Baby Love(111)

Preston was stirring as I returned to the bedroom. I scooped her up and she rubbed her eyes with her hands and yawned.

"Hey baby girl, did you have a nice nap?"

She smiled but was squirming uncomfortably in my arms.

"Does somebody need a diaper change?"

I placed a towel on top of the bed and got a disposable diaper from the box, along with the baby wipes from my carry-on. I removed her soiled diaper and cleaned her up, putting a clean diaper on her. I took my brush and ran it through her baby locks getting rid of her 'bed head.'

"There," I said smiling at her. "Preston looks beautiful."

I got a jar of her pureed chicken and yams along with a jar of pureed peaches from my carry-on taking them downstairs with us.

My father came across the massive hallway as he heard us coming down the stairs. He immediately took Preston from me as we went to the formal dining room.

"Oh shoot," I said as he was seating me, "I need to go back up to our room to get a bib and her baby spoon for her.

"Not to worry," she said with a smile. "We can accommodate".

He called for Ms. Deeny asking her to fetch the bib and spoon from the diaper bag in our suite. She scowled and turned on her heel to do as instructed.

She returned a few minutes later with the items. A high chair had been moved up to the big dining room table for Preston.

A servant brought out a lovely roast with new baby potatoes, glazed carrots and freshly made bread. I was famished.

I started to get up to feed Preston first but my father bade me to remain seated. He said he wanted to do the honors of feeding her. I didn't think he knew what he was in for.

By the time Dad had finished feeding Preston, they both had their fair share of pureed chicken and yams on them.

Ms. Deeny had come out viewing the aftermath and pursed her lips giving a 'tsk-tsk' while shaking her head in disapproval.

"Judge I will get a cold wet cloth to dab those food stains off of your shirt and tie," she said heading back to the kitchen.

"No Karen," he said abruptly.

"Please see to cleaning my granddaughter up though. I want to eat dinner with my daughter."

My motherly instincts were on 'high alert' as the frigid midget lifted my baby girl from her high chair to take her into the kitchen to clean her up.

"I can do that," I started.

"Oh no," she said to me with a statue-like smile.

"I love babies. I have several grandchildren that I thoroughly enjoy."

(Why did I not believe her?)

I watched as they disappeared through the swinging door that lead from the dining room into the kitchen. I didn't like Preston to be out of my site with the hag.

I relaxed just a couple of minutes later when Ms. Deeny returned with a cleaned up Preston.

"There she is, all nice and clean," Karen cooed as she placed her back into the high chair.

She must have given Preston a graham cracker in the kitchen as she had one clutched in her chubby little hand. Karen got her situated and belted into the high chair.

Just as she slid the tray back onto the chair, Preston leaned in and grabbed Karen's gold necklace that was dangling within the baby's reach. Preston had it clutched in her fingers, pulling at it.

"No! No!" Karen said in a loud voice that startled the baby.

Preston immediately released the chain and turned to me, her face was puckered up ready to cry.

"There now," Karen said as she adjusted the necklace back around her turkey neck.

"No harm done sweetheart."

Karen brushed past us as she left the dining room. It was if she hadn't noticed that she had upset the baby - or hadn't cared. I lifted Preston out of her high chair who by this time had reduced her crying to a whimper; she turned her attention back to the graham cracker as I sat her on my lap to finish eating.

"It's likely been some time since Ms. Deeny has been around toddler. I'm sure she didn't mean to come off so harshly," my dad commented.

(I was sure as hell that she did!)

"What about the grandchildren that she mentioned that she thoroughly enjoyed?"

"I believe that they live in another state, he replied.

I then realized that her aversion to the baby and me was likely caused by jealousy; pure and simple jealousy. She had probably thought that since Olivia had passed on she would become mistress of the manor. Who knows? In her own twisted mind she may have even presumed she would share my father's bed. He was still young and vibrant; she was a dried up hag trying to look like she still had it going on.

"How long has Ms. Deeny been in your employ Dad?"

"Oh she actually worked for my late wife's family prior to our getting married. Olivia insisted on having Karen join our staff after our wedding. She thought of Karen like an older sister. Olivia had been an only child born late in life to her parents. When Olivia's mother passed away when she was in college, Karen joined the staff."

"Karen looks like she is in her sixties," I commented.

"Wouldn't she have been nearly old enough to be Olivia's mother?"

"Well Olivia was eight years older than me so not quite the age gap that you would imagine."

"How did you lose Olivia?" I asked.

"She died last year of a sudden cerebral hemorrhage. It was quite unexpected. She was physically active and lived a healthy lifestyle."