Sometime during the hours that Drew laid comatose on my office couch, Collin and Rachel's baby was born. Surprisingly, they asked us to come visit tonight, despite the birth being only a few hours earlier.
When we arrive, Collin is holding the baby while Rachel watches, looking exhausted but incredibly happy.
"Hey guys," I call softly, knocking on the door. Something about the maternity ward makes you talk quietly. Drew is beside me, looking a little green. Probably thinking about the fact that soon it will be us.
"Hey! Come here and meet our son." Collin is absolutely beaming.
As we gaze down at the sleeping newborn, I'm struck by the realization of how tiny he looks. So fragile and yet so full of potential. His whole life is ahead of him.
"How are you feeling, Rachel?" Drew asks, barely able to look away from the baby.
Rachel chuckles, wincing a bit. "Honestly, I'm exhausted and feel like I've been ripped in two. But the birth itself was so quick, I'm still thinking it's a dream."
"Seriously, guys, it was chaos. Rachel called to tell me that she'd been in labor all day and needed to get to the hospital. And within an hour of us getting here, she kept telling the nurse that it felt like the baby's crowning. Hell, Patricia hadn't even arrived yet! They all just shrugged it off, saying she still had hours left. So, Rachel made me look, and I nearly fainted. The baby wasn't just close; he was crowning! I just barely held it together long enough to catch him. It was the craziest thing I've ever done. Thank fuck I thought to pack an extra outfit for myself in our 'go-bag'. Write that down, Damon, bring extra clothes. Birth is messy."
Collin and Rachel share a look, and it's so full of love that I have to look away. I want that. With Drew. I just don't know how.
"That's crazy. I can only hope my labor goes that fast. Did you pick a name yet?" Drew asks.
Rachel immediately groans, looking away from her husband, who looks like a cat in cream. Smug bastard.
"Well, she used her two vetoes right away, knocking out Collin Jr. and Franklin. So now we're down to Collin Frost the second, Rachel Jr., Maximilian, Frederick, Clarence, Ronald, or Clyde."
Both Drew and I look at Collin like he's crazy. Which, objectively, he is a little.
"Those are awful!" Drew looks at the baby with sympathy.
"Thank you! I've been telling him that for months!" Rachel exclaims, triumph in her eyes.
I can't stand by and let my boy get his feelings hurt. No matter how bad the choices are. "I don't know, I kind of like Maximilian. You can call him Max for short. It's pretty good, actually."
We all gaze at the sleeping baby to see if he approves. He just purses his little lips and makes a soft baby sound. I guess that counts?
"I actually don't hate that one." Rachel muses, yawning a bit.
"You want to hold him, Uncle Damon?" Collin asks, holding the baby out slightly. My heart clenches at the title. I didn't know they would do that. Collin has two brothers, so does Rachel, so it's not like the baby doesn't already have multiple uncles.
Shakily, I nod, holding my arms out. It takes a hot second to get the baby into position, and for a moment, I'm terrified I'm doing it wrong. He squishes his face, like he's about to let out a squawk of unhappiness, but resettles. And then it just clicks. I'm holding my tiny nephew, and it's perfect. I can only imagine what it will feel like with my own kiddo.
When I look up, I lock eyes with Drew, who is watching us dreamily. Like she's imagining what this will look like with our kid. There's so much hope and love in her eyes. And it's at this exact moment that I know, without any doubt. I love Drew. And even if it takes years for her to be able to accept that love, it will still be the best thing to ever happen to me.
We stay a bit longer, Drew taking a turn holding baby Max. Eventually, though, both Rachel and Drew are yawning, and we take our exit.
On the drive home, we're silent. Drew has clearly withdrawn into her own head, processing it all. But she keeps seeking physical comfort from me. Tucking herself under my arm, holding my hand, hugging. So, when she kisses me sweetly on the mouth before bed, I'm almost ready for it. She doesn't take it any further, and neither do I. But in the depths of my soul, I'm cheering. This feels like a giant leap forward.
Finally.
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Live, Laugh, Loathe
RomanceWhat happens when a man you loathe becomes your boss? And then your baby-daddy? I guess they don't say "there's a fine line between love and hate" for nothing.
