It had taken a full two weeks to recover from what I like to consider as my near death experience. I was out of bed and eating a hearty grease laden meal by the time I woke up the next day. It had taken the full two weeks before I could do much more than rehydrate my body and recover from the thrashing I got during the bar fight. Truthfully, I wouldn’t consider it a bar fight for two reasons; one, it was a group of young punk kids against two old men and two, because I don’t remember it. Which means it doesn’t count. Never before would I consider myself old, but in this case I would definitely play the old card. We definitely weren’t spring chickens anymore. Now one night of drinking took two weeks to recover from whereas before we would have been over it by morning and starting up all over again.
Damon and I nursed our wounds and battered self-esteems like any man in our positions would. Which means we acted like children by hanging around the house playing video games while chowing down on chips and chugging soda. It seemed like the perfect way to mend our fractured ego.
Nina had tried to call and text me on a multiple of occasions. I just couldn’t bring myself to answer the phone. There was a part of me that still loved her and wanted things to work out. I knew that there was a chance that if I talked to her I would fall right back into her web of lies. I couldn’t risk that. I already had begun to feel jaded and that was something I wanted to avoid. I didn’t want to let one harrowing experience ruin my optimism for the future with someone else. If I was sucked back in again I knew I wouldn’t come out the other side unchanged.
“You boys watch the kids while we do some running around.” Nik called out to us as Tosha and Kiev dropped a baby in each of our laps.
“Hey,” Damon bellowed as Katinka snatched the video game controller from his hands.
“Watch the kids. We’re going out.” She pointed a threatening finger in his face as she gave him a warning glare.
Damon threw his hands out to the side in exasperation. “Dude, I’ve watched them before. It’s not a big deal.”
“I know you have but you didn’t do it with a broken heart.” Katinka reminded him.
“Tink, you do know I saw this coming right. I was going over there to end things with her. She just beat me to it.” He said rolling his eyes.
“Whatever loser. Stay hydrated.” She said thrusting a baby bottle into his chest.
Damon and I just sat staring at one another incredulously wondering what the hell just happened.
Once we heard the front door shut he spoke. “She does realize I’ve watched them a handful of times these past couple week, right?”
I just shrugged giving my best confused face. Katinka had been acting weird lately and I hadn’t been able to figure out why. I could only imagine it was due to all of the changes that had been happening the past year. Everyone was marrying off and having babies. Though it was a happy time for everyone, it did mean that our circle was growing; it was no longer just the six of us anymore.
“Maybe she still isn’t over the fact that you killed her shrubs by ralphing in them.” Katinka had been livid when her shrubs started dying off. Damon and I puked our guts out after Kiev brought us home from the bar managing to kill everything in our path.
“Bro, I don’t know. I had them replaced.” Damon shrugged it off.
“Alright kiddos, who’s up for some fun?” Damon asked a smiling Dominik in his lap. “Wanna get down with some baby cage fights or are we going to start with the baby toss?” He asked teasing the smiling baby in his lap.
“I don’t know D, I think we should break out the drum set for Little D and hand Karina the mic, they should definitely be getting some studio time in.” I said to the grinning Karina in my lap.
“Baby cage match it is.” Damon said in a cheesy announcer’s voice mimicking the announcers on our video game.
We settled for taking the babies outside and letting them explore the great outdoors via a large blanket spread out on the grass while we shot the shit and soaked up some sun. Karina was already sitting up and trying to scoot but she hadn’t quite got the crawling down yet. She tried to commando crawl, her bottom in the air and she scooted on her forearms. The pediatrician had recommended tummy time to encourage her to build up her upper body strength. I knew that in time she would be all over the place. Dominik was just behind her. He was more content sucking on his hands or toes and rolling around.
It was fascinating how fast the two of them grew. Karina was about to be eight months old and Dominik was right behind her.
“Looks like we get our baby cage match after all.” Damon laughed as Dominik rolled into Karina breaking her concentration on the grass in front of her. She had had her eyes on the lush green foliage since we came outside. Though, every time you stood her in the grass she cried. If she did happen to make it to the edge of the blanket and her hand accidentally touched the grass she cried as well. The child was a glutton for punishment with her eye on the prize.
“Oh no, she is going for the championship title.” I cried out as Karina kicked and squirmed over Dominik’s little legs.
“Okay you little rascals, no more of that.” Damon chided playfully as he pulled the two babies apart before either of them decided to take offense to the other and cry. I couldn’t imagine how our parents felt, five of us boys all in a playpen together rolling and crawling all over one another. I would bet they couldn’t count the number of times they had to pull us apart to keep us from fighting from the time we were babies on up until we were teenagers.
