Gabe

The last few days have been crazy. Christy and the baby are doing okay, but they haven’t been released from the hospital yet—something about monitoring the baby for…shit, I don’t remember what Mom said it was. Understandably, Chet hasn’t left Christy’s side, and I don't expect to see him around the ranch any time soon. To my surprise, Hank has stepped up and been a real help keeping the chores around here under control. Is he trying to prove something, or does he genuinely want to be helpful? With him, who knows, but whatever his motivation, it’s a godsend. I should probably tell him as much. You know—someday.

With Chet gone, I’ve been so busy I haven't been able to give Mer the attention she deserves. By the time I get in the door at night, I barely have enough energy to fix myself a meal before I fall asleep on the couch, which has left us settling for texts and phone calls. Until this afternoon, anyhow. I’m meeting her for the baby’s first doctor’s appointment. My goal—aside from making sure everything is good with Mer and the nugget in her belly—is to get the low down on sex during pregnancy. Meredith keeps assuring me it’s fine, but I’ve been worrying about it since she told me she was pregnant.

I have really been looking forward to time with her, even if it is a doctor visit. Besides, I want her to know, from the get-go, she has a support system. I’ll be by her side every step of the way.

With the caveat that, if there’s blood or needles (God I hate needles), I may be passed out on the floor by her side, but I’ll be there.

I pull the radio off my belt and bring it to my mouth. “Hank, you out there?”

“So I’ve been told.”

It takes me a minute to process what he meant, and I have to give him that one. It was clever. But if I was keeping score on things like that, well, at least the clever column isn't blank any more.

“It’s getting to be that time, need anything before I take off?”

The radio squawks. “Cold beer would be nice.”

The morning sun is still low on the horizon, so I check my watch. “Hank, it’s nine thirty in the morning.”

He calls back, almost immediately. “Yeah. Figured it was too early for the good stuff.”

Staring at the radio, I shake my head. “Do me a favor and don’t die while I’m gone, okay?”

I hear him chuckling through the speaker when he responds. “No promises.”

I check on Christy's goats and make sure Marry has food and water while I’m away. Poor dog, she’s laying in front of the door with her head on her paws, waiting for Mom and Dad to come home. “I’m sorry girl. I’d let you hang with me again today, but I’ve got errands and I doubt you’d be welcome.” I scratch the top of her head before I go.

Meredith’s appointment is in the same building as the maternity ward where Christy’s admitted. If I know anything about my brother, I know to expect a list of questions about the ranch when we visit.

* * *

Meredith and I wait patiently in the small closet they consider a consultation room. She sits on the examination table in her paper gown, dangling her legs over the side. I pace back and forth. Two steps to the left, turn, then two steps to the right.

“Calm down, cowboy. We haven’t even seen the doctor yet. ” Meredith points her toe at a chair in the corner. “Maybe you’d feel better if you sat?”

“Sorry, Doll. I don’t think I could sit if my life depended on it.” Posters with too much detail about the miracle of life plaster the walls. An illustrated diagram of a pregnant woman’s vagina hangs behind Meredith. Another of a baby, apparently stuck in the birth canal, hangs beside it. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like someone should be helping that baby. And they barely scratch the surface of the images my eyes can’t get away from. “I don’t know what’s got me anxious all of a sudden.” That isn’t exactly true, but it isn’t exactly a lie, either.

The door opens, and a plump Asian man enters. “Good afternoon, I’m doctor Lee.” He glances up from the file in his hands. “Which one of you is Meredith?” The doctor eagerly looks back and forth between us, waiting for a reaction, but continues on with his spiel when neither of us laugh. “Classic doctor joke, ” he says, shaking our hands. “Nice to meet you both. Now, Meredith if you’ll lie back and put your feet in the stirrups, we can get started.” He pauses, frantically flipping through the pages in his file. “Hmm, I always forget what to do next,” Dr. Lee jokes again. “I’ve got a million of ‘em. You’ll see.”

This is going to be a long appointment.

All things considered, once you get past the awful sense of humor, he is patient and comforting and willing to answer every one of my random, nonsensical questions. By the time Meredith and I leave, we both agree he's a good fit for us.

As we step off the elevator on Christy’s floor, Meredith hands me the bouquet she insisted we pick up from the gift shop. “These should come from you. Do they know we’re stopping by?”

“Sort of. I told Chet to expect us, but I didn’t know what time we’d be done, so I left it at this afternoon.”

“What if she’s breastfeeding? Or, using the bathroom?”

“I don’t know, guess I hadn’t given it much thought. If it’s a bad time, we’ll go. Only one way to know for sure. Right?”

Meredith shakes her head. “You have so much to learn.”

“Why? Is this going to be on the test? ” We stop outside of the partially opened door to Christy’s room and I lean through the doorway. “Knock, knock.”

