Everyone is looking at the baby, but Jenny is looking at her son. She’s extremely proud of him. He’s crying and hugging his wife as the doctor lays the baby on her chest.
“You’ve got a son,” Jenny tells him, touching his head lightly as he leans over to kiss his baby … his son.
“Oh my god. It’s a boy!” I suddenly exclaim, and everyone in the room chuckles.
“You two are lucky. You’ve got some pretty proud grandparents here,” the doctor says, going back to whatever it is she’s doing. I really don’t want to know.
The rest of the time is simply indescribable. The baby is weighed and measured, and then he’s put on Willow’s breast. The time seems to go slow and fast at the same time.
Eventually, everyone leaves the room but us. Jackson hands me my grandson as Jenny helps Willow into the shower.
“Brody’s been blowing up my phone,” he says, laughing. “Him and Jack were up all night catching the frogs Aspen and I put in their house before the wedding.”
“You and your daughter are a menace. Don’t you think you and Brody are getting a little old for pranks?”
“No. Why quit when it’s so much fun?” he asks, shrugging. “Hey, I’m going to go help Willow,” he says. “Will you be okay out here with Rowan?”
“Yeah, yeah of course.”
He pauses. “I’m glad you and Mom were here.”
I nod because fuck, I can hardly speak. “Thank you for letting me experience this,” I manage to get out.
Jackson lowers himself beside me, placing his hand on my shoulder. “You’ve been such a good father to me. I’m glad I could give you a little something back.”
“You’ve given me a lot more than this.” I look down at the bundle in my arms and then at him. “Just you being you is a gift, Jackson.”
He smiles shyly and then stands to go tend to his wife.
A few moments later, Jenny comes out and joins me. “We got her in. Ah, I remember how that first shower feels. Your muscles get so tense during labor.”
I stare at her. She looks relaxed and tired, but happy.
“Do you want to hold him?” I begin transferring the baby from my arms to Jenny’s without waiting for a response from her. I can’t wait to see this baby in her arms.
When she’s settled with him, I take my phone out and take a selfie of the three of us, sending it to my friends.
“He looks a lot like Jackson did when he was a baby, doesn’t he?” Jenny says, locking eyes with me.
It’s as if we can’t look away. We’re caught in a moment in time. Not this one, but one from many years ago. We sharedsomething special back then, even though I didn’t know it at the time.
“I held him the entire time after he was born and all through the next day. I didn’t think I’d be able to let him go,” she whispers. “But I knew I had to. I knew I could never leave that room with him.”
I swallow hard, still trapped in her gaze.
“I gave him a bath on the second day, and when I grabbed the swaddling blanket the nurse gave me, it was covered in tiny dragonflies. I knew in that moment it was a sign, and it was time to give him to you.”
“The first time I held him,” I begin to say, wiping my eyes. “I couldn’t get over how little he was. I was worried I would break him. I couldn’t believe anyone would present me with such a gift. I thanked Jackson’s birth mother so many times in my mind. It was on repeat, like a song you can’t seem to shake. I knew she had to be an angel to give me something so special.”
The bathroom door opens, and Jackson helps Willow back to her bed. Jenny stands with Rowan. “He’s been sucking his little hand like crazy. I think he’s ready to nurse again.”
Jackson and Willow both kindly ignore our tears as the two of us wipe our faces.
We head down to get them a couple of sandwiches from the deli. It’s starting to get dark already. It’s been a long day.
When we get back to the room, little Rowan is in his bassinet while Jackson and Willow are curled up together on her bed. She is fast asleep, but Jackson is still awake. He’s quietly running his fingers through her hair, deep in thought.
“You should get some sleep too,” I tell him, setting the sandwiches on the table.
