Skinner/Change in the Wind
By Atonia
Part 6
It was true; life would never be the same for Max Skinner again. Maxi had indeed taken over his life, but he loved it. He was quite good about getting up in the night and bringing him to Connie to be fed. He slept whenever and wherever he could, often in the hammock outside or on the sofa; sometimes face down on the bed. Connie showed him how to change a diaper, it made him sick when it was poop and he ran to the bathroom and threw up, and came back and finished the job holding his lips tightly together.
Maxi had his bath and was dressed in his one-piece jammies with turtles. Connie brought him to Max downstairs in the front room.
“Here he is all nice and clean and awake.” She presented him to his father.
“I wonder how long it will be before he realizes that bath and jammies mean it’s time to go to bed and sleep…all night.”
“Not for a while, he’s only three weeks old.”
“I had a call from Terry, Toni’s dying to see Maxi; they’re going to fly over for the weekend, come in on Saturday and go back Sunday.”
“Good, you’ll be able to show him off, I wonder what Jacky will think of him?”
“Probably think he’s a toy. You don’t mind do you?”
“No, I’m surprised she’s waited this long to come over. She was really sweet on the phone after he was born, apologizing for what she’d said, but I’m glad she said it.”
“I don’t know what she said, she made the call in Terry’s office. I do know one thing…her heart was in the right place. I’m afraid Terry wasn’t too happy with her for calling.”
“She just reminded me how important you are to me and like you said, you wanted to be in the middle and now you are.”
“I like it here,” Maxi curled his fingers around Max’s finger. “He’s got a grip, maybe he’ll be a professional tennis player and make tons of money.”
“Not a banker?”
“No, not a banker; actually if Aubrey has his way, he’ll be a vintner. He already has a vineyard waiting for him.”
“He has other things waiting for him to grow into too, you haven’t been over there lately have you?”
“Mmm, no I haven’t. Should I?”
“Not unless you want to,” she smiled a little, “I’ve noticed you’ve been sticking pretty close to home. Afraid you’re going to miss something?”
“If I need to go over there…”
“You don’t…Penny took me over with Maxi yesterday and had to show me…Dad’s been shopping for Maxi that’s all. I think you’d rather be home with the baby.”
“You’re right I had. He’s going to sleep…quick let’s put him down and catch a nap.”
Toni and Terry with Jacky arrived around noon on Saturday. Terry rented a car instead of asking Max to come pick them up. They would leave on Sunday for Virginia and be there until after Christmas.
Terry parked in the drive at the chateau and went around to get Jacky out of his seat and let him run around a little. Toni went straight to the door, which was opened by Connie.
“Hi Toni,” she gave her a hug.
“Connie, you aren’t mad at me are you?” she asked quietly.
“No, why should I be, come in I know you want to see him he’s in the kitchen with Max.”
Toni walked back to the kitchen and stopped; Max was at the table holding Maxi and giving him a bottle.
“Oh, Max,” she felt tears spring to her eyes.”
“Hi, Toni come and look.” He was all smiles.
“He’s precious of course, look at all that dark hair and curls. He’s a doll.” She bit her lip and looked into Max’s eyes. “You did well, Max.”
“It wasn’t all me,” he looked down at his son.
Connie stepped out of the door to greet Terry with a kiss, “My how that boy has grown, how are you, Terry?”
“I’m apples, yeah he’s growing so fast now coming up on two in February. How are you?”
“Very wel,l thank you.”
Terry gathered up Jacky and took him inside to see Maxi. He stood by Max’s chair with a finger in his mouth looking at the baby and reached out and touched him on the arm.
“That’s your cousin, Maxi” Toni told him and he nodded his head.
“Unkie Mas,” he laid his head on Max’s thigh wanting him to pick him up.
“In a minute, Jacky.” Max adjusted the pad on his shoulder and began patting Maxi on the back for a burp.
“I could do that,” Toni offered, “you know I want to hold him.”
Max handed Maxi off to Toni and picked up Jacky for a hug. Terry walked around to have a look at Maxi.
“Good looking boy,” he said rubbing his hand over his head.
“What would you expect?” Connie asked.
“Nothing less,” Toni answered.
After breakfast the next morning Max and Terry walked outside to smoke. “I’m getting used to this now.” Max said.
“Yeah, you will; I feel guilty now if I light up in my office, but I do once in awhile.”
“So you’re off to Virginia, wish we could come but you see…”
“Oh, yeah we didn’t expect you to, John and his crew will be there.” Terry had noticed a change in Max, he was a little calmer, “you seem to be taking to this fatherhood thing pretty well.”
“I didn’t know what it would mean to me, to have that little guy totally dependent on me or Connie. I remember the last conversation we had, Terry…what you said about the catalyst…I think you were right. He’s brought us closer together we’re a family now you know?”
“I know, believe me I know what you’re feeling. I thought Toni was enough for me but Jacky added another dimension, it’s a whole new world.”
“Right, it is. Were you um, in the delivery when Jacky was born?”
“Yeah.”
“Did you um…were you okay with it?”
“I’m not sure okay is the right word, I wasn’t okay but um, I made it why?”
“Did you watch?”
“Yeah they had a big mirror, I thought I wasn’t going to but then I became fascinated…did you?”
“Uh no, I couldn’t look at that end…bollocks, I passed out when I saw Maxi.”
Terry grinned, “Did ya? Ah, Max,” he slapped him on the back.
“I’ve found I have a weak stomach too.”
“Un huh, you’ll get over it.”
“You change nappies? Big K & R guy like you?”
“Of course I do, when I have to, when I can’t avoid it. It comes out both ends ya know.”
“Oh yeah I know that, yeah.” Max took a draw on his cigarette.
“The joys of fatherhood, I wish you the best, Max.”
“Thanks, I’m coming around to see it, Terry…I have the best right here.” They walked a little down toward the vineyards. “Did you ever get your sock situation sorted out?”
Terry cocked a brow, “Yes as a matter of fact I did…and a few other things too.”
“It’s not all roses is it?”
“No, if you pick a rose be careful of the thorns, they all have ‘em.”
“We put down a new vintage this year in honor of Maxi, Aubrey’s already got it aging. It’s to be called Four Seasons.”
“Got a nice ring to it, wonder who thought that up.”
“If it wasn’t for The House of Four Seasons, none of us would be here, not even Toni, so I thought it a fitting label.”
“I can’t wait to try it,” Terry smiled.