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“That will give me time to get my… COPILOT BUCKLED UP AND GO THROUGH PREFLIGHT CHECKS,” she said loudly, knowing the boy liked to play make-believe. She opened the door for Ben, who scrambled eagerly into his car seat. “Oh hey! You must be ready to take off, huh?”
“I ready, Auntie Gilly…”
“Alright! Let’s gooooo,” she said dramatically, trying to keep the toddler who was engaged so he didn’t get upset as Sophie was breathing fast in the passenger seat and gripping the door panel as Giselle slid into the driver’s seat.
Twenty minutes later, Giselle was playing ‘patty-cake’ with Ben in the waiting room and sipping on apple juice as Austin came around the corner.
“Hey Babe… how’s Sophie?”
“Pushing, I’m sure,” she smiled. “We got her into a room and they came to check her, ushered me out, and said the baby was coming quickly now…” her voice trailed off as she saw Valkyrie carrying Toby come around the corner as Marisol pushed a stroller, extremely pregnant, and looking exhausted, followed by Glory and Alpo, carrying the twins.
“Has she had the baby yet?” Glory asked easily. “Ben! Are you ready to be a big brother?”
Ben shrugged, looking suddenly unsure of himself.
Austin knelt down and smiled at the boy.
“You know, that being the big brother is the most special thing in the world, right? You have to be brave and strong, just like your Daddy, because your Mommy will need your help… and trusts you.”
Giselle felt tears sting her eyes, wondering if Austin had gotten the same speech when he was younger, being bounced around, and fed some lines by the people taking him in.
“It’s true, you know,” Giselle knelt down beside them. “A boy is the man of the house until his Daddy comes home and your sister is someone who will always be your best friend no matter what.”
“Really?”
“She’ll always be there to play with you… and sneak cookies at Aunt Dixie’s house,” Giselle smiled, seeing Ben’s shy smile. “Don’t think I didn’t see you, buster… but it’s our secret, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Now, can you stay here with Uncle Valkyrie and Auntie Marisol. Maybe you can practice being a big brother and check on Nicolette in the stroller for me?”
“Oh, I could use the help,” Marisol said immediately, catching on and nodding. “Aunt Giselle is going to go check on your mama – and we are going to keep Uncle Aeron here, so he doesn’t pass out…again.”
Austin chuckled.
Valkyrie glared at him… before smirking good-naturedly.
Everyone knew that the tall man could not handle seeing a baby emerge from a woman’s body. Something about it made him pass out cold, whether it was nerves, anxiety, stress, or just the sight of blood… no one knew.
Nodding, Giselle started off towards the delivery rooms… only to have Austin pull her aside, as he looked at her inquisitively in front of the nursery.
“Do we need to… talk?” he said softly, his eyes searching hers.
“About what?”
“Giselle,” he said hoarsely, staring at her with a shy smile on his face. “Valkyrie took me to get our car from Sophie’s house and… I saw the baby stuff in the passenger seat. Are we…are we gonna have a baby?”
His voice was infinitely tender, disbelieving, and emotional with the understanding that they were going to be in this exact same position in approximately seven months. This was a man who had everything taken from him repeatedly over the years, with no home, no one to care for him, and drew himself up to stand tall.
She couldn’t imagine how this news made him feel because it wasn’t a kind world out there – and they both knew it.
“Yeah,” she smiled tearfully and heard him drag in his breath as he pulled her into his arms, holding her close. “Are you happy?”
“Oh man, I’m so overwhelmed right now. I can’t imagine what our baby will look like and… I already feel so lucky to have you, but now a baby too?”
“We’re gonna have it all… Daddy,” she whispered, laying her hands on either side of his face, touching his cheeks, and looking him in the eyes. “You are loved, treasured, and we have a beautiful life together, building a home… and now we are going to have a little baby to love together.”
She saw his eyes, the fear buried so deeply, and kept speaking to him, needing to see so much more there.
