Living On A Prayer

Brian chuckled as he wiped the Gerber baby food off of James’ chin. Taking another scoop of the baby food, he raised the spoon when James leaned forward for it. Brian still couldn’t believe that he was sitting in his kitchen feeding his girlfriends nine month old.

Ignoring the fact his front door had opened and closed, followed by voices, Brian carried on feeding James. “Whoa, what happened to your living room Syn?” Zacky asked as him, Matt, and Johnny all stood in the arch way staring at the explosion of baby toys.

“Kind of happens when you have a kid,” Brian answered with a roll of his eyes.

“Hey! There is a kid here.” Johnny noticed walking further into the kitchen. “What is he eating?”

Brian held the jar in front of him and read the label. “Spaghetti with meat sauce.”

“Seriously?” Zacky took a seat at the small kitchen table next to Brian. The other two copying his actions. “Does it taste good?”

“To James it does,” Brian mumbled and went back to feeding James when he felt the spoon being pulled in his hand.

“Hungry little guy isn’t he?” Matt commented with a laugh.

“Hey Zack, why don’t you try the baby food?” Johnny suggested with a smirk.

“Fine, Bri let me see the jar.”

Brian sighed handing the jar to his idiot of a best friend. He knew how this was going to turn out. James let out a cry of impatiens while Zacky started to gag. “Give me the jar back so I can finish feeding him.”

“Ugh dude, fuck that is so gross.” Zack gagged again as he hurried to the sink. “How can he eat that stuff?”

Brian just shrugged as he scraped the last off the food onto the spoon and fed it to James. He grabbed the wash cloth and wiped off James. Taking the bib off, Brian lifted James out of the highchair.

“So why are you watching him?” Matt asked as the guys migrated to the living room.

“Jane usually watches him but she had to be down in LA all day so I told Eloise I’d watch him.” He answered with a shrug as he laid back into the couch with James lying back on his chest.

“What is on TV?” Johnny asked cocking his head to the side as the characters moved across the screen dancing.

“Yo Gaba Gaba, Joel said his kids love the show and it wasn’t that bad.” Brian shifted James and set his legs up on the coffee table.

“Uh, does he normally just fall asleep like that?” Matt asked glancing down at the baby boy who had fallen asleep on Brian.

“He’s like his mom, can fall asleep at the drop of a hat.” Zacky just shook his head. He was amused by how taken his best friend was with the baby. “How’s Val doing?”

“She’s good, just crossed the seventeen week mark so next we’ll get to find out the sex.” Matt told his friends, his dimples fully showing. The guys let out a laugh at how excited Matt was. “Oh shut it, if you were in my spot you would be too.”

Eloise let out a sigh as she parked in Brian’s drive way. Looking around she saw each of the guy’s cars there. Grabbing her work bags she made her way into Brian’s house. Hearing Dora The Explorer playing in the living, Eloise walked in the room with a smirk on her face. All of the guys had a beer in hand, their eyes glued to the screen. While James was sprawled out on Brian’s chest.

“Say backpack! Come on say backpack! Louder!”

“You guys do know you’re suppose to say backpack.” Eloise stated making the guys jump. Zacky quickly grabbed the remote changing the channel. “Oh much better, Oprah.”

“So babe, how was work?” Brian asked as the guys flipped through the guide on the TV. Eloise sat down next to Brian leaning her head on his shoulder.

“Do you remember high school?” All of the guys just laughed and let out snickers. “Mhm . . . now imagine teaching kids like you guys.”

“Hey! I was a good kid!” Matt and Zacky said. Eloise just cocked her eyebrow at them. Both guys ducked their head at her look.

“Dude you’ve got that . . . teacher look on your face.” Johnny pointed out as he tossed back the rest of his beer. Eloise giggled as she hid her face in Brian’s chest. She pulled back, her nose wrinkled.

“Someone needs changed.”

“You change Brian’s diaper too?” Matt teased as he took a swig of his beer. Eloise got up grabbing the diaper bag.

“For that comment Matthew, you are going to change James’ diaper.”

The guys howled with laughter as Matt sat there sputtering. “But . . . I’ll have one in a few months!”

“Practice Sanders,” Eloise said as she took James from Brain and laid him out on the mat she placed on the floor. “Come here mister.” Matt grumbled as he slipped off the couch and moved next to Eloise on the floor. “Have you ever changed a diaper?”

“No,”

Eloise sighed as she heard the guys continue laughing at Matt. “Alright, first you’ll take off his pants,” Matt followed what she said.

“Oh I am so recording this,” Zacky muttered pulling his phone out.

“Now you unsnap the onsie,” Matt undid the three buttons while James just kicked his legs giggling. “Okay now you’ll move the onsie up underneath his back . . . okay now, undo the tabs on the diaper.” Matt hesitantly reached out to undo the tabs. Slowly peeling them back, Matt kept a frown on his face as he moved the front of the diaper away.

“Awe holy shit . . . ugh God,” Matt turned his head away gagging. “Nothing this small should produce such toxic fumes.”

“Dude if that food you fed him did that, imagine what it’ll do to you Zee.” Johnny pointed out wide eyed. Eloise rolled her eyes as she handed Matt the wipes.

“One bite won’t do anything Zack. Now Matt, hold his ankles, lift his legs and wipe.” Matt took out a couple wipes and began cleaning James. “Now remember Matt, boy’s have a tendency—”

“He pissed on me . . .” Matt let go of James and stood up as the rest of the guys doubled over in laughter. “Fuck that! Shit, Syn I borrowing the shower.”

“Oh you big baby.” Brian said as Matt went up the stairs. Brian got down on the floor finishing up what Matt attempted to do. “You think you’re so funny don’t you?” James let out a laugh as Brian snapped the onsie back up. Eloise just shook her head as she grabbed the dirty diaper and left the room. Brian picked up James, tossing him in the air a couple times unaware Zacky still had his phone out recording.

Eloise walked out of the kitchen, a smile on her face as she watched Brian play with her son. “Um Bri, what do you want to do for dinner?”

Brian set James on the floor letting him crawl over to the toys that littered the living room floor. “Doesn’t matter babe, I’ll cook. Do you have grading to do?”

“Yeah I have they’re class work to go over,” Eloise answered as Brian wrapped his arms around her.

“Then I’ll make dinner, you just relax and do your work then we can watch a movie tonight before you go home.” Brian told her giving her light kisses. “Alright?”

“Okay . . .” Eloise said still not use to staying late at a man’s house, a man who she’s dating.

“I just want to spend as much time with you and the little guy before we go on tour next week and then out to Europe.” Eloise nodded before leaning up giving him a kiss. “We’ll only see each other for a few days in between.”

“I know Bri, I understand.”

Brian let his eyes follow Eloise as she grabbed her work stuff and made herself comfortable at the small kitchen table. He turned back to see his friends sitting on the floor playing with James. Matt came down the stairs shaking his head.

“Val is changing the diapers if we have a boy.”