"Are you seriously going to stand there and watch him cry?" Richie asks as he cannot believe the woman.

"Then make him stop, all he does is cry" she speaks back staring at the pair from afar.

"He has a name and he is your son" Richie snaps as he was having had enough.

"I know, I decided the name" she mumbles as she walks inside the room still stay far away.

"You have yet to hold him Alana, don't you want to hold our son? Don't you feel anything for him?" he asks as he tries to coax her but she refuses to be near her own son.

"I may drop him"

"You won't" he smiles as he carries their son in his arms and walks to where she was.

"I still remember how determined you were to have him, is that not the only reason you ever let me touch you?" he asks as he waits for her to make the move.

"I...I am not sure if I want him now" she whispers before her eyes widens as the baby stirs in Richie's arms.

"Why? Why are you so scared baby? Just look at him, he is such a calm one"

"He does not looks like my brother" she speaks stepping away from them making him sigh.

"Sometimes, I feel like there is something wrong with you in your head" he states shaking his head.

"That's why you should not let him near me, I feel wrong"

"Fine, then you better get out of his room. If you do not want to be near him you do not deserve to be in his room or anywhere near him...

I will ask my mother to come take him away" he speaks and her eyes blazes.

"Why does he needs to be taken away?" she asks taking a threatening step towards him.

"He needs a mother's touch and I will be damned in my son is raised without one if you are not giving him that I still have my mother" he states making her narrow her eyes.

"I...I have never been near a child, all they do is cry and pee all over" she speaks moving closer to them all by herself.

"So, you would rather have someone else raise our son?"

"I am sorry" she whispers as she raises her hand slowly and touches the baby's cheek.

"It's soft" she whispers before Richie pushes her fingers away and hands her their son and for a second she stands still before Ricardo fusses a bit and slowly starts to open his eyes.

"That's right, just like his mother" Richie smiles as he kisses Alana's forehead who stares at her son's eyes widely before tears starts to fall down her eyes.

*******

"Will you put him down?" Richie asks as he walks to where Alana was sitting on the bed with their son on her lap.

"What if he falls down if I do?" she asks worried and he cannot help but smile.

"He won't"

"He is just so small, when will he walk or talk I want to hear his voice" she asks staring at him.

"It will take time"

"I want him to grow up fast"

"I doubt you will like it when he actually does"

"Why?"

"Because then he may want to live him life without us"

"No, I will never let him leave me alone. I know he will not do that to me, I won't allow him" she vows as she holds Ricardo's hand and kisses on his tiny fingers.

"I am sure he will not, but let's not worry about it now, do you want to feed him or shall I make..." Richie lets the sentence hang wanting to see what she does.

"Umm...I...I will feed him, I did it right the first time" she nods her head before Richie takes a seat on the bed and watches as she feeds their son.

"How are you feeling?" he asks as she continues to stare at their son.

"Why do you ask?" she asks curiously glancing at Richie.

"Any type of weakness or anything?" he worries and she shakes her head no.

"I am good, don't worry" she smiles in assurance and he sighs.

"I will be in my office if you need me"

"No" she shouts in panic and Ricardo gets startled as he starts to wail.

"Okay, okay...hush now" Richie hurries to take Ricardo in his arms to silent the boy and moments later he finds both his son and wife in wife crying.

"What am I going to do with both of you?" he chuckles as he runs his fingers through his wife's hair who cannot stop crying guilty to scare her son.

*******

"I am not going" Richie speaks as he walks towards his desk to do some work while Alana is on the carpet with their son.

As she did not want to leave Ricardo alone and did not want Richie to leave them alone while she was getting her hand over how to handle her son.

"He sleeps a lot" she sighs as she lies down beside her son.

"That's a blessing" Richie smiles.

"Richie?" she asks after a while and he hums in reply.

"How will we know if he is hungry? I mean will he be okay if I just fed him my milk?" she questions.

When she gets no reply she glances his way to find him deep at his work typing rapidly in his laptop making her sigh as she closes her eyes and holds her son's fingers as she tries to sleep beside him.

Alana jerks up at once looking around frantically when she does not feel Ricardo's fingers wrapped around hers.

"We are here" Richie's voice calms her down and she sighs in relief to find both the son and father duo sitting on the chair.

"Is he hungry?" she asks and he smiles nodding his head.

"Why you did not woke me up?" she asks making her way towards them.

"You are awake now" he replies simply and she rolls her eyes.

"Raise him up" she demands before jumping on his lap as he laughs.

"Getting cozy Mrs. Russo" he teases and she nods her head with a grin.

"Of course, you are the man of the house so you have to take good care of us and make sure we are comfortable and if it means sitting on your lap then so be it" she grins and he holds their son closely as she prepares to feed him quietly.

*******

"Is it chilly?" Alana asks as she stares at the food on the plate.

