Marco woke Wren up an hour later, and he was two times more miserable than he had been. Marco fought with him to eat dinner, bathe him and get him to bed. When Romeao showed up, he alerted Marco they were doing something together tonight and I would be on my own with the baby. I was more than ok with being left alone with the baby.
Marco left me with the TV remote and free rein of his space. I was glad I had thought ahead and fed Mochi extra food. Sitting on the couch, the baby monitor was quiet. Getting up, I went to check on Wren despite the silence.
Marco had only been gone for an hour, and Wren was sitting up in his crib, just silently touching things in his crib. He looked up at me and I watched his bottom lip tremble and I sighed.
“Your dad is going to kill me, Wren, but let’s go.”
I picked him up out of the crib and tucked him to my side, and grabbed the soother in the crib, too. I offered him the soother, and he took it. He was probably teething, and that was why he was miserable.
Touching his forehead, he was a little warm, nothing to be super worried about. I tried to set him on the floor in the living room so I could see if there was something Marco had for teething, but Wren had other ideas. He grabbed my pant leg and cried.
“Ok, Ok. I won’t put you down. Poor peanut,” I rubbed his back, “I’m sure daddy has something for you.”
After hunting up and down, Marco had nothing for Wren and he got fussier by the minute. I checked his diaper, and it was clean. Marco was busy with work, and I didn’t want to bother him. Picking up my phone, I dialled my dad, hoping he was still up and moving at this late hour.
“Ambrose, it's late, are you ok?”
“I’m ok, but I need a favour. Are you busy? I can figure something else out if you are?”
“I’m just getting out of a meeting with a couple of guys. What do you need?”
“Could you swing by the pharmacy and pick me up some infant medication and a teething ring, please?”
“Ambrose, I would ask you where you are, and whose baby you have, but I don't even think I want to know.”
“Yeah, It’s best if you don't know.”
“Are you at his house?”
“Yes, I am. I can give you the address if you need it.”
“That would be helpful. I'll video call you when I get to the store and you can pick the things you need.”
“Thank you! I can’t leave and get something. Marco is working and I don't have his car seat, and I don't want to worry Marco, if he comes back and Wren and I aren't here.”
“I don't mind, at least helping with Marco’s child. Marco, that is a different story, Ambrose.”
“Dad, please—--”
“Marco is dangerous and you know it. How long before he puts his hands on you again like he did his ex-husband?”
“Dad, I will not discuss this with you. I get you think Marco is dangerous and I will admit, he is. But that is not the guy he shows me. Believe me when I say I will not allow Marco and I whatever this is, to get to the point of violence. He doesn't need that, and neither does his little boy.”
“The only thing I can do is believe that, Ambrose.”
“Are you driving?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you hang up? You know better than anyone about how dangerous it is to talk on the phone and drive? Do I need to remind you how I have found some people—---”
“You're through the car speakers. Relax.”
“Good. Good.”
“I'll call you back once I’m in the baby aisle.”
“Ok.”
Dad hung up, and I tucked my phone back into my pocket and took Wren with me as I walked to the kitchen. With my attention fully on him now, I could see the rash on his cheek. He was chewing on his soother the best he could, dribbling all over us both.
“What a mess,” I cooed and yanked my ringing phone out of my pocket. “Oh, it’s my dad. We best answer him.”
Hitting the answer button, the aisle of baby things came into view.
“Christ, he looks just like Marco.”
“He is Marco’s son. What did you expect?” I laughed, and Wren just chewed away on his soother.
“I knew it was his son, but did he need a carbon copy?”
“I think his carbon copy is cute.” I said, snorting.
“Ok, Ok. Back to why I called. What do you need?”
“Infant medication for teething, and a teething ring, and a couple bibs for sure.”
After finding all the things I wanted, which also included some outfits that he really didn't need, I found them way too cute to leave there. I sent dad some money once we got off the phone.
I walked around the kitchen bouncing Wren. He settled back down on my shoulder to sleep and I was worried if I stopped he might wake back up and be miserable again. I let dad in when showed up. I would explain to Marco when he come back home why my dad was here and apologize for giving out his address.
“Oh look at him, poor kid.”
“Thank you, you're a lifesaver.”
“I'll send you back the money I didn’t use.”
“No, no. Keep it for coming and bringing me all this stuff.”
“You know, I saw Marco tonight, with Romeao. We all met tonight. The three families.”
“Romeao said they were working together tonight. Hence, why I have the baby?”
“That kid could use some outside interaction, you know, outside the Mafia. It's good you're here. Despite that, I don't like the idea of Marco and you.”
“I can’t say if we will end up that way, but I think if we do, it wouldn't be the worst thing. I'm not fond of the mafia, but I could live with it if I had to.”
“You turned out to be a good kid, Ambrose. No matter what your mother says, she and I are beyond proud of you.”
“Thanks, but don't get all sappy on me. You need to get home before it gets any later.”
Dad left, and I went to put the stuff away, a sleeping Wren with me the whole time. I was grateful to see that dad had picked up a few different kinds of medications and a couple of the teething rings. I popped the teething rings into the freezer and left all the medications on the counter for Marco. I left all the clothes in the bag on the table and took Wren to the living room.
I laid him on the floor and he started to get fussy, so I laid down beside him. He had his head on my arm up near my shoulder and he went back to sleep pretty quickly.
Once I was sure he was asleep, I got up, moving him slightly off my arm and turned all the lights off before grabbing a pillow and coming back to lie with him on the floor.
When he fussed again at three am, I changed his diaper while he screamed and redressed him after, taking him to the couch and letting him lay on my chest and rubbing his back.
Marco came home around four am, and Wren and I were still laying on the couch and I heard him click his tongue before coming into the living room. He bent down to take Wren, and I slapped his hand away gently.
“Touch the baby and I will murder you, Marco. This is the longest he has slept.”
“Long night?” He whispered.
“I had my dad pick up some things for him. He is teething and very miserable. There’s a few teething rings in the freezer, a few different types of medication on the counter. I didn't give him anything because you weren't here, and I didn’t want to give him medication without your consent, as his parent. There are some outfits and bibs in the bag on the table.”
“I got the alert when your dad pulled into the driveway. I wasn't too worried. I figured you asked him to come, since I know he doesn't have my address, and if he needed something, he could have asked when I saw him a few hours ago.”
“Yes, he told me about the meeting with the three families. Did that go well?”
“About as well as it could.”
“Good, bad?”
“It went well for a few minutes. Maddox wants Romeao and I to offer him assistance with the docks and a few shipments, and that would be fine, but Alessio, you've met him, at the complex, he’s the don of the third family, and his underboss is one of two partners of my ex-husband. He makes working hard together. I get it, I do. But he doesn't make things any easier for me.”
“Yikes, you're in quite the pickle, aren't you?”
“You could say that for sure.”
“I have faith in you.”
Marco sat down on the floor in front of the couch, with his back towards me, and laid his head back against me. He said nothing, but I understood the words he didn't say.
He was tired and stressed out. He wanted comfort and I could give him that.
“It means more to me than you could understand.” He whispered.
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