FREEDOM
Disclaimer: I want it to be mine but alas it is not.
Summary: Short short about Alex and his first steps..And I’ll advertise that The O’Connells is now complete, thats one about Rick and Evie from after the Wedding, during pregnancy and a new birth of Alex story where Rick is there, and a brief bit of life after Alex arrives so read up guys..Just click my name and find it. R&R for both thanks.
Freedom
Learning to crawl for Alex had not been difficult. He had mastered that around 7 months of age. Now he was 11 months old, and determined to walk. Right now, on a fairly quiet Saturday afternoon, while his parents sat reading various things, he was settled on the floor with his toys, not really interested in them. He crawled over to the coffee table, and pulled up on that, then used it as a sort of crutch while he side stepped around it. Evelyn looked up from her spot on the couch, which was a bit away from where he was, and smiled. Alex was so determined to walk these days, and was a stubborn one, not letting she or Rick help him. She watched as he reached the end of the Coffee table, and stopped. This was generally the part where he gave up, and went back to his toys, but today he seemed to have a bit more courage. He moved one hand away from the table, and turned ,so he was standing next to it, instead of in front of it.
“Rick,” she said softly not wanting to disturb their son. From his book he looked over at her, and she pointed at their son, who was standing with only one hand to support him. Both of them watched, holding their breaths without realizing it. Alex let go, and was now standing on his own. He seemed very unsure of himself, and it was very hard not to go to him, but they stayed put, letting him do this for himself. He scooted one foot out, sort of testing things. He was off balance now, and before either of them could get to him, he fell to the side thunking his ear against the sharp edge of the table, before falling to the floor. Alex screamed, and cried and his mum reached him first, picking him up and holding him against her.
“Okay shh.” He continued to cry as she swayed with him. When Rick came over, he noticed blood on his sons ear.
“Evie, he’s bleeding, hold him still a second.” She rubbed his back, and he was resting his head against her shoulder faced against her neck, which made it easy for Rick to take a look. He was gently, and when he pushed the top of his son’s ear back, he found a deep gash, where his ear was ripping away from the skin on the side of his head. Alex screamed again lifting his head and hit at his fathers hands.
“I’ll call Becky, its pretty bad.” Evie nodded, more worried, at the moment, about calming him down. All of the crying and screaming, brought a tired Uncle John out. He had been out late last night, and was concerned for his nephew.
“What happened?” he asked over Alex’s screams.
“He cut his ear,” she said, finding a clean diaper holding it against his ear. He kept screaming, not liking to be touched there.
“Hey partner heres Paddy,” he tried, holding up Alex’s bear, and making it dance. Usually that brought laughter, but Alex was too upset to notice. Evie felt horrible that he was in so much pain, and settled on the couch with him, to try nursing him. He accepted what she offered, cried out a few more times, then closed his eyes and began to relax. At that time, Rick came out of the kitchen from calling their friend and doctor, Becky.
“She said to..” he noticed then, that she had one of the diapers held against his ear, and that Alex was relaxed.
“Said to do what your doing.” She smiled at him.
“One step ahead as always Mr O’Connell.” she said softly. Alex opened his eyes and looked up at her.
“Is that all better?” His response was a shuttering sigh before he closed his eyes again.
“What did she say?” He walked over and sat next to them.
“She said she would have too look for herself, but that the cut will likely require some stitches. That was almost too much, to put Alex in pain, she knew they had to, but she wished she could just go out while it was done. He seemed to read her thoughts.
“If you want too I’ll take care of him, hold him still, while she looks at his ear,” he whispered.
“No, we can both do that.” Alex was asleep, and that made them both feel bad, because what he was about to endure would be traumatic. A knock at the door indicated that the Doctor had arrive. Rick left to get that, while Evie pulled her shirt down over her breast. She remained where she was rubbing her baby’s back.
“I heard we had an accident,” Becky said, as she walked over to where her childhood friend was sitting.
