Rafael
She trembles as we step down the stairs. She’s fucking adorable to be nervous to see Oliver; it’s cute she thinks he’ll be anything other than delighted to see her.
Rosalita’s voice fills the foyer as she chats happily to our son, and when her eyes find mine, I give her the nod to slip away, leaving Oliver at the breakfast table.
Walking into the room, Ellie freezes, so with the palm of my hand on the bottom of her back, I gently push her in front of me, hiding Hudson from view.
“Oliver,” I call to our son, and he lifts his head. His eyes widen, then he scrambles off the chair to get to Ellie, and his face morphs into pure exhilaration.
“Ma-momma El,” he cries as Ellie bends down to scoop him into her arms. She sobs as he clings to her neck, and he only wails louder.
Jesus fucking Christ, it hurts my ears.
Hudson startles in my arms, and I cradle him closer. His small hands expand as if shocked, and for the first time since meeting him, he opens his eyes and stares directly at me. While his momma and brother embrace one another, I stare into my little man’s eyes.
Brown, they’re brown, with tiny flecks of gold sparkling back at me.
Then he scares me shitless when he opens his mouth and screams at the top of his lungs, cutting through the air like a knife.
Ellie and Oliver freeze, and she stands with Oliver in her arms. He looks at Ellie as if in question. “Do you want to meet your baby brother, Oliver?”
He scrunches up his nose and points toward Hudson. “Ba-bab.” He tries to say baby, and Ellie giggles at him, her smile so wide you’d think her cheeks would be painful.
“His name’s Hudson. Can you say Hudson?”
“Huds.”
“Good boy.” She kisses the top of his head, then bends down to place him on the floor while I kneel to let him greet his little brother.
“Be gentle.” I look at him pointedly, and he nods. “Stroke his hair.” His small hand hovers over Hudson’s head, and he makes a stroking motion, and I chuckle. “We’ll work on it, little man.”
“Huds.” He grins from ear to ear.
“Are you going to look after him? You need to be a good big brother, protect him. Do you think you can do that for me?”
My son’s gaze meets mine, and he straightens his shoulders as he stares back at me. “Yes, Papa.”His words are clear and concise, full of confidence.
And I know without a shadow of a doubt that he will.