Connie's First Baby, part two

Leta enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren, and shortly after her granddaughter Connie had her first baby, she and her husband Richard paid them a visit. Many of these kinds of visits have some awkwardness attached, and this was no different. Baby Chris was colicky, and Connie was exhausted. When they arrived, the baby was sleeping, and they dared not disturb him. However, after a short time, he awoke, and Leta had the opportunity to change and calm the squabbling baby while Connie hovered nearby.

“The room is nice,” Leta said, as she accomplished the task.

“Thank you,” Connie said. “Ed likes to decorate.”

“Your house always looks so nice and clean and fresh,” Leta continued, “even now, considering.”

“Chris doesn’t sleep a lot,” Connie said. “Hardly at all.”

“That’s how it is with some babies.”

“The doctor told me to just let him cry. He’ll cry himself to sleep, but, Grandma, he just wails and wails. I can’t stand it. So I pick him up and he goes right to sleep.”

“He misses his mommy.”

“I just wish he’d sleep for longer than 20 minutes at a time without me having to hold him.”

“He will,” Leta said comfortingly. “He will. Now let’s have a piece of pie!”

Leta had made them a peach pie, and she was beginning to desire a piece with a cup of coffee. Her family loved the pies she made.

Returning to the living room, they found that Connie’s mother, Leta’s daughter-in-law Kathryn had recently arrived.

“I was just going to pop into the bedroom to see what was taking you so long,” she said.

“Everything is fine,” Leta said, sensing a little hostility from her daughter-in-law. “Isn’t it, baby?” She pressed her face into the swaddling infant and took a deep breath. “I just love baby smells.”

Kathryn pointed to the rocking chair. “Sit here, Ma,” he likes to be rocked.

“I’m fine,” Leta answered as she resumed her seat on the sofa beside her husband. “Isn’t he beautiful?” she asked, showing him the child’s peaceful face.

“Hi, little fella,” Richard said.

Leta and Richard with the baby were sitting on the sofa, Connie’s husband Ed was in one easy chair and Kathryn sat in the rocking chair. Connie was still standing, and in Leta’s estimation, looked a bit lost. Leta gestured with her head. “Come sit by me, darling,” she instructed. “There’s plenty of room here.”

“That’s okay, Grandma,” Ed said. “Connie’s going to get us that pie and coffee we’ve all been waiting for.”

“Yes, of course,” Connie said, as she turned away to go into the kitchen. Leta anticipated that Kathryn would offer to assist her daughter, but instead, the grandmother remained seated, having moved to the edge of her seat in an attempt to be closer to her grandson.

“Is he awake or asleep?” she asked.

“Asleep, I think,” Leta answered. “He opens his eyes a little every couple of minutes, but I think he’s still asleep.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to sit here in the rocker?” Kathryn asked again. “He likes that. He also likes to be held up.”

“I know how to hold a baby!” Leta snapped, and chased the sound out of the room momentarily. Kathryn sat back in her chair, and for a few moments the room remained quiet. Then the baby gurgled.

“Hello, little darling,” Leta said, looking into his face. “Are you going to join us? No? Well, then, you go right back to sleep.”

To be continued.