My throat tightens. “I love you.”
“I know,” he says. “That’s why you should go. You give up too much for this old man. Go see our Josie and come back with lots of pictures.”
I hug him carefully, breathing him in, committing the moment to memory just in case. One thing about my line of work, where there is life, there is also death. You can’t have one without the other. Once the aide arrives, I grab my bag, lock the door behind me, and don’t let myself look back.
The airport is a blur of fluorescent lights and rolling suitcases. It’s a matter of hours before I have Jackie and her wife picked up, returned to the house, a brief reminder of the things I have shown them over and over on video calls for the last few weeks, and then I took off again to catch my own flight.
I bought the first ticket I could and didn’t even look at the cost. It doesn’t matter. Money comes and goes, but being with Josie to support her is priceless. I text Josie updates she probably won’t read for hours.
Boarding. Taxiing. Takeoff.
Only once we’re in the air do I finally sit back and let the adrenaline begin to ease. I stare out the window at the clouds, hands folded over my lap, and think about how strange it is that my life can pivot this fast. One phone call and everything rearranges itself around something new being born.
When I land in North Carolina, the air feels warmer. Unfamiliar but still comfortable. I rent a car and drive straight to Josie’s house, following the GPS and hoping like crazy it’s not going to get me lost.
The house is quiet when I arrive. Too quiet for a place that’s about to gain a new human. Justice answers the door in socked feet, eyes wide with Josie’s friend Sara beside him. She smiles brightly at me as we have chatted before on video calls.
“Aunt Danae!” Justice yells, throwing himself at me.
I drop my bag and scoop him up. “Hey, buddy.”
“Mom’s having the baby,” he shares, like it’s breaking news and a secret all at once.
“I know,” I reply. “You excited?”
He nods hard. “Dad said I get to meet her today.”
“You’re gonna be the best big brother,” I promise.
Inside, the house looks exactly like Josie left it—half-finished nesting energy everywhere. A folded blanket on the couch. Bottles drying on the counter. A faint smell of lavender cleaner lingering in the air. We have talked almost daily as she’s been planning and preparing. Obviously, this little princess decided to make an entrance her way instead of according to our schedule.
Justice tugs my hand. “Can we watch a movie?”
“Absolutely.” I kick off my shoes. “Popcorn?”
“Yes!”
We settle on the couch with a cartoon movie he’s already seen a dozen times. He narrates it anyway, leaning into my side, warm and buzzing with excitement. Every few minutes he asks if his mom is okay.
“She’s great,” I tell him every time. “She’s strong.”
A knock sounds at the door not long after. Justice springs up. “That’s Daddy Dean!”
I open the door and step aside. Dean “RiffRaff” O’Neal stands there, eyes tired but bright, keys still in his hand. “Hey,” he greets. “Thanks for coming so fast, Danae.”
“Of course,” I reply. “You ready, Justice?”
Justice grabs his backpack, already bouncing on his toes. “I get to be a big brother!”
His dad crouches in front of him. “You sure do, champ.”
Justice hugs me before he leaves, arms tight around my waist. “You’re staying here?”
“I am, but I’m not leaving.” I promise. “I’ll be here when you get back.”
Once they’re gone, the house feels different. Expectant. Like it’s holding its breath.
I don’t waste time. I can easily tell where Josie left off in her plans since we talk so much. I strip the guest bed and remake it with fresh sheets. I start a load of laundry since she didn’t get the towels done. I wipe down counters, sweep floors, empty trash. I move through the house methodically, putting everything where Josie will want it when she walks through the door sore and exhausted and impossibly full of love.
