He smiled. “You work with some crazy ass people, but I love them all.”
“I’m glad.” She pulled him into her bedroom and helped pull off his clothes. “Come on, get in bed.”
“Any chance of her sleeping through the night?"
Karen chuckled. "That may take awhile, but I guess we’ll find out tonight, won’t we?"
Brett groaned.
“Get used to it, Dad, this is your life for the next twenty-one years.”
“Good point. I guess we should sleep while we can."
Karen nodded, crawled under the covers with him, and turned off the lamp. They curled up together and soon fell asleep in each other’s arms.
CHAPTER 67
"I‘m coming, Jack," Brett groaned into the pillow when his sleep was interrupted by what sounded like a cat mewing. “Damn fuzz face acts like I never feed him.”
"Your cat isn‘t here," Karen said as she sat up in bed. "That’s Autumn."
"What a set of lungs. Is she okay?”
Karen got out of bed. “She’s a Kerrigan, all right. I’m guessing someone has an empty tummy and a full diaper.”
"Do you want me to change her?" He neither opened his eyes nor looked at her as he spoke.
"No, you get some rest," she said. "I’ll take care of her."
As she walked down the hall, Karen could hear his soft snoring coming from the living room. She glanced in and saw Patrick still asleep. Autumn’s cries hadn’t even stirred him. Good God, a bomb could drop in here and Pat would never know it.
She made her way into the nursery and turned on the lamp by the crib. Autumn quieted a little when the light came on. "My, you make a lot of noise for a little lady," She said when she lifted Autumn from her crib. "Daddy thought you were his kitty cat.”
Karen took in a whiff. “I was right. Someone does have a full diaper.” She lay the baby down on the changing table and hummed as she changed the soiled diaper. "Feels better, doesn‘t it?" she said as she dressed Autumn and then picked her up. "Now let‘s go fill your little tummy.”
*****
The next morning, Karen took the baby for an outing, stopped at the office to give her notice, and then caught up with friends. While she was gone, Brett and Patrick planned to spend the day together before they flew home.
Brett just finished dressing when Patrick sauntered into the room with a wide smile.
"What’s with the shit-eating grin?” he asked.
"Dude, I finally slept through the night. A good night’s sleep rocks!”
Brett groaned in response.
"What’s the matter?”
"Nothing, man.”
"No, it’s something. I figured with you and Karen together, you‘d be dancing with joy this morning after doing the horizontal Macarena last night. She too worn out?”
"Well, yeah," Brett replied. “She had her hands full with Autumn, and as for getting laid, we can’t do anything for a few more weeks."
"Weeks? Jesus Christ. Did something else happen from the accident?”
"No. It’s standard for any woman who had a baby. No sex for six weeks."
“Looks like you need to rent some porn and spend some time with Mary Hand and Her Five Ugly Daughters to keep from going insane.”
“Unlike you, I don’t have sex on the brain twenty-four hours a day. I’ll get along just fine.”
Patrick changed the subject. “Okay, we’re in a strange town, neither of us are flying out until this afternoon, so what’s the best thing to do?”
“Don’t know what you had in mind, but the first thing on my agenda is some food,” Brett replied.
“Taco Bell?”
“For breakfast? Oh, hell no! I’m not driving all the way to the airport trapped in a car with you and your lethal farts.”
“They don’t stink. They’re just loud.” Patrick gave him a knowing grin.
“Whatever. Taco Bell is not happening.” Brett opened his laptop. “Let’s check out something a little more decent. Then I have to call Ma to make sure they got to the airport okay.”
"Well, you’ll have to wait a few minutes anyway. I need to piss."
"TMI, holmes.” Brett rolled his eyes before turning his attention to the phone call.
In the bathroom, Patrick began to sing in Spanish. The loud warbling drifted out into the living room as Brett spoke to his family. Satisfied they made their flight, he hung up.
“Dude, close the fucking door," Brett said. "I really don’t enjoy the sight of you taking a whiz.”
"Not seeing anything you haven’t seen before.”
“Just close it, Pat. Jesus. What if Karen walks in? You’ll scar her and the baby for life.”
“Shut it.” Patrick washed his hands and came out soon after. “Ready to go?”
“Yeah, I’m starving. I think Autumn’s already rubbed off on me.”
They both laughed, grabbed their bags and headed for the car. Brett left a note for Karen, thanking her for the stay, and that he’d call her once he had arrived in Orlando.
*****
“So you’re leaving us?” Sullivan asked after Karen handed him her notice.
She nodded. “I’m joining Brett in Orlando in a few weeks.”
“He proposed?”
She laughed. “Not yet, but he did get a larger place for all of us to live. He wants to be part of Autumn’s life.”
“Never thought anyone would see the day you’d leave this city.”
“I never imagined it either.”
“Kind of a shame I’m about to lose one of my best writers, but whoever picks you up is going to be damn lucky.”
“Oh, I’m going to stay home and concentrate on the syndicated column, finish my book, and perhaps pick up some freelance work. I want to be a full-time mom to Autumn.”
Sullivan raised his eyebrows. “You’re still doing that novel?”
