Ladies of Liberty

Chapter 3

“How does a walk along the beach in the moonlight sound?” Seth asked as he and Jennifer finished their very late dinner at the resort in Aruba.

“It sounds like the perfect end to a perfect day,” Jennifer cooed as she pushed back her chair.

Seth was immediately there to take it out of her way as she stood up. He replaced it under the table.

“Good evening,” their waiter said as Seth signed the bill. “I hope you enjoyed your meal.”

“Everything was wonderful,” Jennifer stated.

The waiter beamed with pride and then hustled away.

“The staff here are very solicitous and really seem to take pride in their jobs,” Seth observed.

“Yes, I would very much recommend this place for anyone who wants a relaxing, beautiful vacation,” Jennifer replied as they walked out of the restaurant and down towards the beach.

“You’re enjoying yourself?” Seth asked.

“Very much, especially our naps.”

Seth laughed out loud. “I love you, Jennifer Taylor.”

“Hey, it’s Jennifer Harris now, and you better love me now that we’re married.”

Seth shook his head as they slipped off their sandals and started to walk along the beach in their bare feet. Seth put his arm around Jennifer’s shoulders. The warm sand felt lovely as it squished between their toes.

“I’ve called you Jennifer Taylor for so long now that I can’t get used to calling you Jennifer Harris, although Jennifer Harris does have a very sweet sound to my ears.”

“What’s that old joke?” Jennifer chuckled. “You can call me whatever you like, just don’t call me late for dinner.”

Seth laughed. “I’m suddenly starting to feel like another nap.”

“I want another one of today’s island specialty drinks, and then I’ll be ready for a nap too,” Jennifer said with a warm smile for her new husband.

“Then let’s head back,” Seth said as they turned around and headed back to the hotel. The huge tropical moon glistened down on the sand and the lovers who walked upon it.

 

*****
 

“Molly,” Owen sighed as his eyes opened. “Molly! The baby’s crying again.”

“I know. I have ears. What do you think is wrong this time?” Molly asked tiredly.

“Hungry,” Owen mumbled as he buried his head in his pillow.”

“Then go feed Taylor,” Molly stated crossing her arms on her chest. “I’m exhausted.”

“You’re breastfeeding. I can’t do it.”

“Why don’t you grow a pair?” Molly demanded. She was so tired. It seemed like Taylor wanted to be fed every few minutes, and then would be hungry again right after. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could keep doing this without any sleep, without ever feeling like she was satisfying her child. She felt like shit and she was sure she looked like shit. Having a baby and looking after it wasn’t supposed to be this hard.

When Owen made no signs of getting out of bed, Molly threw back the covers and marched out of the room. “Prick,” she mumbled, as she left the bedroom. She hoped her husband heard her.

She picked up Taylor and sat down in the rocking chair in the baby’s room. She offered her breast and watched her child latch on. The baby sucked away for a while and then fell asleep.

“Great,” Molly said as she laid Taylor back in the crib. “That ought to keep you satisfied for the next fifteen minutes.” She rubbed her eyes as she looked at her son. Then she gently ran her hand over the baby’s mop of unruly hair. Although she loved her child so much, she was almost at her wit’s end about what to do with these constant feedings.

Wearily she dragged herself back to her bedroom and climbed in beside her sleeping husband. “Asshole,” she felt compelled to say to his back. She laid her weary head on her pillow and dozed off.

She was sure she hadn’t been asleep for more than ten minutes when Taylor started crying again. She didn’t bother to fight with Owen this time; she merely threw back the covers and got up.

“Taylor, what’s wrong?” Molly asked softly as the baby continued to cry when she entered the nursery.

She gently lifted him up and sat down in her rocker. She brought out her breast and watched Taylor latch on. Something had to be wrong. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. She knew there were supposed to be a lot of feedings, but this was way too often, and the baby never seemed to get filled up. She watched her child suck at her breast and wished that this would be the satisfying feeling she had read about in all the books. She was supposed to be bonding with her child, but that wasn’t what was happening.

When Taylor fell asleep again after a couple of minutes, she laid him back in the crib and went to the living room. It was only ten after eleven, but it felt like four in the morning. She so wanted to call her mother and ask her what to do. She needed some advise, some help. But she didn’t want to interrupt her mother’s honeymoon and worry her about what was happening back home.

With a weary sigh, she stared at the TV which was not turned on. She was praying that an answer might suddenly appear on the blank screen. Nothing came. She closed her eyes and then leaned her head on the soft back of the sofa. That was when inspiration struck.

