by Alicia Rae
I heard Jason’s footsteps behind me by the time I reached the sink. I set my clothes on the counter. He closed the door behind us and leaned against my maple cabinetry. I gazed over at him to see he was already dressed, looking fine in a dark pair of jeans and a black Harley-Davidson T-shirt. My eyes caught on the way his sleeves hugged his biceps.
His eyes were lost in thought as he broke the silence. “Care to tell me what all of that was about?” he asked guardedly.
With no time to waste, I started stripping off my pajamas. “Ryan and Kate are at the hospital,” I responded, tossing my shirt onto the floor next to me.
Jason’s eyes briefly dropped to my breasts, lingering there, until I reached for my bra to put it on. He forced his attention back up to my face. If I wasn’t so mad at Diane’s attitude toward me on the phone, I would have chuckled at him.
“That portion I heard in bed,” he clarified. “The part I want to know about is what had you looking ready to attack your refrigerator?” he asked, stifling back his amusement at what I assumed was from my public display of frustration.
I didn’t want to rehash all the details right now. In a few hours, my brother was going to have a baby, and I would be an aunt for the first time. Today was supposed to be happy and memorable.
I shucked off my pants and slipped on my panties and skirt. “It was Diane,” I said vaguely, struggling to understand that confusing woman. “She just makes me so mad sometimes, that’s all.”
He pushed off the cabinets and strolled over to me, taking my hands in his. His eyes were full of understanding with a hint of frustration in the background, which I could relate to.
“I know how important today is with your family.” He stroked his thumbs over my fingers. “But you will tell me later, okay?” he asked.
I nodded.
“Come here,” Jason commanded, tugging me closer. His hands enclosed around me, caressing soothing strokes up and down my lower back. “Don’t let her take this day away from you, Abbey. Whatever it is, we’ll deal with it when we get back home,” he said reassuringly.
I sank my head against his chest and inhaled the light scent of his cologne, relaxing into him. It was so familiar to me that I could be blindfolded and pick out his distinct smell. I knew it that well. The tension from my muscles continued to seep out of me as though he was magically pulling it out. In such a short time, he had become my strength, my rock, my everything. I didn’t know what I would do without him.
I tilted my head up to see his eyes. “God, I love you,” I breathed, meaning it with all that I was.
His smile was genuine, and his eyes glowed. He dropped his lips to brush along mine. “And I love hearing those sweet words coming from your mouth,” he murmured affectionately. He kissed me, and then he drew back. “But I said it first, so that means I love you more,” he added with a smirk.
He could take the most emotional situations or tender moments and say something that threw me for the biggest loop. It was one of the many traits I adored about him. I was grateful for his canny ability to always lighten my mood and brighten it beyond what I could have imagined.
I laughed, unable to hold it back. “I’m not even going to begin arguing with that statement, or we will be here all day,” I countered mischievously.
“Good,” he said in playful triumph, his eyes full of glint. “Now, finish getting ready, so we can finally meet Miss Annabel.”
It was nearly four in the afternoon as I glanced up at the hospital clock in the waiting room. I lowered my gaze to see Kyle and Lily sitting to our left. Lily was reading on her e-reader, leaning against Kyle’s shoulder, while he watched the news on the television mounted to the wall. My parents were sitting off to the right. Dad was taking a catnap, and Mom was occupied with the Samsung tablet she’d received as a birthday gift from my dad this last spring. Jason was sitting next to me, typing an email on his phone, and Pearl was at my other side, fidgeting in her seat.
She and I had already read five chapters in her book, and she’d played Tetris on my cell. I was beginning to think she was just as addicted to that game as I was. We had also been downstairs to the cafeteria twice for snacks. We’d even stopped at the gift shop to pick up a pink teddy bear for Annabel and balloons and a flower arrangement for Ryan and Kate.
