About Me
- Katie Ashley
- Atlanta, GA, United States
- I am the New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Best Selling author of The Proposition, Proposal, Music of the Heart, and Nets and Lies. I am represented by Jane Dystel of Dystel and Goderich for all books except for Proposition and Proposal.
The Proposition
Sunday, March 31, 2013
A Proposition/Proposal Short Story: Baby Noah's First Easter
A high-pitched squeal broke through the layers of Aidan
Fitzgerald’s subconscious. As the wailing persisted, his senses slowly came
awake. “Em?” he murmured drowsily. With his eyes still pinched shut, he rolled
over in bed to find it empty. Craning his neck, he heard the unmistakable sound
of the shower running. Well, he barely heard it over his four-and-a half-week
old son’s screams.
“Okay, okay, I’m coming, Noah,” Aidan muttered as he pulled
himself into a sitting position.
As he hurried around the side of the bed, Aidan dug the
sleep out of his eyes with his fists. By the time he reached the bassinet, Noah
was in full-on, pissed-off fit mode. He drew his tiny legs to his stomach while
flailing his fists. His face was crimson from his exertions. “Easy Little Man,”
Aidan said as he reached over to pick Noah up. While all of their family
members loved telling Aidan and Emma that they had been blessed that Noah had
such an easy temperament, he could really let you have it when he got going. Of
course, the only time he really wailed was when he was hungry or had a dirty
diaper.
Kissing Noah’s cheek, Aidan then snuggled him against his
chest. When Noah’s tiny brows furrowed in confusion, Aidan grinned down at him.
“I know, I know. I’m a poor substitute
for Mommy, especially if you’re hungry.” At the sound of Aidan’s voice, Noah popped
open his eyes. “Hmm, feels like you’ve got a wet diaper. Let’s get you
changed.”
Aidan’s once bacheloresque master bedroom had become baby
central. With the nursery upstairs, Emma didn’t want Noah that far from her
when he was so small, so he slept in Pack and Play in the bedroom. Aidan
wondered with all of Noah’s shit in their bedroom why he needed his own room. But
when it came down to it, Aidan actually liked having him close too. Even though
he adored and loved Emma with all his body and soul, the love for his son was
far greater than anything he could have ever imagined. From the moment Noah had
been placed in his arms, Aidan had felt the most amazing, life-altering bond. He
hated spending any time away from Noah. He had even taken two weeks Paternity Leave
to be with Emma when Noah came home from the hospital, but he’d been forced
with a heavy heart to return to work the last week.
Laying Noah back down on the Pack and Play, Aidan then undid
his onesie and diaper. It had taken one epic dousing of piss to the face for
Aidan to remember to take the proper precautions when changing Noah. While Emma
had found it hilarious, he had not been so amused. After he put a fresh diaper
on, Aidan tenderly kissed along Noah’s exposed belly, inhaling of the sweet
essence that was baby, before snapping his onsie back together. He then popped
Noah’s pacifier back into his mouth just in case he wanted to get fussy again
before Emma got out of the shower.
He sat down in the glider and began to do one of his new
favorite things—rock Noah. He couldn’t get enough of the feeling of Noah in his
arms. Emma had teased him that he was going to spoil Noah by holding him so
much, but the truth was neither one of them could keep their hands off of their
sweet son for long. Aidan loved the way Noah felt nestled against his chest
along with the way he would stare intently up at him, as if he were memorizing
Aidan’s face.
Emma appeared in the bathroom doorway outfitted in her green
silk robe. Just the sight of her wet, tangled Auburn hair and flushed alabaster
cheeks from the shower got Aidan’s juices up and running. But they were still
two weeks shy of getting back to clockwork in the bedroom, so Aidan quickly
doused the fire growing below his waist. He smiled at Emma from his seat in the
glider. “Someone woke up while you were gone.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I thought I better slip into the shower
while I could.”
Shaking his head, Aidan rose out of his seat. “I don’t mind
getting up with him, babe.” He kissed Emma’s cheek. “I just don’t have what all
you have to offer him.”
