“The contractions were the worst part.” I sipped my whiskey Coke and laughed at my own joke. Hayden was looking right at me, annoyed.

“Oh? Tell us more. How did those contractions feel? Go on. Tell the whole party how they felt,” Hayden said.

I shrugged. “Wouldn’t be difficult to do again. Although, the painful screaming was a bit too much for the ears.”

Hank laughed, but Hayden’s mother gave the same disapproving look that her son gave me. “Sheila, I’m only joking,” I said.

“If I weren’t holding Nathan right now, I’d talk some sense into you,” she said.

“You have no idea how bad it hurt,” Hayden said.

I rubbed Hayden’s shoulders. He had gone through hell to deliver that baby. Twenty hours of pure hell. I didn’t know how he got through it.

Our baby started to cry. He was doing that a lot these days. Hayden darted up. “Daddy, can you get his milk?” Hayden asked. Admittedly, this was different from the daddy role that I was used to.

His mom walked with Nathan to the baby bag. “I’ve got it,” she said. “Stop worrying so much, and relax.”

“Mom, you don’t need to do this,” Hayden whispered.

“You’ve been up all night, every night since the pregnancy. You deserve a day off,” she said.

Hayden looked back at me. I tenderly stroked his shoulder. “She’s right. You really do,” I said.

Hayden sat back down, but he was unable to stop looking over at Nathan. He quickly stopped crying. “He’s okay,” I whispered to Nathan as his mom walked into the kitchen.

“Sometimes, I just get worried,” Hayden admitted.

“She’s been sober for eight months now. She’s good with him,” I assured Hayden.

There were new adjustments for all of us. After a few months of searching, we found a new home in the suburbs, thirty minutes south of the city. It was the perfect place to start our family, and moving in had been the perfect excuse to come together with friends and loved ones as much as possible.

Sheila had it rough for a long time. I learned about her addiction issues, and the trauma she faced as a younger woman. She continually strived to make her own life better, and actually got the help she needed while keeping a long-term job in the process.

She quickly got over the fact that her only son was settling down with another man. Once the baby entered the equation, she was all for having a grandson. Nathan changed her in the same way that he changed us, and each hour Sheila was free, she’d spend time with the baby.

Hank knelt down next to me. Our friendship had grown these last few months. We didn’t ever talk about Patrick or the old days again, but the three of us knew that most of those strange events brought us closer together.

“I’m proud of you, guys.” Hank sipped his cocktail and enjoyed the new living room. “You’ve really made something beautiful here.”

“You didn’t think I’d have a kid and settle down, did you?” I smiled.

“You? Hell no,” Hank said. Both Hayden and I laughed.

“I didn’t either,” Hayden said with a wink.

“Thanks, guys. Real funny.”

I laughed alongside them. The truth was that I didn’t expect it either. None of us did. Nathan was the surprise of the century. He made me realize what was important. Most importantly, it shook me out of an age-old depression. I finally woke up.

I started out as a blank slate. I didn’t read any of the books that I was supposed to. I was learning every single day. I even made a set of rules for myself.

Rule number one: I wouldn’t ever lie to my child. That was huge. I wanted him to grow up knowing that his dad was an honest man. He needed someone he could look up to. I sure as hell never got that.

Rule number two: I would never leave my child hanging. That meant no ballgames would go unseen. I’d help him with his math homework, even when I couldn’t understand the damn formulas to the equations. I was here to serve my family.

Rule number three: I’d focus on the good times. Always.

Hank looked out of the large windows to the backyard. Patches, our new English Setter puppy had his tail perked up. He quickly ran toward the doggy door. When he stepped inside, he looked happily ready to lick anyone who was willing to let him.

“Come here, boy,” I whispered. He ran up to Sheila, eager to pounce up to kiss Nathan. I whistled, and Patches ran my way like a good boy.

“You know, I want this. Someday,” Hank said.

“You’re hitting your late thirties, Hank. Better start dating again,” I said.

“I’m serious,” Hank said. “I want to find an alpha to fall in love with.”

“You will,” I said. “Who knows? You might even find two.”

“That would be a gift from heaven, wouldn’t it?” Hank laughed and collapsed into the chair.

“Two? Oh, dear lord,” Sheila whispered.

“You’re charming, Hank,” Hayden said. “Leo’s right. Mr. Right is just around the corner.”

“Waiting in the next chapter of my life. I hope you’re right,” he said.

As soon as he said those words, Nathan reached out to him. Hank awkwardly pointed at himself. “Me? You want me, little guy?”

Nathan smiled, aimlessly stretching out his arms. Sheila carefully guided our baby into Hank’s arms. Hank went to kiss the top of our baby’s head.

“Uh, oh,” Hayden whispered.

“What?” I asked.

Nathan vomited all over Hank’s new shirt. The whole house burst out in laughter. “Still have that baby fever?” I asked.

“Keep talking, beast. I’ll send you back to the maze,” he said.

“Oof.” I laughed. “Kinky.”

Disapproving looks from the family, followed by Hayden’s warm kiss. Dad life. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love every second of it.

***

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