Doing It All For My Baby

At the mere mention that Amy was thinking about getting a bassinet for the baby, so that the baby is close by for the first couple weeks, Nicky freaked.

“Over my dead body! The baby is going to have its own room.” I tried to explain why Amy was thinking about it but he didn’t want to hear anything about it. “I’ve had to share a room my entire life; first with Jordy and now with Amy.” His face soon took on a pained expression; he looked around making sure that no one was close by and motioned for Jordan and I to come closer. When he spoke his voice was low and serious. “Do you know she touches my ‘private’ places at night?”

I stepped back, shaking my head. “Nicky!”

He laughed, “So I touch hers and sometimes she-” Jordan slapped his hand over Nick’s mouth so whatever he was about to say was muffled.

We moved on from the bedding to food. Nick began to pick up the toddler foods. “Is this any good?” He showed me Gerber’s Mac and cheese.

“I don’t know for sure, seeing I’ve never tasted it. It’s a great seller, all the Gerber toddler foods are. But Nick, the baby isn’t going to be eating that for a while.”

He shrugged and threw a couple in the cart, “I’m going to try them.” He then started to pull different bottles of baby food off the shelf. “Apples? I like apples.” In the cart they went. “Squash? Ewww! No kid should be forced to eat that!” He looked around and then placed a couple bottles of peas in front of the squash. “Hey! Chicken Noodle Dinner! Awesome!” As Nicky pulled the bottles off the shelf, Jordan went behind him and put them back. “Hey! Knock it off!”

I finally got him to the formula; he stood back and stared at the entire 12 foot run. Sighing, he hung his head, “I have no idea what my baby will need.”

“Is Amy going to breast feed?” I asked.

He shrugged, “I don’t know but damn have you noticed that they are getting bigger?” Turning to his brother he smiled, “Right? You’ve noticed I know you have.”

Jordan cringed, “Eww man, that’s your wife. I don’t look at her.”

They argued back and forth for a couple minutes about whether it was ok for Jordan to look at Amy’s rack. Not wanting to get into that conversation, I moved on.

We spent another hour in the infant department going through every single aisle with me pointing out stuff that Amy was looking at and explaining some stuff along the way. We ended up back at the cribs; Nick asked again which one Amy was looking at so I pointed out the crib, change table, and dresser that she wanted. “How much would it all be? 400? 500?”

I nodded, “Yeah, somewhere around there.”

Nick shrugged and started to walk out of the department. “No big deal. Dad said he was buying whatever baby furniture Amy wanted.”

Jordan, who was in front of me, stopped short and I ran into him. “Dad said that?” Nick nodded, “When did he say that?”

“A couple days ago when Amy and I were over there looking through the catalogues that mom had.”

“Unfriggingbelievable.” Jordan exclaimed as he stormed away.

Nick and I looked at each other. “What was that about?” He asked.

I shrugged, “I don’t really know. But you know Jordan when it comes to your dad.”

“I never asked to be treated any different than him!” His voice rose as he spoke. “It’s not my fault! He has to stop blaming me!” Nick stomped off in the opposite direction.

I stood there looking back and forth between the two directions that they went, who do I go after first? Groaning, I went off in search of Jordan.

It took me about ten minutes but I finally found him wandering around aimlessly through the toy department. He had picked up a Fisher Price car and a tiny stuffed doll. “Hey.” I touched his shoulder. “Buying me presents?”

Jordan glanced at me and then at the toys in his hands. Shaking his head, he chuckled; it was almost a sad sounding one. “Every time I asked my parents for anything; for them to help me out in any way over the last couple years, I was told I was old enough to fend for myself. I was told that if I wanted something I just had to work for it like they did. That their job was done the day I moved out of the house.” He paused, put the toys back on the shelf and turned to me. “They wouldn’t even help me when I had like to lose the house. He couldn’t even spare the couple hundred I needed so I could make the mortgage payment. You know where I got the money for that?”

“Yes, I do.”

Just before I moved in with Jordan he was in a car accident that left him unable to work for a couple months. He was getting so far behind on his bills that he was stressing about losing the house, his truck and everything else that he worked so hard for. One night I came home early and I over heard Jordan talking with Zach and Mary about his situation.

“I know I shouldn’t ask but I have no where else to turn.” Jordan told them.

Without hesitating, Zack told him that they would help him out. “You’re family Jordan; I can’t just stand by and not do anything.” Was all he said when Jordan expressed his gratitude.

Jordan wasn’t going to tell me that there was anything wrong; he had asked Zach not to mention anything to me. I was upset when I heard that, I didn’t stop to think that Jordan was embarrassed to have to ask anyone for help. I let everyone know that I was there and I heard what was said. Jordan and I got into a hugh fight, he stormed out of the house telling me that it was none of my business and we didn’t talk for a couple weeks. Finally he came around, told me he needed a roommate and asked me to move in.

“Anna?” Jordan was waving his hand in front of my face. “Where did you go?” He asked when my eyes focused on him.

I told him it wasn’t important as I saw Nick approaching from the corner of my eye.

“Listen Jordy,” Nick stood in front of his brother and looked him in the eyes. “I didn’t ask dad to buy anything for the baby. If I could give Amy everything she wanted for the baby myself, I’d tell dad to shove it.”

“I know.” Jordan sighed, “Nick it’s fine. It’s for the baby, their first grand child. My niece or nephew.” He grinned, “Can I request a nephew?”

Nick laughed, “If only I controlled that.”