Emma laughed at his insinuation. “He just ate three hours
ago.”
Aidan chuckled. “Yeah, well, he’s got that ‘this pacifier
ain’t gonna hold me much longer’ gleam in his eyes.”
“Here I’ll take him,” Emma said. Aidan gently passed Noah
over to her. “Is Mommy’s angel hungry again?” she cooed.
Just the sound of her voice made Noah come alive as he waved
his fists and snuggled closer to her. She beamed at him as she eased down in
the glider. He unceremoniously spit out his pacifier out as Emma pushed open
one side of her robe. Once he was nursing heartily, Emma turned her attention
back to Aidan. “Are you ready for a full day in the mountains?”
“Of course I am. You know I love being with your family.”
“Ah, but you’ve never experienced one of our Anderson Easter
Egg hunts.”
Aidan quirked his brows at her. “Should I be afraid?”
Emma giggled. “Trust me, it’s intense. There are probably
over a hundred people with a thousand eggs hidden.”
“Holy shit! A thousand?”
“Why do you think I’ve been dying eggs like crazy the past
few days?”
“I thought you had an Easter egg fetish. Who was I to
judge?”
With a laugh, Emma replied, “Nope, it’s a tradition, not a
fetish.”
“If you say so.”
“Oh, we need to leave as early as we can.”
Aidan lifted his brows in surprise. “Don’t tell me you
volunteered my services for the massive egg hiding undertaking?”
Emma grinned. “No, it’s more about me helping Grammy. She
keeps being so stubborn and insisting that she’s not too old to do lunch all by
herself. But then she’s wiped out for days after she does it.”
Aidan smirked at her. “Hmm, so that’s where you and now Noah
get the stubbornness.”
“Hey now. There’s plenty of stubbornness floating around in
your Fitzgerald DNA,” Emma countered as she propped Noah on her shoulder to
burp him.
“If you say so. I better go hop in the shower then.”
“You do that, stubborn ass,” Emma replied, with smile.
He winked at her before ducking into the bathroom. He
showered at a lightning quick pace before getting out to shave at record speed.
After he wrapped a towel around his waist, Aidan stepped out of bathroom and
into the bedroom. Wearing a beautiful green sundress that made Aidan’s
heartbeat accelerate, Emma had Noah on the bed, easing him into his clothes. At
the sight of the outfit, Aidan did a double take. “What the hell is he
wearing?”
Emma glanced up at him in surprise. “His Easter outfit.”
Aidan shook his head wildly back and forth. “It has pink in
it.”
“And blue and green.” When he continued giving her a
skeptical look, Emma huffed, “These are pastel, Easter colors, Aidan.”
“I don’t want my son in pink.”
Emma rolled her eyes. “Seriously?
“Yeah, I am.”
Lifting Noah into her arms, she pinned Aidan with a hard
stare. “You wear pink shirts.”
Aidan scratched the back of his neck. “That’s different. I’m
a man.”
“And he’s a little
man. There isn’t any difference. Besides, look how adorable he is.” She held
Noah out for Aidan to inspect him.
As much as he hated to admit it, Noah looked cute as hell in
his gingham outfit. He even had a hat to match that bunny ears sewn on. He
exhaled noisily. “Fine, you win.”
Emma grinned. “I win in more ways than one. Patrick picked
this out for him.”
Aidan groaned. “Jesus, not Pop?”
“Yes, your father.” With Noah in one arm, she reached over
to playfully smack his ass. “Now hurry up and get ready. We need to be on the
road in half an hour.”
***
Later that afternoon, Aidan lounged around the giant
mahogany table in Grammy and Granddaddy’s dining room. He fought the urge to
undo his pants since like always, he had eaten way too much. Between Grammy and
Emma’s combined efforts, the meal had been delicious. He was debating eating
another piece of cake when Emma crooked her finger at him from the dining room
doorway. His brows furrowed in confusion as he rose out of his chair. At the
head of the table, Noah slept peacefully in Earl’s arms, so he couldn’t help
but ask, “What’s wrong?”
