The Cruiserweight

by L. Anne Carrington

“You could say that. At the same moment you captured the TV Title, your little girl was born.”

  Brett beamed; he couldn‘t believe his ears. “Oh…damn…holy shit! Are you serious?”

  Stephanie chuckled and said in a teasing tone, “Don’t look so disappointed.”

  “This has to be the greatest night of my life!”

  “I think you need to schedule a flight to visit your new family. You can take the rest of the week off.”

  “Thanks, Steph, I really appreciate it. Probably won‘t get a flight until morning, but I‘ll take what‘s open.”

  “There’s some nice boutiques at the airport. You may want to stop and pick up something before you board your flight.”

  “Oh, don’t worry, I’m going to spoil that little princess and her mother more than anyone would consider.”

  Brett left the office, feeling as if he was floating on air. Just when he thought life couldn’t get any better, he became a champion and a father in one night.

  Who would have thought this would happen over a year ago?

  CHAPTER 63

  One of the maternity floor nurses rolled the clear cradle that contained a sleeping baby girl into her mother’s room the following morning. “Someone would love to meet her mommy,” the nurse said as she picked up the baby and placed it in Karen’s arms.

  Karen undid the pink blanket and studied her newborn daughter. “My goodness, you’re a perfect copy of Daddy,” she said in a soft voice.

  “Don’t let her nurse,” the nurse told her. “Your pain medication could pass to the baby through your milk. We’ll get you a breast pump.” She handed Karen a bottle before leaving the room.

  The baby fussed a little when Karen kept her from trying to nurse. “I’m sorry, honey,” she said, “I don’t want to do anything that might hurt you.” She gave her the bottle. “Try this.”

  She smiled as she watched her tiny daughter suck the bottle greedily. “You’re even an eater like Daddy,” Karen said with a chuckle. “I think you two are going to get along fine, if he ever gets a chance to see you.”

  Eddie and Phoebe came into the room. “Hey, there’s the new mama,” he said, a foolish grin on his face.

  “Pay no attention to him,” Phoebe said. “He’s high on Vicodin.”

  Karen saw the sling. “My God, Eddie, are you okay?”

  “Could be worse. How are you?” He came over to study the baby. “This must be the little princess.”

  “She’s gorgeous,” Phoebe said. “Just like her mom.”

  Karen laughed. “She looks like Brett.”

  “Hey, Pheebs, where’s your Smartphone? We should take a shot of these two ladies and send it to him,” Eddie said.

  “Great idea!” Phoebe began rummaging through her bag.

  “Oh, guys, don’t,” Karen replied. “I look like a disaster…”

  “Never bothered him before,” Eddie said, taking the photo after Phoebe handed him her phone.

  “Did you think of a name for her yet?” Phoebe asked.

  Karen nodded. “Autumn Skye.”

  “That’s beautiful.”

  “I heard the name somewhere and liked the sound of it.”

  “Yeah, got to admit it’s a much better choice than Crash Landing,” Eddie replied. He stroked the baby’s dark head. “Poor kid, you had one hell of an arrival. Sorry about that.”

  “I’m sure she isn’t upset in the least,” Karen said. “I have a feeling Autumn was about to make an early debut anyway. Want to hold her?”

  “Uh…”

  “Come on, Eddie, she won’t break,” Phoebe said, a touch of encouragement in her voice.

  Karen handed Autumn to him. “Make sure you support her head.”

  “Wow…this is…different. She’s so tiny.”

  Karen smiled. “Consider it your first lesson of practice for when you start your own family.”

  “Pheebs, this is awesome. You should have a turn.”

  Phoebe came over and gently took Autumn from him. “Have you ever seen anything so precious? A full head of hair!”

  “Hey, Pheebs, you’re a natural. I think we should look into that adoption thing.”

  “I think you two should consider setting a wedding date first,” Karen said. “But first, I’d like my daughter back.”

  CHAPTER 64

  Brett hadn’t checked his bag before leaving Orlando, yet the airport staff took it from him at the gate and informed him that he had to wait for the bag to arrive in Pittsburgh.

