113. Kaya
Kaya
Cade and I decided it would be best to get the baby's stuff early. According to the doctor, and I had to agree with him, I needed to stay off my feet as much as possible. So, Cade and I were in the car on our way to the city to get some things. Apparently, there was a lot to get for babies in the South. Where I was from, it was hand-made clothes and a form of a carrier to carry them when you did work. That consisted of a board and a lot of bedding to keep warm.
But Helen and some of the other women in the pack had told me there were many other things, like bottles and better carriers for children. Not to mention nursery stuff. I didn't know much about things like that. I also know they used disposable diapers here, which excited me. In the North, all nappies had to be washed and reused, and honestly, growing up with younger siblings, I had to wash some of those, and I hated it.
Now, I was super excited I got to skip that part. So Cade said we would go to the city. Apparently, they had a baby emporium of some kind there just for babies, and we would get everything in one place. I was actually excited about it. Cade held my hand as we drove. I could tell he was nervous about something. But, he was not telling me what had him so wound up. I am sure he would eventually tell me. So, I tried not to push him to tell me. We finally arrived at the store. It was massive, like the target that Helen had taken me to so often. I signed, "This is all baby stuff?" "Yes." I was elated.
Upon walking in, we grabbed a cart. First things first we went to the clothes. Everything was so divided by gender. Pink for girls and blue for boys. "Cade, we don't know the gender? Not to mention boys like pink too, and girls like blue." I mind-linked him. "I know. I think it is ridiculous, too. Let's pick out some things we both like that are gender-neutral." "Everything is gender-neutral." he laughed. But a lot of the clothes we picked out were green. When he suggested creams, I laughed so hard I thought I would die. "Cream for a baby? Are you kidding? All the throw-up and poop, those stains never come out. Trust me, I have three younger siblings." I mind-linked. He promptly put the light-colored things back.
The clothes would fit our baby way more than those in the North. When we got to blankets, I knew exactly what to do. Layers were essential, so I got light and heavy blankets to wrap around the baby. On top of the light ones when winter came. "Okay, bottles?" He signed and looked at me. I stared at the wall. There were so many. I didn't plan on using them at all. My mother and all the women in the North fed their babies from the breast. But Helen told me to buy some if, for some reason, the baby can not feed from me. I just grabbed a random pack. I had no idea about that. Cade pushed the cart to the nursery section.
There were cribs everywhere. "Cade, we don't need one of those." I signed. "Where is he or she going to sleep then?" "With us, of course, why would I have them away from me." He looked at me with confusion. He mind linked me. "And what if we want to have sex? The baby can't be in the bed when we do that." I smiled at him. "The baby can be put on the ground, or we can have sex on the ground. Trust me on this: babies always sleep next to their mom." "Kaya, you all slept on the floor. The baby would not roll off a bed and fall in the North. We sleep in a bed, so they will fall off when the baby starts rolling; we need a crib." "I don't want to put our child in one of those things."
Both of us felt strongly about this. He wanted a crib, and I didn't. It looked barbaric to have something that would cage them in. A woman who worked there approached us. Cade and I both turned and I watched her mouth move so I could understand what she was saying. "Hey, can I help you guys with anything?" I mind-linked Cade. "Yes, ask her for help. Tell her what I want and what you want, and she will tell me I am right." Cade shot me a look, but he talked with the women. She smiled, and I watched her mouth move. "Come this way." With her help, we came to a compromise. It was called a bedside sleeper. The side came down, and it extended to the bed, but three sides were with a netting of some kind. I signed. "Thank you."
She went on to help us with finding a carrier that worked. It was so perfect, and the fabric was so soft. I was elated. I mind-linked Cade. "My mom is going to be so jealous. Everyone in the North will be jealous this thing is so nice." I was practically bouncing. When we got the diapers, we got a ridiculous amount of wipes. I mind-linked Cade again. "You have no idea how excited I am about this. No washing, how lucky are we?" He smirked and signed. "I take it you like the south now." "It definitely has its advantages," I told him we need not bother with a stroller. I planned to use the carriers, which he seemed more than okay with.
Then, we found an extremely comfortable chair for me to nurse and rock the baby in. It was extravagant, but I loved it. Also, they had these pillows to prop my arms up while I was nursing so it would be easier on my arms, which seemed positively fine with me. I felt a bit spoiled compared to what the northerners had when it came to babies. Lastly, we got a car seat.
We again got help from one of the people who worked at the store. We had so much stuff I had no idea babies in the South were so spoiled. When we finally finished, I was elated. Cade loaded up the car and looked down at my legs, which were once again swollen. "Kaya, let's get lunch, and we can go to a park and eat outside. There are some things we need to discuss." He mind linked me. So this was it. He would tell me what was on his mind, and I would find out what upset him. I knew he was worried about Howi, and maybe it was related to that, but I had no idea. It had been days since Charlie talked with us.
Maybe he had talked to Nieva and cleared our escape plan. I didn't know what he was thinking, but I was glad he would finally fill me in. He seemed either angry or sad for the last few days, and I had no idea why. I had just assumed it was because we had a threat. I didn't think he was mad at me. He had no reason to be, nor had he directed any of his ill feelings toward me. So, I knew it was something else. I would be relieved to know what had been bothering him.
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