Whoa Baby

Chapter 41- Have Mercy

Whoa Baby

Chapter 41- Have Mercy

"Anger is a natural defense against pain. So when someone says I hate you, it really means you hurt me."- Unknown

"You smell so good Colton, yes you do. You like the water? Are you enjoy bath time-?"

"What are you doing?" JC asks hesitantly, walking in on me giving Colton a bath. Even though I had heard his footsteps running up the stairs, he had startled me a bit by standing so close behind me.

"I'm giving him a bath." I tell him with a minor scoff. It was obvious I was giving Colton a bath. Why else would he be naked in a small plastic tub of water?

"I mean why are you talking like that?" He clarifies, shaking his head. Oh. That's what he means.

"Like you never talk to babies in a little voice." I laugh, rubbing the wash cloths with baby soap over Colton's chest and under his arms.

"No. I have associated with babies until now." He says as a matter of fact.

"Well aren't you just bad to the bones." I state sarcastically.

"I think some days you just really hate my guts." He says, leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed.

"Where did that come from all of a sudden?" I ask, looking at him critically and irritably. Sure there's days when I can't stand JC, but today was a new day. "Alright, daily question coming up: how many hours did you sleep late night?" I demand sweeping Colton's dark hair to the side after I had rinsed the soap off of him.

"That has nothing to do-"

"You're getting really worked up for nothing." I interrupt him already as he starts raising his voice at me. "Calm-"

"Don't tell me to calm down." He interrupts this time, pointing a finger at me. He runs his hands through his hair, breathing heavily through his nose.

I stared at him for a moment, thinking of the possibilities to why he'd be this agitated and cranky for no reason at all. "If sleep doesn't have anything to do with it then..." I trailer off, thinking he'd finish the sentence, but he didn't. Instead I was left there to ponder, wrapping Colton in his ducky towel, and drying him off. "Have you completely quit smoking?" I realize, turning my head to him as I grab Colton's diaper and clothes, then lay him on the bed.

"It's been a fucking week and it's eat me alive." He growls, clenching and unclenching his fists by his side.

"The withdrawals are only temporary. You'll be glad you did it at the end." I tell him, kissing Colton's forehead and smiling down to him as he looks up at me curiously.

"Oh Jesus Christ." He mumbles under his breath as he looks at him phone.

"Maybe the next thing you can quit doing is swearing." I mention quietly, putting the diaper on Colton before he peed all over my bed.

"My mom is on her way." He says louder, texting back quickly on his phone.

"I should go make some coffee then." I respond, rubbing Johnson's baby lotion on my hands to rub all over Colton, "And I think it's time for you to eat too." I said in my little baby voice to Colton.

"That's going to get Goddamn annoying real fast." JC mutters under his breath.

"Looks like daddy is Mr. Cranky Pants today." I tell Colton in my baby voice still, putting him in his onesie. He smiles, kicking his legs frantically, and making weird noises.