Brian Haner Jr

Brian glanced at his watch as he walked down the stairs. It had been all of twenty minutes, and so far, so good. If the next twenty minutes would go as smoothly, he might just get the hang of this whole parenting thing.

As he stepped into the family room, he saw Val leaning against Matt. His friend had his arms around his fiancee, and they were talking quietly. Nothing about their posture was sexual, yet Brian sensed the intimacy between them. Something in his gut told him that Matt had been lucky enough, or smart enough, to find another extraordinary women to share his life. Matt's previous girlfriend had been a model wife and mother. Personality wise, Val was alot different, but in her heart she was just as loving.

Brian pushed down the surge of envy that appeared unexpectidly. He reminded himself that he'd never been one for commitments. Of course he'd never gotten the point of kids either and now he had one. Everything changed.

Matt glanced up and saw him. "Val and I are going to let you off the hook about baby-sitting Kyle." he said.

Brian stared blankly. "What are you talking about?"

Matt grinned. "See, that's what happens. You get a child in the house and the parents start losing their minds. The first thing to go is short-term memory. Trust me on this. It's only going to get worse."

Val shook her head. "What Matt is trying to say is that the wedding is at the end of the month. With a newborn in the house, you're not really in a position to take care of another child."

Brian set the baby monitor on the counter closest to the family room and ran his fingers through his hair. "You're right. I did forget." When Matt and Val had decided to elope, he'd offered to take Matt's kid for the long weekend. Rose, Matt's ex-girlfriend's mother and his usual source for living help was going to be taking a cruise with her sister.

"Look, this is your wedding," Brian said. "I still want to take Kyle. He's a big help and I don't want you two worrying. You're barely going to get away for more than a weekend as it is."

Matt and Val exchanged a look. "We'll find someone else," Val said firmly. "It's sweet of you to offer, but you have no idea what you're getting into. Having a baby in the house changed everything. We'll arrange child-care for Kyle." She glanced at her watch, then at Matt.

"We need to be going," she said.

Matt nodded. "She's right." He tapped his shirt pocket. "I've got my cell phone with me, so call if you need anything."

They were leaving? Brian fought down a sudden surge of panic. "You guys can stay a little longer, can't you?"

"Sorry." Val picked up her purse and lung if over one shoulder. "I'll be in touch later this afternoon with a couple of numbers for baby nurses. I have two in mind and I think one of them is available."

He watched helplessly as they headed for the front door. "What do I do if she wakes up?"

"Take care of her," Val said. "Check her diaper, then feed her."

"I don't know how."

"Yes, you do. We went over it htis morning."

Yeah, right, like practicing on a doll was the same as feeding a baby. "But.."

"Be sure to check the temperature of the formula and burp her when you're done," Val said, giving him a reassuring smile. "If you get into trouble, call on the cell phone. Matt and I can be back here in less than twenty minutes."

He would prefer they didn't leave at all, but he couldn't bring himself to insist that they stay.

"Sure," he said with a conficence he didn't feel. "We'll be fine."

They waved, then walked out the front door. Brian wanted to go running after them and beg them to move in with him for the next two or three years. Maybe he should as Val to find a baby nurse who could start today, or in the next fifteen minutes.

He paced the length of the family room, then turned and stared at the baby monitor. It was just a matter of time until Skylar woke up and started crying. Dear god, then what was he going to do?