Baby Steps

Katherine Amelia Nichols

"Just change his diaper, Katherine," Jason said, frustrated.  My face scrunched up in disgust, and I shook my head.

"You do it!" I told him, pinching my nose and stepping away from the changing table.  We were both standing equal distance from the changing table where Greyson was currently wriggling around in only a diaper.

"I've done it for the past three weeks!" he retorted.  I glared at him.

"So, you have more experience!  Glad we both agree.  Now, go change Greyson's diaper!" I shoved him towards the changing table.

"You do it!" he said, grabbing my hand and yanking me towards the table.

Just as he did that, the doorbell rang.  He grinned and said, "I'll go get it," before taking off out of the room.

I glared at him and resisted the urge to flip him off as he ran down the stairs.

Slowly, I turned back towards Greyson on the changing table and began to change him very cautiously.  He was moving the entire time, like he was trying to make me even more disgusted, but I pushed through.

Finally, after what was very comparable to hell for me, I picked a fully dressed Greyson up in my arms and carried him down to the door.  Greyson was chatting with a bunch of the neighbors, and their heads all turned to Greyson and me as I stepped off of the staircase.

"There's little Greyson Mills!" one of the girls, who I recognized as Luna Merit, squealed and rushed over to coo at Greyson.  I froze at the last name.

I've mostly been isolated with only Jason and Greyson the past three weeks, and I haven't really felt like talking about Madeline or Trent.  My mind's been pretending that Greyson wasn't the child of my dead friend.

Thankfully, Luna scooped Greyson out of my arms and bounced him in her arms.  Without even realizing it, I drifted towards Jason who- I realized- was also frozen.

"We just wanted to drop by and see how you guys were doing," another voice, belonging to Kelsea Hilton, said sweetly. "I also brought some rice krispy chocolate rolls for you and Jason."

I was still frozen in place.  She frowned.

"Did we stop by at a bad time?" she questioned.  Jason elbowed me, and I snapped out of my frozen state.

"Oh, of course not," I said. "We're just shocked to have company that's all."

A small smile returned to her face, and she handed me a plastic Tupperware container.  I took it, offering her a thankful smile.

Jason still wasn't speaking, and I could tell everyone except Luna and Kelsea were getting uncomfortable.  Liam Merit- Luna's husband- caught her attention and nodded towards the door.  She sighed and handed Greyson to Jason before standing beside her husband.

"It can be a little rough at first with a new child, and the way this happened doesn't help at all.  Just remember that it's okay to ask for help, and that we're all just a short walk away," Kelsea said, realizing that everyone was already getting ready to leave.  She smiled at me before pulling me into a tight hug- well as tight as it could get with her very pregnant belly.

She pulled back with a sweet smile, and the Hiltons left.  Before the door could even shut, I was yanked into a hug by Luna.  Her hug was a lot less comforting and more of an energetic I already can tell we're going to be great friends.

She finally pulled away and returned to her husband's side before they also left.  I let out a deep breath and turned to Jason who was still holding Greyson.