We turn and watch our Bear being led around the pool by the twins. He’s smiling from ear to ear and laughing. Between his laugh and his mamas. I never want to hear another sound.
* * *
Everyone has talked, ate, and got to know each other over the course of the day. Rhett swam until the twins were tired, thenhe asked Mac. Once Mac was done he moved on to Dec then Kieran. He told me he likes them because they look safe, like me. I think he meant they look like me, but I wasn’t about to correct him. We’re all just hanging out on the patio furniture. It’s getting kind of late for Rhett; Clara’s sitting beside me leaning her head on my shoulder, and Rhett is sitting beside Kieran while music plays softly through the outdoor speakers. He’s tracing Kieran’s tattoos on his arms and lets out a big yawn.
Kieran looks over at us before asking, “Is it okay if I take him just over there?” He points to one of the speakers on the post of the patio that the edison lights hang from.
Clara looks to me then shrugs, “If he wants to go, I don’t mind.”
Giving her hand a reassuring squeeze we watch as Kieran asks Rhett before they get up together and walk over to the speaker. At this point we’re all watching them, wondering what Kieran’s doing.
Kieran lifts his hands,“Do you want to feel the music?”Rhett looks at him like he’s lost his mind, I’m also curious as to where he’s going with this.
Rhett lifts his hands,“You don’t feel music, silly. You hear it. I can’t hear, so I don’t know about that.”
My little brother beams at him, he doesn’t look like the usual menacing enforcer now. No, now he looks like he did when we were kids and he figured something out first.“Of course you can. Can I show you?”
Rhett turns back to Clara and I. He thinks it over for almost a full minute before he turns back to Kieran and nods. Kieran takes his hand and places his palm onto the speaker while calling out to Dec, “Turn it up a little more.” Dec doesso without question. We all watch in shock and amazement as Rhett beams up at him. He takes his other hand and brings it up to the speaker too. He’s standing there taking in the vibration of the speakers for what seems like forever before instinctively his little body starts to wiggle to what he’s feeling in his hands.
I’m almost positive we’re all teary-eyed at this point. No one says a word. We all just take in the memory while Rhett gets his fill of the music. After about thirty minutes they sign back and forth before making their way back to us.
Clara’s the one who breaks the silence first, “How’d you know to do that?”
Kieran shrugs like it isn’t a monumental deal, “I’ve been looking into different ways he can experience sounds without being able to hear them. It’s no big deal.”
Rhett begins signing to me about how much he loved feeling the music so I don’t catch the rest of the conversation but I do hear Clara tell him it’s huge for them. They’ve never had anyone else care about them and be as kind as we were today. Well baby, get used to it because this is your new normal.
It’s late when I press a kiss to Clara’s forehead as she snuggles in close. Rhett looks over at us and tilts his head,“Can I lay with you?”
“Yeah, Bear. Come on.”I reach my hand out.
He sleepily walks over with Safe clutched firmly in his hand. He climbs in my lap and curls up. Rubbing his back in small circles he leans his head on my chest and shuts his eyes.
“I think we wore him out.” Sully laughs. “He’s a really good kid, Clara. You’re doing an amazing job.”
I look over at Clara and see her cheeks heat. She whispers out, “Thank you” then shifts uncomfortably.
Thankfully Declan is amazing at reading a room and swiftly changes topics so all my brothers start discussing the current baseball season and who they think are going to make the playoffs. Leaning down and brushing my lips to the side of Clara’s temple I whisper, “You ready to head home, Pretty Girl?” Clara nods, giving me all the answer that’s needed. I stand up, pulling her up with me. Adjusting Rhett so his head is buried into my shoulder and his arms circle my neck we tell my brothers bye, make our way to my Tahoe and I buckle Rhett in. After helping Clara into her seat I make my way to my seat, slide in and make sure we’re all buckled.
Grabbing Clara’s hand as I drive out of my driveway, I’m noticing she’s in another world. “Hey, what’s going on in that pretty head of yours?” She looks over to me before turning back to the window.
“Is this what it could be like? Today was perfect Roe, but what about when the new wears off? What happens when we get into our first fight? Or when Rhett colors on one of your really important papers for work? Things don’t stay like this. I want them to, but I know from experience they aren’t great after the new wears off.” Gripping her hand I bring her knuckles up to my lips and kiss every one of them.
“Baby, I don’t know what you’ve experienced but I’m telling you I’m not him. When we fight, we’ll talk it out, because nothing is worth losing you. Rhett could set my office on fire and I’d ask why it wasn’t fireproof to begin with. There’s nothing the two of you could do or say to change that. I’m prepared to spend the rest of forever proving to you the newness wearing off doesn’t mean anything changes for the worse, it means more comfort, more memories, andso much love.”
Finally her fingers wrap around mine and I set our hands on her thigh while we drive her home.
“Hey Rowan?”
“Yeah, Pretty Girl?”
I glance over at her and see her assaulting her bottom lip with her teeth, why is she so anxious?
“Would, uh would it be okay if Rhett and I stayed at our apartment alone tonight?” It feels like I was just punched in the gut but I’ll be damned if I let that show.
“Yeah, baby. I’ll walk you guys up and help you lay Rhett down then get out of your hair. My phone’s on though, okay? On loud, you change your mind or you guys need me you have to call me. Promise?”
She gives me a sad smile, “Yeah babe, I promise.” She’s going to bolt, I can feel it in my bones.
