Okay, so here's the last update for maybe a week. I'll be back Sunday night from the Bahamas, but I probably won't be able to update until Monday or Tuesday...
no computer access.
I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for all the wonderful comments everyone has been posting...they really mean a lot to me.
Chapter 31: Of Handymen, Aching Backs, and POTTY TRAINING He struggled with assembling the crib once again. It had taken him a while to get it put together the first time, but for some odd reason, it seemed as if it was taking an eternity today. He had been at it for over two hours now, and he had only gotten the bottom portion of the frame put together. Abby had the early shift today, and Luka was off. He figured that he would use his time wisely and get the crib started, so, Maggie took the girls to the Children’s Museum, and his father was hovering over him, trying to help him along. “Luka, did you screw it in tightly?” Josip asked him in Croatian.
“Yes, I did. I just can’t seem to figure out how I got this together last time.” he said in reply. He threw the instructional booklet down on the ground and looked up at his father. “Do you have any idea how to do this?” he asked, hoping that his father would say yes and save him from guessing which piece went where and what screw to use until had been perfect and looked like it had on the box. Even though his father couldn’t lift heavy things, he could help him screw things together, as long as he sat on a chair.
“Well, I’m pretty sure you got the base done. Now you just have to put the sides up, and then the railing.” Josip said, looking down at his son, who was struggling to find the pieces. “Son...that is what the instructions are for. If you follow them, you will be done faster!”
“Okay...okay...read them to me.” Luka said, handing his father the instructions.
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Abby sat at the admit desk, catching up on her charting. It had been an unusually slow day in the ER. Susan pulled a stool up next to her and Abby looked up.
“How are you feeling?” Susan asked as she picked up her pen.
“Hmmm...swollen, puffy, tired, and achy.” Abby said with a smirk. She was, after all, nearing her eighth month. The baby moved even more now and she was getting fewer and fewer hours of sleep, either being in total discomfort or going to the bathroom every twenty minutes.
“Sounds like you have a lot on your plate. I still wish you would have let me throw you that baby shower.” Susan said, sighing.
“Suse, do I really look like I want all that attention? I’m fat, cranky, and I have to pee all the time!” Abby said, getting herself a bit worked up.
“Abby you’re not fat! You are tiny compared to last time. You are kind of cranky though...” Susan said, looking down as she uttered the last sentence.
“Ugh...I know. I’m sorry. I’m just really tired and uncomfortable today. And now I have to pee.” Abby said as she pushed herself off the stool and made her way to the bathroom.
“Don’t worry about it Abby!” Susan shouted as Abby made her dash to the bathroom.
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“Okay Luka, it says that you have to attach parts D and E to part A.” Josip said, reading off the instruction booklet, scratching his head slightly.
“But what are D and E?” Luka asked, confused. He was still trying to put the crib together, another hour later.
“Luka, part A is the base. Parts D and E are the sides. You just finished assembling them, don’t you remember?” Josip asked, laughing at his son’s poor carpentry skills.
“Oh...” Luka said as he began to gather the screws and bolts that he needed to secure the sides together with the base.
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“Gramma? Tan we go play over dere?” Gabby asked as she pointed to the lego area in the Museum.
“Sure.” Maggie said as she pushed the stroller over there and unbuckled the two little girls. They ran off to the table with the big legos and Maggie called out to them. “I’ll be sitting right here keeping my eyes on you two! Play nicely!”
“Otay Gramma. We will!” Taylor said back, as they started to play with the big lego blocks. Maggie took her water bottle out of the bottom of the stroller and took a sip. She was getting too old for this. She had lifted the girls up the rope climbing ladder multiple times today and her back was sore.
A half hour later, Maggie decided to start heading back to the apartment. “Taylor! Gabby! It’s time to go now!” Maggie said as she stood up and pushed the stroller over to the table they were sitting at.
“Alweady?” Taylor asked.
“Yes, we have some work to do at home. Now, come on, get in your stroller.” she said.
“But I want to play!” Gabby yelled.
“Nope. We have to go home and go potty remember?” Maggie asked them. They had been working on potty training for a month now, but the girls were so stubborn.
“I don’t have to go potty.” Taylor said.
“Okay, but you two are getting sleepy. I can tell. Let’s go.” Maggie said as she lifted each of them into their side of the stroller. She grabbed their poofy little jackets out and put them on. Then, she grabbed their hats, scarves, and mittens and put them on as well. It was pretty cold today and they had to take the bus back home.
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Abby walked out into the ambulance bay and waited for Luka to come pick her up. He no longer wanted her to take the el or the bus by herself, and insisted that he pick her up. She had just gotten off and her back was the sorest and achiest throughout the pregnancy.
Luka pulled into the ambulance bay and saw Abby sitting on the bench. He pulled the car up and got out. “Hey.” he said as he walked over to her and kissed her.
“Hi.” she said warily.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
“I’m just really tired.” she said and Luka helped her off the bench and into the car. As they drove off Abby felt her eyes starting to get heavy.
“So how was your shift?” Luka asked once they were on the road. There was no answer. As he stopped at the red light, he looked over to Abby and saw her fast asleep. He wondered why she had been so tired these last couple of days. She had been sleeping a lot, and he made sure that she didn’t work too many traumas in the ER. She hadn’t been eating as much as she had been either. He pulled into the last spot in front of the apartment building and turned the engine off. He got out of the car and went over to the passenger side, picked up Abby as best he could without waking her, and walked up the stairs.
When he entered the apartment, he walked up to their bedroom and laid her down. He looked over to the corner of the room at the finished crib. It had taken nearly five hours, but it was complete and ready for their baby boy. “Tata! I went pee pee on da potty!” Taylor shouted happily as she ran into their bedroom. Luka looked up from looking down at a peacefully sleeping Abby and smiled at the little girl.
“You did, did you?” Luka asked, smiling and picking her up and swung her around. “Did Gramma help you?”
“Yes. Tister didn’t go.” Taylor said.
“Well, she will go when she’s ready.” Luka said.
“Why is Mama sleeping?” she asked.
“She’s very tired.” Luka said.
“Oh.” Taylor said.
“Let’s let Mommy get some sleep and then we can show her our surprise okay?” Luka asked, standing up and walking toward the door with her.
“Otay Tata.”
<3 nicole