Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner

“When can we take them home?”, I asked Rita.

“A few more days.”, she answered. “I think they’ll be healthy enough to take home by their original due date.”

I nodded understandingly. “Okay.”

Rita walked out of the room and curled up next to Johnny. “Ugh, I’m so ready to leave this hospital.”, I complained.

Johnny slipped his arm around my waist. “I know. You say that at least once an hour.”

“Well I mean it.”

Johnny rubbed my stomach. “Holy shit.”, he mumbled. “I can’t believe Isaiah and Madelyn came out of you. You’re so skinny.”

“I just wish my scar would go away.”, I sighed.

Johnny traced the scar carefully with his fingers. “Why?”

I hung my head low, breaking Johnny’s gaze. “Because I don’t feel sexy anymore.”, I whispered.

Johnny hooked his fingers under my chin and lifted my head. “Baby, you are very sexy. C-section or not.”

“Maybe that’s why you couldn’t keep your hands off of me last night?”, I asked slyly.

“You know it, baby.”, he whispered. He pulled me close to him and I buried my face in his broad chest. “You know, if we keep this shit up, we’ll have tons of kids.”

“Nu-uh.” I shook my head wildly. “I’m getting my tubes tied.”

“You don’t want to have any more kids?” Johnny’s tone was suddenly serious.

“Well...” I let my sentence drop off. “I don’t know.”

Johnny stood up and led me to the plastic cribs where Madelyn and Isaiah slept. “Hayliee.”, he started. “Are you telling me you don’t want to do this again?”

“I don’t know.”, I repeated. “When I was pregnant, I was miserable. When I had my C-section and they put the staples in my stomach, I was in pain. And then not knowing if they were even going to live...that was excruciating. I don’t know if I want to go through all this again. At least not anytime soon.”

“Hayliee, baby.” His tone was almost pleading. “Please don’t say that. Because I want more kids.”

I pivoted in his arms to face him. “I know. You say that all the time. And...I guess I do, too. But jeez, Johnny...I think maybe we should let them grow up a little before we even think about trying again. Let them grow up, so we can enjoy each other before you knock me up again.”

Johnny rubbed his hands slowly up my arms, stopping at my neck. “Yea, because you know I enjoy you, baby.” His gaze raked over my body. “Every fucking inch of you.” Suddenly he pushed me away. “God, I can’t do this. Why is it every time we start talking about the babies, we end up talking about sex?”

“Maybe it’s because we know that’s how they got here.”, I replied wickedly. “Or maybe it’s because we enjoy it so much.”

Johnny leaned his head slightly and pressed his lips against mine. He kissed me passionately and my cheeks burned red when I remembered where we were. Johnny pulled away, breathing hard, and rested his forehead against mine. “Baby, I love you so much.”

“I love you, too, Johnny.”, I whispered back.

Johnny reached down and threaded his fingers through mine. “Maybe we could...go home?” He looked at me hopefully.

I chuckled slightly. “I swear to God, I feel like a teenager all over again.”

“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”, Johnny asked.

“Oh, it’s a very good thing.” I smiled devilishly and pushed my way into Johnny’s arms. “But no...I don’t want to go home yet.”

“Alright.”, Johnny pouted. “I guess I don’t mind staying here with Madelyn and Isaiah. As long as I get to spend some time with ‘mommy’ later.” He gently rubbed my cheek and I leaned into his touch.

“Whatever you say.”, I whispered.

. . .

I was nervous as Johnny drove us to the hospital. And for a very good reason. Today was the day we finally got to bring our babies home. The carseats sat empty in the backseat of Johnny’s car, next to either door so that I would be able to sit in the middle.

“Hayliee, what’s wrong?” Johnny’s voice surprised me, breaking through my thoughts.

I shook my head sporadically. “N-Nothing. Everything’s fine.”

Johnny reached across the console and seized my hand. “Don’t be scared.”, he said, reading my mind, and once again I was in awe of him.

“How do you do that?”, I asked curiously.

“Do what?”

“Always know what I’m thinking.”

Johnny smiled. “Baby, I know you better than I know myself. Don’t you sometimes know what I’m thinking?”

I half-way nodded. “I guess.”

“What am I thinking right now?”

A wicked grin spread across my face. “I think I know what you’re thinking.”, I said. “But I’m not going to say it.”

Johnny shook his head, laughing. “Hayliee, baby, you need to get your mind out of the gutter. What I was actually thinking was how excited I am to finally be bringing our precious babies home.”

“That was my second guess.”, I stated.

Johnny just looked at me. “Of course it was.”

. . .

“Now, they’ll probably wake around every two to three hours.”, Rita said.

“Holy shit.”, Johnny mumbled and I elbowed him in the ribs. “That often?”

“They’re still young. They’ll need to be fed quite a bit during the night.”, she explained. “Well, Hayliee and Johnny, it was nice meeting you.” She glanced at the babies nestled in our arms. “Welcome to the incredible journey known as parenthood.”

. . .

“Be quiet when you close the door.”, I whispered to Johnny. “I don’t want them to wake up.”

“Don’t worry, I will.” Johnny walked through the door carrying the carseat containing Isaiah, and softly closed the door behind him.

He sat Isaiah down on the coffee table next to Madelyn and then plopped down on the couch next to me. He wrapped his arm around me, pulling me close, and I rested my head on his shoulder.

“Look at them.”, I breathed. “They’re so cute.”

“Yea, well right now they’re also asleep.”, Johnny said. “They’re always going to be cute when they’re asleep.”

