Chapter 617: Playing House

It had been thirty minutes since Damien and Katherine arrived at the police station, and there had been no updates regarding the parents or guardians of baby Jack.

Damien started to feel numb being in the same position for a long time. He was afraid to move even just a little for fear of waking the little boy up. Katherine couldn't do anything except wait too. She looked at them and instinctively reached out to touch Jack's bum area as it looked bulky. It squished under her fingers.

"Damien, I think he needs a diaper change," she said in a low voice.

Carefully moving his hand over the little one's bum, he patted it, and sure enough, it did seem like it was full. No wonder it felt a bit strange holding the boy up with his arms. "What do we do?"

"I could ask the officer, but I doubt they have a diaper lying around the station. Why don't I just go to the nearest store and get one? I'm sure he's uncomfortable wearing something wet."

Damien glanced at the baby Jack and then back at Katherine, saying, "No. I'll go. I'll feel more at ease if you stay here instead."

He got up, and they placed Jack onto the armchair, using Katherine's coat as his pillow. Then Damien gently moved another chair in front of it with its backrest serving as a stopper, just in case the little one rolled over. Removing his coat, he laid it over baby Jack's body to keep him warm.

"You'd get tired if you carry him. He's pretty heavy," he told her, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Just wait here. I'll be right back."

The door closed behind Damien, and Katherine was left with the sleeping child. She sat on the front chair and angled her body to look at the boy sideways. Baby Jack had dark brown hair, fair skin, flushed cheeks, and the longest lashes. She couldn't resist but brush the strands of hair off his face and sweep it backward. He stirred a little and opened his lids, his dark blue eyes staring up at her before closing them again.

Her hand froze mid-air, unsure of what to do when she thought he'd cry. But the little guy went back to sleep. She let out a sigh of relief. Damien wasn't around, and she didn't think she was capable of calming down a crying child who threw a tantrum because she woke him up.

Baby Jack was so cute, though. It was so adorable to see his little arms that hugged Damien's neck earlier. The cuteness made her want to have one.

She bit her lip.

Have one? A baby?

Katherine softly chuckled to herself. She didn't want to lie—the thought of having a baby with Damien warmed her heart—especially after seeing him carry baby Jack. But as much as she wanted it, it just wasn't ideal right now.

"Where are your parents, little one?" She brushed her fingers on the coat.

An idea to call Styles to ask him if he could check the city's cameras popped in her head. But just as she was about to make the call, her phone buzzed, and Damien's caller I.D. flashed on her screen.

Katherine went over to the other side of the room and kept her voice down when she answered, "Hello?"

"Honey, I'm at the grocery, and there's like...hundreds of diapers in here. How could there be so many?" Damien's baffled tone was evident over the phone. "Which one do I choose?"

"I don't know…" She softly laughed. "Isn't there one that has a garter in it or something?"

"I don't know. They all look the same to me. There are plain ones, with designs, different sizes. Do diapers have belts?"

Blinking, Katherine thought about it for a second and answered, "Okay… I'm not an expert, but I'm pretty sure they don't… Do they?" She was also confused now.

She heard a long and deep sigh, and she could only imagine Damien running his fingers through his hair in resignation. Who would have thought that a diaper would render him helpless?

"There's a staff—Ma'am! Excuse me? Do you mind helping me pick a diaper? I'm not sure which one to choose," said Damien from the other line.

"Of course. How old is your baby?" an older woman's voice sounded through the receiver.

"Um… He's four years old."

A smile formed on her face as she listened to the conversation over Damien's side. He didn't bother to correct the staff.

"Do you know his size?"

"..."

"That's okay. Follow me. We have several sizes that would fit a four-year-old."

Damien's voice was back on the phone. "Baby, I'll end the call. Be there soon."

"Oh, get some baby wipes too. I have my wet tissues, but it might be too harsh for him," added Katherine.

"Got it. I'll grab what I can."

The line went dead, and she had to take a deep breath. That was one interesting conversation she didn't think she'd have with him tonight.

Fifteen minutes later, the door opened, and Damien came back, carrying two paper bags in his arms. Katherine's eyes went wide, surprised to see him with so much stuff. He was supposed to get a diaper and baby wipes only. What else did he buy?

"What is all that?" she wondered as he placed the bags on the table.

The two emptied the bags and laid out a pack of diapers, baby wipes, some baby food, a pack of ready-to-feed baby milk formula, a new set of clothes, and a soft dinosaur stuffed toy.

Looking at all the stuff he got on the table, he cleared his throat. "I… got carried away."

Katherine tiptoed to kiss his cheek. "You are so sweet."

"All right. I guess it's time to change him."

Damien went over to Jack and lifted his coat off of him. He picked the little boy up carefully, and as soon as he did, his nose scrunched up. Holding Jack as far away as possible, he turned to Katherine, and she saw the horror on his face as he urgently said, "Honey. We have a problem."

She did not have to hear it from him. She could smell it. Pinching her nose, she started laughing. It was so hilarious.

"What do I do?" he demanded, his voice waking up the little boy and baby Jack started crying. "Oh, come on!"

Meanwhile, Katherine had burst out laughing at the situation. She wiped the tears from her eyes. "Just lay him on the table. You have to change him!"

"Me? What do you mean me? Pee, I can handle but poop? Oh, hell—" He swallowed the rest of his curse when baby Jack cried even louder. "I'm sorry… I'm not mad at you. But, little man, you just made an explosion, and I don't think I can handle the damage you brought."

"Shhh…. Calm down. We're going to change you. Okay?" she cooed, nudging Damien to put the little boy on the table.

Baby Jack continued to cry as he laid on the table. "God. We suck at this," Damien huffed.

Then he reached for the dinosaur and gave it to the boy. Almost instantly, baby Jack stopped crying. Seeing the scene in front of her, Katherine curled the corner of her lips into a smile. "Nah… I think we're okay."