Pearl shifted in her chair in utter boredom again. It seemed I was completely unequipped on how to entertain a seven-year-old in a fifteen-by-twenty-feet room for hours on end, and I had run fresh out of ideas. In the nick of time, one of the nurses that had been observing my family and me throughout the day started to walk toward me with a stack of white paper on a clipboard, crayons, and a pencil in her hands. She was now my hero.
The nurse outstretched the objects to me. “You look like you could use some entertainment.” She smiled kindly between Pearl and me. “I thought maybe the young one might like to draw or color?”
Pearl spun around slightly, listening to our conversation. She was now bouncing with excitement.
I read the nurse’s name tag and then looked back up at her. “Thank you so much, Bethany.” I beamed up at her, taking the items. “I was running out of ideas,” I admitted sheepishly, realizing I should have known better than to bring Pearl here for an unpredictable amount of hours with nothing more than a TV.
“I have four girls, so I know how challenging it can be to occupy children for long periods of time.” Bethany chuckled softly. Understanding stretched across her face as she gazed down at Pearl. “Have fun, dear.”
Pearl tipped her head up at the nurse, smiling from ear to ear. “I love to draw. Thank you!”
“You’re welcome.” The nurse winked before excusing herself.
I handed Pearl the goodies, and I could see the eagerness to begin drawing in her eyes.
She tilted her head in my direction. Her expression was thoughtful. “What should I draw first?”
“Hmm…how about a princess and a castle?” I offered, recalling they were among her favorite interests.
“I don’t know how to draw those.” She pinched her brows in concentration, and then she carefully thrust the clipboard and pencil onto my lap. She kept one sheet of paper and the crayons for herself, balancing them on top of the book on her lap. “Can you show me?” she added.
I lifted the clipboard, staring down at the blank paper. I had absolutely no clue where to start. Needless to say, for as much as I appreciated art, I had no skills in the subject whatsoever. Crap. I peeked over at Jason really quick for help, but he was now on his cell, listening intently to someone I could faintly hear on the other end.
I returned my attention to Pearl and decided to just roll with it. “Uh…sure,” I murmured, wondering what I had just gotten myself into.
“You’re the best!” she squealed with enthusiasm, opening the crayons to pull out a purple one.
She hovered her utensil above her paper and looked over at me expectantly, awaiting my lead.
Well, double crap. Here we go.
“Just make sure you keep saying that after you see my awesome skills,” I joked, lowering my pencil.
I started to outline the castle. I made two tall towers on the outside with indentations on the top of each peak, just like I remembered seeing them in Disney movies and on TV. All the while, I explained exactly what I was doing to Pearl. Then, I made a long rectangle connecting the two towers and a front door in the center. I glanced over at her to see she was mimicking each and every move of mine. I went back to my picture, and I added two windows on either sides of the door and then a flag on each tower.
Pearl reached over and tapped her index finger at the roof of the left tower. “I think the princess should go up there. That way her prince can rescue her.”
“All right.” I smiled at her and then got to work.
Drawing people was totally not my forte—at all. I was hoping I could pull it off since princesses wore big, fluffy dresses, and it would hide half the body that I would never be able to make look symmetrical. Af
ter tracing a circle at the top for her head and a slim neckline, I sketched a triangle shape for the dress, and then I drew stick arms, accounting for all five fingers on each hand. I even added a charming little beaded necklace that came to the center of her collarbone.
A familiar warm body pressed against my arm, and I inhaled deeply just so I could breathe him in. I could feel his eyes checking out my clipboard from above me.
He nuzzled his head lower to my ear. “Aren’t you a little old to be drawing stick people?” Jason whispered, not hiding his humor in the slightest.
“Nope,” I retorted, mirroring his hushed tone.
I pretended to be wounded by his words. I nudged him hard with my elbow. He grunted, and then his laughter vibrated my arm.
“Now, shh…I’m concentrating over here,” I added.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Lily looking over the brim of her e-reader, observing the two of us.
Jason teased me some more. “If I didn’t see it for my own eyes, I would never believe you drew that.”
“Wait till you see my awesome coloring skills.” I chuckled.
“I’m kinda scared to.” Jason chortled.
