Promise Me

My tears fell on his face. He blinked at me. I removed his hat so I could see his head. He had a tuff of black hair. The nurse laughed at me when I couldn’t get his little hat back on him so she helped me.

I unwrapped his blanket and counted his fingers and his toes. I ran my finger down his chest. He started to cry. I thought he was cold so I wrapped him back up. He continued to cry. I glanced up at the nurse. She handed me a bottle. I had done this before. I popped it into his mouth and he sucked hard on the nipple.

“What’s his name?” She asked.

“Luke Ronan Moore,” I replied.

“Named after Daddy isn’t he?” She asked.

“He is.”

“He’s a handsome little boy,” She said.

“Thanks. I can’t wait for Mommy to see him.”

I glanced up at my family watching me. My dad wrapped his arm around my mother’s shoulders. They were both looking at me with pride on their faces. That was something I hadn’t seen in a very long time. Rhett rested her head against Tegan’s shoulder. She was smiling with a look of contentment. Gramps stood behind them all with tears glistening on the edges of his lashes. I tried to see this from his perspective. Another generation of Moore men coming into the world. I glanced down at my son.

“You have a lot to live up to Luke,” I whispered. “That is your great-grandpa out there. He is one helluva guy. I’ll tell you about him someday when there is more time.”

My brothers were all lined up to the left of my Gramps. My twin and Fionn. Part of the triple threat. Maybe I should stop thinking of Ciaran as my twin and think of the three of us as just brothers. We always seemed to separate him from us because Ciaran and I were identical. An oddity for sure. I wanted him to never feel less than what he was ever again. Damn, I loved my brothers.

“Those are you uncles too,” I told him. “You will never be without love Luke. There are a ton of us to love you, son.”

He finished his bottle. I burped him and Mom tapped on the glass again. She smiled and motioned for me to come on. I could see Skylar now. I took out my phone and snapped a picture of Luke. “When can Skylar see him?” I asked.

“When she gets settled in her room let the nurse know and we’ll bring him to her. He’s doing great for being early.”

I nodded. “Thanks.”

We went back to recovery. The others sat down while I went to recovery to see Skylar. A nurse met me and guided me to a curtained area where she was. She was still woozy but smiled when I entered.

“They said you were seeing Luke,” she whispered.

“I was,” I replied. I showed her the picture on my phone. Then I leaned over her and kissed her forehead. “I was so scared Sky.”

“Everything is okay Ronan,” she responded. “I promised.”

It was okay but I was terrified when they rolled her away from me. I sat on the stool by the bed and laid my head by her shoulder. “Do you understand?”

“What Ronan?”

“I can’t live without you Skylar?”

She ran her fingers through my hair. “I love you Ronan Moore.”

“I love you too.”

“Are the kids okay?” She asked.

“They are. Aine texted Fionn that they got to the farm just fine.”

“Good.” I could tell she was still groggy. “I can’t wait to hold him.”

“He’s pretty sweet.”

I told her about giving him a bottle and burping him. Telling Luke about Gramps and his uncles.

She was quiet then. So I just held her hand, staring at her and I thanked god for her. An hour later, they were moving her to her room. I went to the waiting area to let everyone know. Luke could come to her room and they could all hold him there.