parenthood

Episode 9; Band-aids

"I love how she is selective in when she wants to hold her own bottle," Harry says as he feeds Scout who gulps down her freshly made bottle. Pulling it away from her playfully for her to squeal in her own little language.

"Ba-Ba!" She says to Harry referring to her bottle as she opens her mouth wide for him to place the bottle in. Laying back in his arms as she begins to suck her bottle, her little pink toes dangling.

"Well she's going to have to hold her own once we get going," I said packing the diaper bag with essentials and tucking my day old curled hair behind my ear.

"Where are we going again?" Harry asks me rocking Scout while she bats her long eyelashes that hood over her hazel eyes that were setting in.

"Six-month immunizations," I said slipping some socks into Scout's little pink painted toes. Not resisting in the least she carries on staring at me while keeping one hand gripped to Harry's Hawaiian short sleeved shirt that was buttoned enough to see his two Swallow tattoos.

"Nope, I can't go! I can't see her in pain like that," Harry shook his head vigorously while I tried to dress Scout in his arms. Finding it difficult however to slip everything on when she is in the confines of Harry's arms.

"Yes, you are because I had to go alone at her two-month appointment! I can't do that again, you are coming! So pull up those damn Chelsea boots and let's go," I inform him once I situate her little gray diaper to finish off her look. I pull up her thigh socks and admire the adorable off the shoulder black top I had paired with the ensemble. I hurry and brush her soft brown baby hair and slip on a little bow headband, fighting me a little while grunting and swatting my hand away.

"If I am a victim of PTSD I'm coming after you for damages," Harry said while I swing the diaper bag over my shoulder and coax everyone out the door.

"As long as we make it to the appointment on time you can come at me all you want homeboy,"

+

"Are you alright Mr. Styles?" The nurse asks as she pulls down Scout's thigh high gray socks. She kicks about smiling and gurgling at me while I stand close by.

"I'm a little woozy," He said truthfully keeping a clear distance from the needles that are lined in a neat clear plastic kit. The metal tips of the needles gleam in the yellow lighting of the room.

"Is this his first time seeing this?" The perky twenty something-year-old nurse asks. Her cheeks have a natural pink tint that compliments her tanned skin tone.

"Yes, I told him he had to come for moral support and he's been hyperventilating ever since we got in the car," I said to the nurse who occupies Scout by ticking her tummy causing her to laugh.

"It will all be over in 15 seconds, we are doing two in the right thigh and one in the left." The nurse tells me as she tucks Scout's little dainty legs over the curve of the exam table and using her body to keep them in place. "Alright, can mom or dad hold her arms for me? I would also recommend a binky to keep her a little more at ease,"

"Harry, can you grab one of her binkies?" I come around to the other side of the exam table and hold Scout's arms above her head causing her to stir from the restraint.

After being instructed to distract Scout for as long as possible Harry coos her name, her little hazel eyes grazing his face. She is unsettled as she sucks on her binky blinking up at Harry begging with her eyes for Harry to save her.

"Alright, princess lets get this over with so you can go back to Daddy, yeah?" The nurse talks in a high pitch voice as she takes one of the three needles into her hand after cleansing the areas she would be aiming for.