“How about you grab Tyson Jr. and I’ll grab Little D and the blanket. We can take them in and get them fed before they start a revolution and overthrow us both.” Damon suggested as he scooped up Dominik in his hands.
I grabbed little Miss Tyson Jr tossing her into the air and catching her in time to blow raspberries on her stomach. Karina giggled and cooed as she slobbered all down my face. There was nothing grosser than baby slobber but it was worth it just to hear her laugh.
As soon as we walked in the door Damon’s phone began to ring. Handing Dominik off to me, Damon dropped the blanket and fished out his phone.
Without warning Damon took off through the house, the phone hard pressed to his ear.
“Dude what’s wrong?” I yelled after him.
“Feed the babies, I’m going to grab Evie’s bag. She went in labor.” Damon yelled back at me as he rushed upstairs. I was stunned into silence. I couldn’t believe it. I knew it was getting close to time. Even though this was not my first rodeo with babies being born, it didn’t make it feel any less surreal. “Okay, it’s going to be okay.” I began to chant to the two babies in my arms. It was more for my own comfort than it was their own. The two babies in my arms were oblivious to what was going on around them, content to gnaw on their own hands. Evie was having a baby. I just couldn’t believe it.
“Dude, feed the babies.” Damon shouted startling both me and the babies. Karina and Dominik both began to cry at the sound of his booming voice jostling me back into the real world.
“I know, I know. It’s okay.” I cooed to the babies in my arms as I bounced them and held them close. I made my way into the kitchen and expertly placed Dominic into the high chair. Now that I had one hand free I was able to buckle him in before placing Karina in her high chair.
Once I had both babies settled in their chair I began to buzz around the kitchen warming bottles and grabbing jars of food. Sometimes all they wanted was a bottle and other times they wanted baby food. I opted for their favorite apple sauce and peach cobbler.
Both babies fussed impatiently, demanding attention and to be fed. “I know guys. Just a few more minutes and I’ll have you both fed.” I tried to sooth the two crying babies as I rushed to fill their demands.
“Hey, Hey, Hey, daddy’s here.” Damon came in the room to help me with the two squalling infants.
“Here, take this.” I said tossing him the jars of baby food.
Damon looked down at the jars I had tossed him then back up at me. “You seriously feed this crap to my kid?” He asked revoltingly as he stared at the jar with a disapproving look.
“Shut your trap. It’s my niece and nephew and I’ll feed um what I want. You just shovel it in.” I chastised as I tested the bottles on my inner wrist.
“Maybe your nephew but it’s my son.” He mouthed as he popped open the lid on the jar and began loading up the baby spoon.
Rolling my eyes I brought the bottles over to the babies. I placed a bottle on Dominik’s tray and one on Karina’s. I opened my own jar of baby food and offered it to Karina. Once her tiny taste buds got the taste of the offered applesauce all revolts ceased. Content, the babies happily smacked away on their lunch. I heard Damon scoffing from beside me as he muttered under his breath. Uncle Ivan’s secret was out now and there was no taking it back.
“Hush your pie hole or I’ll tell Tink you gave her kid baby junk food.” I threatened. Damon scoffed and swore under his breath. “If we weren’t expecting a third addition to this happy bunch I would take you outside and thrash you.” He threatened as he continued to feed Dominik the baby food.
“If it makes you feel any better it’s sugar free and organic.” I offered with a smirk.
We got the two babies fed, burped, changed and put down for a nap before we heard any news on Evie’s condition. My parents stopped by to grab Evie’s bag to take it to the hospital for her in a blur of motion. I wasn’t even sure she greeted me with a hello as she rushed through the house. I would have been offended if it weren’t for the wide smile on her face, excited about having a new baby to spoil.
My mother called once she got to the hospital to let us know that Evie was still in labor but that things were progressing smoothly. I felt as though I were sitting on pins and needles waiting to hear what was going on. Logically I knew what was going on, Evie was having a baby, but I still felt like I was missing out by not being there.
We finally got a call eight hours later; Evie had given birth to a baby girl. Baby Livi weighed ten pounds and seven ounces coming out at twenty-one inches long. I couldn’t wrap my mind around the fact that Evie just spit out a ten pound kid. Her hoo-ha was never going to be the same again. I felt bad for Nik. He may never have the chance to get laid again after Evie gave birth to a ten pound kid.
Pictures started rolling in from everyone at the hospital. I felt the ball of envy coil up in my stomach. I wished that I could have been there to experience the birth of my niece.
My phone began to buzz in my hand. I almost answered it until I saw the Russian country code. Nina had given up calling me from her own phone and had begun to call me from other numbers. Whether she borrowed the phones or had gotten a new number I was unsure. What I was sure about was that I was no longer accepting calls from numbers I didn’t know, specifically ones from a different country.