“Why are you so excited, Kaleb?” I asked. “Babies don’t seem like your thing.”
“Neither do cookies, but you don’t complain about those.”
A door opened and a nurse stuck her head out. “Ready to meet your newest family member?”
My stomach tried to take a vacation by way of my mouth. “As I’ll ever be.”
“Thomas and Dru asked for all of you.” The nurse stepped back so we could enter the birthing room.
I wanted to take Michael’s hand, but I crossed my arms over my chest instead.
Dru’s face shone radiant, and my brother was so puffed up with pride I half expected him to pop.
“Emerson,” Dru said, “meet your niece. Clarissa Elisabeth.”
“After Mom.” I looked at Thomas, and couldn’t stop the tears from falling. He had a few of his own.
“And you,” he said.
And me.
“Do you want to hold her?” Dru asked.
“I … I don’t know. What if I break her?”
“You won’t.” Michael’s smile of encouragement was all I needed.
I bit my lip and stepped up to the bedside, psyching myself up. “Okay.”
Dru held a bundle of blanket and baby out to me, and I took her in my arms. She was beautiful, tiny, and perfect.
“Hello, Clarissa Elisabeth,” I whispered. “Welcome to the world.”
I bent down to place a kiss on her forehead.
And started laughing when every light bulb in the room blew.