baby woes

Gage could see Halie didn't want to be at the doctor's office with Alec. There were a lot of mothers there, with their children. Oddly, he was the only father among them. He guessed it was too early for most dads to take off with their little ones. Gage skipped his first two classes so he could keep Alec calm, or maybe he needed to keep Halie calm.

"Maybe, its not going to be as bad... as you think." He could see her now, putting the blame on him. His genes. Him stressing her out all those months before  Alec was born.

Still, she sat rigid as she anticipated the worst.

And then they heard the story from the grandmother who was taking care of the beautiful toddler who was almost two.

"They told us he had a stroke." The woman said as if she'd tell this to anyone. Gage looked at her hoping she didn't wake Alec, in the lull he was in, in Gage's arms. He could see Halie was listening to every word the woman said.

"I knew, it couldn't be a stroke. The doctor was going on, how he didn't even know how Tristan was  walking." The woman shrugged. Now they were telling her he had a hole in his brain.

Halie just about crumbled. Gage sighed, wishing that woman would shut up.

Halie felt as if it were a bad omen, running into that woman who was hardly old as Gage's mother, but she looked rougher around the edges.

Halie paced in the exam room while Alec slept in Gage's arms. She was sure of it now. Something was wrong with Alec. How could Alec sleep under these conditions?

It wasn't long until the doctor looked Alec over. Of course, he was awake, but he laid on his back, watching Gage the whole time.

The doctor pushed Alec's little legs out. Instantly, he cried.

Halie was ready to rip into the doctor. What was he trying to do? Hurt their baby intentionally?

"Well, I think I might know what the problem is, but lets run a few tests to be certain." He looked at them both. He questioned Halie if she'd ever used a baby swing or a baby back pack with him.

"Doesn't everyone?" She winced.

"I see it, in a lot of babies these days." The doctor told her maybe it wasn't too late to remedy his problem.