Chapter 15
Fifteen
At home later that evening, Maddy gets a call from Coach. She nods along, agreeing to things, and soon she’s smiling.
Maddy smirks, lowers her phone and hits a button. “Can you repeat that, Brent? I want Jamie to hear.”
I click my tongue as Coach’s mild laughter comes through the phone speaker.
“Hey Jamie,” Coach says. “I was just checking in to ensure Maddy was okay with this baby simulator being in the house.”
“And?” Aunt Maddy says in a leading way.
Coach laughs. “And, I wanted to make sure Maddy let you do the work on this assignment. I know it must be tempting to let her take over when the baby cries.”
I snort like I’m insulted. “As if I’d do that.”
“Yes, because you didn’t get this assignment because you slacked off on your other ones,” Coach says sarcastically.
I groan. “Ugh. Whatever.”
“Don’t worry,” Coach says light-heartedly, “I also called to stop Maddy from letting her instincts takeover and doing the assignment for you.”
My eyes narrow at Maddy. “What does that mean?”
“That she’s a natural with babies,” Coach replies. “I remember how Grams would gush about her any time I went into the cafe when you were little.”
Aunt Maddy leans over and pinches my cheek. “Well, how could I not take care of her? She was so gosh darn cute.”
I steal my face away. “Oh my gosh, stop. You’re so embarrassing.”
Coach laughs. “So, are we good here?”
“Yes, Brent,” Aunt Maddy replies. “I won’t take over, and Jamie will take responsibility.”
“Yeah, sure, whatever,” I reply.
“You can reach out through the portal if you get really stuck,” Coach says. “Just try to stay calm and work out all your options to soothe the baby. It might get tense overnight.”
“Tense?” I ask, seizing up.
“The simulation continues throughout the night,” Coach replies. “It’ll feel more difficult when it’s interrupting your sleep.”
Aunt Maddy giggles. “Ah, you’re gonna have so much fun.”
“Thanks, guys, for putting my mind at ease,” I say, folding my arms.
After dinner, Maddy and I watched two rom-coms back to back. She had banned me from watching, so I’d have more study time. But considering she’d be leaving me for seven days, she kicked the harsh vibes.
Besides, she knows I’ll be staying under Mrs. Nelson’s roof, and she can be strict at times.
At 12.30 a.m. Maddy left for her bedroom, asking me for the millionth time for good luck on her trip. Now that she doesn’t have to concentrate on me or work, the thought of being on the plane is freaking her out.
When Maddy left, Gandalf started up. He’d already had a bottle during movie one, and a changing during movie two.
“Do you need me to come back?” Aunt Maddy calls out.
“No, I got it,” I say, picking up the fake baby. “You just get some rest.”
“Okay, love you,” she calls and then closes her door.
I cradle Gandalf close to my body, and his cries turn into a soft whimper. With a few rocks, he settles back to sleep.
Phew.
I put him down in the carrier beside the bed, and get myself comfy, ready to drift off to sleep.
2.00 a.m.
Gandalf’s annoying cry pries me from my sleep. I rub my crusty eyes and pull myself to the edge of the bed. I peer over at the fussing doll and my head pounds.
“Seriously?” I whisper harshly. “What do you want?”
The cry gets louder. When he raises the volume, that usually means a bottle.
I groan and drag myself out of bed. “Okay, you little monster, if I do this you have to promise not to cry again until 9 a.m.”
I get the bottle from my desk and scoop Gandalf into my arms. It takes ten minutes for him to be satisfied with the bottle. I have to admit, the suckling noises were kinda cute.
The worst part is the burping. It takes ages! And I never know what kind of pressure is correct or leaning toward abuse. Aunt Maddy said it has to be hard, but Coach said mishandling will lower my grade.
Eventually he burps, allowing me to place him back in the carrier without him whimpering.
3.15 a.m.
I’m pulled out of a dream where I’m rollerblading up a steep ramp, about to get airborne. I’m so confused as to why I’m awake. The screeching noise in the background comes into focus, and my blood boils from the sound of Gandalf.
“Ugh. I hate you!” I groan.
I pull him out of the carrier and plop him on the bed. I probably used too much force, but it’s the middle of the freaking night, and I enjoy my sleep.
“What’s wrong with you this time?” I mumble sleepily.
He makes that uncomfortable, cut-off cry, and I think it means diaper change. I guess it makes sense since he recently ate.
In my dopey state, I somehow manage a quick change and get him back in his carrier. He makes more whiny sounds, so I rub my hand against his stomach as I faceplant my mattress. I doze off at the sound of him gurgling.
4.25 a.m.
I wake up with searing pain in my hands. My fists are so tightly wound, they’re difficult to unravel. My jaw hurts from grinding my teeth. My stomach is cramped from raising my knees into the fetal position.
