Post by larue on Jul 12, 2006 14:13:48 GMT 10
Coming Home…..
It was nearly midnight when Luka let himself in the apartment door. He smiled when he saw that she had left a sandwich and fruit for him on the counter. She knew that he rarely took a moment for a meal when he was pulling an evening shift. He pulled away the plastic wrap and lifted the bread to check out the stack of roast beef, lettuce and tomato. He picked up half and put the rest of the sandwich in the refrigerator. It had been a rough night. All he wanted now was a shower and their bed. He slipped his shoes off and ate the sandwich as he headed up the stairs. The light was on in the nursery. He stopped and peeked inside. He chuckled slightly as he saw her kneeling before the open side of the changing table rearranging things….again. He took a moment and glanced around the room.
It was finally finished. He’d painted the walls a soft yellow and she’d selected a pale animal print for curtains. There was a matching pillow on the couch against the wall and matching bedding in the soft oak crib. There was already an impressive collection of stuffed animals in the corner and on the seat of oak rocker near the window. Under the window was a small bookcase with baskets of books they had been collecting. On top of the bookcase was a snow globe music box…and a baby monitor. There were boxes of diapers in the closet, a dresser full of tiny onesies and socks, tee shirts and soft pants of every imaginable color. The only thing that was missing was the baby. And the baby was coming home tomorrow…..or rather today.
Abby stood up and shrieked as she turned and saw him in the doorway. Luka jumped.
“Ah…Luka!” she cried. “How long have you been standing there?”
“Just a few minutes,” he said. “What are you doing?” Abby traced a finger along the end of the nearby crib and shrugged.
“Couldn’t sleep,” she sighed.
“You need your rest,” he scolded. “It’s after midnight. Come with me.” He held out an arm and she smiled as she moved into his hug. Luka switched off the overhead light and kissed the top of her head as the nursery was bathed in the soft light of the lamp on the dresser. That light had been burning since she’d come home from the hospital herself.
“How was your shift?” she asked as he turned on the light in their room.
“Rough,” he sighed. “I’m beaten….” Abby suppressed a smile and dropped onto their bed. She stretched out on the covers and patted the spot next to her. Luka sighed happily and sat next to her. Abby moved to her knees behind him and began to massage the back of his neck and shoulders. She frowned slightly. It had been rough. He was tighter than a drum. He closed his eyes as her fingers worked away the kinks in his shoulders. Luka reached down and unbuttoned the shirt he wore and let her slip it off him. Abby pressed a soft kiss to his shoulder and kneaded the muscles under the kiss firmly. Luka chuckled.
“You may be restless,” he said. “But I am tired.”
“I know that,” Abby replied innocently. “This doctor recommends a hot shower and bed.”
“Oh, she does, does she?” Luka slipped to the side and fell back on the mattress and brought her along side him. “And what else does the mother of my son recommend, Dr.?” Abby raised herself up on one elbow and frowned thoughtfully.
“At least four days away from the hospital altogether. No pager either. No more multiple daily visits to NICU. Waking up with the mother of your son while she feeds him during the night. Oh, and diaper duty is totally yours. Doctor’s orders.” Luka laughed and wrapped his arms around her and held her close.
“It’s really going to happen isn’t it?” she said softly. “We’re finally going to have him at home, all to ourselves?” Luka nodded.
“Scared?” he asked.
“A little,” Abby nodded.
“Me too.” She raised herself up on one elbow and studied his face. He was serious. Luka’s eyes drooped and he raised his eyebrows to keep them open.
“I think I might need some help in that shower,” he said. “How are you at scrubbing?” Abby laughed and her brown eyes twinkled.
“You have to ask? I do have some experience.” Luka shook his head and sat up. He glanced back at Abby and suddenly they were both on their feet and racing for the bathroom leaving a trail of slacks, pajama pants, underwear, socks and a cami behind them.
It was nearly midnight when Luka let himself in the apartment door. He smiled when he saw that she had left a sandwich and fruit for him on the counter. She knew that he rarely took a moment for a meal when he was pulling an evening shift. He pulled away the plastic wrap and lifted the bread to check out the stack of roast beef, lettuce and tomato. He picked up half and put the rest of the sandwich in the refrigerator. It had been a rough night. All he wanted now was a shower and their bed. He slipped his shoes off and ate the sandwich as he headed up the stairs. The light was on in the nursery. He stopped and peeked inside. He chuckled slightly as he saw her kneeling before the open side of the changing table rearranging things….again. He took a moment and glanced around the room.
It was finally finished. He’d painted the walls a soft yellow and she’d selected a pale animal print for curtains. There was a matching pillow on the couch against the wall and matching bedding in the soft oak crib. There was already an impressive collection of stuffed animals in the corner and on the seat of oak rocker near the window. Under the window was a small bookcase with baskets of books they had been collecting. On top of the bookcase was a snow globe music box…and a baby monitor. There were boxes of diapers in the closet, a dresser full of tiny onesies and socks, tee shirts and soft pants of every imaginable color. The only thing that was missing was the baby. And the baby was coming home tomorrow…..or rather today.
Abby stood up and shrieked as she turned and saw him in the doorway. Luka jumped.
“Ah…Luka!” she cried. “How long have you been standing there?”
“Just a few minutes,” he said. “What are you doing?” Abby traced a finger along the end of the nearby crib and shrugged.
“Couldn’t sleep,” she sighed.
“You need your rest,” he scolded. “It’s after midnight. Come with me.” He held out an arm and she smiled as she moved into his hug. Luka switched off the overhead light and kissed the top of her head as the nursery was bathed in the soft light of the lamp on the dresser. That light had been burning since she’d come home from the hospital herself.
“How was your shift?” she asked as he turned on the light in their room.
“Rough,” he sighed. “I’m beaten….” Abby suppressed a smile and dropped onto their bed. She stretched out on the covers and patted the spot next to her. Luka sighed happily and sat next to her. Abby moved to her knees behind him and began to massage the back of his neck and shoulders. She frowned slightly. It had been rough. He was tighter than a drum. He closed his eyes as her fingers worked away the kinks in his shoulders. Luka reached down and unbuttoned the shirt he wore and let her slip it off him. Abby pressed a soft kiss to his shoulder and kneaded the muscles under the kiss firmly. Luka chuckled.
“You may be restless,” he said. “But I am tired.”
“I know that,” Abby replied innocently. “This doctor recommends a hot shower and bed.”
“Oh, she does, does she?” Luka slipped to the side and fell back on the mattress and brought her along side him. “And what else does the mother of my son recommend, Dr.?” Abby raised herself up on one elbow and frowned thoughtfully.
“At least four days away from the hospital altogether. No pager either. No more multiple daily visits to NICU. Waking up with the mother of your son while she feeds him during the night. Oh, and diaper duty is totally yours. Doctor’s orders.” Luka laughed and wrapped his arms around her and held her close.
“It’s really going to happen isn’t it?” she said softly. “We’re finally going to have him at home, all to ourselves?” Luka nodded.
“Scared?” he asked.
“A little,” Abby nodded.
“Me too.” She raised herself up on one elbow and studied his face. He was serious. Luka’s eyes drooped and he raised his eyebrows to keep them open.
“I think I might need some help in that shower,” he said. “How are you at scrubbing?” Abby laughed and her brown eyes twinkled.
“You have to ask? I do have some experience.” Luka shook his head and sat up. He glanced back at Abby and suddenly they were both on their feet and racing for the bathroom leaving a trail of slacks, pajama pants, underwear, socks and a cami behind them.