“You can see how much the diaper has swelled. Not everything needs a number two.”
She couldn’t help but laugh. She was so bad at this. There was no way she was going to tell him that there was a time she wanted to have kids and a family of her own. He’d probably find some way to ban her from ever having kids.
Picking Tara up, she carried her over to the small dining room table that she’d also set up as a diaper-changing station. She no longer ate at the table. Food was eaten while sitting on the sofa, watching television if she got the chance, or listening for Tara to scream.
Again, only two days, but enough.
She eased Tara down, opened up her onesie, and tickled her belly.
Caleb had stood but stayed back at the head of the table as she changed her diaper. Once she was done, she wiped her hands on a sanitized hand wipe, wrapped up the soiled diaper, and disposed of it in her trash bin. This was something she’d been able to do.
Lifting Tara up in her arms, she held her tightly.
“Can I give you my honest opinion?” Caleb asked.
“Of course. I would appreciate it.”
“I don’t think you need a nanny or any guidance. A new baby can be tiring and exhausting. Life changes, as expected. You’re responsible for a baby.”
“So, all of this is normal? Me not being able to write or do anything but sit and watch her all day?”
“Yes. It’s all new and you both need to develop a routine together. It will work out, I promise you.”
“Good, but I still want you to help me,” Annie said. “Please, I will pay double whatever your going rate is.”
She needed to know she was doing this right and the only way to do that was to get advice from the professionals. Also, he’d seen her change the diaper, not anything else. Tara also seemed to be behaving really well. Was she just being a little manic?
Babies didn’t come with guidebooks. Technically, now the libraries were full of them, but she remembered her own mother constantly stating that she didn’t have a book to help her. How she had to do everything on her own. Her mother had passed away a couple of years ago, which was why Annie was now on her own.
She loved her mother. She was also the only parent she’d ever known. Her father had abandoned them when she was young, because he didn’t want to be a dad.
“I’m going to help, Annie, but I honestly think you’re more than capable of handling this.”
It was nice to know he thought that, especially as he was a total stranger, but the truth was, she didn’t think she could do this.