“Justin,” she said aloud. She grabbed the portable phone that sat on the coffee table. She hit number two on the speed dial and let it ring.

“What?” an angry voice demanded. It was Brian.

“Put my brother on,” Molly demanded with no preliminaries.

“Justin,” she heard Brian say. “Justin! It’s your bitch of a sister.”

That made her laugh and she suddenly felt better than she had in days.

“Molly, what’s wrong?” Justin’s voice came to her.

“It’s the baby. All I do is feed Taylor every fifteen minutes and it’s never enough.” The tears started down her cheeks and she couldn’t stop them. “I don’t know what to do,” she wailed.

“Molly, Molly!” Justin repeated. “Listen to me. Are you listening?”

“You sound just like Brian,” Molly cried dejectedly.

“Stop it! Listen to me.”

“Okay, what do you want to say, Jester, and platitudes won’t cut it,” Molly sniffled getting a hold on her fragile emotions.

“You and Taylor need to go see the pediatrician tomorrow,” Justin stated. “Tell her what’s happening and she will be able to help you with what to do.”

“But why won’t the baby ever get satisfied when I breastfeed?” Molly asked. “I don’t understand what I’m doing wrong.”

“Maybe you’re not doing anything wrong,” Justin suggested. “Maybe you don’t have enough milk. Maybe you need to put Taylor on formula.”

“Formula? But breast milk is supposed to be better. I don’t want my baby on formula.”

“Bree grew up on formula,” Justin told her.

“She did?”

“Well, who did you think was going to breastfeed her, me or Brian? Ow!”

“What?”

“Brian just pinched me for saying that.”

“Sorry,” Molly sighed. “Do you really think I might need to switch to formula?”

“I don’t know, Mol, but you need to go find out. And formula’s not so bad.”

“How do you figure that?”

“Then Owen can do the feedings too. I made Brian do it. Ow!”

“What now?”

“He pinched me again.”

“Did Brian really help with the feedings?”

“Of course he did, and he was pretty good at it too.”

“I was excellent at it,” Brian’s voice said over the phone as he leaned in so Molly could hear him.

“Like you are at everything,” Molly chuckled.

“Of course.”

“Oh shit, he’s crying again. I have to go,” Molly said standing up.

“Go look after the baby and go to the doctor tomorrow,” Justin advised.

“I will. Thanks, Jester.”

“Night, Mol.”

 

*****
 

“Molly! How’s little Taylor doing?” the baby’s pediatrician asked as she came through the exam room door.

“I don’t know. I guess all right but he’s hungry all the time and I don’t think I’m making enough milk and I don’t want Taylor to grow up on formula and I’m sooo tired,” Molly cried all at once.

“Shh, it’s going to be fine. You’re not the first new mother to have this problem. Let’s check the baby out and then I’m going to make an appointment for you to see our maternal/child nurse. She’s just down the hall and I’ll have my receptionist call right now. You can see her right after we’re through.”

“Maternal/child nurse?”

As the pediatrician examined Taylor, she explained to Molly what the specialized nurse would do.

“But what about all the special nutrients and immunities I read about in the colostrum?”

“That’s only present in your breast milk for about a day or two. Taylor got it already. Don’t worry, Molly, not all women are made to breast feed. That’s why there were wet nurses. We’ll find the best way to keep Taylor happy. It doesn’t make you a bad mother. In fact, you did right by bringing the baby to me so quickly before he could lose any weight. That says to me that you’re a very good mother.”

Molly gave the doctor a slight smile. When the doctor was finished with her exam, Molly bundled up the baby and took her to the maternal/child nurse.

 

*****
 

“Justin?”

“Hey, Mollusk. Everything okay?” Justin asked his sister over the phone.

“It is now. Can me and Owen come up to see you? I really need you.”

“Sure. You want to stay for a few days?”

“Can we? Do you think Brian would mind?”

“He won’t mind. Besides, you know his bark is worse than his bite. Ow! Quit it, Bri.” Molly giggled at her brother-in-law’s antics. “I love you, Jester. We’ll see you soon.”

“Sure, Molly. I love you too.” As brother and sister cut the connection Brian made a call.

“Claire, do you think you can tear yourself away from your he-man for a couple of days?”

“I believe so. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing really but I think a certain very new mother needs a little motherly advice. And since her own mother is soaking up the sun somewhere and getting la...”

“TMI, Brian. I’ll be there soon.”

“Thank you, Claire.”

“Brian, what are you doing?”

“Justin, did your mother breast feed you?”

“I don’t think so.”

