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“What? Oh. It’s not a big deal.” I fail to mention that her younger brother asked me out. I figure that’s on a need-to-know basis, and she doesn’t currently need to know. “I was just curious, that’s all.”
“Right…” Ava trails off, and I return to my phone, swiping through the dating app I’ve been perusing without luck for weeks.
I pretend to be enthralled by Rob’s profile, but I can still feel Ava’s eyes boring into me. In my distracted state, I end up swipingyeson several random people, even matching with a few, and when a message pops up from a dude named Jack, I throw myself into conversation without a second thought.
EIGHT
I’M NOT A PHILANDERING PIECE OF SHIT
“You’ve got this, Ashley,” I encourage my best friend fervently, and she squeezes my hand, shooting me the same grin she’s sported the whole time I’ve known her before returning to the breathing exercises we learned in Lamaze class. If you would have told me that the friendly new girl in second grade with a snaggle tooth smile would grow up to be my best friend and give birth to my daughter, I would have been thoroughly weirded out.
Now, it’s still a little weird. But more than anything, I’m excited to be a dad.
“Alright, guys, are we ready?” The doctor chuckles. “Well, it doesn’t matter, she’s coming. One more push, Ashley.”
She squeezes my hand so tightly, I fear my fingers may fall off, but I endure it. I’m sure it’s nothing compared to what she’s going through. She opted for an unmedicated birth. Ashley’s wife, Kyler, is standing on the other side, and she presses her lips to Ashley’s forehead.
Their eyes lock for a moment, unspoken words and love passing between them, and it seems to send new determination through Ashley. After one last guttural groan rumbling deep from her chest, she collapses back onto her pillows, spent, and the cries of our daughter fill the room. They pass her from nurse to nurse over Ashley’s body, then my best friend takes Quinn in her arms and lays the baby on her bare chest.
I can’t look away from her, wide-eyed and squirming, her cries softening as she settles against Ashley. I know she can’t see yet, but it’s as if her eyes are looking for me, and I bend closer, cupping her tiny head in my hand. I count her tiny fingers and look over to see Kyler counting her toes.
“You want to cut the cord, Dad?” the doctor offers, and I glance at Kyler, unsure of how to respond.
“Together?” she offers and I nod, my chest flooding with relief.
The way we plan to do everything with our girl. “Together.”
She takes the scissors from the doctor, and I close my hand over hers, the blades slicing the cord cleanly with one snip. Then I return to Ashley’s side, enamored with our new little love.
“Welcome to the world, Quinn Ahdora,” I whisper, tracing the top of her small hand.
Quinn grunts against Ashley’s chest, and after a few attempts, she’s latched on and feeding happily. The photographer we hired to document the birth made it just in time, and she clears her throat.
“If you’re not ready for visitors yet, I can email some of these shots to you so you can share them with your family.”
“Thank you so much, Natalie.” Ashley gives her a tired smile. “But I think we want to show her off.”
“How about I grab everyone?” I offer. “They can all see her for a moment, then head home so you can get some rest.”
“Perfect.”
I nod, then head out of the room and down the hall. I stop short, surprised to see Phoebe sitting with Ava. My dad is here, and both Ashley’s and Kyler’s parents, but to my disappointment, my other siblings aren’t.
It was short notice, though. And Ava being here is a big enough deal. We’re still reconnecting after I hurt her feelings last year. I made a careless remark without thinking, but we’ve buried the hatchet. And now she’s here and ready to be an aunt to Quinn, and that fills me with an indescribable amount of happiness.
“Alright, everyone, come meet our girl,” I announce, and they rush toward me like a stampede.
* * *
By the time Ashley and Quinn are discharged from the hospital two days later, I’m so exhausted I can’t hold my head up, and we have three people taking care of our baby. I can’t imagine someone doing this alone. I haven’t found my own place yet, but it’s something I’ve got to take care of. I know Ava wouldn’t mind me bringing Quinn to the apartment, but I don’t want to be dependent on someone else. That’s a big part of why I ended up going to technical school instead of finishing up my degree. And honestly, I make more money working on heat pumps than plenty of people do with a bachelor’s.
My phone buzzes and I stop in the aisle of the grocery store to check it.
Kyler: Hey, will you grab Ashley some coffee on your way?
Me: Can she have that? While nursing?
Kyler: She sure as hell can.
