Ten Acres and Twins Read Online Free PDF Page B

as if a pin was sticking in his belly, but these diapers had Velcro. That formula must have been spoiled.
    Next time, his client would wait.
    Abby described the burping position she found most effective, and several others to try if that one didn’t work. Within a few minutes, the tiny boy had produced three burps that could vie for a record with Jack’s beer guzzling buddies. All of the sudden, Wyatt was gurgling and waving his fists in the air contentedly.
    Once again Jack thanked Abby for her help and hung up.
    After that, the Kimball men had a fairly decent evening. Jack found a soft blue blanket in the diaper bag and spread it on the floor. He let the baby kick around on that while he ate a room service dinner.
    Later, they took in the end of a baseball game together. Wyatt hadn’t actually developed a fondness for sports yet, but if Jack sat on the floor beside him and spoke animatedly about the wisdom or folly of each play, the baby seemed happy to respond to the conversation.
    When Wyatt started sobbing again after the game, Jack fed him—brilliantly, this time. He had the baby fed and burped within a half hour, without a single snag. Then he changed a dirty diaper, congratulating himself on that, too. It had been his first poopy diaper, and he managed it without needing a bit of advice.
    He called Abby only one more time that night.
    â€œHullo, Jack. What is it?” she asked tiredly, after just one ring.
    â€œHow’d you know it was me?”
    â€œAre you kidding? You’ve called at least once every hour for the past six. I was wondering where you’d gone.”
    â€œOh.”
    â€œWell, what is it?”
    Abby had worked her magic again: he felt foolish. He considered hanging up, but he still needed to know the answer to his question. “How do I take a shower?”
    She giggled. “Now you’re kidding, right?”
    â€œNo, I’m not,” he said. “What do I do with Wyatt?”
    â€œIt’s eleven o’clock. He’s not asleep yet?”
    â€œNo.”
    After another exaggerated sigh, she said, “Is there a separate place in your hotel room for him to sleep?”
    â€œYes, we’re in a suite.”
    â€œGo pull a mattress off the bed and put Wyatt in the middle of it on his back. Stack pillows on every side. Then—and this is the most important part—leave the room.”
    It sounded too easy. “Won’t he cry?”
    â€œFor a while, but if he’s quiet within a few minutes, you’ve made it,” she said in a whisper-soft voice that sounded sweet for the first time today. “Then you can go take a shower.”
    â€œGood,” he said, grateful for her kindness. He’d been through enough already.
    â€œAnd Jack?”
    â€œYes?”
    â€œI’m going to bed. Babies wake up at night. You check their diaper, see if they’re hungry. You can do that. Don’t call me again unless it’s an emergency.”
    Â 
    S EVEN HOURS LATER , Jack stirred from a light snooze when Wyatt starting moving around. The arm of the hotel room sofa was rock hard, making deep sleep out of the question. But Wyatt had been quiet and comfortable, belly down against his uncle’s chest, with a blanket tucked snugly around him.
    Jack had tried Abby’s suggestion. He had tried hard. But ithad been impossible to listen to Wyatt shriek for longer than a minute or two. For all he knew, the child had fallen off the mattress and rolled across the floor. Or maybe the little guy missed his family. Jack couldn’t discount that possibility.
    Besides, he had the other hotel guests to consider.
    So he’d slept on the sofa with Wyatt nestled on his chest. The arrangement had worked wonders for the baby.
    Jack himself hadn’t slept more than an hour or two.
    All those wakeful hours had afforded him plenty of thinking time, and he’d started to come to some conclusions. For one thing, taking care