POWER BACK

Chapter 48: Hallelujah

Chapter 48: Hallelujah

April

She continues to smile in that sugary sweet southern way. Then she walks to the window and looks out at the night sky. "Oh, well, you know Bree and I go a long way back. She and Cash were together for...I don't even know. When did you two start dating, honey?" She asks Bree. "Was it freshman year?"

Bree nods. "Yes ma'am."

"Wow, almost four years. So, as you might reckon, we got pretty close during that time. Bree was Cassie's big sis in cheerleading and all before she...transferred."

I look at Bree and shake my head. I have no idea what she's talking about.

"Cassie is Cash's younger sister," Bree says. "She's a freshman."

"Anyway," Mrs. Carson turns back around and continues, "I just wanted to come by and see how she was doing, going into labor so early and all. See if there was anything I could do...to help. And I brought y'all a gift for little Colt." She nods toward Bree's bed where a box has been opened. Inside there's a preemie-sized pajama and hat set. It's light blue with footballs all over it. Underneath the PJs is a receiving blanket with the initials CGC on it.

"I thought that would be perfect for the little angel," she says batting her lashes at me.  "He's such an angel."

"Have you seen him?" I ask. I'm going to be super pissed if Bree let her back into the NICU.

"Just the pictures on Instagram that Bree posted this morning."

I spear Bree with a look whose meaning she can't possibly misinterpret. Why does she feel like it's okay to post pictures of our baby on social media without even asking me?

"He just took my breath away," Mrs. Carson continues. "So tiny. So perfect. Congratulations to both of you."

*****

After she finally leaves, I turn to Bree. "You already posted Colt's picture on Instagram?"

"Well, yeah, of course I did. Most people get to do it the first day. But you know I was totally out of it, so I couldn't do that until today. I persuaded the nurse to take his tubes off him and stuff."

"You did what?"

She rolls her eyes. "It was like five seconds. Jesus, don't have a conniption."

I shake my head. I'm so angry right now I can't even breathe.  

"Chap, come on. He's fine. I just wanted...I don't know...to feel normal. To have everything be..."

"Perfect?" I snap.

"Normal." She starts to tear up.

Oh, spare me the waterworks.

"It was the sweetest picture, and he looks so beautiful, and I just love him so much that I wanted to show him off to the world, Chap."

I take a deep breath and go sit next to her on the bed. "Bree," I say softly, "I need for you to hear me, okay? He's my baby too, and we have a long future together, the three of us. I need you to include me in decisions regarding his welfare. Can you please do that for me?"

She looks down at her lap and nods.

There are so many more things I need to say to her, but I don't.

She seems so sad. So tired.

"I promised my parents I'd go to the Easter service with them in the morning, so I think I'll try to get some sleep. You need anything?"