Let me just say, the next few months flew by.
Everything I'd ever desired to do started to slowly fall into place. When I got off work for the summer, Marco and I had found a nice two bedroom house that was near both of our jobs, and were pooling our money to buy it. Soon enough, it was possible for us to book a date to move in. We scheduled it for about a week after our already planned honeymoon. Yeah, honeymoon. I didn't expect me to be the person to get married either.
We'd already picked out my dress, and it was modest, covering up most of me. All I really cared about was making Marco my one and only. Somehow life found a way to tug us apart and bring us back together again in the end. Even though I was supposed to be getting married in a little less than two weeks, another pressing event in my life was holding my attention.
"I hate you!"
"Shut up and push!" I yelled back as Stacy lay on the delivery table . Dustin was holding her other hand as she gripped mine.
Her face was bright red and sweaty, the second hour of her labor was taking a toll on her. Tears springing from her eyes, she grit her teeth. The nurses and doctors were waiting expectantly for the baby - one that they'd waited to know the gender and to name.
So far, it had been two hours since her labor started, and I knew that she was about done with this whole 'having babies' situation. As of currently, I do not want babies.
Stacy crunched my hand in hers and I saw Dustin was feeling the same way. I'd hate to see this woman on steroids.
My sister closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths in between contractions. The doctor waved over a nurse who was holding a blanket and they said something behind their masks that I couldn't decipher. All Stacy did was nod and give it another push. The next thing I knew, the doctors all looked extremely happy and some high fived each other. They had been the same team when Stacy was nineteen and lost her first baby. They were there for her yet again, and Stacy had told me that she was even friends with one of the head delivery nurses.
A little bundle of white and green blanket was hurried out by the nurse, per my sister's want that they have the baby looked over before she got her hopes too high. Everyone knew she was scared.
Dustin brushed back her hair from her face and she leaned into his arm that was resting by her head, tears still streaming down her face. Only now, she was smiling and laughing a bit too. It must be sort of surreal - growing a life inside you and then having to safely deliver it into the world.
She loosened her grip on my hand and then squeezed, getting my attention. "Abira?' she said, and I could tell she was tired.
I nodded.
"You're naming the baby."
"W-what?" I knew she'd brought this up to me before, but I didn't think she'd actually have me do it.
Stacy tapped Dustin to talk for her as nurses started cleaning the room. "We talked about it a hundred times," he said and was grinning from ear to ear, waiting for them to bring the baby into the room. "It's only right for you to."
I shook my head. "You're the parents."
"Which is why we made this decision." He explained. "Stacy wanted to show how much she cares. We both did, sis."
I smiled but continued to shake my head. "Dustin, I know how much you two love me. Naming your baby isn't something I need to do. I don't even have a name yet!"
He chuckled. "It'll come to you. Caleb wasn't named until a day after he was born. The name just sort of fit for him."
Caleb was being taken care of by Marco in the waiting area. We had all become so thankful for him. When I had told Stacy about Marco and I, all she told me was that she saw it from the start. I couldn't blame her; apparently to everyone else, it was clear as day.
It had only been a few moments since the carried the baby out, and before I could keep talking to Dustin, the same nurse who delivered the baby came in with a warm smile and a infant in her arms. Stacy sat up faster than she should've and held out her arms, a shivering smile from the tears that were also present. Dustin left my side and ran to Stacy's as she took the baby into her arms.
"Healthy as could be." The nurse smiled.
"Thank you, Joanna!" Stacy said and Dustin hugged the nurse for both of them. "And, the baby's hearing?"
Joanna simply smiled and pat Stacy's hand. "So far so good. We'll keep an eye on the hearing as the baby grows. For now, just enjoy being parents of two." Her eyes fell to me and she opened her mouth wide. "Is this your sister?!" Joanna ran over to me and shook my hand rapidly. "I meant to meet you earlier, but things got a little hectic. Stacy brags about you all the time!"
It must've been the nurse that Stacy had become friends with. "Me? Gosh, that's nice of her." I smiled and tried to take the compliment graciously.
The nurse checked her watch and then turned back to Stacy. "I'll let your family in the waiting room know that they can come in. I've got another shift."
With little more than a few goodbyes, Joanna left. Stacy and Dustin still were holding each other as they peered down at their little infant. I made my way over and peeked too, seeing ruddy colored skin and long thick eyelashes. There was a curly little patch of hair on the baby's head and I smiled.
"Oh he's beautiful," I said. "Or she." I didn't know what the gender was. If anyone said, I didn't hear it.
"We'll find out all together when the rest of the family gets here." Stacy said and gently rubbed little strokes on the baby's forehead.