  Freaking hell, can this day get any worse? First the flight’s delayed, and now this bullshit. What does a guy have to do to see his new daughter? If they lose the gifts for her and Karen, there will be hell to pay.

  He found his seat, relieved the plane wasn’t booked to capacity. Not only was his seat located near the lavatory, but the accompanying seats were empty for his flight. At least something’s going right.

  During his trip, Brett became engrossed in the script for the next set of TV tapings that would take place in three weeks, oblivious to the activity around him. Peaceful flights were rare, and it felt great for him to be able to concentrate for a change.

  “Everything all right, Mr. Kerrigan?” a flight attendant asked.

  He looked up and smiled. “Perfect.”

  “Can I get you anything?”

  Brett would‘ve preferred a beer, but since he‘d planned to go straight from the airport to the hospital, he wanted to keep a clear mind. “A bottle of water if it isn’t too much trouble, thanks.”

  She nodded and left to retrieve his order while he returned to reading, laughing at some of the script’s content. This is better than some of the stuff I’ve done in the last eight years!

  When his water came, Brett took several gulps and stared out the window, wondering what his new daughter looked like. He was concerned about Karen’s involvement in a car accident when Phoebe finally contacted him, but relieved when she said Karen was recovering well and the baby fine.

  An announcement over the PA system for passengers to fasten their seat belts jarred him out of his thoughts. They were landing. Brett hoped his suitcase also waited for him.

  CHAPTER 65

  “God, parking around here sucks,” Brett said as he drove his rental car around the hospital parking garage searching for an empty space. “Of course, I shouldn’t really bitch, since I’ve seen much worse in L.A. and Orlando.”

  After several more minutes, he found a prime spot near an entrance to the hospital once someone pulled out, grabbed the gifts that lay in the back seat, and sprinted inside.

  “Shit,” he said in a low voice, looking around.

  “May I help you, sir?” someone asked.

  Brett turned around and found a female security guard. “Yeah, could you tell me the best way to go to the maternity floor?”

  She smiled. “Go down to the third elevator on your right, take it to the fifth floor, and make a left once you get off. You’ll walk right onto the ward.”

  “Thanks.”

  He dashed toward the elevator, and stepped off once it reached the desired floor. Brett found the floor quiet, but he figured with so many babies around, it would have to be that way.

  “Excuse me,” he said after stopping at the nurses’ station, “I’m looking for Karen Montgomery’s room.”

  “Room 516, just around the corner, but she has her baby…” He didn’t stay to hear the rest.

  Brett found Karen’s room. She was asleep, with their daughter in a contented slumber in her clear cradle beside the bed.

  He beamed upon seeing the baby and picked her up. “Look at you,” he said in a soft voice while he cuddled her. “Aren’t you a little beauty.”

  Autumn fussed a little, not happy her nap was interrupted. “It’s okay, sweetheart,” he said. “The funny-looking short man holding you is just Daddy.”

  Still holding her, he sat by a window and studied his new daughter. “Hey, you have more hair than I did when I was born,” Brett said
with a laugh. “At least, according to your grandmother, I only had a little peach fuzz.” He paused a moment. “Oh, that reminds me. I didn’t tell Grandma or your aunt and uncle about you yet. I know! Let me get a picture on my phone and show them what a pretty girl you are.”

  He pulled out his phone while he positioned Autumn on his lap. “Okay, now stay still, so Daddy can get a nice shot.” He pushed a button and then showed her the screen. “Look there, one of your first baby pictures. I didn’t do bad, if I say so myself.”

  Karen was awake and groggy. “Brett?”

  He looked over. “Well, hi, Mommy.”

  “When did they bring the baby, and when did you get here?”

  “About ten minutes ago, and she was here when I came in the room.”

  “I thought you were working house shows this week.”

  “Change of plans once this little lady arrived.” Still holding Autumn, he came over, sat beside Karen’s bed, and gave her a long kiss. “I’ve missed you.”

  “Missed you too. Who told you I was here?”

