I’m sitting at the table with Knox on my lap; I haven’t put him down since I walked through the door. I miss the little guy during the day.
“How’s work?” Dad asks as we sit down to eat.
“Good. The remodel is going well. We should be done with the kitchen tomorrow and then we’ll move on to the bathrooms.”
“Need anything?” he asks.
“Nah, I’m good.” I take a bite of my pot roast.
“He was an angel today, like always,” Mom chimes in.
I laugh. “When he’s two, running around and terrorizing the place, you’ll still say he’s an angel.”
Dad chuckles. “That’s our right, son.”
I’m fortunate that they want to watch him every day. Sure, there are daycares, but I like the fact that he’s with family. I know he’s safe and his needs are met. I’m not used to having to worry about that, but now it’s at the top of the list.
“How’s he been sleeping?” Mom asks.
“The last few nights he’s slept six hours straight. I’ve felt like I won the lottery.”
“I remember those days,” Dad says.
“He’s a good baby,” Mom tells us.
We finish dinner and I offer to help clean up, but they both push me out the door, telling me to get home and get settled. Mom has Knox’s bags already packed, so I load him in the truck and we head home.
We run through what’s starting to be our routine. Knox gets his bath, which he seems to enjoy—well, at least he’s not crying. He hangs out in the swing while I clean up the house and pack his bag for the next day. I make his nighttime bottle and settle in on the couch. He’s sleeping soundly, so I don’t wake him up to eat. Instead, I pick up my phone and call Kendall.
“Hey,” she says brightly.
“Hi. How was the rest of your day?”
“Same old. How about you?”
“We’ll be done with the kitchen tomorrow, and then we can start on the bathrooms. The guys and I are hanging out here Saturday night to watch the fight.”
“That’s great. You guys are making good time. Do you need a sitter?” she asks.
“What?”
“For Saturday, do you need a sitter?”
“Uh, no. I mean, we’re going to be here, so it’s fine.”
“I just thought I would ask. I know you’re doing this on your own, and it helps to get a break every now and then.”
She’s just. . . .”Thank you, sweet girl, but I’m good. I feel like I spend a lot of time away from him as it is.”
“You have to have a life too, Ridge. There’s nothing wrong with leaving him to go out with friends.”
Honestly, since the day I found out I was a father, the thought hasn’t even crossed my mind. My biggest worry was childcare while at work, but before I could even voice that, my parents’ were asking if they could watch him.
“Yeah, I just . . . We’re still learning. He and I are starting to get into a routine,” I tell her. I look down at him, grinning a toothless grin in his sleep. “He’s smiling,” I tell Kendall.
“Aww, I want to see,” she says.
“I read that he shouldn’t do this for a couple more weeks. My boy’s a genius.”
She laughs. “He’ll be four weeks on Sunday, right?”
“Yeah.”
“He’s on the timeline,” she tells me. “You have to snap a picture so I can see him.”
“Let me call you back and we can video chat,” I suggest.
“Good idea.” The phone goes dead.
“She’s excited to see you, bud. Keep those smiles coming, yeah?” He’s snoozing away with a little grin tipping his lips while I video call Kendall back.
“Lemme see.” She’s smiling.
I turn the phone so she can see little man sleeping in my arms. “Look at him! He’s getting so big.”
“He’s tiny,” I argue with her.
“Yes, he is, but he’s growing. I can tell.”
“He’s a good eater, that’s for sure. It’s actually time for his bottle, but the books say not to wake them to eat.”
“Yeah, stretch it out as long as you can. That will help him go longer and sleep longer at night.”
We talk about anything and everything for another fifteen minutes or so before Knox starts to stir. “Looks like someone’s hungry.” I point the phone back to him so she can see him. His little lip, which was just tilted in a smile, is now jutted out. He’s getting ready to cry. “I better change him and get him fed.”
“Give him a hug from me.”
“Will do. Talk to you soon. Hey, uh . . . the guys are coming over Saturday night to watch the fight. Reagan will be here. You and Dawn are welcome to come.”
“I have plans with my parents’ this weekend.”
“Right, of course. Well, if you change your mind, you know where we’ll be.”
“Okay,” she says softly.
“Goodnight, sweet girl.”
I slide my phone in my pocket then walk through the house, turning off all the lights and locking the door. Upstairs, I change his diaper and settle into the rocker to give him his bottle. He takes it like a champ as always, and then he’s right back to sleep. After placing him in bed, I make sure the monitor is turned on and quietly close his door.
I take a long, hot shower and feel exhaustion setting in. Slipping into some boxer briefs, I climb into bed. As soon as my eyes close, I hear the vibration of my phone on the nightstand. I debate on letting it go until morning but decide against it. I reach for it and see a new text message.