“Walter, why don’t you hold him first?” I ask, having already run this by Rose. She’s eager to hold her grandson but this feels like a big moment and she understands that.
“I’d love that.” Walter smiles and the twins grumble about having to wait to hold their first nephew ever which causes Tatum to chuckle as I hand off our son.
Walter gets comfortable on the blue vinyl couch that’s doubled as Tatum's bed before creating a crook in his elbow where Tatum places the baby. Walter takes a moment to take him in before asking, “So what name did you land on?”
“Tell him, babe.” Tatum directs toward me as he hovers over his dad.
“We’d like for you all to meet Hayden…” I pause smiling towards Tatum’s father, “Walter Reed.”
“You didn’t!” He says a little louder than intended, waking Hayden. Fortunately, after a brief whine and wriggle in Grandpa’s arms, he calms back to sleep almost immediately. Tears stream down Walters face as he passes Hayden to Rose, immediately pulling his son into a hug, “That means so much to me. More than you could ever know.”
“We felt like he needed a strong middle name from a strong male figure in his life.” I say through my own tears.
“Oh guys, that is so wonderful.” Rose’s voice is filled with so much glee.
“Not to break up the cry fest but can I hold my nephew now?” Tessa says with a little too much attitude.
“Watch it.” That’s all Walter has to say for Tessa to pantomime zipping her lips closed and tossing the key to Tinsley, who basketball shoots it over to the trash can in the corner.
“You guys are ridiculous.” I laugh.
The Reeds spend the next hour with us, passing Hayden around under Tate’s watchful eyes, and chatting before they head out. We get a ten minute break before another knock sounds and our best friends enter the room.
“Oh my goodness!” Kodi cries as she rushes towards the bed where I sit with Hayden wrapped in a little burrito close to my chest. She slows before sitting gently and wrapping her arms around my neck, “Are you okay? I know it’s been uneventful so far, but I was so worried.”
“Ko, breathe. I’m great and your nephew is so excited to meet you.”
When I say that, her eyes grow big and her arms maternally form that safe little spot in her elbow for me to place Hayden. Sin and Harley approach from behind her, taking in Hayden’s small form, watery eyes and soft smiles adorn their faces.
“Heissoprecious!” From behind Sin, Dom’s sentence comes out as one giant word, muddied by his excitement. Nik and Collins approach the other side of the bed and I’m suddenly feeling a little claustrophobic. I meet Tatum's eye and he wordlessly understands my escalating panic.
“Hey guys, why don’t we back up a little bit? I think D has had a lot of people in her personal space and might not want so many people in her bubble. Kodi, wanna come sit over here?” Tatum gestures to the chair in the corner of the room and everyone slowly dissipates from around me, allowing me to suck in a deep, cleansing breath.
Our friends stay until visiting hours are finished, taking turns with Hayden. Nik even catered food for us to have family dinner together. Stu brought Bella by briefly, her small giggles causing a domino effect when Hayden smiled at her from Maverick’s lap. I can see their friendship blossoming already and I can tell that they are going to be thick as thieves—just like their Mamas.
* * *
This morningwe’ve received the all-clear to head home from the hospital, and now Tatum is triple-checking the car seat in my car. He drives us home at exactly the speed limit—no more, no less. Hayden’s uninterrupted slumber next to me has helped to ease some of Tatum’s anxiety. It’s cute how protective and careful he is, but fuck am I ready to be home and to sleep in my bed. Or rather Tatum’s.
“I’ll get him out, if you want to grab the duffle,” Tatum whispers as he puts my car into park and jumps out to open my door for me, helping me carefully out of the car. He’s been so ginger in his touches, scared he might break me because my body is still hurting and healing.
“Thanks, Daddy.” I slip him a sly grin as I follow him in.
“You can’t say things like that for at least…” He pauses looking at his watch, “the next forty days.”
“I can’t help it, that’s your new title.”
“Fine.” He sighs, as he unclicks the carseat and we head into the elevator. Hayden begins to stir a bit and looking at my phone, I realize how close it is to feeding time.
“We have fifteenish minutes to give him the grand tour of our condo. Then, he has to eat. I was thinking we could do a bath and bedtime together. I feed, you read?”
“That sounds nice,” he asserts, pulling me into his side. His lips caress the top of my head, keeping me there until the doors ding at the condo and I have to swipe us in.
“This is the entryway, your Mama requires everyone to take their shoes off so don’t forget to do that.” I find myself rolling my eyes as I routinely slip my shoes off and we continue deeper into the condo.
“The living room is to your right, we will introduce you to Gilmore Girls when you’re probably ten or eleven. To the left is the kitchen and dining room. We will eatlotsof lasagna here.”
“I am who I am, a woman who loves lasagna, very easy to please.” I chuckle because we do eat more lasagna than the average household.
