Chapter 35 Mia #2
“Run me my funyuns!” Juri said, her hand out.
“How are you gonna demand money but can’t say it right?”
Juri tapped her palm impatiently. Titan shook his head and pulled out his money clip. As soon as he pulled the wad of bills out, the rest of the kids came over with their hands out too.
“Damn, just finesse your uncle!” he said jokingly as he peeled off a wad of twenties and passed them out. My brothers laughed, like they weren’t about to be next.
“Now go get another twenty from your daddies and uncles.”
One by one, the kids went to my brothers with their hands out. They too had to pull out the money clips and break them off.
“Don’t forget Pop Pop!” I added.
My father’s head snapped in my direction. “That’s cold.”
“Just so y’all know, Charm said you all can pass her funds over to her mommy,” Shar said, rubbing her belly.
“DJ said the same,” Romi added, making the same motion.
“Baby Dillinger agrees,” Neha chimed in.
Senior sighed. “I’m finna run away. Y’all stay in my pockets.”
Deuce chuckled. “Nobody told you to have six kids and adopt their spouses as your kids too.”
“Nobody told y’all to be so damn fertile either.”
“Pot meet kettle.”
“Shut up, Stanley.”
The room erupted with laughter. It wasn’t a family moment if somebody wasn’t uttering that phrase. Just then, a nurse came out and approached us.
“Whoa! It’s a lot of y'all!” she said, smiling. She clasped her hands together. “So, baby Dillinger-Michaels is a very impatient little guy. He’s ready to make his entrance. Mom is fully dilated and preparing to push. Can I get daddy, grandma, and a Miss Mia to follow me?”
I kissed my husband and stood to my feet. Quaid was still pacing nervously. Even through all the family banter, he’d tuned us out. I walked over and grabbed his hand, causing him to stop. He looked down at me, blinking rapidly.
“Huh?”
“She’s ready.”
“She’s ready? Okay. Okay. Whew! I can do this.”
“You can. I’m gonna be right there with y’all.”
“Okay.”
He pulled me into a strong hug, damn near crushing me.
“I’m scared, Mia,” he whispered. “I’ve never been so scared in my damn life.”
“I got you,” I said, rubbing his back. “Everything is gonna be okay. Come on. Let’s go meet your son.”
INTRODUCING STANLEY QUAID DILLINGER-MICHAELS
“You did a beautiful job, baby,” Mama Tavia said, sniffling as she held on to me while we watched Jaeda and Quaid with Lil’ Stanley.
The cries from my nephew were probably the most beautiful thing I’d ever heard.
It was an honor to be in the room with my sister while she brought forth new life.
Even though she was scared, she put on a brave face, squeezed our hands and gave three good pushes before Stanley Quaid Dillinger Michaels came into this world.
Jaeda and Quaid were both a crying mess, and I was no better as I stood there watching them dote on their baby boy.
“Thank you, Mommy,” Jaeda whispered. “I had a whole baby.”
Mama Tavia and the nurses giggled.
“You did. He’s precious.”
“My baby is a mommy,” I said, swiping at my own tears. “I’m so happy for you two.”
“You wanna hold him?” Quaid asked through his tears.
“I… I um… yes.”
He stood and placed the loosely bound bundle in my arms. When I looked down at him, my eyes misted over with tears again.
“He’s perfect,” I whispered. “Hey, little guy. I’m your Auntie Mia.”
He stared up at me with bright eyes. I could have sworn I saw a little smile on his face, and it made me smile.
“I’m so proud of you, sissy,” I said, rocking him.
She smiled. “I couldn’t have done this without you, godmommy.”
My gaze snapped to hers. “Godmommy?”
Quaid chuckled. “Your husband is his godfather. It’s only right that you’re his godmother.”
“Y’all trust me to raise him if anything ever happened to you?”
Jaeda reached for my free hand. “I trust you with my life. Always. I know you’ll love and protect him like you love and protect me.”
I sniffled. “Always.”
I stared down at baby boy, silently promising to be everything he needed.
I loved all of my nieces and nephews equally, but this…
this was special. I almost didn’t want to let him go when the nurse said she needed to clean him up.
They asked us to leave the room while they got the baby and Jaeda ready to be moved to another room.
Mama Tavia, Quaid, and I disrobed and left the birthing area, heading back out to the waiting room.
“I’m really a father,” he said quietly.
I smiled. “You are. And you didn’t pass out. Congratulations, Pappy.”
He chuckled. “Thank you, Mia. And thank you for trying to talk me down out there, Ma.”
Mama Tavia waved him off. “You’re my son now. That’s what Mama is for. I can’t believe I’m a grandma again for the third time in a year.”
I smirked. “Well, if your kids follow in their daddy’s footsteps, more are coming.”
She playfully rolled her eyes. “I already know.”
As we neared the double doors, I stopped. “Mama Tavia, can I have a second alone with Quaid?”
“Sure, baby.”
She walked ahead of us and out the doors. I turned back to Quaid.
“I um… I just want to thank you for all you’ve been to Titan the last couple of months.
I don’t take your friendship with him for granted.
And I want to thank you for your help in Paris.
I know I’ve said that I was jealous of having to share my sister with you two, but I’m honored to call you my brother, Quaid.
The way you love her… it’s everything she deserves.
You two deserve each other, and I pray I can have at least a portion of the kind of marriage you share. ”
“You will. I know I was against you and T before… you know, when things were toxic. I was still against it up until a few months ago. But I’ve watched you both grow.
I’ve seen your relationship blossom into something I’m proud of, and I have faith that you two will continue to do the work to be better for yourselves and each other. ”
He pulled me into a strong hug, and I reciprocated.
“I love you, sis.”
“I love you too.”
A low chuckled rumbled in his chest. “Finally, a sibling that isn’t afraid to admit that shit.”
I laughed as we parted. “They’ll come around.”
“They don’t have a choice. They are stuck with me for the next eighteen years at least.”
“Nah, we are stuck with you for life because my sister isn’t coming up off you.”
“Facts.”
We headed out to the waiting room with smiles on our faces.
Today signified the birth of a new life for many different reasons.