“Let’s just hope they stay that way.”, I stated.

“Our life is going to be crazy now, baby.”, Johnny mumbled into my ear. “You think you’re up for it?”

“I’m ready for anything if you’re with me.”, I replied sweetly.

Johnny laced his fingers through mine slowly, securing our hands together tightly. He lifted my hand to his face and kissed my knuckled softly. “Do you remember our first date?”, Johnny asked quietly.

“Yea. You took me out for pizza and a movie.”

“I remember the movie. You were glued to my side for two and a half hours. Amazing.”, he sighed.

“Do you remember anything besides the fact that you have an overactive sex drive?”, I asked.

“Yes.”, Johnny said with a ‘duh’ tone. “I remember the moment you opened that door and the first time I laid eyes on you...and how I knew my life was going to change.” I placed my hand on the side of his face and kissed him, soft and sweet. When he pulled away, he had a devious glint in his eyes. “And you know you love my overactive sex drive.” Instantly his mouth was on mine again, attacking me in a lustful kiss.

I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck in an effort to draw him closer. Johnny leaned me back on the couch, pressing himself against me. “Johnny...” I groaned his name against his lips, prompting him to move down to kiss my neck, instantly hitting my sweet spot. I bit down hard on my lip to suppress another moan.

Suddenly, one of the babies made a sound. At first I thought I’d imagined it, it was so quiet. But then I heard it again, this time louder. I forced Johnny’s face away from my neck. “Johnny...”, I breathed. “Stop.”

“Why? What’s wrong, baby?”, he asked, his hot breath falling onto my neck.

“The babies.”, I stated, trying to push him off of me.

But Johnny was stronger than me, and with his full weight pressing down against my body, there was no way I could move him. “The babies are fine, Hayliee.”, he whispered. No sooner had the words left his mouth than Isaiah started crying. Awoken by her brother’s screaming, Madelyn began crying as well. “Fuck.”, Johnny mumbled, finally crawling off of me.

As soon as I was allowed to sit up, I reached forward and snatched Isaiah from his carseat. I looked over at Johnny, who was sitting motionlessly on the couch, and nodded towards Madelyn with my head. Struck with realization, he lifted her out of her carseat and hugged her against his chest.

I carried Isaiah into the kitchen and started rummaging through the cabinets for bottles and formula. I made up two bottles, one for Isaiah and one for Madelyn, who was still in the living room with Johnny. Johnny and I had just settled down to feed the babies when there was a knock at the door.

“Come in!”, I called.

The door opened and our friends walked in. Jimmy opened his mouth to say something, but I quickly raised my finger to my lips, motioning towards the babies. Emmy walked over to Johnny and I, leaving Zacky at the door. “They’re so cute!”, she cooed. “Can I hold one?”

I nodded. “Just wait until they’re done eating.”

As Emmy and Callie gushed over my children, the guys strolled over to give Johnny their congratulations. Jimmy clapped Johnny on the back. “Look at you, Christ. You went from being a sugar daddy to being a baby daddy.”

“Yea Johnny, what are you going to do now?”, Matt asked.

“Well, first I’m going to get Madelyn back to sleep and then I’m going to go to sleep myself.”, Johnny said.

“Hayliee, I think Madelyn looks like you.”, Callie said. “She’s definitely go your hair.”

“And Isaiah looks like Johnny.”, Emmy added.

“Oh God.”, Zacky interjected. “Your kids are going to be midgets, Hayliee.”

“And your kids are going to be idiots.”, Johnny joked.

Everyone, even Zacky, laughed. “That was a good one, Christ.”, he admitted. “I’ll give you that.”

In my arms, Isaiah had finished his bottle and was once again snoozing. I noticed and looked up at Emmy. “You want to hold Isaiah before I put him in his crib?”, I asked her.

“Sure!”, she exclaimed.

“Sit down.”, I instructed. She sat down next to me on the love seat and I carried Isaiah over to her. I gently placed my son in her arms. “Make sure you support his neck.”, I told her.

Emmy smiled down at Isaiah. “Oh Hayliee, he’s so cute!”, she gushed. “I can’t wait to have a baby.”

That caught Zacky’s attention. He quickly appeared in front of us with a panicked look on his face. “Did I just hear you say you wanted a baby?”, he asked.

Emmy nodded. “Well, yea. I mean, look at them. Aren’t they just so cute?”

“Fucking adorable.”, Zacky mumbled, taking a seat next to Emmy. “But Emmy...wouldn’t you rather wait to have a baby?”

“I guess.”, she said. “But I do want a baby.”

Zacky smiled. “Me too.” Suddenly he stood up. “I guess we’ll go. Let you and short shit over there get some rest.”

I took Isaiah from Emmy’s arms and saw them to the door. I hugged Emmy and Callie the best I could. “Bye you guys.”, I called after them. “It was nice of you to visit.”

I closed the door and stepped back into the living room, where Johnny still sat on the couch, holding Madelyn in his arms. “Come on.”, I said to him. “Let’s put them down for a nap before they wake up again.” We crept slowly upstairs and tiptoed into the nursery. After we laid them in their cribs, I stood back and watched them sleep. Emmy was right. Isaiah did look like Johnny. Johnny pulled gently on my hand, coaxing me from the room. I followed him into the bedroom and started walking towards the bed.

“Let’s get some rest.”, I mumbled.

Johnny grinned at me wickedly. “Yea, sure. Rest.”, he scoffed as he shut the door behind him.