The teacher's baby

21.

Hayden

After another day of people staring at me and treating me like I'm made of glass while I'm at the same time also being busy with ignoring Mr Nelson and distancing myself from him, I'm now exhausted and want to go home.
But before doing that, I go to the nurse's office to get a new diaper. Just like I always do every day,even though it's embarrassing as hell.

I knock on the door and Mrs Davis let's me in.
She asks me how I'm doing and I lie, telling her that I'm fine. She looks skeptical but doesn't say anything about it.

"Okay. You're here for a change, aren't you?"

I nod quietly and follow her to the changing table.

"Hop up." she says, and I do as told.

Afterward, she follows me to the door.
"If you need to talk, I'm here for you." she says calmly. "You can, of course also talk to the school counselor if you're having a hard time. But I'm all ears if you want to spill your heart out right now. I have time."

Yes, I am having a hard time, but the situation is weird, so I can't really tell Mrs Davis about it. And even if I did tell her, the situation wouldn't change. The problem would still be there.

"No, it's okay. I'm fine." I lie once again while holding back tears.
"Bye..."
I open the door and get out of there before she has the chance to say anything else.

Owen

When school has ended for the day, I go home and get a little nervous when noticing the door being unlocked.
I enter the apartment slowly and sigh in relief when I see Hayden's jacket hanging by the door and his shoes sitting beneath it.
He must have used the spare key I gave him.

But he is supposed to be at the extra lesson right now... So, why is he at home already?

When I enter the living room, I find Hayden sleeping on the couch while sucking on his thumb and holding Grayson in his arms.

My heart melts at the sight.

I put a blanket over his body and stroke his hair gently one time. I wonder what's going on in his mind. If only he wanted to talk to me...
"Sweet dreams." I whisper and disappear into the bedroom.

While inside of the bedroom, I sit down by my desk and start correcting some tests and assignments.

After an hour or so, I decide to take a break and go to the kitchen to get some coffee and something to eat.
Over there, I meet Hayden, who sits by the kitchen table while eating a sandwich and drinking some milk.

"Hi." I say while passing him and walking over to the coffee machine. "How was school?" 
He doesn't answer. Instead, he gets up and leaves the kitchen, taking the glass of milk and what's left of the sandwich with him.

I sigh. Guess he's still not talking to me...
Well, I'll give it some time. It's probably better if I let him come to me. He'll talk to me when he's ready.

************************************

As I'm on my way to the bathroom in the middle of the night, I can hear Hayden groan and move around on the couch in the living room.
I immediately stop in my tracks and walk over there to check on him.

He's got a pained expression on his face and his cheeks are red.
Is he getting sick?

I put the back of my hand on his forehead and can tell that it's really warm.
So, I quickly fetch the thermometer in the bathroom and try to put it in Hayden's mouth, but he won't open up and just pushes it away.

"Please, Hayden. I just need to take your temperature..." I plead while bringing it to his mouth one more time.
"No..." he whines while pushing it away once again.
I sigh and put the thermometer down on the coffee table.

Then I pick him up and carry him over to the nursery, where I put him down on the changing table and take off his pants.
When I'm also about to take off his diaper, he whines and tries to push my hands away.

"No... don't..." he says and tries to get up.

"I'm sorry, buddy... but I have to do this." I say and hold him down while taking the diaper off.

I hate to force him, but right now, it's necessary.

I take out a thermometer from one of the cabinets nearby and put some ointment on its tip.
Then I hold up Hayden's legs with my left hand and bring the thermometer towards his rectum with my right hand.

"This is probably gonna feel a little uncomfortable, but just bear with me. Okay?" I tell Hayden before putting it in.