“Come with me,” she said, taking him by the hand and leading
him down the hallway. She closed them into Grammy and Granddaddy’s bedroom
before she spoke again. “I need to ask you to do something for me.”
Her intense stare caused him to swallow hard several times.
“Um, Em, are you asking what I think you’re asking?”
It took her a moment before her eyes bulged, and she shook her
head wildly back and forth. “Oh God no! How could you think I brought you into
my grandparent’s bedroom for sex?”
Aidan exhaled a defeated breath. “Maybe because I’ve been
without sex for years now.”
Emma laughed. “It has not been years. It’s been exactly four
weeks and five days.”
“You have it down to a science?”
“Well, it’s all based on Noah’s birthday since I gave you
that going away present that sent me into early labor.”
Aidan grinned at the
memory. “Oh yeah.”
“Anyway, I brought you in here because we’re in sort of a
crisis—an Easter Bunny crisis.”
“Excuse me?”
Emma motioned to the bed. Draped across it was a furry,
adult sized Easter Bunny costume. “You see every year Henry, the neighbor from
down the road, plays the Easter Bunny during the egg hunt. But we just got a
call from his wife that he’s in the ER passing a kidney stone.” Emma drew in a
ragged breath. “Aidan, we need you to play the Easter Bunny.”
A hysterical laugh escaped his lips. “You’re shitting me,
right?”
Emma nibbled her bottom lip nervously before replying. “I
wish I was, but we’re in desperate need here.”
Aidan stared at her for several long seconds, expecting that
at any minute she would say it was a joke. When she didn’t, he shook his head. “There
are about a thousand other men in your family. Why does it have to be me?” he
protested.
“All the other men who are your size and could fit into the
costume have children in the Easter egg hunt.”
Aidan shrugged. “So?”
“Don’t you see? If their dads are missing, they’re going to
think something is up.” Emma tilted her head at him. “You don’t want to ruin
the mystery of the Easter Bunny for them, do you?”
“Um, if it means keeping my ass out of a furry bunny suit,
then hell yes I do!”
Emma swept her hands to her hips and pursed her lips at him.
“So in a couple of years, you would want someone ruining it for Noah?”
Aidan opened his mouth to protest, but the closed it. Deep
down the truth was he wouldn’t want some selfish bastard ruining Easter for his
kid. “No,” he grumbled.
“So does that mean you’ll do it?”
“I guess.”
The corners of Emma’s lips turned up in a pleased smile.
“You know, it’ll make me very happy if you do this.”
He lifted his brows questioningly at her. “Just how happy?”
As she closed the gap between them, Aidan’s breath hitched. She didn’t just
walk over to him. She slunk. Her full
hips sashayed to and fro in the dress.
“Although we still have a week to go before I’m fully
operational again in the bedroom department—” He scowled causing her to pause.
“Now Mr. Fitzgerald, I’m not finished.”
“Okay, fine.”
“As I was saying, although we still have a week left, I’m
sure I could find several ways to reward you for your good deeds.”
“Just what did you have in mind?”
She tapped her finger against her chin in thought. “Maybe lots
of oral attention and tender loving care to your most prized possession?”
He couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face. “Hmm,
I like the sound of that. But I think I need some further convincing.” Snaking
his arms around her waist, he said, “Paint me a more vivid picture.”
Emma laughed. “Do you
remember the furry green handcuffs and whipped cream from our honeymoon?”
Aidan’s eyes rolled back in his head as he groaned. “Oh fuck
yes.”
“Then I guarantee if you put you on that bunny costume,
we’ll reenact that scene tonight when Noah is asleep.”
“Then bring on the fur and bunny ears!” Aidan exclaimed.
“See, I knew you’d see reason when I made you an offer you
couldn’t refuse.” Emma kissed him with just enough passion to leave them both
breathless. “Okay, we better get you ready.”
Aidan glanced warily at the costume on the bed. “So how do
we do this?”
“First, I think you should take your clothes off.”
Aidan couldn’t help the cocky smirk that formed on his face.
“You don’t have to ask me to do that twice.”