“Lets see if I can do this first part while he is still asleep.” Evelyn eased the diaper away from his ear, without him moving, and Becky carefully pulled the top part just enough to get a look. Alex didn’t make a peep which allowed her to make her judgment.
“Unfortunately its going to need stitches, and I’m going to need to pour some Iodine in there to clean it out, which will keep it from getting infected, “ she told them, getting her bag open, and setting out what she would need. When she was ready she turned to them.
“Rick, you’ll need to hold him still, so Evie just scoot him down to where his head is in your lap.” They did this, and Alex still slept. When Rick had ahold of him, and Evelyn did her part, Becky took some gauze and wet it with the iodine.
“I need you to ease his ear back, and hold on to him, because he will want to get away,” she said. She spoke from experience, both on her patients, and when she was little. Iodine was stingy stuff. Evelyn did as her friend instructed, and Alex whimpered then started to cry.
“Shh, Its okay baby,” Evie said, closing her eyes as Becky took the saturated gauze, and squeezed the fluid into the cut. Alex tried to kick, hit, and get away, but they held him still as he screamed bloody murder.
“Okay let him up, and hold him while I go in and get this stuff sterilized she said, over his screams. Evelyn lifted him to her shoulder letting her own tears fall as he cried.
“I’m sorry honey, mummy is sorry,” Rick held both of them, and Alex was beginning to calm down, when Becky came back.
“This next part will be the worst, Evie can you hold him still?” She didn’t want to do this, and handed him over to Rick, and ran out sobbing. Jonathan went after her, and Rick rocked his son.
“Shh, I know it hurts.” Alex didn’t want him, and pushed away screaming at the top of his lungs.
In the kitchen, Evie sat at the table with her face resting in her hands. Jonathan came in and put a hand on her shoulder and she turned and came into his arms.
“I’m a terrible mum,” she said to her brother.
“No your not. You are a wonderful mother to him, but, he’s going to have accidents, thats a part of life, and it isn’t your fault, because you can’t be there ever time he gets hurt.” She took in a deep breath. What her brother said to her made since, and gave her courage to go in and help with her baby boy.
“I should go back and help out.” He nodded, and after one more hug ,she went back into the Parlor where Rick was struggling to get a hold on their now irate little baby. She walked over, and the relief in her husbands eyes was evident.
“Alex, shh.” She took him in her arms, and his screams turned into sorrowful cries.
“I know its scary baby, mummy and daddy love you very much,” She settled back on the couch and after giving him a kiss she scooted him so that only his head was in her lap. He screamed more as they held him still, and Becky gave him two shots one inside the cut and one on the outside which worked to numb the area. His cries subsided, and Becky tested the area, then began, while Evie sang to Alex. His eyes closed and as Becky finished putting in the last of 7 stitches, he was asleep. She took some clean gauze and taped it loosely, over the top part of his ear, and he whimpered a little.
“Shhh,” Evelyn crooned, as she lifted him to her shoulder. He rested his right ear, the one not hurt, against her shoulder asleep.
“You’ll need to clean that twice a day with the iodine. He will be pretty sore when the pain medicine wears off, so give him some baby aspirin to help with that, and call me if you notice any redness or infection. Otherwise I’ll see you in my office in a week to take those out.” Rick walked her to the door, and Evie took her son up to his room.
“Thank you for coming on such short notice,” Rick said to their friend. She smiled
“At least I was around this time.” The last time they had really needed her, was when Alex was born, and that time she had stopped by the next day, to check up on the mom and new baby. Once she was gone, Rick locked the door, and went upstairs, finding Evelyn in Alex’s room rocking him. He walked over and knelt down, giving his little boy a kiss on top of the gauze, then his cheek and stroked his light covering of hair, which had only started to come in a month before.
“Come on big guy lets put you to bed.” Evelyn let her husband take him, and Rick carried Alex to his crib and eased him down on his good side. Alex whimpered a little.
