I look at the little body in the incubator.So small, I see a few wires sticking out connected to machines.I ask the nurse without taking my eyes off the incubator,
“Are you sure he’s okay—or she.I don’t know, boy or girl?”
“Go ahead, take a look for yourself.”
I move over the incubator and look at the tiny little baby sleeping soundly.A broad smile crosses my lips.I wipe a tear away from the corner of my eye.It’s a boy.“Hey, son.”I put my hand through the side of the incubator and touch his little fingers, watching his chest rapidly rise and fall.I have to ask again because he looks so fragile.
“Are you sure he’s okay?”She smiles when I look at her.
“He’s fine.Premature, but healthy.He’s a fighter like his mother.They handled themselves well.”
“Yeah.”
“Would you like to hold him?”
I look at her skeptically.“Is that safe?”
“Yes.It’s good for him.Sit.”
I sit in a chair that looks like a rocker and she places my son in my hands.I have a son,wehave a son.“Hey, little man, I’m your daddy.The guy who was always talking to you in Mommy’s stomach.I know you know my voice, you had front row seats to some loud discussions.”He does the cutest thing I’ve ever seen in my life.He smacks his lips together in a little sucking motion, squirming in my arms, pushing out his little chin.I smile down at him with pride.This is my son.Wow.
“Do you know what you’re going to name him?”
I turn around and see Gage looking over my shoulder.The nurse is gone.I look back down at my son and smile wider.“What else?Jace H.Alexander.”
“I like it.What’s the H for?”
“Harrison.It was my first choice in boys’ names I wasn’t supposed to pick.Somehow I knew we were going to have a boy.I wasn’t crazy about Jace, but she was right—he’s a Jace.”
“Welcome to the world, Jace, I’m your Uncle Gage.I’m going to teach you to cop a feel in the sand box and juggle two sweethearts at once without getting slapped.”
“You better not let Cat catch you saying that, you’re going to be banned.”
“I’m kidding.Anyway, she won’t ban me, she thinks I’m adorable.”
“Not when you’re turning her son into an infant gigolo.”
“She’s going to love him.”
“She already does.”
She lookslike she’s sleeping when I go into her room.I brush the hair away from the bandage on her forehead.She doesn’t look like herself.More than anything in this world I wish she would open her eyes.I kiss her lips and hold her hand and talk to her, hoping she can hear me.“He’s beautiful like you.I held him, Cat.He’s healthy; small, but healthy.”I kiss the back of her hand, holding it to my lips.“I love you.I need you to wake up.Jace needs you to wake up.He needs his mother to take care of him and love him—this shouldn’t have happened to you.You didn’t deserve this.”
Two hours later, when the nurse comes back again to check on her and replace her IV, I go to the waiting room.I immediately see Chris with his arms around Ava’s shoulder, her head on his chest.Gage and my mother are talking, and the biggest shocker, my father is sitting next to them.My mother sees me first, and puts her hands on my chest when they stand.
“Nick, I saw him.My grandson, he’s beautiful.He looks just like you when you were a baby.”
I smile at her half-heartedly, my mind still on Cat.Ava moves away from Chris, wiping her eyes, and putting a smile on her face.
“He really is a gorgeous baby.He’s so tiny and cute.There was no doubt he was going to be a good-looking baby, with our genes.”
“Hey, he’s half Reed, half of those good-looking genes are from our side,” Chris says jokingly at Ava.
“You did real good, son,” my dad says, clapping me on the back.
“Thanks, Dad.”
“My first grandchild is going to be the third Alexander in Alexander Alexander and Alexander.I’ve given up hope on your brother here.”
