The Baby Project

Chapter Eight

My indents haven't worked. AGH.

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I had known it was going to be painful.

I mean, that just comes with the territory of being woken up at half past two in the morning, doesn’t it? And I hadn’t for one moment expected an uninterrupted night’s sleep – not with the baby in Andrew’s full care. It’s not that he wasn’t capable, he just had a tendency to panic. What I hadn’t expected about being woken, however, was for it to be done not by not a trilling ringtone, but a sudden slap on the cheek by a piece of plastic.

A piece of plastic that I later discovered was my cell phone.

While I’d been smart enough to put it on silent, I hadn’t thought to refrain from putting it right on the edge of my nightstand, and in easy falling distance of my head. And so when it started to vibrate in indication of Andrew’s call, it had moved enough to topple off and slap me clean across the cheek.

About ten seconds later, when I’d recovered from my initial shock and gained enough consciousness to push the answer button on the screen, I put the phone to my ear. “Hello?”

“Avery, thank god.” Andrew’s voice was loud, much too loud for such an hour. “I thought for a minute there you weren’t going to pick up.”

“I’m here,” I assured him, rubbing my eyes and stifling a yawn. “Half asleep, but here.”

“Sorry, I just really need your help.” He was burbling, the words being forced out so quickly I could barely keep up. “It’s screaming, I… I don’t know what to do. I’ve tried everything. I’ve been awake for about two hours, I didn’t want to wake you up but I’m just… I really need your help.”

A pang of sympathy struck me. He obviously felt bad about calling, but it was a sign things were desperate. I pulled the comforter back and swung my legs over the side of the bed. “Okay. You’ve definitely tried everything?”

“Uh huh. Diaper, bottle, rattle, rocking, the lot. It won’t shut up.”

“Right. And it hasn’t stopped at all?”

“Not once.”

I sighed. “I’ll be over as soon as I can.”

“Are you sure you’re going to be okay getting here? I’d pick you up, but my car’s stuck in the garage.”

I paused, considering my options. Admittedly, getting over to Andrew’s house was going to be harder than it sounded. Mom was a total nut on making sure I got enough sleep, adamant that eight hours a night and good grades existed only in harmony. I’d never tried before, but I was pretty certain sneaking out of the house at two thirty in the morning wouldn’t sit well with her regime. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it… somehow.”

I wasn’t exactly sure how I was going to manage it, but I did know that I couldn’t leave Andrew to sit up with a screaming baby for the rest of the night. Even if my assistance couldn’t shut it up, the least he deserved was my company. And I knew he’d do the same for me without hesitation.

“Thank you,” Andrew breathed, sounding immensely relieved. “Seriously, Avery, you’re a lifesaver. Have I ever told you how much I love you?”

“You might’ve mentioned it,” I said coolly, but color rose to my cheeks all the same. “I’ll be there when I can, okay?”

“Okay. Thanks.”

I hung up the phone and slid it into my pocket, snatching up my coat from the back of my chair. I was vaguely away of how stupid my outfit – striped PJ bottoms and a mismatching T-shirt under a jacket – looked, but I pushed the thoughts away, telling myself no one would see me. Nobody in the neighborhood was crazy enough to go walking at this time of night. Slipping my feet into my sneakers, I headed for the hall.