“I’m talking about uncles.”Hayes shakes his head.“I’m Flora’s favorite, obviously.”
All three of us laugh.
“I think Leighton is her favorite,” Decker says.
“Fuck you, she’s a daddy’s girl.”Hayes crosses his ankles.
Decker sits up and looks me in the eye.“East, you got this, man.Sure, it’ll be a hard adjustment, and there’s a lot to figure out.First up—are you the father?But we’re all here for you.”
Just then, Monroe and Hazel stop at the end of the aisle and sigh as if they’ve been searching for us.
“What’s the matter?”Monroe asks.
They both run as if they’re in a game of tag and need to make me it, then skid to their knees next to me.
“They’re really making the most of staying up past bedtime,” Decker says to Hayes with a smirk.
“They’re never going to bed tonight,” Hayes agrees, and they both groan.
“Do you not love Tanner?”Monroe asks.
“He’s so cute.The cutest baby.”Hazel’s hands fly up in the air as though she can barely contain her excitement.
To them, this is exciting because they don’t have late-night feedings and diaper changes to figure out.Some type of childcare when I’m out on the road.A mother to track down.All they have to do is play peekaboo.
“Hey now, he’s not cuter than Ellis,” Foster says.
“She’s a girl,” Hazel says.
“Who’s cuter, Ellis or Flora?”Foster asks her, dead serious.
Hayes kicks Foster’s foot but then says, “Remember, Monroe, Flora is your sister.”
“Where are your moms?”Decker diverts the conversation, knowing it’s not headed in a good direction.
The two little girls get up, and just then we see the women walking by the end of the aisle with another cart full of things.
How much stuff do I need?Isn’t there a starter kit somewhere?
“Pen, Hazel, and Monroe.”Decker motions to the girls.
She waves her hand, and the girls actually listen.Probably because they don’t understand why I’m so upset.I’m the fun uncle.The one who’s always joking around and getting them in trouble with some stupid idea of mine.Now I’m going to be responsible for someone full-time.Not just a borrowed kid on a random afternoon before I go out for the night.
Decker, Hayes, and Foster all stand and look down at me.
Hayes offers his hand.“We’ve all been where you are.”I quirk an eyebrow, and he chuckles.“Okay, not exactly, but faced with our own hard decisions.I mean, Foster knocked up my sister after a one-night stand.Leighton’s cousin died and left her three kids.Deck…” He pauses, and we all look at Decker.“Well, he couldn’t get out of his own damn way.”
“There was more to it than that.”He holds Foster’s gaze for a moment, and none of us say anything.
“But you’re fucking Easton Kodiak Bailey.You’ve got this.If he ends up being yours, then you’re going to rock daddyhood.”Hayes pats me on the chest.
Decker and Foster each squeeze one of my shoulders, flanking either side as Hayes gives me a pep talk as though we’re in game seven of the World Series and the winning run relies on me getting a hit.
“You have all of us behind you, believing in you.”Hayes pokes me in the chest.“You were made for this moment, and you’re going to prove all the nonbelievers wrong… you’re going to give them a big fuck you… you have to believe in yourself right now!Tell us, do you believe in yourself?”Hayes’s voice rises.
“Yeah.”I’ll go along with his little pep talk.
He has a point.I am Easton Kodiak fucking Bailey.