“You should be,” I replied.
I glanced sideways at Pearl to see her making arms and fingers on her own paper. She appeared to be absorbed in her picture, carefully constructing each detail, as she glanced back and forth between my paper and her own. Since she’d said she was unsure how to draw a princess and castle, I was amazed to see her drawing capabilities, which certainly surpassed my own skills. Her skills were truly outstanding. I reveled in awe at another one of her many gifted talents that she was revealing to me. My eyes went back to my own paper, and I added a skyline to the background. I grabbed a few colors from the crayon box Pearl had balanced on the armrest between us, and I began to color my picture. Once we both finished, she jumped from her chair and came to my other side.
“Look, Jason!” She lifted her picture and turned it around in her hands, so he could see it. “Abbey showed me how to draw a castle and a princess. I named her Alexandra.”
Jason smiled tenderly, his eyes shifting between the paper and her. “That looks amazing. You are really good at drawing.”
Her eyes twinkled with self-satisfaction. She clearly loved his compliment. “Thank you,” she said in a shy tone. “Now, I want to draw characters from The Beauty and the Beast.” She paused, blinking her eyelashes up at Jason. “Can you help me draw Belle and the Beast?”
Jason’s eyebrows rose. “Uh…I don’t know how to draw princesses,” he started to say.
I stifled a smile watching the two of them, knowing Jason would never be able to resist those emerald green eyes of hers. Pearl’s brows pinched together in a frown. It was that adorable kid look that could lure anyone into saying yes on the spot.
“But I can try,” he quickly added at her expression.
Hook. Line. Sinker.
Jason was a goner for a beautiful little girl who had captured both of our hearts. I scooted over into Pearl’s seat, so she could sit next to Jason while he showed her his rather impressive artistic capabilities. I sat and watched the two of them, my heart melting a little more with every second that passed.
Ryan walked into the waiting room at half past five, his face glowing brighter than the sun. We all jumped to our feet, bombarding him with questions.
He lifted his hands to silence us. “Annabel is finally here.” He beamed at each of us with a huge loving smile glued in place across his features. “She is healthy and beautiful—seven pounds six ounces and twenty inches long. And Kate is exceptionally well. They are moving them to another room just a little ways down the hall.”
Jason put his arm around me, and I looped my arm around his middle, embracing him back. Pearl stepped into my side and grabbed my hand, squeezing it. I beamed down at her, overwhelmed with the love I felt inside at the moment. My dearest brother was welcoming his daughter into the world with his family at his side, and I could not imagine being here without Jason and Pearl by my own side. There was no one else I’d rather share this moment with than the two of them.
“Oh, dear, I’m so happy for you,” my mom said to Ryan first, pulling him in for a hug. Drawing back, her expression turned somber, and the mom game face was back in place.
It was a face my two brothers and I knew all too well.
“Now, when can we see them both?” Mom asked.
“Right now.” Ryan chuckled.
Nurse Bethany approached us, and we all gave her our full attention.
“Normally, we only let families go in two or three at a time, but since it has been so calm here this evening and visiting hours end at seven, I’ll let you all go in together if you promise to keep things quiet,” she said, shifting her eyes over each one of us.
I could see it in my mom’s eyes that she was about to burst with joy, but she held herself together.
“Okay, we can handle that,” Mom said, resting her hand on Bethany’s shoulder and smiling at her. “Thank you so much, dear.”
“No problem,” she replied in a sincere tone. “Right this way,” she added, leading the way.
Pearl was at my side, holding my hand. Jason swung his head to the side, gazing down at me, as we started to walk behind everyone toward the room. A smile was etched in his face, and it reached all the way to his eyes. I lifted my free hand and linked it with Jason’s as we continued down the hall.
As we all emerged into the room, my eyes immediately landed on Kate. She was swaddling her newborn on the hospital bed, snuggling her close into her body, while cooing affectionately at her. Hearing the herd of our family emerging into the room, Kate looked up, noticing her husband first. She smiled lovingly at him. Ryan came to a stop at the side of the bed, bending down to softly kiss Kate on the forehead, and then he placed a second one on the top of Annabel’s head.