"No, why?" he asks as he sets the glass of water.

"I read whatever I eat Rick can taste it through my milk and what if I eat too chilly or salty and he does not like it?" she speaks making him stare at her amused.

"I see someone is taking mommy duties seriously" he teases and she rolls her eyes at him again.

"Don't worry, you are not eating anything that will be harmful to him" he assure and she narrows her eyes at him suspiciously.

"I see someone is being a good daddy" she cannot help but tease back while he just smiles eating his food.

"You did not answer my question" Alana asks as she stretches a bit before she caresses Ricardo's soft cheek.

"Answer what?" Richie asks as he types something in his phone.

"When he will be able to talk or walk?"

"It will take time"

"How long?"

"Months"

"How many?"

"Few?"

"Richie" she groans making him groan as well and put his phone down.

"I don't know, it has been a long time I was just a child and I don't remember much about it to be honest" he states with a straight face before bursting in laughter as she frowns in confusion.

"Jeez you are cute" he cannot help but pull her in for a kiss.

"He is way too young to do such things now relax, get used to him for now" he grins and Alana pouts as she nods her head.

*******

"I can stare at him all day long" Alana smiles as she lays her head on Richie's shoulder while staring at their child.

"Yeah, he brings calmness" Richie smiles as he pulls Alana closer to his side.

"Thank you" Alana speaks as she stares at Richie who stares back at her in question.

"For everything"

"Well the sex was not so bad" he grins and Alana rolls her eyes at his statement.

"Yeah it was all about sex for you"

"Can't blame a man to wanting something you shy about" he grins and Alana moves away from him.

"Shy?" she scoffs.

"Of course, if I did not knew better I would have think you are a cold fish in the bed but we both know you were trying too hard not to feel me" he grins and she hits on his chest.

"I was just using you to have him" she jabs back and he grins.

"Feel free to use me for any amount of him then" he grins proudly and Alana stares at him in disbelief.

"Disgusting"

"You did not say so when..."

"Jeez Richie, our son is right with us" she snaps at him while he laughs.

"Who does not understand anything" he points as he pulls her closer to him once again.

"Don't touch me" she warns swatting his hands before she yelps and jumps as he pinches her side.

"Shut up" he laughs.

******

"What if he cries?" Alana asks as a panic starts within her.

"You calmed him few times"

"Yeah but he calms down fast when you hold him as if saying daddy is better than you mommy" she speaks making Richie chuckle.

"It will be fine"

"NO" she shouts before wincing as their head snaps to where their baby was asleep thankful he did not wake up.

"Can you not work all of this from home for few more days?" she pleads and Richie sighs.

"There is only so much I can cover from home, I will be gone just for few hours" he assures but she shakes her head.

"Goddamn Alana, don't make this difficult" he sighs caressing her cheeks, after Ricardo has born she has been more and more emotional and even if at times he was happy that she was not so cold he was worried as well.

"We can come with you" she suggests making him close his eyes as if in pain.

"I am not going to some family gathering Alana, I have a meeting with some buyers"

"I am sure they will not mind, some of them must have kids and know also I will stay in the car and just call you if he fusses" she promises stating it just so simply that Richie's heart melts for the innocence she still holds at times.

"No, I have called your mother, she will be here any minute and Rick fusses she will know how to handle him. But I have faith you will be able to calm him...

And I cannot carry both of you everywhere I go, so little steps I will be back within an hour or so okay?" he promises but Alana does not speak anything as she walks back towards Ricardo's crib and stays there with her back to him in anger.

*******

"Hey" Richie smiles as he walks back in the house but Alana picks up their son and walks out without a word.

"Thank you for coming" he speaks next as he greets his mother-in-law.

"It's okay, I was dying to spend some time with my grandchild anyways. Also, ignore her anger, she has not stopped worrying and checking the door and time waiting for you to be back" she winks his way before she heads towards the kitchen.

Making his way towards the room, he finds Alana pacing around with Ricardo in her arms. So, he makes his way towards them only to stop as she does not let him touch their son.

"Alana" he sighs.

"Why are you here, we don't need you" she speaks childishly.

"Seriously?" he chuckles.

"Yes, I think we both are now used to it, you not being here is fine with us. He did not missed you at all" she speaks and he grins.

"Good, then it will be fine if I am not around for few days? I have to fly out tonight and will be back within a week or so...

And now that you both are used to me being away I am relived" he nods his head and Alana's eyes widens.

"Fine, we don't care, you can go wherever you want to" she snaps before she hands their son in his arms.

"He needs a change of diaper, waiting for daddy's duty" she adds walking out of the room while Richie just stares at his son and chuckles.

"You better not fall for a woman just like your mother, son trust me they drive you all sorts of crazy" he grins kissing on his son's forehead as he takes on his daddy's duty.