As if on cue, the door came open and Marco - holding Caleb - entered. Dustin's parents did as well, and friends of Stacy and Dustin came along in. I scanned the room for anyone else I knew. I didn't ask for any of my friends to be there; I didn't want to be rude. Well, of course, Marco was there.
Stacy pulled on my shirt and gestured to Caleb. I got him from Marco and held him near Stacy and the baby. Stacy rubbed Caleb's face and then looked down to the baby. "You're a big brother, sweetie," Stacy cried a little harder and everyone chuckled. It was a really beautiful moment. "Abira?" She got my attention again.
Very slowly, I set Caleb onto the foot of the bed, where he sat in awe at the little life that his mother was holding. He looked a little confused but then laughed and pointed happily that the baby, continuing to say, "baby! Mama's baby!" In excitement.
Stacy told me to start thinking of names and handed the baby off to Dustin, who'd been patiently waiting to hold his new son or daughter. "Ready to find out?" He asked everyone. In unison, we all cried out 'yes!' We wanted to know the baby's gender.
Dustin unwrapped the baby slowly and carefully, making sure that it wouldn't get cold. He laughed and smiled, saying: "We've got another Classur girl in the family!"
I clapped excitedly and Stacy started to bawl in joy, grabbing onto my tight. I pat her head. Motherhood sounds exhaustingly emotional. Everyone was talking about the baby and how they wondered what the name would be. I knew that I'd have to name the baby, but I couldn't quite think of one at the time. Maybe they'd let me get away with just doing her middle name.
So that if it's a bad middle name, it won't matter. Nobody really likes their middle name.
The little girl was passed off to me and I tentatively held her close to me, rocking her back and forth. I thought about what Dustin had said, that Caleb's name just came to them. I sort of got the feeling when I held the baby close. She was so calm. I assumed that she'd cry and want her mom back, but she nuzzled into my chest and her lip pouted in and out like all baby's do. Then the name just sort of came.
I tapped Stacy's shoulder and she looked up at me, now calming down and her happy tears had stopped. "Elizabeth." I said.
She looked down at the baby and grabbed Dustin, telling him the name. They both looked happy and nodded along.
_______
Dustin's parents and friends had gone home, leaving just us two couples and the kids. Nurses checked in every hour or so to continue monitoring the baby.
Marco and I were on the couch in the room, snuggling close.
Dustin and Stacy somehow squished into the hospital bed with Elizabeth, Caleb was napping in a chair.
"You looked nice," Marco signed. "Holding the baby."
I smiled and rested my head onto his shoulder. "What do you mean?"
His hands moved in front of my face and continued to sign. "I like seeing you with a baby." My face turned red, and he rubbed my hand caringly. "Just a thought."
"Yep." I signed quickly and I felt his chest move as he laughed. I looked up at him. "What's so funny?"
"I wasn't suggesting you get your own!" He signed while laughing.
"First off, i wouldn't get my own, that's not how that works, and second - " I paused. "I think being an aunt is good enough for me." I polked Marco's nose and he flinched away. "And an uncle for you."
Marco smirked. "For now." He signed with a mischievous look. I crossed my arms.
"I'm not having kids." I said. It was all in good fun, joking about it, but it was also good to talk about.
"I don't think you'll last very long thinking that," he said and nodded towards the kids. "I see how you are with them, Abira, and let's just say you look very protective over them."
"That's just me being an auntie."
"You don't think their skin is soft, or how nice it'd be hold one of your own?" He teased, trying to get me to cave.
"You don't think that they're smelly and dirty or how bad the diapers would be?"
Marco rolled his eyes and squirmed. "Okay, okay, but still."
"Maybe." I agreed.
Nurse Joanna came in and Stacy sat up, Dustin did too tired eyed holding Elizabeth. "You have a visitor," she said to Stacy. "Can I send him in? He said you were expecting him?"
Stacy nodded expectantly and Joanna disappeared out of the room. "Who's coming Stacy?" I asked.
She looked a little sheepish and bounced Elizabeth gently. "I invited someone. I didn't think he'd come."
"Who?" As I asked, her gaze drifted to the door and her eyes got wide.
Marco frantically tapped me and I too looked over, and felt my mouth drop open, my muscles tensing. I didn't think I'd ever see him again. I'd kept my distance for so long, it felt like he didn't want us anymore.
"Chris?" I asked aloud. I hadn't seen my brother in years.
His hair had grown out quite a bit, now pulled back neatly and he had stubble growing on his chin. I could tell he averted my eyes and only looked at Stacy as he stood awkwardly in the doorway.
Stacy forced a smile and waved him over. "Hey, Chris." She looked forgiving.
And by forgiving, I mean the past six or so years that he cut us out of his life.
It was hard not to be resentful and even angry. But I was more shocked she invited him - no, the most by the fact that he came.