Chapter 39

Carter

I take a sip of coffee out of the Styrofoam cup and feel like spitting it out again. But it’s not the sort of thing you do in a hospital waiting room.

“Tastes like crap,” I say. I take another sip, just to make sure my opinion was spot on.

It is.

“Hospital coffee is not supposed to taste any good, my friend,” replies Lawrence and slaps me on the shoulder.

Instead of a reply, I continue my pacing. Up and down I walk, up and down, like one of those caged lions you see in the zoo.

“How long has she been in there?” I ask, more to say something than expecting an answer.

“Too long if you ask me,” replies Lawrence before joining me in my pacing.

He looks about as stressed as I feel.

“She’ll be alright,” he pats me on the back. “I know she’ll be alright.”

The haggard look in his eyes and sincere attempts at reassurance tell me that Lawrence has eschewed any and all bullshit—at least for this occasion—and has become as real as I always hoped and knew he could be.

This is my brother; I know who he really is. The Lawrence Abraham that most people know nowadays is only part of the picture, and a lot of it is made up of who he thinks he’s supposed to be.

With that slap on the back and vaguely condescending coffee comment, I thought I might still be dealing with that Lawrence—which would be fine—but on a day like this one, my brother has neither time nor energy to be anyone but exactly who he is.

I take another sip of my coffee.

“Still tastes like crap, right?”

“I’m not drinking it for the taste.”

Lawrence nods, stopping himself from making a smart comment. More likely, he’s distracted, tired, frazzled and in disbelief that this is finally happening—in other words, he’s right here with me as I reach the peak of this crazy, incredible ride.

The ride of a lifetime.

Two lifetimes, actually.

Holy crap. It’s like the news of it being twins is just hitting me for the first time, weeks later.

Being in a hospital waiting room for hours on end will do that to you.

Especially when it’s almost three o’clock in the morning.

Especially when you just happened to be waiting for any news regarding the love of your life giving birth to your children.

Twins.

Holy goddamn shit.

I barely even notice that I’m pacing, it’s become second nature. I do notice that Lawrence has taken up pacing as well, not even noticing when he almost bumps into me.

Since my brother is helping me with pacing duty, I sit down and take another sip of coffee.

This shit’s getting cold, and yes, it’s getting worse.

Fuck it. I’ve got enough excitement and nervous energy to keep me awake well into the next day and beyond.

“I can’t even choke this shit down anymore.”

“I thought you didn’t care about the taste.”

Lawrence is pacing intensely enough for both of us, but still he manages a smirk after his little remark.

That’s my brother, too. He can’t help himself sometimes, and honestly, I’m happy he’s here. I could leap up and give him a giant bear hug.

But he’s too busy pacing and laughing—with a bit of unhinged exhaustion.

As I get up to rejoin Lawrence in the pacing party, I laugh, too. We both do, just for a few seconds, out of tiredness, anxiety, and a loopy acknowledgment for whatever joke Lawrence was trying to make.

And, I’d like to think, appreciation of each other.

Christ, I keep getting more and more fucking schmaltzy the longer this goes on. If we don’t hear some sort of news soon, I might end up turning into a fucking Hallmark card.

Lawrence and I stomp back and forth silently for another nearly endless stretch of time before I decide to sit down again.

Pacing’s not cutting it anymore. I’m about to jump out of my fucking skin.

“Mr. Abraham?”

“Oh, thank fucking Christ!”

The exclamation shoots out of me before I could even see who was saying my name.

There’s a kind-faced nurse who I think I remember from some point earlier tonight standing by the entrance.

My heart is pounding like a fucking jackhammer, and it feels like time is sl—

“Do you have any news about my sister in-law, about my brother’s babies? What’s going on?”

My brother’s voice makes me legitimately jump out of my seat. For a moment, I forgot he was even here.

“She’s doing fine.”

The nurse’s voice sounds tinny and distant, and my body feels both weightless and ready to collapse on the floor.

But my vision is as clear as ever, and I can see the nurse smiling at me warmly.

“Congratulations, Mr. Abraham. Your wife has given birth to two healthy daughters.”

The warm, rhapsodic sensation that rushes through me is unlike anything I’ve ever felt before.

There’s a different sort of weightlessness now, a feeling like I could fly out the window and take a few laps around the fucking moon and back.

Like a little kid overcome with excitement, I can’t help but look over to my brother in wide-eyed glee—and he’s looking back at me with the same expression.

“Would you like to see your wife and daughters now, Mr. Abraham?”

To say I’m at a loss for words is an understatement. Looking back at the nurse, it’s like someone removed the language center of my brain, and all I could do is stare with what must have been a dumb yet elated expression.

The nurse’s smile grows knowingly. “Follow me, Mr. Abraham. Your wife is waiting.”

“Can I come, too?”

“Yes,” I respond to my brother. Maybe I haven’t gone mute, but I feel like something’s happening to me—or maybe everything is.

The trip down the hallway, through a door, and down another is a blur. It’s like I’m floating more than walking, and I’m surprised to suddenly find myself in the delivery room.

At first, all I see in the room is a large, blue hospital curtain. With theatrical flair, the nurse pushes the curtain away slowly to reveal my beautiful wife lying in bed.

June is glowing and radiant. Although a cloud of exhaustion surrounds her face, her eyes are shining with euphoria. Her smile is subdued but also filled to the brim with a warmth I can feel from across the room.

“Cat got your tongue?” she jokes in a tired but happy voice. “Don’t be shy. Come here and let me introduce you.”

Introduce me?

My eyes finally make their way down from June’s shining face, and for the first time…

That sensation I felt in the waiting room was nothing compared to this.

Seeing my children for the first time in my life, I can’t stop myself from gasping and grabbing my chest.

I don’t think anyone could’ve seen that reaction coming.

“Oh. They’re beautiful. They’re the most wonderful sight I’ve ever seen.”

In this moment, it’s all I can say. It’s all I feel the need to say.

So, I walk over to my wife to meet my new daughters.

The floaty feeling is stronger than ever as I drift to her bedside. Time is playing tricks again, too, as the next thing I know I’m holding a tiny, magnificent angel, and then another, one in each arm.

Their eyes are open, and they’re both looking in my direction calmly and happily.

“She’s named after my mom.”

I don’t know how, but I know exactly which of my daughters June is talking about.

I look down at her, as her eyes seem to wander randomly around the room.

My look shifts to my other daughter, lying so still, looking serene and content.

“And she’s named after my mother,” I say.

“Of course. Would you like to say hi, Lawrence?”

I think it’s understandable that I forgot my brother was even there again.

When I do look at him, his expression is joyful, but with a clear bittersweet undertone.

“It’ll happen for you, too,” I tell my brother, carefully transferring both my newborn daughters to his arms, “if you want it to.”

Lawrence doesn’t respond to me, but as he holds and beholds his nieces, there’s no doubt that he’s enthralled with them—and rethinking some of his own priorities.

“Are those my granddaughters?”

“Of course they are, Dad.” June sounds shockingly full of life as she answers her newly-arrived father.

I turn to greet June’s dad, but he’s already standing next to my brother and staring so adoringly at his granddaughters that I know I’ll have to wait until later.

As my brother and father in-law fawn over my newborn children, I sit down in a chair next to my gorgeous wife’s bed.

“I’d say that contract worked out pretty well,” she comments.

“That’s exactly what I was thinking.”

The room is brimming with happiness from everyone in it.

“I’m also thinking,” I continue, “that I’d love to do this again sometime.”

June’s subdued smile widens a bit.

“I like the way you think, Mr. Abraham. I could get used to being this happy.”