us into the kitchen.
“Run that past me again,” Baker says, brow furrowed.
“It’s a nose sucker. When babies get congested, you use that to clean their nose since they can’t blow their own.”
“What?” Reid asks, shock written all over his face. “That’s a torture device.” Reid taps at the screen of his phone and pulls up a video. He scrunches up his nose and shakes his head vehemently as Foster takes the phone out of his hands to watch. He, too, looks thoroughly disgusted at the thought of sucking snot from a baby’s nose.
“Bro, you can’t do that to your kid. They’ll be traumatized.” Foster shudders, tossing the phone back to Reid.
“Snot and shit, that’s what babies do,” Sloane says calmly.
“I’m not cut out for that,” Reid says.
“You better learn,” Corie tells him. I watch as she bites down on her cheek to keep from laughing, but when she sees the horrified look on Reid’s face, she loses it as laughter bubbles out of her.
I’m laughing so hard, I have tears coming out of my eyes. Soon, everyone is laughing, even Baker, and we’re all wiping at our eyes.
“Okay, more gifts,” Sloane says, getting us back on track.
With a shy smile, Baker continues to open each gift with care and a heartfelt thank-you after each one. There are more items we have to explain to him, and instead of fear written all over his face, I see nothing but determination.
He’s going to be a good dad.
“He will,” Landry says, startling me.
“I didn’t know that I said that out loud.”
“You did, and you’re right. Daddy Sinclair is going to be just fine. We’ll make sure of it.”
“That sounds familiar,” I say, tearing my eyes from his to watch Baker open the bouncing seat I got him.
“A bouncing seat?” Baker asks.
“They soothe the baby so you can do things like clean or cook. The bouncing motion helps settle them.”
Baker nods slowly. “I think I’m going to need that.”
“You will,” Corie assures him. She leans forward from where she’s sitting on the floor, passing him gifts. “This one says up to forty pounds, so you’ll be able to use it for a while.”
Baker nods as the corner of his mouth tilts up in a smile. “Thank you. Truly, I didn’t know where to start, and this—” Baker looks around at all the gifts littering the floor around him “—is so much. I don’t know how I would be making it through this without all of you.”
After we all take turns hugging him, we get to work cleaning up. Corie and Sloane are packing up gifts while Reid, Foster, and Baker start packing them outside.
“I think we’re going to need my truck too,” Knox says. He grabs two handfuls of gift bags and heads out the door.
I begin by picking up glasses and plates and taking them to the kitchen to start cleaning up. I’m standing at the sink, running dishwater, instead of using Landry’s dishwasher when I feel a presence behind me.