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I stood up and Mason’s eyes got wide again. “Here, hold onto her for a second, will you?”
His eyes went from wide to wheeling in panic. “Um, let me just go get your…whoever that woman was out there.”
“My sister-in-law.” I shifted Adriana off my shoulder and into his arms. “I know you can handle it.”
“She’s too tiny. I’m going to break her.”
I laughed. “No, you won’t.”
“No. I really—” His big hand cradled Adriana’s head and he cupped her butt in the other.
“There you go. You’re a natural. You probably hold your nephew all the time. And a niece, right?” I draped the receiving blanket over his shoulder. “Just rub her back. She always gets a bubble when she’s just eaten. I’ll be right back.”
“Don’t leave me!”
I rubbed his arm. “You got this. I just need to even out the boobage situation and pee. I’ll be really quick.”
“Even out the…what?” His brows furrowed. “I don’t understand any of that.”
“Even the peeing?” I laughed and crossed to the little bathroom off my bedroom. I grabbed my pump and hooked up my overfull breast.
“Uh, no. I get the peeing,” he called out in a stage whisper. “Jesus, you’re tiny,” he said quietly.
I peered out to see him looking down at my daughter with awe. He was so gentle with her, even if the rest of him was stiff as a board. Adriana fussed a little, then shoved her fist into her mouth and quieted against his chest.
Mason swayed awkwardly, patting her butt.
I collapsed against the counter as the battery-operated pump did its thing. The tightness released with the handful of ounces I pumped. When I glanced up at the mirror, I gasped.
“Everything okay?” he called out.
“Fine. Just fine.” I sighed as I took in the faded blue golf shirt I’d stolen from Clint. It was the only thing big enough for me without going out to find more clothes. Most of my maternity wear had been dresses and I needed easy access to the feeding source.
Now it was stained with spit up and God knew what. I finished pumping and flipped it off and got a whiff of my situation. “You okay out there?”
“Yeah, but you could hurry back.”
I plucked out baby wipes and wiped down everything I could reach. I definitely needed to find a way to get myself in the shower, but it would take too much effort right now.
I slathered myself in lotion and put on a T-shirt that was still sitting in my laundry pile. I was pretty sure it was clean. At least cleaner than what I’d been wearing. I quickly dragged a brush through my hair and tied it off my neck.
Damn summer was in full effect.
I peeked out one more time and saw him making slow circles as he looked down at Adriana. Her little butt fit in his very big hand.
The pang in my chest surprised me. I’d been overwhelmed with love when Clint held her, but this felt different. Tight and uncomfortable.
Maybe I needed to pump some more.
Instead I quickly peed—well, as quickly as one could in my condition. Someday it wouldn’t hurt when I sat down.
But it wasn’t today.
I washed my hands and took a swish of mouthwash before I headed back out, bottle in hand. I set the extra milk down on the end table beside the crib in case she woke back up.
“See, you didn’t die.”
Mason looked relieved when he saw me. “She’s still asleep.”
