6
Katharine
Jackson called me to say they were being discharged in an hour. I told him Ian and I would meet them at home with something to eat. While I was visiting them at the hospital the previous day, I’d put a car seat in Jackson’s vehicle so he could bring Brian home safely. Since the baby had come early, we weren’t totally prepared. It didn’t take much to get everything arranged, however, and now we were ready to bring home our new grandson.
I put a crib in Sara’s room so it would be easier when the baby got up in the middle of the night to nurse. Once the baby became more self-sufficient, we planned to move him to the room Emily was supposed to use. Her room was right next door to Sara’s. We bought a monitor so the kids could not only hear if the baby woke up but see his movements as well. Ian asked Emily if it was all right to use her room, and she agreed that it made the most sense. It didn’t look like she was planning to move back in with us anymore, so her room was perfect.
I called Ian and told him the kids were going to be home soon. He offered to call Todd, his brother who owned a successful Italian restaurant in New York City called Pane Vino, and have him prepare a to-go package. I suggested he invite Emily and Martin to join us. When I hung up with him, I had to run some errands on the way home. I picked up flowers for the kitchen and Sara’s bedroom. There’s nothing like the smell of fresh flowers in a room.
I also stopped by a store to pick up a really soft blanket I had monogrammed with Brian’s initials. As soon as Sara had told us the name of the baby, I’d called the boutique and asked them to put his name on it. I thought it would be a special gift, especially considering the name of the baby. It was very thoughtful for Sara and Jackson to incorporate Jackson’s dad and Ian’s name together. It made me cry when I realized the thought they’d put into it. I never wanted to forget Bryce, and it was obvious Jackson felt the same way.
I was glad Ian was picking up dinner, so I had one less thing to worry about. I wanted to be home and have things organized as soon as Sara and Jackson arrived, so I could help them settle in. Neither of our kids had much experience with babies. They were going to need as much guidance as possible.
Sara had asked me at the hospital if it was at all possible for me to take some time off to help her. She admitted she was afraid to be alone with the baby. I assured her I could work remotely until she felt comfortable enough to be alone with the baby. Jackson had to get back and finish up the semester. There was no way he could miss the last two weeks.
Ian also had a lot of flexibility in his schedule, so we agreed to take turns being home. We wanted to make the transition as easy as possible for Sara. Besides, she had to finish the semester also. The more we could help with the baby, the easier it would be for her to finish her schoolwork.
I got home before anyone else. I arranged the flowers in two vases and distributed them accordingly. I set the dining room table with china and candles. This was a very special homecoming. Ian sent me a text and said Emily would be coming alone. I worried so much for her. I knew she wasn’t happy with Martin and that she felt trapped. Ian talked to her about it, but she assured him she had everything under control. I didn’t believe her. Neither did my husband.
I couldn’t wait for everyone to get home. I was puttering around thinking about how much my life had changed in the last three years. So much had happened since my husband, Bryce, died. I had spent a year wallowing in complete despair. I’d been thin and weak. I’d felt like a huge part of me died when my husband died. If it weren’t for Jackson, I’m not sure I would have ever survived.
And then Ian came into my life and brought the light and joy I had lost back into it. I’d never thought I could feel that happy again. I loved Ian. He made me remember the most important things in life are love and family. He helped me honor a pact I had made with my husband. We had promised one another that we would always find passion in our lives. After Bryce had passed, passion was the last thing I ever thought I would experience again. After he died, that promise made my despair even greater, because I didn’t feel like it was a promise I could keep. Ian changed all of that. He helped me honor that pact and find love again.
Now we had a grandchild together. It was incredible. I never saw it coming, especially so soon. At first I was conflicted about an impending relationship between my son and my stepdaughter. It definitely took Ian and me some time to wrap our heads around it. I know it was even more difficult for Ian, since he found our kids in a sexually compromising position on his kitchen table before we were even aware they were dating.
Although they should have been more forthcoming about their relationship, we understood why they omitted telling us. They didn’t want to cause any conflict between Ian and me, which was thoughtful. Finding his daughter naked and covered like an ice cream sundae was not the ideal way to find out they were dating. But the sticky situation, as we like to refer to it, was behind us now. Ian and I were now the proud grandparents of a beautiful baby boy.
“Mom, we’re home!” I heard Jackson call out. I was in my bedroom changing into more comfortable clothing when I heard his voice. I couldn’t greet them quickly enough. Sara was holding the baby, and Jackson was holding a large diaper bag.
“How is our baby doing?” I asked them.
Sara handed the baby to me. I gladly took him. “He is perfect, Katharine. I still can’t believe it. I fed him before we left, and he slept the whole way home. I think he probably needs to be changed, but I don’t want to wake him. What do you think I should do?” she asked me.
“My mother always told me to leave a baby alone when he’s sleeping. When he wakes up, you can change him. Unless it’s a soiled diaper, let him rest. He needs his rest as much as you do.”
Just then I heard the door open again. Ian walked into the room and looked at each one of us in turn. “Look at this beautiful picture. How is my baby girl holding up?” he asked Sara.
Sara walked over and hugged her father. “I’m good, Daddy, just exhausted. I was just telling Katharine that I fed Brian before we left. He eats every two hours, which is kind of a pain, but I’m glad he’s eating well. The nurse told me that a lot of babies have a difficult time latching on. Some women even have to hire a lactation consultant once they leave the hospital to teach them how to nurse. I’m psyched I was able to figure it out.”
Ian smiled proudly at his daughter. “I’m so happy for you and Jackson. Brian is a beautiful baby. But now it’s time to feed all of you while the food is hot. It looks like Todd packed the entire restaurant in these boxes.”
Sara and I took the baby into the bedroom and put him in the crib. He never woke up. We both just stared at him and watched him sleep for a minute. I instinctively put my arm around my stepdaughter and rested my head against hers. Babies are such a blessing. I was happy for her and Jackson and said a little prayer that their relationship would be able to endure all the changes that were about to happen in their lives.