The Fallen Short Stories

Babysitting Abel (Avalon's POV)

I refuse to knock again and turn my back to walk away, completely ashamed by my inabilities. "Mychael," Ezra calls, his voice thick with sleep. Great I woke him up. I turn and find him in wrinkled pajamas, no glasses, no Korona. His eyes are puffy and squinted. He yawns, rubbing his stomach as I walk back down the hallway. "I'm sorry for waking you up." He smiles when I get closer, and he can see Abel. "Looks like you brought someone with you." "I just didn't know where to go, I can't get him to stop." He leans in and kisses my forehead before taking the baby from me. At the disruption Abel's small whimpers turn into all out screams, complete with huge alligator tears. His little face bright red.  I follow them inside, dropping the bag Kela had packed to the floor before slumping on the couch. Ezra flicks on the lights, bouncing Abel as he looks at me. "Where's Kela?" "She has a meeting with Lady-Gideon Acker in Arlington tomorrow and left him with me."

 "I don't know what to do! I've tried everything! I've changed him, he won't eat, he won't sleep, and any time I put him down all he does is scream!" He chuckles, shushing Abel. "What's the problem little man?" "I think he misses his mom." "Probably so." "Ezra I can't do this for two whole days." "Calm down love, we'll figure it out. Hey, do you have a thermometer with you?" "Yeah, I think she sent a digital one, why?"  "He feels warm to me." "Oh my God, do you think he's sick!" Ezra laughs again, "Honey." He never calls me that. "He. Is. Fine." He presses his wrist to Abel's forehead, "Has he been like this all day?" "Yeah, pretty much." Abel rubs his face on Ezra's chest, as his cries begin to die down again. Ezra reaches up to the baby's mouth and gently forces it open. "Come on buddy let me see," he pleads. "What are you doing?" "I think...yep look right here." Ezra gestures to Abel's mouth. "What is it?" "See that? He's cutting a tooth." 

"Poor little guy, must hurt, doesn't it?" Ezra nods his head, still holding the baby's lips open. "Is he in pain? What can we do?" "Did she leave a teething ring?" I dig through the bag on my knees, "What is that?" Ezra kneels beside me, pulling out a dummy from the bag. "Just anything he can chew on." I pull out a few little rubber bits, that slosh with water inside. "Oh, perfect throw those in the freezer." Ezra's voice is cut off by the baby shoving Ezra's hand and the pacifier away and screaming. He shushes him, getting to his feet and bouncing him up and down. I dart into the kitchen, "Oh there you go, all better. All better." "What'd you do? How'd you get him to stop?" I find them seated on the couch, Abel leaning back against him, Ezra's thumb in the baby's mouth. I outright laugh. "What are you doing?" He smiles at me, looking down at the baby. "When Benji was teething, this was the only way I could get him to calm down, Marnie and Dan hated it, but it works." I watch my nephew chomp on Ezra's thumb in silence for a moment before settling down next to them. "Is that why Ben still sucks his thumb?" "I do not claim responsibility for that." "Of course not," I laugh rolling my eyes. "Little man has got a strong bite though," he jokes. "That's disgusting you know." He shrugs, "He's not crying anymore." "I suppose you're right." I cuddle up against him, running my hand over Abel's hair. I lay my head on Ezra's shoulder as I watch Abel fight sleep until I can't anymore and force myself to sit up instead of dosing off. "Lay back down love I've got him." "I didn't come over to pawn him off on you, I swear." He lays his head on mine after I lean back, laughing slightly as my sentence is cut off by a yawn. 

When I wake up, I'm alone on the couch, tucked in, under a fleecy throw blanket. I look out into the dim apartment, my eyes finding the illuminated clock on the stove, 4:09 am. I let my eyes adjust and sit up. I hear the small sound of breathing and glance down. Ezra lays on his side on the floor, Abel on a pallet of blankets beside him. The baby is sprawled out, pink-cheeked, breathing contentedly. Ezra is laying on a throw pillow from the sofa. I crawl onto the floor, laying opposite him. I throw the blanket over Ezra and take his hand, settling down with my head next to Abel's.