The Care and Feeding of Postpartum Parents by Realstone©
"No, I won't," came from a determined
looking Derek Rayne as he walked into the castle library, briefcase and suit
coat in hand. He stopped across the table from his colleagues. Nick Boyle, the person
responsible for house security and the comment that elicited Derek's response,
didn't bother to hide the grin pulling his mouth slightly to the left. Rachel
Corrigan joined in her co-worker's attempt to bait their friend and employer.
"Care to share with us why you can't be here to greet the
delegation?" Rachel asked from her place at the table.
"Yes." Derek put his briefcase on the floor, avoiding the highly
polished surface of the large conference table Nick sat on. "I made a
promise four months ago that I intend to keep.
As soon as I can arrange for a baby-sitter, I'm taking my wife out for
dinner and dancing."
"Finally!" Stated Nick who pushed the papers in his hand across to
Rachel.
"What do you mean by finally?" Derek asked.
"Your mood swings have become more frequent of late, telling me that you,
our illustrious leader, need to have a serious make out session with our
favorite teacher."
"This house is just too damn small," Derek mumbled as he flopped down
in the nearest chair. "Also I need to speak to my wife about her being
your favorite anything."
"Jealous?" Nick goaded.
"No." Derek stated. "I haven't had time to be jealous."
Nick slid off the tabletop and headed for his favorite spot in the room. A
winding steel staircase leading to the upper portion of the library.
"I've only had time to be tired..." Derek laid his head back on the
chair and closed his eyes.
"And frustrated," added Rachel.
"As I said before, I'm too tired to do anything but be tired. Besides I
don't get frustrated." Derek said with an air of haughtiness.
"I call four months of celibacy being frustrated." Nick added with a
wink at Rachel.
"It's more like being temporarily hampered." Derek shifted in the
chair, surprised that he was embarrassed by the truth of his colleague’s
statements.
"Who's being hampered?"
An automatic smile brightened the reddish tone of Derek's skin at the sound of
his wife's voice. He turned slightly in his chair to watch her walk toward him.
Each time he saw or thought about her, he was amazed at the depth of his
emotional and psychic ties to her. A sudden sadness filled him at the thought
that he'd been too tired to feel her presence in the house. Today had not been
the first time it had happened. He
frowned at the thought that they might be drifting down different paths. They'd
known each other for almost eleven years, married five of that time. He promised himself that all the emotional
bits and pieces that had brought them together and kept them through the years
would not be lost.
He focused again on the woman looking down at him. Alexander Moreau Rayne with
a smile at the others gave her husband a quick peck on the forehead before
moving on to the man sitting on the staircase.
"That's all I get?" Derek protested his arms outstretched. He put
them down quickly feeling a little foolish and needy.
"Patience Dr. Rayne, I'm about to begin sensitive negotiations."
Nick looked worried as Alex took hold of his hand. "No uhuh. Whatever, you
think you're going to talk me into I'm not doing."
"You haven't heard what I have to offer."
Nick looked pass her to Derek, "I'm totally innocence here."
"Right," Derek snorted.
"Come on Mr. Boyle, we have business to discuss." She wrapped his arm
around her own and escorted him out of the room.
Derek grunted as he rose from the chair. "Watching those two would give me
a complex if I didn't have a healthy self-image and legal documents."
Rachel comforted him with a smile of understanding. "Since your wife has
walked off with your security specialist, you now have time to review
tomorrow's agenda and finalize the panel discussions.”
Derek wore, a 'deer caught in headlights' look on his face
causing Rachel to laugh. "Poor Derek Rayne, no rest for the weary."
"None at all," He agreed.
Folder in hand Rachel guided Derek to the holo-gram wall hiding the Legacy
control room and his office.
"That's it,
unless you have any other topics the panels should address." Rachel made
several notes on the pad lying between her and Derek.
"I have nothing else. Just keep them on task." Taking several steps
from his desk Derek bent down to touch his toes, stretching the kinks trying to
form in his back and legs. Stretch finished he leaned on the edge of his desk
near Rachel. "Thank you so much for handling everything."
"You're welcome, Derek. It's good
to see you relax just a tiny bit." Rachel mimicked how much tiny was with
her thumb and forefinger.
"Everyone is a comedian today." He sighed.
They both paused at the knock on the office door. Alex stepped inside and
closed the door behind her.
"Sorry for interrupting."
"You're not. We're finished," Derek said.
"Good." Alex walked forward until she stood chest to chest with her
husband. Derek adjusted his stance to have more of her body against his.
"Derek Rayne will you go out with me tonight?"
"You're asking in front of a witness." Derek
nodded in Rachel's direction wrapping his arms tighter around Alex, pulling her
closer.
"I know." Though her face did not show her concern, Alex was worried
about the man holding her in his arms. There had been more minuses than pluses
at the beginning of their relationship, but they had worked hard at overcoming
each. Now there was a newer, seemingly more serious challenge. Being the
parents of a newborn was more of a struggle that either of them could have
predicted. It was stretching their endurance as well as their expectations of
each other. Even though AJ was finally settling into some type of routine,
their lives were still chaotic at times. The less time she had with Derek the
more she felt like they were not becoming a family, but separate entities
occupying some of the same spaces. She stared up into his face, hoping to read
his true feelings. Tears filled her eyes at the emotions shinning back at her.
Love, understanding and amusement. Laying her head against his chest, she
wrapped her arms tighter around him and released her fear.
"Yes, I'll go out with you."
"If you need a baby-sitter," Rachel spoke softly delighted that her
friends were making this time for themselves. "I would be pleased to take
Ajene home. Kat's been asking to spend some time with him.
"Oh, Rachel. I'm sorry but I made arrangements with Uncle Nick."
"Sure you want to do that?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"You know it's going to take years for the baby to unlearn
whatever bad habit Nick teaches him."
Derek released Alex long enough to reach for his office phone.
"No, Derek."
"I just want to explain to Mr. Boyle, the seriousness of taking care of a
four-month old."
"Nick knows." Alex took the cordless from him.
"Should I expect you back before the conference ends." Derek looked
to Alex to answer Rachel.
"We should be back in time for the closing session"
"We'll see." Rachel said knowingly.
"You, sir" Alex kissed the dimple in Derek's chin, "have approximately
one hour to pack a duffel, select your attire for tonight, shower, shave, brush
teeth and hair, shine your shoes and be ready to spend," she looked at her
watch." Twelve hours satisfying your wife in as many ways as I can think
up."
Rachel grinned at the look on Derek's face. She couldn't resist one last
comment as she picked up the legal pad and folder of papers. "I may be
able to get a research paper out of this. Think I'll title it the 'The Care and
Feeding of Postpartum Parents'."
the end