My unconscious self tried so hard to keep me asleep, but I was no match for Gandalf’s cries. His pitch is crazy high and the sobs vary in length.
“Oh my gosh,” I whimper, verging on tears. I pull him onto the bed. “Why won’t you stop crying?”
The baby continues to fret, and my first instinct is to cover his mouth. It barely mutes him. I can’t have him waking up Aunt Maddy. But maybe I need her. Or a priest to perform an exorcism.
I hold the baby close, hoping some rocking back and forth will soothe him.
His cries persist.
“Come on, Gandalf,” I whisper harshly. “You’ve already been fed and changed. What is it now?”
As he continues to cry in my arms, my tears stream. A mixture of sleep deprivation and running emotions. My head is a jumble of thoughts and I can’t think of what my next step should be.
I don’t know how he could help, but I pick up my phone and text Milo, anyway.
“Gandalf won’t stop crying.”
“I think he’s possessed.”
“OMG why won’t he stop?”
“I can’t do this anymore. I want to find an off switch.”
Each time I texted, I told myself it’d be the last time. However, my scattered emotions wouldn’t let me stop. My teeth chatter as the feeling of helplessness ripples through me. Somehow, writing to Milo comforts me.
When I’m about to text another rambled message, my phone buzzes with an incoming call from Milo.
I hit answer and lift the phone to my ear.
“Hello?” It comes out like a wounded whimper.
“Jamie, you sound so sad,” Milo whispers through the phone.
“I can’t believe you called,” I whisper back.
“It seemed like you needed help. Is looking after him too much?”
I roughly swipe my weeping eyes with my sleeve. “I just don’t know why he won’t stop. I’ve done everything he could possibly need, and he keeps crying every hour.”
“What does everything mean?” Milo asks. “Feeding, burping, changing, cuddling?”
“Yes, Milo!” I yelp. There’s a moment of silence on the line until I sigh and add, “Sorry for snapping. I’m just losing it.”
“Don’t be sorry,” he says in a soothing tone. “I’d go insane too if I kept getting woken up and couldn’t fix it.”
My teeth chatter as I hold back a sob of frustration. “I just don’t know what else to do.”
“Have you asked Maddy for help?”
“I don’t want to wake her,” I admit. “She’s going on her first ever flight tomorrow, plus it’s her first time out of the state. She’s nervous enough about her trip and leaving everything behind. I don’t want to stress her out by taking away her sleep.”
“Do you want me to come over?” he asks. “I could call a taxi.”
“No, don’t do that,” I reply, appreciating the gesture. “I shouldn’t have woken you up.”
“Don’t be silly. It’s my assignment too. If you’re up, I’m up too.”
I let out a faint giggle. “Don’t say that, or tomorrow night I’ll have to stay up when it’s your turn.”
“Hopefully, he’ll be a better baby tomorrow night.”
“If I were paired up with Kai, he never would’ve called. He’d tell me to stick Gandalf in a closet and then get online to play a game with him.”
“If Kai ever had to do this assignment, I pity the poor person paired up with him. He blows off everything.”
“That’s usually what I like about him. But now he doesn’t get how important it is that I do well in my classes.”
“Well, you sure told him this afternoon in the cafe. He was quiet on the drive home.”
I’m taken aback. “Really? He didn’t talk himself around in circles?”
“No. He just sat behind the wheel and seemed to be thinking hard as we made our way home.”
“Huh. Well, that’s something.”
“Look, I know it’s not much, but I hope you know I’ve got your back.” He sighs and I hear a rustling as he shifts in bed. “I know what it’s like to put your all into your schoolwork. You’ve got me to talk this stuff through with. That is, if Kai won’t be there for you.”
“Thanks, Milo.” I awkwardly clear my throat. “But I’m sure Kai is coming around. It’s just been a big change in our usual dynamic.”
“Yeah, sure.”
Not to mention Tabitha clawing her way into his life. Ugh. I still can’t comprehend how that happened.
I shake out of my nagging thoughts and listen for noises coming from Gandalf. “He’s so quiet,” I whisper into the phone. “You should go back to sleep. I can handle this.”
“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” he asks tenderly.
I nod against the phone. “Yeah, he seems to have settled. Maybe the trick was being on the phone with you.”
A murmured laugh comes through the phone line. “Okay then,” Milo says softly. “Remember to call me back if he starts screaming again.”
“Okay, I will.”
We hang up and I slump against the bed, breathing out slowly. Wow. I hope Gandalf feels as at ease as I do.
I drift back to sleep without another interruption until 6.00 a.m. Aunt Maddy traipses around the house, gathering last-minute items for her trip.
I groggily get out of bed and carry Gandalf out of the room with me.
“Wow, you look bright-eyed,” Aunt Maddy jokes as I meet her in the hall with half-closed eyes.
I gesture at the baby. “He kept me up all night.”