  “Apparently Phoebe tried to get through to me last night to say that you and Eddie were in an accident and they had to deliver the baby by C-section. She ended up calling the switchboard and getting through to my boss instead.”

  She gave him a wan smile. “Serves you right for turning off your phone.”

  “How you feeling, baby?” he asked.

  “They have me on some painkillers for a couple of broken ribs and the C-section that put me in La La Land most of the time and I can’t nurse. Other than that, I’m fine. Eddie broke his left arm and will be in a cast for about six weeks.”

  “You know, I was just going to email a picture of the newest family member to Washington, but I don’t know her name yet. Imagine me telling Ma, ‘Meet your granddaughter of unknown name.’ Yeah, I’d come across as a total idiot.”

  “Autumn,” Karen replied. “Autumn Skye Kerrigan.”

  He beamed. “You gave her my name?”

  “Why not? She’s your daughter. Look at her; Autumn’s a total carbon copy of you, right down to her appetite and lung power.”

  “Except for all the black hair on her head. That comes from Mama,” he said.

  Karen glanced at Autumn, who was still cradled in Brett’s arms. “I think someone already loves her daddy.”

  Brett looked down and saw the baby snuggled against him, her tiny fist curled around his index finger. “Guess she isn’t afraid of the funny-looking guy after all.”

  “For the last time, you’re not funny looking.”

  He felt something rumble on his arm. “Uh, Karen?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I think we may need to get someone in here.”

  “Why, what’s wrong?”

  “I think our daughter left us a present of her own.”

  “Let me look.” She took Autumn, checking the baby as gently as she could. “You can relax, Papa,” Karen said. “Someone just let a tooter. I guess she picked that up from Daddy too.”

  CHAPTER 66

  “Let’s see,” Brett said a few days later while installing the car seat for Autumn. “The directions say it’s supposed to go this way, but I’m not having any luck.”

  Karen chuckled softly as she cradled Autumn in her arms. She was discharged from the hospital half an hour earlier, but they had yet to leave the parking garage. Brett was trying– without much luck– to put in the car seat.

  She opened the passenger side door and sat. "Would you like me to try?” she asked.

  "I got it," he replied, and then cursed under his breath again as he caught his finger on a part of the seat.

  “Brett, hold Autumn. I’ll put in the seat.”

  He groaned. “Okay.”

  Karen placed the baby in his arms. “Hi, Little Bit,” he smiled down at her. “It’s your clumsy old man again.” Autumn cooed and grasped the finger he was using the tickle her chin.

  "Done," Karen said a few moments later.

  “Already?” Brett checked the seat and found it solid and intact "How did you do that? I must’ve read the directions for…oh, hell, forget it.” He buckled Autumn in her seat.

  “Brett,” Karen said, sensing she’d wounded his pride. “You’re exhausted. First, you flew here straight through from Orlando, and then spent more time camping in that hospital chair the whole time Autumn and I were there than you did in your hotel room.”

  “I can drive,” he replied. “At least let me take my ladies home.”

  “All right, but just be careful.”

  Autumn started to whimper when the engine turned over. "It’s all right, Little Bit. Daddy’s just taking you and Mommy home.”

  Karen soothed the baby, stroking her head. Autumn closed her eyes, snuggled into her mother’s touch, and fell asleep.

  She leaned her head back against the seat and also shut her eyes. Soon, she felt someone shaking her. “We’re home, sleepyhead,” Brett said.

  She yawned. “Didn’t realize I fell asleep.”

  Brett helped her from the car and leaned inside for Autumn, emerging with the sleeping bundle of joy. Placing a feather light kiss on her forehead, he handed the baby to Karen and headed to the trunk to grab her bags.

  "She’s such a little angel," he said, giving their daughter a loving look.

  "That’s because she’s not even a week old. Wait until she’s sixteen.”

  “Well, my queen, shall we take our little princess into the castle?” he asked, ushering her inside.

  The moment the door opened, a group of people popped out of their hiding places. “Surprise!”

  Brett jumped. “Jesus!” said in a loud voice. “Scare the hell out of us, why don’t you?”

