Hold On Me

Chapter Seven

The next two months seemed to fly by for the new parents. Both Steve and Abbie were amazed at how much JJ had changed over such a short period of time. He was now two inches taller and weighed a little over ten pounds. His blue eyes were more vibrant and he had grown some more hair. He really changed a little day by day.

"Good morning baby boy," a cheerful Abbie greeted as she entered JJ's room and walked straight to her son's crib.

He seemed to recognize his mother's voice and once he saw her face the two month old gave his first little smile.

Abbie was elated at seeing him smile for the first time, and urged him to repeat it so she could take a picture. Tickling the infant did the trick and she instantly captured that toothless grin on her I-Phone.

Slipping her phone into her back pocket lifted the eight week old out of his crib and gently cradled him against her chest. "Mommy's gotta go back to work today," she sighed, "I'd much rather spend my day with you though."

Abbie knew this day was coming; the day she had to leave her son for the first time, but she still wasn't prepared for it. She had been with JJ every day since he was born, so having to leave him today was extremely hard on the new mom.

Abbie gently laid JJ down on the changing table, changed his diaper and his clothes. As she was doing that, her now year old cat Huali came running in the room purring loudly. Despite Abbie's anxieties about the animal being around a newborn baby, Huali was great with JJ. Since they brought JJ home, the cat had become extremely protective of him and would often hiss at anyone she didn't recognize came near the baby.

With JJ securely in her arms, she bend down to pet Huali, who sighed in content and rubbed her head over the baby's tiny hand, before letting out another loud 'meow.'

"Are you hungry kitty?" she questioned the cat "Did that mean man not feed you?"

"I heard that," Steve said walking into the room, "She's not even mine. I dont even like cats."

Abbie playfully rolled her eyes at his comment deciding not to respond. "Ashley's here, we need to get going," Steve informed her.

Ashley Simmons, was the nanny they had hired to watch JJ while they were at work. The twenty-seven year old is the daughter of Amelia's good friend and had several years of experience as a nanny. Steve and Abbie decided against a daycare for the two month old, but wouldn't rule it out in the future when he's older.

"Maybe I should just stay with him one more day, I don't think he's ready for his mommy to leave," Abbie said as she pulled JJ in for a hug.

"He's not ready?" Steve let out a chuckle. "You think I wanna leave him either, of course I don't but we have too. Besides you can't stay I need you."

"You need me," teased Abbie.

"At work," he corrected, "I need you at work."

Ashley quietly waited in the living room for Steve and Abbie to return with JJ. Her mother, Sophia has been a math teacher at Kuki High for ten years and has been friends with Amelia Morgan ever since. When Amelia mentioned that Abbie was looking for a nanny, Sophia immediately recommend her daughter. Though they had looked into other nannies' Ashley was deemed the best choice; of course before she was hired Steve used his resources to conduct a deep and thorough background check on the young woman.

As Abbie and Steve made their way over to Ashley, she noticed the younger woman clearly checking Steve out. For some reason it bothered her. He's an attractive guy, anyone could see that, I've seen it plenty of times before. So why is it bothering me now?

"He is so adorable," Ashley squealed, bringing Abbie out of her thoughts.

"Thanks," Abbie genuinely smiled and reluctantly handed her son over to the nanny, knowing that her and Steve really needed to leave.