“So she probably didn’t give much advice to your sister. And as much as you wanted to grow a pair of tits to feed Bree with, we were very lucky that she took to the bottle right away and we had absolutely no problems feeding her. She had no problems with her formula either. Molly has no frame of reference and I’m not sure she’ll feel comfortable whipping out her tits in front of us. Even if we are fags. Now Claire has birthed hundreds of babies and I’ll bet my bottom dollar, she either breast fed John or has given lots of advice to new mothers.”

“But what if Molly ends up bottle feeding?”

“We can help with that. We’ve all had plenty of experience,” Brian said indicating John and Bobby too. “But sometimes a woman needs another woman and the best woman for the job in this instance is Claire.”

“Okay. I see your point. Molly sounded so tired, Bri.”

“I know. I remember those two a.m. feedings and the Squirt teething in the middle of the night. But we survived and so will your sister.”

“I love you, Brian,” Justin said as he wrapped his arms around his very wise and loving spouse.

“I love you, too, Sunshine.”

 

*****
 

“Molly, why did we have to come all the way out here? My parents are going to have a fit,” Owen grumbled. They had just pulled up in front of Edna’s Treasures. It was just about dinnertime. Both Owen and Molly were tired, hungry and very grumpy. Taylor had slept for the ride but was beginning to stir. Molly was beginning to dread the baby’s next feeding.

“Because my brother invited us.” A little white lie, but Molly just didn’t want to say that she needed her brother and even Brian right now. Owen was trying to help but only managing to get on her nerves.

“Auntie Molly!” Bree screeched as she ran out of the front door. “Hi, Unca Owen.”

“Hi, princess,” Owen said sweetly.

“Hi, short stuff. Is your daddy inside?”

“Uh huh and Gamma Claire is here too. Can I see the baby?” Bree was straining on her toes to see the baby in Molly’s arms.

“Let’s go inside first so I can sit down. I’m a little tired.”

“Okay, Auntie Molly.” Bree gently took Molly’s hand to lead her inside. Owen, who was carrying all their bags was dutifully following.

“Hey, Mollusk,” Justin said softly as he took Taylor from his very weary sister. He kissed his sister’s cheek then turned Molly over to Claire.

“Oh, Claire,” Molly managed to say before she burst into tears. Claire whisked the distraught new mom into her son’s end of Edna’s Treasures. Owen stood there helpless to act. Taylor began to fuss.

“Owen, did you bring the formula?” Justin asked the exhausted new dad.

“Yeah,” Owen sighed.

“Bri?” Justin called over his shoulder. He heard Brian come through the hall.

“Got it,” Brian said as he reached for the baby bag that was brimming with all manner of baby supplies including bottles and formula. Justin was walking and cooing to the baby as Brian quickly made up a batch of formula. “I’ll take the baby, Justin, you handle dear old dad,” Brian snarked as he slipped the bottle into his back pocket then took Taylor from Justin’s arms. Brian then took the baby into Bree’s room as Justin steered the harried father over to the sofa in the living room.

“Drink?” Justin asked Owen.

“I, uh...I should check on Molly and Taylor,” Owen stuttered.

“What you should do is have a drink, at the very least, a beer. Claire will take care of Molly for now. And Brian will take care of Taylor. When was the last time you slept through the night?” Justin asked as he got a cold beer from the fridge and gave it to Owen.

“I don’t remember. Seems like months.”

“The baby’s less than two weeks old,” Justin said with a knowing smirk.

“Yeah.” Owen took a few sips of beer then began to drift off. Before the bottle could fall out of his hand, Justin caught it. He threw a light blanket over Owen then quickly left the room. He met Claire in the sun porch.

“How’s Molly?”

“Exhausted. She’s out cold on John’s couch. Bree and Patrick are playing quietly in Patrick’s room. She’ll stay with Patrick tonight.”

“Owen’s out too on our sofa. They were trying to do it all by themselves,” Justin sighed. Brian and Justin had had lots of help when Bree was an infant as had John and Bobby with Patrick.

“I know. And she thinks she’s a bad mother because she’s not making enough milk. I think she’s just dehydrated. She won’t make milk if she’s not hydrated enough.” Justin nodded. “Where’s the baby?”

Justin indicated that Claire should follow. They opened the door to Bree’s room where they found Brian softly humming to a very contented baby as he rocked Taylor in the same rocking chair they used for baby Briana.

“Three angels,” Brian cooed with a beatific smile as he looked down on the blue eyed baby in his arms.

Claire and Justin left the room to finish preparing dinner, leaving the proud uncle with his charge.

 

Return to Ladies of Liberty