This Is Love, This Is Life

A Kid Called JJ (Bongiovi/Sambora)

2013

Richie saw Lia's car pull into the drive from the living room windows and he hurried to open the garage door so that she could pull in where Jon's car would normally be.

He was excited that he and Jon were going to be looking after Jonathan for the first time since his birth. It was going to be nice to hear a baby in the house again.

"Hey, Papa," Lia said as she exited from the car as Richie hit the button for the door again, keeping the chill of the early spring from the house. "Daddy not home?" she asked, greeting her father with a kiss after being wrapped in his hug.

"He's gone to the grocery store to get some last-minute supplies," Richie said, air-quoting his husband's words. "Though how much a three-month-old would need from the grocery store is beyond me. I think your Dad is a little excited."

"And you're not, Papa?" Lia grinned, slipping from his hug and turning back to the car. "Would you like to get your grandson out of the car while I get the diaper bag?"

"Thought you'd never ask," Richie said as he moved to the rear of the car and carefully unbuckled the sleeping baby from his car seat and scooped him up. "There's my grandson," he murmured and held his nose to the top of his head, breathing deeply of the special smell that babies had.

"Will Dad be gone long do you think? Or will I miss him this morning?" Lia asked, closing the back door as quietly as she could and followed Richie into the warmth of the house.

"Well, Babygirl," Richie smiled, "that would depend on how much he thinks Jonathan will need today. He left half an hour ago so I couldn't really tell you, I'm sorry."

"That's okay. I'll catch up with him when I come back looking beautiful again," the young woman said. "I look like a hag at the moment."

Richie looked at his daughter with a critical eye. Tired, yes, but still as devastatingly beautiful as the day she was born. "More women should look like hags, if you're holding yourself as a yardstick, Li-Li."

"You have to say that, Papa," she smiled ruefully. "My hair's a mess, I've got breakouts happening all over my face and I could pack for a month in the bags under my eyes."

"Spoken like a true new mommy," he replied. "You're just tired. That will improve once he starts sleeping through. Also, you know we're happy to take him overnight...as are Sylvie and Nick, I'm sure."

"Yeah...I don't think we're quite up to letting him go overnight, Papa, but thanks."

They'd moved into the kitchen as they were speaking and Lia had loaded the bottles of breastmilk into the fridge.

"It's hard enough letting go for today," she sighed. "Okay, I gotta run. His schedule is written out here." She pulled out a piece of paper with carefully written instructions and handed it to her father who tucked it into his back pocket.

"You've got my number, but here's the spa phone number and Kaitlyn and Lauren's numbers as well. Will you be okay with him by yourself? Do you want me to stay until Dad gets home? I should stay. The girls will understa-."

"Sweetheart," Richie said, moving the baby to his shoulder. "Go! I'll be fine. It's not like I ever dropped you or your brother...more than once."

"Papa!" Lia exclaimed, knowing that he was joking. "I'm panicking, I know! You'll be fine."

"Yes, you are. Besides, once Dad gets home," Richie grinned, hugging Lia again, "I won't get to hold this one again unless he has to go to the bathroom. So I'm going to enjoy my time alone with my grandson."