So Kiss Me Goodbye

I tried to block out the now louder voices, which, in my sleep deprived state, I began to wonder if they were actually in my head.

Then I heard Zackie start crying.

It was like I was Popeye and had just popped a can of spinach as I jumped out of bed, skidding toward the nursery.

There was Pete, happily bouncing Zackie in front of him and making his usual weird faces.

I stood in the doorway with my arms crossed, inwardly fuming till next to him Mike nudged him.

"Damn, I really guess those maternal instincts are real." He muttered.

I wasn’t sure who I should send my death glare to so I decided to vocalize it.

"I've spent three days trying to put that baby to sleep and five minutes after I do you wake him up!" I exclaimed, simply radiating hormonal anger.

Pete's eyes grew wide and he held up a whimpering Zackie in front of him like a shield.

"Why are you using my son as a, no wait, why are you here?"

Pete and Mike looked around innocently before replying quietly.

"We came to steal you're baby for practice." Mike murmured like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"But," Pete interjected, glaring at Mike. 'we're also doing it for you and Will. We figure you could use some quiet, alone, adult time.'

Screw adult time, I thought to myself, after pushing a six pound human being out of me the last thing I want is to try for the sequel.

But I didn’t say that as something they said hit me.

"What do you mean by practice?"

They both started grinning.

'Well... Ashlee is pregnant and sent me over here so I'm not a total loser of a father.' Pete explained.

Mike nodded, still grinning. 'I'm here for damage control and because... well Jamie is pregnant too.'

I should've been celebrating for them but my first reaction was what I did; laugh.

"Aw man... I'm... I'm sorry but... but we suck as role models!" I gasped, trying to explain to their confused faces. "I mean, none of us were married when we got pregnant, and it's bad when it's one person, but now it's three of us!"

"It's like an epidemic." Will chuckled, walking into the room. "We could create a club."

I could feel my eyes tearing up a little as he put his arm around me and pulled me close.

To explain, Will and I hadn’t touched since we brought the baby home a month ago, too busy being parents and not husband and wife.

"So will you loan us your baby?" Pete asked, pouting slightly.

I looked up at Will as we both simultaneously replied. "Yes."

"But," I interjected. "I expect him home by tonight, no cuts, scrapes, bumps, or bruises, with a changed diaper, and-"

"Accessorized with bubble wrap?" Pete suggested, wiggling his eyebrows.

I sighed. "[b[No, but if I see any Sharpie on him you're a dead man."

Pete stepped back, trying to look innocent.

"Whatever do you mean Lilly?"

I narrowed my eyes. "Don't think I don't know about your fame dream to someday autograph a baby. You can do it to your own kid but not ours."

With a pout Pete nodded as a voice resounded behind us.

"Don't worry Lilly, I promise Zackie will be perfectly fine, he's got his Auntie Madi and Jamie to keep these guys in line." Jamie assured me, walking in.

Even through my exhaustion I mustered a bright smile and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Hey mommy, how're you feeling?"

She smiled shakily. "I'm scared."

"A good dose of fear is healthy, but don't worry, you've got all of us here for you. The same thing that went for me goes for you; we've got your back." I assured her.

Jamie smiled, tears filling her eyes as she threw her arms around me.

Oh yeah, definitely pregnant.

I reassured her I'd take her out, help her with baby things, and do whatever she needed me to do.

Once she was calm I took Zackie from Pete.

My first response to get rid of him so I could sleep had long gone as the pain in my ass for the past month began looking more and more like my baby.

All those little cute moments with him, his first smile, his laugh whenever Will fell over something (not only was his height awkward but hazardous), and all the little things came flooding back.

He may be a pooping, crying, eating machine, but it was just a part of him being my baby.

I looked up, seeing Will's expression, the tears in his eyes, knowing he was going through the same thing.

"Hey man, we uh, we'll just leave Zackie with you." Pete stuttered, a little unsure.

I shook my head, brushing away the few tears that had formed in my eyes.

"No, no, we need the break." I sighed. "And it's not like he's leaving forever, it's just the first time we've been apart."

"I guess the first time is the hardest." Will shrugged, trying to seem cool.

We packed a baby bag filled to the brim with toys, formula, diapers, blankets, clothes, the works, shoving them into the arms of the new babysitters.

And then, they were gone.

Will half carried me to the bedroom as my weariness suddenly hit me, both of us suddenly feeling like the walking dead.

As we flopped into bed and Will instinctively pulled me close to him, it hit me this was the first time we had been alone in the same bed since the baby.

"Funny we get some time alone for the first time in a month and all we want to do is sleep." Will chuckled.

I nodded, snuggling into his chest despite we hadn’t showered in days and probably smelled like everything imaginable that went with having a baby.

"I'm sorry about letting the baby take over everything. I haven't exactly been the best husband." Will murmured softly.

I reached out and squeeze his hand, looking up into his deep brown eyes.

"Will, you keep trying to be like Mr. Incredible, doing everything yourself and wanting to make everything perfect but you can't, not alone. I'm your wife, and I love you trying to take care of me, but you've got to let me do the same for you."

Will sighed and pulled me closer.

"It's just hard because I feel like I should be the one taking care of everyone, being the man and all." Will explained, muttering the last part.

With a little laugh I leaned up and kissed him.

"It's a stupid stigma Will. Just promise me you won't try to take on the world all by yourself."

He nodded, letting a smile spread across his face before pulling me into a long kiss.

It definitely made up for the month we had spent as practical strangers in the apartment where, despite being new parents and complete train wrecks, we were still two twenty something's in love.