Chapter 3 #2
She burst out laughing again. “No, I think you’re doing fine.”
“You think so?” He shook his head. “This is not really what I thought life would be like at this stage.”
“Of course not. And you’re here to help somebody who rather desperately needs it, so it makes sense that you’re both out of your depths.”
“Being out of our depths isn’t something—I know this sounds absolutely arrogant—but being out of our depths is something we’re used to,” he admitted, giving her a sour look. “Both of us would consider ourselves very capable, but this?”
“Makes you feel inexperienced and incapable?” she asked, and he just nodded. “I get it. I really do. It’s different for you, but these babies need you, and his sister needs you too.”
“So, here we are,” he stated, with a nod. “Otherwise you would never see me doing this.”
“I don’t know. I think you guys are doing a great job,” she said, with a particularly bright smile.
“So, have a little more faith in yourself and just keep doing what you’re doing.
” She watched as he struggled with just one of the triplets so far and gave him a couple hints on how to hold her and how to carry her easier.
Anderson came to add the other two babies to the tub, then stayed to hear more tips from Sammy, leaning on the doorjamb. Before long, Sammy was involved in a full-on teaching session. Even Pamela listened in. When Sammy was done, she turned to Pamela and asked, “You have anything to add to that?”
Pamela shrugged. “Honestly, you guys are doing a great job,” she said warmly. “It’s just a matter of having a little more self-confidence to handle this. You were thrust into something so foreign to you that I’m sure it’s enough to give you two the heebie-jeebies.”
“Heebie-jeebies?” Anderson repeated, with a big grin. “That’s a good word for it.” He looked over at Burton. “How are your heebie-jeebies?”
Burton rolled his eyes. “I thought I was doing pretty well without getting the heebie-jeebies,” he replied, sending them all off laughing.
With the three babies in the bathtub, sitting quite comfortably and splashing each other, the two women sat up on the counter as the two men knelt on the floor beside the babies.
Sammy looked over at them and repeated, “I agree with Pamela. You guys really are doing a great job.”
Anderson and Burton turned to her and laughed.
“Sammy, I still can’t believe you even came.” Burton chuckled, and he looked over at Pamela. “I put out the call for help because we weren’t sure how bad this was. Plus, I wasn’t sure when you could come back.”
“Of course you did,” Pamela agreed, looking at him in surprise. “Anybody would have.”
He frowned and asked, “Why does it feel that nobody but us would have?”
She laughed. “That’s your insecurity talking.”
“I may be many things, but I am most definitely not insecure,” Burton exclaimed in a tone that sounded rather pompous.
Sammy giggled. When he looked over at her and frowned, she giggled again. “If you weren’t insecure,” she began, “that comment wouldn’t have made you react that way.”
He shrugged. “Okay, maybe I’m a little insecure … on this topic.” He looked over at Anderson. “What about you? Are you a little … insecure?”
“Hell no,” Anderson declared immediately.
“I’m not too proud to admit that I’m very insecure when it comes to these three.
Honestly, I’m terrified I’ll do something wrong.
” He stopped, and his voice got thick as he shared, “I just want to do it right, so, when Talia comes home, she’ll know her babies have been looked after just fine. ”
Pamela reached out a hand to Anderson, who was sitting closest to her on the floor. She could just barely touch the top of his head, and Sammy smiled when she saw Anderson lean into it.
“The thing is, you’re doing everything right,” Sammy told them. “Give yourself a break and realize that these things are just life with babies.”
“Yeah,” Anderson muttered. “I think Burton and I have decided no babies for us.”
“Oh yeah? You say that now, but you just wait,” Pamela interjected, with a chuckle.
“Oh, I don’t think so,” Anderson argued. Then he looked over at the babies and shook his head. “But they are damn cute.”
Burton added quickly, “When they’re asleep.”
Both women burst out laughing, and the babies, as if thinking it was all about them, started to splash the men as hard as they could. Within seconds, they were both soaked. And that’s when the laughter really took off.
In the end Burton had enjoyed the crazy night they’d had, and he’d gotten to know Sammy a whole lot more.
The babies had finally gone to sleep, and the four of them sat down together in the living room and enjoyed adult beverages.
It provided a sense of normalcy, even though it lasted just a few minutes.
Anderson had convinced Pamela to stay the night.
She may have done so out of sympathy, but both men were appreciative no matter what, whereas Burton had sent Sammy home.
Regardless, both women were working tomorrow.
Knowing that he and Anderson should be fine now for the night, with a third adult in the house, it was the right thing to do.