7. Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Elijah
M azie and Zach were on their honeymoon in Hawaii for ten days. And every single one of those days, Mazie called to see if Alina went into labor. Despite the fact that all three of us assured her we’d contact her immediately at the first sign of something, she still checked in.
Once she sounded weird, so I asked why she was so quiet. She was hiding in the closet so Zach didn’t know she was calling.
By the time she came back, still no baby. For some reason, everyone was sure the baby would come early. Instead, Alina’s four days past her due date when the call finally comes.
As with any significant Baker experience, it’s all hands on deck. The only one not staying in the waiting room is Jameson, as he tends to Jordanna when she needs a change of scenery. For a toddler, she’s pretty well behaved. But the hours spent waiting are enough to ruin anyone.
When she’s tired, she snuggles against Liv’s shoulder and passes right out. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen my sister more at peace than when she’s with her daughter and her husband.
There’s something to be said for the fact that Mazie’s not a complete nervous wreck. I’m not sure if it’s Zach’s support or the fact that we’ve now been through this once before.
They all have someone to support them, to help them through tough or scary times. And while I’m happy they have that, because they deserve it, I can’t help sitting in my seat feeling a little bit of a sad sack. That person doesn’t seem to exist for me.
Bex drifts through my head again. The copper of her hair, the deep jade of her eyes. Even her laugh floats through my ears like she’s sitting right next to me. And that scent of coconut infiltrates my nose, to the point that I’m looking up to see who’s near me. But there’s no one.
That night was the best sleep I’d had in months. There’s no way to explain it except Bex’s proximity. Which sounds crazy, considering I know her name and what she looks like, and that’s literally it. But there was a comfort she brought me, something that melted away the tension. An ease about her that let me be myself and not have to walk on eggshells. That chased the demons away for the night.
I’m pulled from my thoughts as the doors from the labor hall open and Cam comes out. He’s wringing his hands, and his eyes are wide as he looks around the mostly desolate waiting room. We’re all on our feet in seconds.
“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to worry you all. I was sent for Liv.”
“Just Liv?” You can hear the hurt in Mazie’s voice.
“Ali said something about just needing some last-minute words of encouragement from someone who’s been through it.” Cam looks truly saddened as he delivers the news, knowing that it’s hard for Mazie to hear.
She deflates a little, but nods and lets Zach put an arm around her shoulder and shuffle her away.
“Um. Okay. Gimme a second, I don’t want to wake her up as I pass her off to Jay.”
I take a step forward. “Can I take her?”
Liv and Jameson both freeze and turn to look at me, Liv with her hands under Jordanna’s armpits and Jameson with his hands outstretched to take her.
“You sure you want her? She gets heavy fast. And drools in her sleep.” As if to prove her point, Liv shifts Jordanna the slightest bit to show off a giant wet spot on her shoulder.
“Yeah, I don’t mind. You’ve both had her all day. Awake, it may be best for one of you to have her, but if she’s sleeping?” I lift my shoulder. “I think we’ll be alright.”
Jameson shrugs, lifts his hands, and backs away. It’s his way of saying that he doesn’t care and that it’s up to Liv.
I know the hesitation isn’t because Liv doesn’t trust me with Jordanna. I’m her favorite uncle, after all. It’s more that I’m not used to being what she calls “nap trapped” and it’s already going to be weird for her to wake up not at home.
But Liv hands her over to me, and I let her place Jordanna in my arms the way she’ll be most comfortable.
“You cannot move. Once you walk over and slowly sit down, you cannot move.”
“I got it. Go tell Alina she can do this.”
Her lips press together, and she follows Cam through the double doors.
I try not to, but I still have my doubts about Cam. He’s grown and changed a lot since they were first together, and I can see the strength he portrays in regard to his addiction. But it’s my job to keep watch.
As I slowly sink into my chair, Jordanna stirs the tiniest bit, and I adjust her head on my shoulder. Immediately, wetness seeps through my shirt. The funny thing about it, that Liv wouldn’t remember, is that she, too, was a drooler when she was a baby. For all I know, she still is.
My arms wrap a little tighter around Jordanna’s tiny frame. There’s so much of my parents in her features it’s almost painful. If Liv sees it, I’m not sure how she lives with it on a day-to-day basis. Though I guess perhaps it’s like having a part of them back with her.
It’s one of the things I worry I’ll never have. The older you get, the harder it is to have kids. Maybe not for men, but it would be for my wife. I also wouldn’t want to be too old to enjoy things with them.
While I love being an uncle, the responsibility to continue the Baker name, the Baker legacy, falls squarely on my shoulders.
Liv walks back through the doors, a smile on her face, and makes a beeline straight for me. She outstretches her arms, but I angle away from her, holding Jordanna tight.
I look down at the angel sleeping in my arms, whose mouth is open as she breathes deeply, and her tiny fist is holding my shirt. “She’s fine. We’re fine,” I whisper-hiss the words at my sister.
She smiles at me, a glint in her eyes. “When you need to trade off, just let me know.”
I nod at her, even though I don’t anticipate such a thing. This moment is so perfect, so precious, that I’d risk my arms going numb and my bladder exploding just so I didn’t have to move and wake her up.
Jordanna starts to stir in my arms, a whine coming out as she pulls from sleep. I completely agree with her—waking up is the worst. Liv’s standing in front of me in two seconds flat, but I wave her away.
As Jordanna sits up, I plant a smile on my face. And her frown dissipates, her tears dry, and I see the handful of teeth she has.
“Unkie Li, Li!” She throws her arms around my neck and snuggles in.
If this tiny little princess already has my heart, I’m going to be a goner if the time ever comes for me to have my own kids.