Emma rolled her eyes. “I’m just thinking that it’s going to
be hot enough outside as it is. We don’t want to add to it by keeping on a
layer of clothes.”
“Fine,” Aidan murmured. He quickly slipped out of his dress
shirt and khaki pants but left his briefs on. Holding out the body of the
costume, Emma helped him step inside. When she zipped him up, Aidan couldn’t
help the momentary feeling of panic wash over him that he was trapped in the
costume. Great, if he was freaking out now, what would it feel like when the
giant head was put over him? He drew in a few calming breaths before Emma
covered him with the bunny head.
“How’s that?”
Surprisingly he could see better than he thought out of the
mesh eyes, and he was getting plenty of oxygen. “Not bad.”
“Good.” Rubbing his furry chest, she asked, “Ready to go wow
the kids?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
When she guided him into the hallway, Grammy was waiting on
them. “How did you ever talk him into it?” she asked.
“I just appealed to his sense of duty as a father,” Emma
replied.
Virginia glanced between Aidan and Emma before crossing her
arms over her chest. “Uh, huh...” she murmured skeptically.
Earl appeared in the hallway with Noah in his arms. At the
sight of Aidan in the costume, he began snickering. It wasn’t too long before
he was howling with laugher. “Wow, son, I do believe you just totally lost your
man card!”
Aidan sighed inside the costume. “Fine, fine. Laugh all you
want. I’m the one who’ll be reaping the benefits
tonight.”
Emma’s eyes widened before she smacked his bunny arm. “Watch
it!”
Grammy giggled behind them. “Like we didn’t know some sort
of favors had to be promised to get him into that costume.”
As Emma died of mortification next to him, Aidan waved his
furry paw at Earl. “Bring Noah over here, so he can see me—I mean, the bunny.”
Earl closed the gap between them. Noah peered around,
happily sucking on his pacifier. But the moment
Aidan leaned over Earl, Noah’s
tiny face crumpled. He began screaming in what could only be fear.
“I’d say he’s not a fan of the Bunny,” Earl mused over the
wailing.
“Great, now I’ve scarred my kid for life,” Aidan moaned.
Emma took Noah from Earl. After kissing his cheek
reassuringly and rocking him back and forth, he began to quiet. “It’s all
right, sweetheart. Mommy won’t let that mean bunny get you.”
“Babe, that’s so not funny,” Aidan muttered through his bunny
head.
“All right then.” She grinned at him before glancing down at
Noah. “You should be very proud of your daddy today. Although he was swayed by
the idea of getting something he really wants, he made a great sacrifice
because of you. He loves you enough to make an absolute fool out of himself. So
don’t be afraid of the bunny, sweetheart. Love him as much as he loves you.”
Although she couldn’t see it, Aidan beamed inside the
costume. “That sounds much better.”
Emma leaned up and kissed the cheek on his bunny head. Happy
shrieks and children’s laughter came from out in the yard. “Well, I think that’s
your cue,” she said.
“Let’s get this show on the road.”
And with that he waddled down the front door and out into
the sunshine.
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Thanks! that was a sweet Easter snippet
ReplyDeleteLoved this !!!! Keep up with the updates. Aiden is just so wow !!!!
ReplyDeleteLoved it! Thank! I always love reading these snippets, makes me feel that they are part of my family or at least real. Hope to get more!
ReplyDeletecute, love new stories of Aiden and Emma
ReplyDeleteAw, love it! Love these guys. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteHappy Late Easter Fitzgerald Family.
ReplyDeleteKatie Ashley is full of it ... aewsomesauce!!!! You go girl.
ReplyDeleteOh Katie that was hilarious and adorable! I love when you continue Aidan and Emma's story - this was one of my favorite series and I never want it to end. Thank you for a great Easter present!!! Hugs!
ReplyDeleteLove hearing more about Aidan and Emma!
ReplyDeleteThank you Katie.. Love Aiden and Emma aaannd Noah too.. Want more of them, lol!!
ReplyDeleteI Loved the update on the Fitzgerald family! Aiden is so eating his words, like changing diapers, etc. It is amazing what love can do and how it can change you.
ReplyDelete