“Come on in,” Chet bellows from inside.

“Hey. Meredith thinks I should’ve scheduled our visit. Is this a bad time?” Meredith jabs me in the ribs as I pull back the privacy curtain. Christy sits up in bed, cradling a bundle of blankets wearing a blue cap.

Chet stands by Christy's side, watching over his family as he beams with pride. “Couldn’t be better. Logan’s got a fresh diaper and momma just finished feeding him. You missed Frank and Mom by about fifteen minutes.”

“Probably for the best.” I shrug. “Anyway, we’re here to visit with you. How ya feeling?” I say to Christy as I hand Chet the bouquet.

“A little better each day. Thanks. ” Dark circles stand out under her eyes and her hair is pulled back into a messy ponytail, but joy fills her face. “Would you like to hold your nephew?”

I pull back my arms defensively as I bring my palms up. “Is he still under warranty? Because I can’t be held responsible if I break something.” Meredith, only too happy to take my turn, gives me the side eye as she extends her arms towards Christy. After the baby settles back down, Meredith brings him over for me to get a closer look. He smiles and fusses in the blankets as his eyes grow heavy, blinking slower and slower.

I look to my brother. “Logan huh? Mom mentioned that was the name you chose.”

Chet nods.

“Strong name. ” I bob my head. “I wouldn’t call it original, considering where we come from, but it’s a fine name.”

Christy scoffs. “If you have an issue, take it up with me bub. It was my idea.” She looks up at her husband. “Logan county brought me everything I always wanted.”

“No ma’am. You’ll hear no argument from me. I’m just glad you didn’t follow Mom’s line of thinking and give the boy some ridiculous name. You know, one he’d spend the rest of his life embarrassed by.”

A nurse enters the room to check on mom and baby. She runs through a list of questions and is pleased to hear Logan is eating well.

I turn to my brother when she leaves. “Chet?”

“Yeah?” Chet's voice is warm.

“I don’t want to start any problems here, but are you positive this kid is yours?”

Meredith stares at me, her jaw dropped. “Gabe, ” she whispers.

“I’m just saying. This little guy is adorable—and he seems happy. Two things I would never say about him.” I point at my brother and laugh.

Meredith apologizes on my behalf, but I’m fairly sure Christy laughed louder than I did.

I take a seat by the window when it’s my turn to hold the baby. Meredith carefully places him into my arms, instructing me where to put his head, how to hold him, and so on.

“Mer. He’s fast asleep and I’m sitting in a chair. What could I possibly do to the kid?”

Meredith smiles. “With you Gabe Wilde, heaven only knows.” She drops me a wink.

This guy is adorable, swaddled into place under layers of blankets. He suckles away at his binky while his little fists ball up tight and then release. Not a care in the world.

It's a surreal moment for me as I realize I'll be doing this with my own son or daughter. Soon.

Meredith pulls up a chair next to Christy and the two of them disappear into a world of their own. Chet stands beside me, solemn as ever, looking out the window, but I feel his eyes drift down every so often to check on me while I have his son in my arms.

“Any idea when you’ll come home?” I ask

“Maybe tomorrow,” Chet replies. “They would’ve released us already, but Logan has…what did they call it, Doc?”

Christy looks away from Meredith only long enough to answer her husband. “Jaundice.”

“Yeah. They’ll test him again in the morning, and if things look good, we’re free to go. What about you? Everything go alright with your appointment?” Chet turns away from the window. “And what’d you think of Dr. Lee?” He cracks a smile after he asks the question.

I shift in my chair, trying not to disturb the baby. “Was he your doctor too? Is that how we got lined up with him?”

“Suppose so. Meredith asked Christy who her doctor was, and she loves him.”

“Does he ever stop with the bad jokes?” I ask.

Chet laughs. “Not for more than two minutes at a time. Good luck getting used to it, I haven’t—but he took good care of these two.” Chet dips his head to Christy and Logan. “That’s all that matters to me.”

Meredith and I stay for half an hour or so, but after Christy yawns the second time, I realize they’re probably exhausted. I make up an excuse about getting back to the ranch before Hank hurts himself. To my complete surprise, Chet doesn’t ask a single question about home. His mind is right where it should be, focused on the things that matter most.

We say our goodbyes and I hand my sleeping nephew back to his proud father. “Call if you need anything,” I offer before pulling the privacy curtain back as we leave.

In the elevator, I lean over to Meredith. “Have anywhere you need to be?”

“Nope. Why?”

I rub my hands together. “Well. We got the green light from the doctor. Want to pick up some lunch and come back to the ranch for a while?”

Meredith runs her finger along my chest. “I hoped that was where you were going.”

Oh, how I've missed her touch. “How long do we have?”

“All afternoon, stud. If you think you can handle it.”