“Your all right shh.” Evelyn came with Paddy, and once Alex held him he was fine. They watched him a bit longer, then went downstairs where Jonathan had a late day meal waiting. That was a fairly silent affair, and Jonathan decided they needed to get out.
“Why don’t you two go on a walk. I’m sure he should sleep for at least a while,” Jonathan said, sipping his coffee. For a moment neither of them responded, then Rick nodded, but Evelyn protested.
“Rick we need to be here if he wakes up,” she said, feeling guilty about leaving him after such a traumatic experience. In response, he got up from his chair, and knelt next to her taking her hand in his.
“It was traumatic for all of us, and you and I haven’t seen much of one another since I’ve started those tours pretty much full time,” he reminded. She nodded, and after he helped her put her sweater on, they left the house, walking hand in hand into town. It was getting dark, and the streets were not as busy at this time of day. They walked in silence, and came to all small area, with a fountain and a garden of sorts, and benches to sit in. Once they had settled Rick eased her into his arms, and just held her.
“I’m thinking about stopping this touring stuff,” he said referring to his job, that he had taken up pretty much two weeks after Alex was born.
“But you like it as much as I like the museum,” she replied, quick to point that out.
“Not as much as I love being a father, and not as much as I love you. Evie we hardly see one another, and when we do were too tired to do anything else but sleep. We argue over stupid things, its not worth it, not when I could be happy with you and Alex. She sighed.
“I guess that makes me look bad for keeping my job at the museum,” she said.
“No it doesn’t Evelyn, you can take Alex with you, and you get all day with him, I can’t with what I’m doing, and I miss seeing both of you. I’ll find something to do, where I can decide how much I want to work, not the other way around,” he defended. She turned in his arms and kissed him, which surprised him, then pleased him, and all talk about jobs and the days events fled from their minds.
At the house Alex was awake, and he was not happy. Right now Jonathan was trying to get him to eat his dinner, which tonight consisted of steamed carrots. and mashed potatoes, as well as applesauce which Evie had prepared for him a few days before.
“Alex here comes the airplane,” Jonathan made what he thought were good plane sounds, and tried to feed him one of the carrots, but Alex hit the spoon, causing it to fall to the floor.
“Okay I give up,” He lifted Alex out, and the baby struggled to be put down, When Jonathan put him down, Alex had a big screaming fit. Just as Uncle John was about to join his nephew, the door opened, and Mum and dad returned. Evelyn took her sweater off, and went to her son, and in a matter of moments he was calm resting his head on her shoulder.
“Did you give him the aspirin?”
“I tried but he wouldn’t take it.” Rick got the liquid, and for them Alex took it, making a face, but then it was all done.
“Now, lets get you to eat some of this yummy food.” Evelyn sat down with him on her lap, and he ate most of what she offered him.
“Deffinantly his mothers son,” Jonathan commented.
“He wouldn’t eat for me,” he explained. Then he noticed the time, and said his fairways, then left. As Alex was finishing Rick came with a damp cloth and wiped his hands and face, and Alex reached for him, so Rick took him, cradling him in his arms.
“Are you ready to go to sleep?” Alex responded with a yawn. Together he and Evelyn took their baby up to his room. Evie pulled out a sleeper, while daddy got him undressed. Generally Alex was active, and tried to get away from whom ever was trying to change his diaper, or get him dressed, but this night he lay still, an indication that he wasn’t feeling quite himself. Once he was in his pajamas, Rick held him for a moment swaying with him.
“Sleep tight big guy,” Rick told him kissing his head, then handed him to Evie who was in the rocking chair, and left them for mommy, son time. Alex nursed watching her as she talked to him about when he would learn to walk.