“Right now, I have no choice,” Karen said, nodding. “I received an offer from a publisher this morning when I opened my email.”
“Congratulations! That’s great!” He glanced down at Autumn, who was still asleep. “Does she always do that?”
“Only during the day,” Karen said with a chuckle. “Hopefully, it won’t be long before she sleeps through the night instead.”
“Going to be rough traveling with the little one, isn’t it?”
“I’ll manage. There’s a lot of adjustments to make now that I have a baby.”
“Speaking of adjustments, how’s the new father doing?”
“Not keen on the idea of being awakened several times last night, but as far as the fun parts are concerned, Brett’s in his glory.”
“He better get used to night time awakenings.”
“Funny, I told him the same thing earlier.” She stood and picked up Autumn’s carrier seat. “I need to go. There’s a couple of people I want to see first, and then head home to feed Autumn.”
Sullivan nodded. “It’s been great working with you all these years Karen.”
“Same. Thank you for everything, Mr. Sullivan.”
As she turned to leave, Karen swore she saw tears forming in the editor’s eyes. I didn’t realize he’d valued me that much…
For Greg Sullivan, Karen had been more than one of his best journalists—he was losing someone he’d always considered a daughter.
CHAPTER 68
About a month after Karen and the baby relocated to Orlando and settled into the new apartment with Brett, she had gone to visit her new doctor for a checkup She left the baby with Brett and Patrick, who was visiting them that weekend, and both men were enthusiastic about caring for Autumn.
“Pat, you have to hold up the bottle,” Brett instructed him as Patrick fed the baby. “She’ll suck in air and get gas if you don’t.”
“Like this?”
“Now you got it.”
“Dude, you if anyone should know kids are not my area of expertise. I only agreed to this because she’s my goddaughter.”
“Well, if y
ou’re going to be a god papi, you have to learn to do it right.”
“Smart ass.”
"Time to burp her," Brett said, taking Autumn from him. He placed a burp cloth on his shoulder, lay the infant on it, and patted her back. "Come on, Little Bit. Give Daddy a good burp.”
Autumn fussed a bit, annoyed her meal was interrupted. Brett continued to pat her back, alternating rubbing in between pats. Soon, she let out a loud belch.
Patrick jumped. “Not funny, Kerrigan,” he said, raising an eyebrow.
“What was supposed to be funny?”
“Burping and trying to pin it off on the innocent baby.”
“Hate to tell you, but it wasn’t me.”
"That was Autumn? Jesus, that sounded like one of yours, Kerrigan."
“She’s Daddy’s girl,” Brett said, smiling down at the baby while he wiped the spittle from around her mouth and gave her the rest of the bottle.
"My God, I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re ready to knock Karen up with another one.”
“Not quite yet. Want to hold her again?”
Patrick made a face. “I think I’ll pass this time.”
The doorbell rang. “Well, you’ll have to while I get the door.”
“You suck,” Patrick said when Brett placed Autumn on his lap.
“She needs burped again.”
"Right, stick me with the messy job.” Patrick placed Autumn on his shoulder and patted her back. "I can do this. Right, Autumn? I can do this."
A second loud burp echoed through the room. “Holy shit, kid, that could‘ve vibrated the walls.”
"Good one," Brett said, giving him a thumbs up when he returned from the door with a package.
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”
“It was for three minutes. Want me to take her?"
“Nah, I can keep the little burp machine for a couple. What’s the box?”
“Something for Karen. I guess she’s been online shopping for Little Bit again. Jesus, at this rate, her room’s going to look like FAO Schwarz.”
Brett plopped on the couch beside Patrick and flipped on the TV, looking for a movie to watch. Soon they heard a strange sound and he quirked a brow at Patrick, making a face as an offensive odor filled the room.
"I swear, it was Autumn," Patrick said in protest when Brett glared at him.
“Classy, dude. Fart and blame the baby.”
“I’m telling you, it was the kid. Her diaper vibrated." Patrick carefully checked Autumn, making his own face. "Oh, lucky us. We get to change a shitty diaper."
“No time like the present for you to learn,” Brett said. “Get the changing pad and stuff from her room.”
Patrick went into the nursery and returned with several items they needed. He also grabbed a trash can from a corner of the room and set it nearby. Brett lay Autumn on the changing pad and unsnapped her onesie. Both men stared at the diaper.
"Come on, we have to get this done,” Brett said. “She’ll get diaper rash if we don’t clean her up, and Karen will have a bitch fit for sure." He opened the diaper.
Patrick turned green as the smell magnified tenfold. "For God‘s sake, man up." Brett said. “It’s only baby shit, not toxic waste.”
"I’m fine," Patrick said, covering his nose with his shirt. "I can do this. No problem."
He grabbed some baby wipes and cleaned Autumn‘s bottom. Brett handed him a clean diaper, tossing the dirty one and the used baby wipes into the trash can. He bent over to tie up the bag as Patrick finished diapering the baby.
"There. I did it, Brett!”
“You sure did, bro. See, was that so bad?”
“No, but not something I’d do on a regular basis.” He handed Autumn to Brett and finished cleaning up the mess they’d made changing her.
