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THEA
“Welcome home, Ulric,” I said to him as he stared up at me, with those beautiful hazel-green eyes. Whenever I talked, he always reached up to touch my face. I pulled off the tiny blue and green mitten his grandmother had given him and kissed his fingers.
“Jesus Christ, this snow!” Levi groaned as he shut the front door, the car seat in one hand, and our bags in the other, snow falling from his wool jacket.
“It’s snowing again?” I asked, turning back. We’d spent the week in the hospital because of the blizzard, which was great because we got a lot of tips and help from the nurses. But on the other hand, we’d been stir crazy and so ready to get home.
“Yeah. Just started again. Looks like it’s not over after all,” he replied putting our stuff down by the door and taking off his jacket and scarf. He’d gone in out twice, first to help me bring Ulric inside and then again to get our things.
“Hello, Marshmallow,” he said, kissing Ulric’s forehead.
“Oh no. Don’t call him that, or Bellamy will never let it go.” I laughed, rocking Ulric, as his little arms waved about.
“Like mother, like daughter,” he said, reaching to take off my hat. I maneuvered my neck so he could take off my scarf. “Okay, my turn.”
He reached for Ulric.
Pouting, I kissed Ulric’s hands once more, before gently settling him into Levi’s arms.
“Come to Daddy,” he cooed, bouncing him just like the nurses did. Ulric smiled. “Yes, that’s right. I’m your daddy. You want to see your room?”
“I’m telling you, all this baseball stuff, and he’ll want to take up interpretive dance or something.” The moment I said it, Levi looked up at me as if I’d lost my mind, hugging Ulric to his chest.
“Let’s go see your room before your mommy tries to ruthlessly crush my heart again,” he whispered, headed for the stairs.
Rolling my eyes, I took off my coat, putting it on top of his, as he waited for me.
“I’ll get it,” he said when I reached for the baby bag and car seat.
“Then you’ll have to leave us again. I’ve got to go.” I smiled right behind them. He’d done everything. I knew I gave birth, I knew this was what it was like being parents but still, he was carrying him so why not.
He made a face but Ulric knew just how to make us smile and the moment he looked back down at him, he didn’t even worry about it. He walked back up the wooden steps slowly until he got to the top floor. Up next to him, I closed the baby gate and followed him down towards his bedroom.
“What do you think?” he asked, lifting him a little so he could see the room.
Almost all of the walls were a navy blue with the exception of the wall adjacent to Ulric’s crib. There, the wall had been perfectly wallpapered with the image of a giant baseball. So it was mostly white with the red stitching of the baseball on the corner. In the center, written in Boston Red sox font, was the letter U…and that was just the beginning. The changing table sat on top of the dresser, which he’d painted red. Written in bold white lettering, it read, “Fenway Park,” along with “Red Sox Nation,” and the words “World Series Champs,” and around that in small numbering the years, “2004, 2007, 2013,” and then “20 ” with space next to it. Apparently for the year Ulric would win one. Still not done…closing the door, he showed him the jersey onesies he’d gotten in both red and white. The name BLACK embroidered on the back over the number 23rd which was originally my due date.
“What do you think? A champ room for a future champ?” he asked Ulric.
Sitting down on the rocking chair, I watched as they walked around the room, Levi giving him the grand tour. When I met him, he seemed more into music and law than baseball. His house was orderly and elegant. Sure, he had a few baseball things. Like a beer opener and a jersey. But it was Boston, so it was hard to find anyone who didn’t have stuff like that. It was only when I moved in, and baseball season started, that he came out like a drag queen at Mardi Gras.
“Pitcher or catcher?” he asked, lifting the baseball mitt in front of him.
Dear God, please let this kid love baseball.
PREGNANCY: MONTH 6
THEA
“I can’t believe you’re letting them do this.” Bethan shook her head. Levi and Tristan were currently painting the nursey, both of them wearing old ripped jeans and crew cut t-shirts, listening to the game on a radio, which sat in the corner on top of the painting surface shields.
“Let them paint, or make the nursery a baby baseball cave?” I asked, cutting lemons for the lemonade.
“Both,” she replied, shaking her head as she reached for one of the chocolate cookies. “Tristan tried … even after we found out we were having a girl, but I told him he could pick three things; he chose a pink baseball bat she doesn’t use, a Red Sox shirt I can’t
find, and a baseball, which she drew on and tried to make a doll out of. Successfully killing his dreams of coaching the next Dot Richardson.”
“I have no idea who that is?” But then again I didn’t know shit about baseball so what else was new.