“You should let daddy and I help you,” she told him. He reached his hand up to her mouth, and she took it, kissing it, which caused him to grin at her. Evelyn’s time with her son like this, was her most treasured time, when all the world around them disappeared, and it was just time for them to bond. He fought to stay awake, as he always did, afraid, she guessed, that he would miss out on something. Once she switched him to her other breast, the battle to stay awake was lost, and his eyes slid shut. She leaned her head back still rocking him and hummed a song to him, not any particular toon, just something that was soothing to both of them, to put an end to a stressful day. She drifted to sleep as he did, still rocking him.
It was sometime later when she felt Alex’s weight removed from her arms, and try as she might, she was too tired to open her eyes. In another moment, she was lifted into the arms of the man whom she loved most of all, and felt him carry her to their room. She felt him sit down, and smiled as she felt him start to rock her.
“Am I a baby,” she asked in a tired voice.
“My baby,” Rick answered leaning down, kissing her lips. She wanted to give him more, but she was exhausted, and the rocking wasn’t helping her to stay awake. She fell asleep in is arms, and Rick smiled down at her. He never thought he would be a husband, nor a father, but here he was both, and wouldn’t change that for all the gold in Hamunaptra. He stayed in the rocking chair with her for a little longer, then stood up, and carried her to their bed, easing her against the cool sheets of the mattress. In her sleep, she whimpered, and he quickly removed all his cloths, minus his boxers, and moved in next to her.
“I don’t want to sleep in this,” she said ,referring to the skirt and top she had on. He got her nightgown as she undressed, and was about to help her when Alex started to cry.
“I have a feeling its going to be a long night,” Rick stated as he left their room to go to their sons. Alex’s room was lit by a soft light, and when Rick walked in, Alex was standing in his crib crying sorrowful cries.
“Did you lay on your ear?” he asked as he lifted his son out of his bed. Alex was tired, and rested his good ear against his dads shoulder still crying, but not as loud. What generally worked to calm him down was to read a book, so Rick went to his bookshelf, and pulled out the Velveteen Rabbit, then settled down in his rocking chair. Alex loved stories and sat still while his daddy read to him, and rocked. When Rick opened the book to the first page, Alex put his finger on the picture of the Rabbit.
“Do you know what that is?” Rick asked him.
“Bit,” Alex said. Rick grinned.
“Yes thats a bit.” He kissed the top of his son’s head. The he began the story, of the boy and his new bunny, and it was a few minutes later that Evie came in and found them.
“I missed you,” she whispered softly. “He’s asleep.” After he handed her the book, he stood and cradled Alex in his arms, and forgetting which side his sore ear was on, so that when it mashed against his chest, Alex woke up crying.
“Great one for dad. I’m sorry buddy,” Alex screamed, so he placed him in mums arms, and in a moment Alex was quiet. Evelyn swayed with him, and he soon went back to sleep, so they put him back in his bed and went to their own to get some sleep before he would be awake again.
The next few days Alex wasn’t as interested in walking.Then one day, he went back to the same table while his mum was cleaning, and pulled up on it. He let go, then held on and side stepped to the end, and turned again so that only one hand held him. Rick walked in at this point, and watched as Alex took his first wobbly step.
“Evie,” he said in a loud whisper. She turned to him, but Rick pointed in the other direction as Alex took his second wobbly step. She covered her mouth to contain a squeal of excitement as he took another step, a little more confident. He made it to a chair and held on to that, and both mum and dad came to him and kissed him which got his cute baby laughs.
“You did so well,” Evelyn told him as she sat down, and settled him on her lap. He would have none of that and crawled over to the chair again, and stood, then walked over to the book shelf, and grabbed a volume from it, and tossed it down, before his dad lifted him into the air.
“Well I guess we have to put everything up higher,” he commented as Alex started to struggle. As he put him down, Jonathan came out of his room. Seeing him, Alex walked slowly all the way across the room, and just as he fell forward he was in his Uncles arms.
“You learned to walk, that means none of us will ever be the same.” He spun his nephew around, getting happy laugher. After that the house was never the same. With Alex on the prowl nothing was safe, and life as it always did moved forward, bringing adventure into each new day of the lives of the O’Connells.
THE END