At that moment, the diaper fell from Autumn. It hit Patrick on the head before settling on the floor. Seconds later, he felt something warm and wet hit his head. “What the hell…Kerrigan, that better not be what I think it is!”
It was all Brett could do to restrain himself from laughing at the sight of Autumn peeing on her godfather. “If you think it’s baby piss…then…" He broke out laughing.
Karen walked in the door. “What on earth are you doing with that baby?”
"I was showing Pat how to change Autumn,” Brett replied between gasps of laughter. “The diaper…fell off… and…Pat was cleaning up…when she just started peeing!"
“Good lord. When I asked you two to take care of her, I didn’t mean use her for entertainment.” She took Autumn from him. "Come on, my little ladybug," she said. "Mommy will get you a clean diaper."
Brett was still laughing, literally rolling on the floor. Annoyed, Patrick grabbed the bag with the dirty diaper in it and tossed it toward his best friend. It hit Brett full crack in the face, stopping the laughter.
Karen rolled her eyes as she changed Autumn. "If you two children are done goofing off, would you help Frank bring in the rest of the groceries?”
Brett glared at Patrick, who was still laughing, as they headed toward the door. "Sure, I think we can manage that.”
She handed Patrick the soiled diaper bag. “Take this too.”
“Hey, that’s for baby daddy.”
“You’re closer,” Karen said. “Go.”
After they left, she picked up Autumn. “We have some very strange men in our lives, you know that?” she said. “Then again, Daddy and Papi Pat never give us a dull moment. Now, let’s go find something for dinner.”
CHAPTER 69
When eight-week-old Autumn’s cries sounded over the baby monitor in the middle of the night, it was Brett who woke first. "I’ll take care of her," he said when Karen stirred.
He hurried to the nursery to retrieve the baby before she woke Karen again, then stopped short when things grew quiet. Panicked, he burst into the room, only to find Autumn wasn’t alone in her crib, and had stopped crying.
“About time you made yourself useful around this house, Jack,” he said in a whisper when he spotted the cat curled beside a now-sleeping Autumn, purring.
Jack tilted his head and stared at Brett, who reached in and petted him. “Good boy. Remind Daddy to give you a special tuna snack in the morning.”
Smiling, Brett walked back to the bedroom. "Is everything all right?" Karen asked.
“I think the little lady was just lonely. Jack took the liberty of keeping her company.”
“Oh, that‘s so cute. I wondered why she was quiet all of the sudden.”
He fussed with the material on her nightgown. "This is new, isn’t it?" he asked.
She nodded and smiled. “Right”
“You wore it for tonight?"
“Right again.”
"Jesus, and I fell asleep on you."
"You had three television tapings this week. You’re tired, and it caught up with you. We can wait until you’re more rested.”
Brett smirked. “I’m plenty rested. How about you, sexy?”
"On one condition." she replied.
“What?“
Karen leaned across him to reach into his nightstand drawer, and pulled out a condom. “Use this.”
“Okay…” He raised an eyebrow.
“We don’t need any more surprises before Autumn’s at least school age, and probably by then, we won’t have to worry about using anything but adoption agencies.”
*****
As the sun rose, Karen lay in Brett’s arms as he spooned her. The sheets were draped over their naked bodies and a thin sheen of sweat coated them. He gave her shoulder a gentle kiss before pulling her closer to him.
"Now that was worth the wait," he whispered.
She smiled, closing her eyes. "I can’t believe Autumn slept through the rest of the night."
"Yeah, I half expected her to start crying at any moment, considering all the noise you made,” he said, starting to laugh.
Karen gave him a playful smack. “Hey! You weren’t very quiet either.”
>
"Let’s hope that the next time we can do something like this is before our wedding."
His statement threw her off. “What?”
"Makes sense since we have a beautiful little girl," Brett said. "What do you say? Will you marry me?”
“Oh, God. Yes!”
“Yes?” Brett was thrilled.
“Yes. Now we to set a date, call your mother, I need to find dresses for me and Autumn, make up a guest list, arrange for flowers, the cake, you need to get a suit and…"
Brett’s finger settled over her lips, silencing her. “Slow down. Right now, let’s have another round of loving before Autumn wakes up. Then we’ll all go shopping for your engagement ring later today.”
CHAPTER 70
“Will you get the hell off that scale?” Brett asked when he spied Karen weighing herself one morning. “You just got weighed at the doctor’s office yesterday, and you look great from here.”
“Just making sure I’m losing the last of my baby weight,” she replied. “Five more pounds to go. Got to admit I’m surprised I didn’t gain very much when I was pregnant.”
“I wouldn’t have given a shit if you gained fifty pounds, especially if your ass was bigger.”
Karen stepped off the scale and hugged him. “You’re too sweet, you know that? I think Autumn’s going to be just like you. By the way, where‘s the baby?”
“In her bassinet. I took the liberty of giving her a bath, a clean diaper, and a bottle while you were asleep.”
“Sounds like someone’s enjoying being Daddy.”
“Indeed. Hey, I have to tape two episodes, so it looks like it’ll just be you two ladies tonight. I should be back around twelve-thirty.”
Karen gave him a look. “You’re not going out for a beer with the guys afterward?”
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