A couple of months after that Hughie’s mum arrived at their house for dinner. “Did you enjoy your holiday?” Tina asked her as she took her coat. “Yes it was wonderful. Thanks so much for looking after my house while I was away – the redecoration of the spare room looks good. I hope the work men weren’t too much trouble.” “Not at all. Here are your spare keys, so I don’t forget. Dinner is almost ready.”
Tina led Mrs Logan into the dining room. Beside the dining table Hughie was sitting in a high chair in his pink baby dress, suc-king on a large pink soother, looking out from the frilly trim of his bonnet. He had grown a few inches since his mid-teens and the dress rode so high on him that even in his seated position his matching frilly nappy cover could be seen bulging nicely beneath his petticoats.
He was strapped into the chair with a pink leather harness – his mother smiling at the familiar cute bunny on the breast plate – and his hands were in padded fingerless mittens strapped at the wrists. His legs dangled in pink wool-knit tights and his mother recognised the thick soled fleece booties.
“So I moved some of Hughie’s old things over here from your house – I hope you don’t mind”, Tina explained. “Not at all, I’m delighted to see them being put to good use again”, his mother responded. “Has little Hughie been a naughty boy?” she asked. “Not at all – I just thought he should know the consequences if he ever is.” “Very wise.”
“Would you like to give him his bottle?” Tina asked. “Of course.” His mother took her coat off while Tina fetched the large baby bottle from the pan of hot water that was warming it and handed it to her.
Hughie’s mother popped his soother out and immediately replaced it with the large teat of his bottle. “I hope you’ve been a good baby”, she teased him. Hughie suc-ked on the teat and winced a little on his first taste of warm milk for some time.
“Wine?” Tina asked. “Yes please?” Tina poured two glasses of the red she had already let breathe. Hughie saw that she had a bottle of his best vintage that he’d been keeping for a special occasion. “mmmpppfff!” His mother kept the teat of his bottle firmly pressed into his mouth so he could do nothing except whimper. Hughie wriggled against his harness but was held firmly in place.
“Cheers!” The two women clinked glasses, swirled the wine and took in the bouquet before taking a large mouthful. Hughie whimpered again through the teat. “I hope you are enjoying your special drink as much as we’re enjoying this”, she teased. Hughie frowned, slumped in his high chair and continued suc-king on his bottle.
Tina checked on the roast chicken. The smell filled the room as she opened the oven. “Oh lovely!” his mother licked her lips and checked how much progress Hughie was making with his bottle.
When he was finally finished, she popped his soother back in while he glared at the half empty bottle of vintage red on the table. Tina was laying out the knives and forks for dinner. Then she returned with a large plastic bowl of baby food. “Would you like to do the honours?”
Hughie groaned as his mother took the bowl and popped his soother back out. He looked longingly towards the kitchen as she pushed a spoonful of baby food into his mouth. Again, he winced at the tepid mush but she had the next spoonful ready as soon as he swallowed it.
Tina laid out the two plates of food while his mother continued his feeding. She placed them on the dining table just as his mother was carefully scraping up the last morsels of baby food.
Hughie slumped in his high chair, suc-king on his soother again, as they tucked into their dinner, continuing to wash it down with his vintage wine. He squirmed against his harness and kicked his pink legs trying to indicate that he wanted out of the high chair.
“Oh would you like your rattle to play with while we eat?” Tina asked. Hughie sighed. Tina fetched a circular rattle that had six different sounds and he took it between his mittens. He obediently tried each sound – knowing from experience that it was better to do what he was told when he was effectively a helpless baby.
They took their time to enjoy the dinner and wine while Hughie tried to eek some amusement from the rattle. When they sat back digesting Tina asked him “do you want to do anything in your nappy before you are put down for the night?” Hughie looked at the clock – it showed 6.30pm. He whimpered through his soother again.
“It might be wise to”, Tina encouraged him. I can’t see myself being up too early in the morning. We have another bottle of this to get through.” Hughie wriggled against his harness again. He only had the two bottles of that expensive vintage.
Tina got up and started to unbuckle his harness. She swung the tray up. “Why don’t you sit in your play-pen for a while and do what you need to do.” His mother smiled as he very carefully climbed down trying to stand on the toes of his booties. Then he got down on the floor and crawled towards the sitting room. She watched his frilly bottom wriggle out through the door and smiled at the layers of petticoats on view.
Tina opened the side gate on his play-pen and he crawled in and turned over to sit on his thickly nappied bottom. She returned to the dining room but they continued to observe Hughie as he turned over on his hands and knees and started trying to push out a poo. “Good baby! You know it makes sense.” Hughie glared at her momentarily before concentrating on the business at hand.
Topic: Home-schooling (Read 33249 times)
