Together As Mutants (Book Six)

CXLXVII. Welcoming the New Baby

Casey paces back and forth in front of the maternity ward window, waiting for his baby to be brought in. April just gave birth, yet Casey had to leave to call the Hamatos. He can't celebrate his son's birth without his friends.

He stops as he thinks about it, a long breath passing his lips. He has a son; a little boy who'll look up to him the way Casey once looked up to his own dad.

"Casey!"

He turns, seeing Raphael dashing towards him with Taylor in tow. The other Hamatos follow behind them, all mutants wearing human patches of course. Destiny and Leonardo trail the furthest back with three-week-old Venus cradled in her arms. None of the kids are present.

"Dude! How did it go? Is April okay?" Michelangelo questions.

"Male or female?" Donatello adds.

"Guys, don't overwhelm him," Sarina says, flashing a quick smile Casey's way.

Venus gurgles and waves her little hands at Casey, her big green eyes alight with curiosity. Casey smirks and steps closer to the bundle, letting her grab his finger. He must admit, it's weird for him to see Venus as a human.

"Guys, look!" Taylor gasps.

"Baby!" Annalise squeaks with glee.

They all crowd around the window as one of the nurses sets a little bundle down in the bassinet labeled "Blake Adam Jones". The girls let out coos at the sight of the baby, while the men thump Casey on the back and voice their congratulations.

The baby, Blake, is a little on the small side with a patch of black hair on his head. His eyes are already opened, showing them to be the same blue colour of April's eyes. He squirms and kicks as he looks around at everything, especially all the adults ogling him behind the window.

"He's so handsome already," Destiny whispers. She casts a teasing look towards Casey as Venus tugs one of her curls. "Hard to believe he's your kid."

"Burn," Taylor laughs.

Casey shrugs as a lazy smile flickers across his face. "Good one, wolfie. Good one."

He stands back, his dark brown eyes resting on his son. Andrea will be by soon to visit her new nephew, and he invited Harry and Eustace over to see him too. He just knows that all three of them will be excited to meet Blake.

For a fraction of a second, his thoughts become more saddened than happy. Yeah, Blake is gonna grow up knowing good 'ole Uncle Eustace and Uncle Harry, but he won't get to know Auntie Zilla.

He swears that he can imagine her teasing him right now. "Wow, and I thought one Casey was enough work," she would say, flicking her dark hair over her shoulder.

His hand brushes his arm, swearing that that one section of marked skin is cooler than the rest. It doesn't make him feel sad anymore, more hopeful. She said she saw good in his future, and he's happy to see that she was right.