Caught In A Name

CHAPTER NINE

The sudden opening of the door was like a bucket of ice cold water was poured over Nicomaine's head. She instantly pulled back which caused all the contents of the first aid kit on the bed fall to the floor. She watched the bottle of antiseptic fall first until the last of the sterile gauze floated to the floor; all seemed to happen in slow motion. Through all the commotion, she could hear her baby crying in the background overshadowed by Daniel's explosive statement.

"I'm sorry RJ but she won't stop....." Daniel stopped mid sentence because as he looked up, he realized that he might have walked in on a most inopportune time. "Whoa! I'm sorry. Did I interrupt something? Should I come back...?

"YES!" Richard stated through gritted teeth while "NO!" Nicomaine screamed at the same time.

Silence....

"Uhhhmmm, okay. Which one is it?" Daniel clarified under his breath while swaying back and forth, awkwardly, in an effort to calm the screaming baby in his arms.

"No. I'll take Charmaine. Thank you for trying. I'll take her now" Nicomaine stated as she straightened herself, pretending like nothing happened, and proceeded to take Charmaine out of Daniel's hands. "It's ok pudding. Mama is here. Sshhh...ssshhhh."

As soon as Nicomaine took the baby from him, Daniel instantly noticed the bloody old bandage on the floor and his brother's ripped shirt.

"What the hell happened" he blurted out with concern.

"It's nothing. I did too much I guess, and my wound started to bleed again. Maine was just finishing with the new dressing when you walked in" Richard mumbled.

"Huh! That's funny cause I could've sworn you two were about to engage in.....ouch" Daniel yelled as a pillow went flying from the bed and hit him square in the eye. He ended up laughing so hard when he saw his brother's 'shut the fuck up' look and Maine's telltale blush before she pretended to be busy with Charmaine. It took a while before Daniel finally got a hold of himself which made the other two in the room very uncomfortable. "Anyway...I have that experimental pink goo to help stop the bleeding if in case you happen to do too much again" he added making quotation marks in the air and winking at the same time.

"Pink goo?" Nicomaine asked puzzled.

"Yeah. It's essentially made out of the same materials as gum.

"So you just stick this "gum" in the wound to stop the bleeding?"

"Yes. It's used by the military. The only difference is that it can be absorbed....." Daniel had to stop mid sentence and turn to look at his "sister in law" because Maine laughed loudly all of a sudden.

"What were you saying earlier hon? Not savages? I beg to differ." Nicomaine stated in between her laughter.

Richard watched Maine as she laughed till her eyes were filled with tears. Yes, she was laughing at his expense but it was a sight to behold. He couldn't help the smile that slowly creeped up onto his face as well. He was mesmerized at Maine's facial transformation. The way she had her head back, strands of her hair falling from the loose bun on her head, and her face turning red from mirth.

"What's so funny?" Daniel asked, a little irritated.

"Nothing. Sorry." Nicomaine responded trying to control her laughter. "Anyway, uhm, I need to feed Charmaine hon. Where is my backpack?"

"It's in the nursery. Right through that door" Richard replied absentmindedly, pointing to the door opposite the bathroom. 

Nursery? What the hell? He has a nursery in his house? Hhhhmmmm? 

"Nursery?" Nicomaine blurted out, her curiosity getting the best of her.

Daniel looked at his younger brother with a bewildered expression at the same exact moment that Richard looked at him with a pleading look and a subtle shake of his head.