“Everyone is here to see you,” Ryan cooed at his daughter.
Kate repositioned Annabel, so we could all see her face. “Miss Annabel, your family would like to meet you.” She smiled down at her baby.
My parents, Kyle, Lily, Jason, Pearl, and I all surrounded Kate’s bedside, taking in our fill of Annabel for the very first time. The room was suddenly filled with oohs and aahs. Annabel’s tiny head was covered in a pink-and-blue hospital bonnet while her body was nestled in a white-and-blue blanket. Her skin was a soft pink tone, and she had her mother’s long, narrow face and full lips. She had a round button nose and high cheekbones that she’d surely inherited from Ryan, making me smile at the resemblance, and the coloring of her eyebrows was a chocolate brown, another Madison family trait.
My mom was the closest to Ryan. Tears filled her eyes and spilled over, toppling down her cheeks. “Oh, Ryan,” Mom cried, setting her arm around her son’s shoulder and patting him. “She’s precious.”
We all agreed as Ryan glanced at Mom.
“Thank you, Mom,” he responded. His voice was thick with emotion as he looked down at Annabel. “We think so, too.”
“Would you like to hold her?” Kate asked my mom.
“Oh, yes,” my mom readily agreed.
And so, it began. My family and I all took turns holding and snuggling with Annabel. We chatted about who she looked like the most overall and which specific traits she’d inherited from whom. We were all falling madly in love with this new baby girl who had mesmerized us with her beauty. There was so much love in the air. It was powerful and consuming and utterly beautiful. It was astounding how a new life could impact a family.
After all the adults had held Annabel, I glanced up at my brother and Kate. “Would it be okay for Pearl to hold Annabel, if I sit with her?” I asked, wanting to make sure I had their permission.
Ryan and Kate both answered, “Of course,” simultaneously.
Since Ryan was now holding the baby again, he stepped forward and passed her to me. I carefully nestled her in my arms and turned around to gesture a very excited seven-year-old over to
ward the oversized green chair next to Kate’s bed.
Pearl eagerly sat down and scooted all the way to the far left side of the seat, beaming up at me. I slowly took a seat next to her. There was just enough room for the two of us. As I gently placed Annabel on Pearl’s lap, Jason came and knelt down on his haunches directly in front of me. He lifted his hand, rested it on my knee, and began tenderly rubbing his thumb back and forth over my skin, observing Pearl and me intently. I watched Pearl as her eyes roamed over Annabel’s features.
“She’s so tiny, just like my baby dolls,” Pearl said in amazement. Then, she glanced between Jason and me. “Except she’s a little heavier.”
Jason and I chuckled quietly at her.
“Yes, she is,” Jason said.
With a smile, I added, “And she will be able to make a lot more noise than your dolls, too.”
Pearl giggled up at us before returning her focus to Annabel, cooing at her. Her face suddenly turned serious. “She’s so beautiful…just like a princess,” she spoke in a hushed tone.
A loose tendril of Pearl’s hair had fallen down, shielding her face from my view. I lifted my right hand and tucked it behind her ear, so I could see her vibrant emerald eyes again.
“All little girls are beautiful princesses, including you, sweetheart,” I murmured, wanting her to know how special she was.
I heard Pearl’s audible intake of breath as her eyes flickered to mine. “If I’m a princess, then you are, too,” she whispered, staring at me and then Jason.
Her eyes reflected a certain kind of love and friendship, but I also saw a vulnerability in them when she seemed to realize how much she was silently exposing her feelings to Jason and me.
In that moment, time stood still as something transpired in the air between the three of us. It was almost as if the pieces of a puzzle were slipping into place…in my heart. My chest tightened painfully as I came to realize how much Pearl had truly come to mean to me in only a short six months. In my heart, I knew that I loved her more than I ever thought possible, and I would do anything for her.