by Imari Jade
Aliya woke up first.
Genieva woke up several minutes later.
Kolby slept in one chair and Hale slept in another like both of them had physically delivered babies.
“How can they sleep when I feel like the bottom of my stomach has dropped out?” Genieva asked.
“Feels like I’ve been cut from my T to my A,” Aliya said. “And have you seen the boy? He’s one big papoose.” She wondered what Kolby would look like in a loin cloth and feathers. No, that was too much to ask. She’d probably just end up pregnant again if they role played.
“No, I haven’t seen him yet. I was too busy in labor with his cousin. Little Hale has brown hair like his father and blue eyes. He looks like a sumo wrestler.”
Aliya chuckled. “Ouch, don’t make me laugh.”
Genieva laughed and groaned too.
Hale woke up first. “What are you gals laughing at?”
“Our big sons,” Genieva said.
“I’ve seen both of them,” Hale said. “Kolby and I will have to sell a lot of cattle just to feed them.”
“Are you going to breast feed too?” Genieva asked Aliya.
“Yes,” Kolby answered for her.
Aliya scowled. “I thought you were asleep.”
“I was. Then I heard the word breast.” He sat up and yawned. “When are they bringing the babies in?”
“I don’t know,” Aliya said. “I barely know where I’m at. Did I scream much?”
“No,” Kolby answered. “You just squeezed my hand hard. That’s when the anesthetist came in and sedated you.”
Genieva laughed and groaned again.
“I went in asking for drugs.”
The door opened and two nurses entered with little incubators.
“Time for their feeding,” one of the nurses announced. She handed Aliya her bundle of joy. She helped Aliya take out a breast and Kolby, Junior latched on and began sucking.
“Look at him go,” Hale said excitedly.
The other nurse did the same for Genieva.
Aliya heard Hale, Junior smacking all the way over to her side of the room.
Kolby chuckled. “He sounds like Hale guzzling beer.”
“We’ll be back to get them later,” the nurse said. Both of them left.
Kolby came over to watch. He ran a finger through the baby’s jet black hair. “He’s beautiful. You did well.”
“Thanks,” Aliya said. “I think I’ll keep him.”
“You were thinking about giving him away?” Kolby asked.
Aliya nodded.
“I got tired of peeing.”
“Don’t make me laugh,” Genieva said on the other side of the room. “I was thinking the same thing.”
“He looks a lot like Marissa, but I think he’s going to have brown eyes instead of blue,” Kolby said.
“Did you think I was capable of producing a blue-eyed child?” Aliya asked.
“No,” Kolby answered. “And he has a permanent tan. He won’t have to sunbathe like me.”
“I liked looking at your butt that day,” Aliya admitted. “I’m sure his future wife will have no complaints.”
Little Hale began to cry.
“How much milk do you want, little boy?” Genieva asked. “I am not a moo cow.”
Little Kolby hadn’t come up for air yet.
“I think he’s going to be tall,” Aliya said. “And he has a strong kick. I bet my insides are black and blue.”
“I can’t wait to take my son to his first baseball game,” Hale said. “My father has already brought him a catcher’s mitt.”
Kolby had already brought his namesake a little red wagon. It was in the attic of their new house waiting for him to get old enough to play with it.
“You think Marissa is going to take care of him?” Aliya asked.
“Are you kidding?” Kolby asked. “She’s been blowing up my cell phone most of the night. She wants to babysit him. She better be asleep right about now.”
Marissa was spending the night at her friend’s house.
Their son finally got tired of sucking. Aliya gently leaned him across her arm and patted his back. He belched loudly. “Rude boy,” she said. She wiped the spit up milk off his mouth. “Do you want to hold your son?”
“Sure,” Kolby said. He put a white diaper over his shoulder.
Aliya placed the baby into his arms and Kolby sat down with him.
Little Hale finally belched. Genieva gave Hale his son.
Kolby unwrapped the baby’s blanket and began inspecting him.
“What are you looking for?” Aliya asked.
“His feet,” Kolby said. “Darn they’re big, and he’s long. He’s going to make some woman very happy.”
“Mine too,” Hale said. “They are going to be just like us.”
“Bragging is a sin,” Genieva said with a sleepy yawn.
Aliya felt tired too. Giving birth took a lot of energy out of her.
The nurses returned to get the babies.
Kolby kissed her.
“You get some sleep. I’ll see you when you wake up again.” He started to walk away, but Aliya grabbed on to his sleeve.
“Where are you going?”
“To the waiting room to talk with our parents. They’ve been here all night.”
“Another kiss before you go,” Aliya said.
Kolby leaned over and kissed her again.
“I love you,” Aliya said.
“I love you too, darling,” Kolby said. “Thank you for making my life complete.”
Sleep overtook Aliya.
“You too,” she said just before she drifted off.
The End
About the Author
Imari Jade hails from Marrero, Louisiana, where she works as a financial analyst. She collects anime and Asian drama and considers herself a multi-genre author. She is the mother of three sons and does the bulk of her writing riding on a bus to and from work five days a week. Currently she writes for Passion in Print, Sugar and Spice Press, Siren-Bookstrand, Melange Books, Phaze Books, Eternal Press, and Totally Bound.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
WILDFLOWER
Copyright Acknowledgement
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
About the Author