  Startled, Autumn began to cry. Karen held her close and murmured comforting words to the frightened infant.

  “Don’t look at me,” Eddie said when Brett gave him a dirty look. “This was Pheeb’s idea.”

  "We all chipped in and threw something together. Phoebe had your spare house key,” a woman said.

  Karen was shocked. “Ms. Kerrigan?”

  “Ma? What are you doing here?” Brett asked.

  “Can’t a woman visit her new grandchild? Do you know how many years I waited for this moment? Sharon and Nick also came to meet their niece.” Brett’s mother turned to Karen. “Darling, how many times have I told you to call me Pilar?”

  “We got a kitty jar together to fly Brett’s family here too,” Eddie answered.

  “This is so wonderful,” Karen replied. “We just weren’t expecting it and you all startled Autumn."

  “It’s a surprise party," a younger man said. "It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if you knew, right?”

  "Nick," Brett said. "Don’t help.” He grinned at Karen. “Meet my pesky baby brother.”

  Sullivan came over to Karen. “Welcome home.” He glanced at Autumn, who had gone back to sleep. “She’s a beautiful little girl.”

  “Thank you.”

  “How do you feel?”

  “Still some pain, but I’ll manage. The important thing is that Autumn’s healthy.”

  “Hey, boss, you have to try this guacamole!” Terry called from across the room, beckoning Sullivan to join him and the other men.

  Sullivan gave Karen a wink. “Duty calls. Glad to see you home.”

  “By the way,” Nick said as he and Brett walked over to Karen and their mother, “Patrick’s coming by later. His flight from L.A. has been delayed.”

  “Oh, God, as if it isn’t bad enough I have to look at your ugly mug,” Brett replied in a mock groan. “You and Pat in the same room may be a risky combination. No way am I leaving my daughter alone with you two freaks.”

  “Don’t worry, I’ll make them behave,” another woman said before heading over to Karen. “Hi, I’m Sharon, Brett’s sister.” She studied Autumn for a moment. “Mom, look at her! Doesn’t she look like Brett when he was a baby?”

  “Only difference is she has hair,” Pilar said. She st
roked Autumn’s head and cooed at her. “Your daddy only had a little fuzz.”

  “How do you know what I looked like as a baby?” Brett asked Sharon.

  “Mom showed me and Nick pictures.”

  “Even the naked ones,” Nick said with an evil grin.

  Brett glared at Pilar. “Oh, gee, thanks a lot, Ma.”

  “What? You’ve seen their pictures, it was only right that Sharon and Nick saw yours.”

  Nick began to laugh. “Especially the one of you at nineteen months on Ma’s bed with your bare ass stuck in the air.”

  “Nick,” Brett replied in a warning tone. “Shut your hole right now or I’ll tell everyone how I made you wrestle as the Possum Queen when we were kids.”

  Nick cleared his throat and blushed. “Whatever you say, big brother.”

  Karen laughed at the scenario that unfolded before her. Nick towered over Brett by at least seven inches and was about thirty pounds heavier, yet he deferred to Brett like most younger siblings did.

  She handed the baby to Pilar, who, along with Sharon, fussed over Autumn for several minutes before passing her around.

  “Hey, be careful with my daughter,” Brett said when he spotted a few of the other men with her. “She isn’t a football.”

  “Calm down, Daddy,” Karen answered. “Autumn isn’t breakable, and they’re holding her just fine.”

  Pilar shook her head. “My goodness, I think Papa is a bit neurotic about that baby.”

  “You think?” Karen asked with a chuckle.

  “Yeah,” Nick said. “Wait until she starts dating. I can see it now; Brett sitting on the front porch with a hunting rifle in one hand and his walker in the other.”

  Pilar nodded. “Knowing your brother, that may not be too farfetched.”

  *****

  “You should stay tonight,” Karen said that night when she returned from the nursery, baby monitor in hand.

  “Don‘t want to put you out your first night home with Little Bit,” Brett replied.

  “It’s been a long day. You‘re worn out, plus you can have some quiet time with Autumn now that half the world saw her.”