“Liam, please, stop hogging him,” My father huffed, moving to stand behind me. “The old folks would like to hold him before we die.”
“Be careful,” I hissed, slowly transferring him into Sedric’s arms.
“Hello, little one,” he said to him, and once again, my son just waved his arms around in his sleep, as if he wasn’t used to all the space around him. “Your father says I have to be careful, but forgets that I once held him and his brothers like this. Thankfully you got your looks, and hopefully your smarts from your mother.”
“I’m right here.” I rolled my eyes at him as he walked over to the couch next to Mel’s bed. She was only partially asleep, watching my father and me through barely opened eyes. She had only taken short naps; surely she needed more sleep.
“Love,” I murmured, brushing her hair back before kissing her head. “Sleep. You not only need it, but deserve it.”
She smiled, her eyes closing as she reached for my hands, which rested on the side of her face. “I know, and I want to, but I’m afraid. What if I miss something or he needs something? He’ll be hungry again soon. It’s been a few hours since I fed him.”
That was probably the most awe-inspiring thing I had ever seen in my life. Before I could say anything, there was a short and soft knock on the door right before my mother wheeled in a very excited Coraline. She had a yellow scarf around her head, and shopping bags in her lap. Behind her came Declan, Neal and Olivia, each of them holding balloons, flowers and cards.
“Oh my God, he’s so cute!” Coraline squealed, trying her best to keep her voice down while bouncing out of her seat. “Cancer survivor calls dibs after grandpapa!”
“Coraline! I called it already, I’m his first uncle.” Neal scowled at her as a faint smile played on his lips.
“Cancer beats uncle.” Coraline stuck her tongue out at him. “Doesn’t it, Mel?”
Mel giggled—actually giggled, nodding for her to go next.
“Only six hours old and he’s the most mature person in the room,” my mother stated, kissing his little feet before coming over to us. I wasn’t sure if I liked the fact that all of them were here, hovering over my son. In all honesty, I just wanted it to be my wife, my son and myself for now. Guessing what I must have been thinking, Mel took my hand, and squeezed tightly before letting go.
“Congrats, brother, he already looks like a hell raiser.” Declan laughed, pulling me into a quick hug.
“If he’s anything like how we used to be, I may end up with more gray hairs than Mom and Dad.”
“I don’t have gray hair, Liam.”
“Of course, Mother,” Declan and I said at the same time, which only made us both laugh and grip hands again.
Yeah, I was going to be in for it, but I had no doubt that it would be worth it.
“May I say Mel, you look beautiful.” Neal smiled, handing her a bundle of yellow roses.
“You may, even though I know you’re lying,” she replied, taking the flowers from him. “Thank you, Neal. They smell great.”
“Look at this, I turn my back for one moment, and he’s charming my wife immediately after she gave birth to my child,” I joked as he reached out to shake my hand. I pulled him in, giving him the same hug I gave Declan.
“He’s just trying to charm her so that he can hold Ethan before anyone else.” Olivia smiled, her gaze fixated on the little man now in Coraline’s arms.
Evelyn was close by, showing her how to hold him.
“So it’s official, right? Ethan Antonio Callahan?” Coraline asked and when he took a deep breath, she, my mother and Olivia practically melted where they stood.
The sight of his little chest going up and down was the most beautiful thing in the world.
“Actually, it’s Ethan Antonio Giovanni Callahan,” Mel spoke up, reminding me of our earlier conversation.
“Antonio?” Olivia frowned. “You mean after the guard who died?”
“Yes, the guard who took a bullet for me…for us both. It was the least I could do for a man who was in many ways my friend as well.” No one could argue with that. No one dared.
Ethan hadn’t been in Neal’s arms for more than a few minutes before he started to wail. Mel sat up, immediately reaching for him. Swaying back and forth, Neal placed him in her arms. I had no idea how she knew what to do or when those instincts kicked in, but she knew exactly what he needed.
“Now, why are you crying?” she whispered to him. He reached up, smacking her face a few times and putting his hand into her mouth before relaxing. It was like he knew who she was, and just by knowing she was his mother, he was at ease. Part of me felt a twinge of jealously at how close they were already, but it was overwhelmed by the amount of joy and excitement I felt. He was finally relaxed when a flash went off, causing him to stir again.
“Mom!” I snapped, as she held her phone to her chest.
“Oh hush before you make him cry. Let me enjoy this. I need to send this to the rest of the family, and you can’t expect me not have his picture.” She grinned, flipping through her phone.
“You already took a hundred pictures from the second you saw him.” She was going crazy with glee, and not just her, my father was just as giddy. They were…well, they were happy. We were all happy. Reaching out, my son grabbed hold of my finger, squeezing as tightly as he could, as though he was trying to prove something. Like he was trying to say ‘Look dad, look how strong I am’.
“What color eyes do you think he’ll have?” Mel asked me. Right now they were the standard blue that apparently most babies were born with.
Before I could answer, everyone else took it upon themselves to do it for me: “Green.”
“Can the father get a word in please?” I mocked them, turning to my wife and child once more. I stared in awe at the new person that was half of me; my heart stuttered at the thought. Brushing his hair back, I answered my wife. “Before the peanut gallery can interrupt again, I think…I really don’t care, as long as he’s healthy.”
“That’s why I’m here.” An overly preppy red-headed doctor walked in with a single nurse at her side. “Hello, everyone. I’m Dr. Yang and I just need to run a few more tests on him, and if—”
“Don’t say if.” Mel frowned, her eyes glaring into her. “He’s fine, and you’re just making sure he’s still fine, got it?”
My father laughed at how wide the woman’s eyes opened. “Of course, Mrs. Callahan. We’re going to take him for an hour or two and then we will be right back with him. I’m sure he’s fine.”
Mel’s body tensed and I knew she was going to ask to accompany him, but she really needed to rest.
“I’ll go with him,” I said. “I’ll feel better if you get at least two hours of sleep.”
Sighing, she kissed his forehead before slowly handing him over to me. He smelled like fresh flowers, and rain, and just baby, an indescribable scent that seemed to permeate his skin. Kissing her quickly, I walked over to the doctor.
Don’t drop him. Keep his head up. Don’t hold him too tightly. Is he breathing? Don’t wake him! Those were some of the thoughts that ran through my mind; it was like my whole being was now wrapped around him.