A Little Side of Geek

by Marguerite Labbe

  Theo couldn’t blame her. They’d spent too many hours at the other hospital visiting, hoping, and praying. Theo walked up to Lincoln and touched his shoulder. “This is a good visit.” This was welcoming new family, not saying goodbye.

  Lincoln’s shoulders hunched even more, and he seemed rooted to the spot. He turned anxious eyes on Theo. “But what if—”

  “Don’t say it, man,” Morris said as he came to a halt on Lincoln’s other side. “Women have been having babies for millennia. They are far tougher than we are. Come on.” Morris nudged Lincoln’s side. “We have to swing by the gift shop. You can’t meet your new niece empty-handed.”

  That got Lincoln moving, and Theo shot Morris a grateful glance. He’d never gone by the gift shop before, so that was one place he wouldn’t associate with his parents. He sent Craig a quick text message to let him know they’d arrived and to check on Jill.

  In the gift shop Lincoln was going through each and every stuffed animal they had on display with the expression of a man on a mission. Morris touched Theo’s hand and gave him a concerned look. “You holding up?”

  “Yeah.” Theo hugged his arms to himself for a second, squelching the jump of nervous energy. “I’m not that good at waiting. I like doing.” It made his hands feel empty and useless. He stationed himself in front of the cards and began going through them without really seeing them. “Why hasn’t Craig texted back?” he fretted in a low voice to Morris.

  “He might have his hands full.” Morris squeezed his shoulder. “You pick a card and I’ll go ask. I know someone who works here. If Jill’s pushing, then Craig is not going to have a chance to look at his phone. If he tries, she might make him eat it. Truth.”

  Theo was pathetically grateful Morris was there. He might’ve been coming out of this skin otherwise. He plucked a card out at random and joined Lincoln, who had a lamb and a lion in hand and was contemplating them as if the fate of the world depended on his choice. Theo turned the card over and over, his thoughts whirling.

  “So you’re getting married?” Lincoln asked. “That wasn’t all for show?”

  “No. I guess that’s a jump from moving in together. Though I suspect it’ll be down the road. At least a year away.” Theo eyed his brother, trying to gauge his thoughts. “You okay with that?”

  “Yeah.” Lincoln flicked him a glance and then went right back to his decision. “But if you guys ever break up or this wedding thing doesn’t go through, I’m moving in with Morris.”

  There was very little Theo was sure of, and he and Morris was at the top. “I’ll keep that in mind,” Theo replied with a perfectly straight face.

  “Which one do you think?” Lincoln asked, holding up the stuffed animals. “These are the two softest in the bunch.”

  Theo eyed the offerings, then pointed to the lion. “That one.”

  Lincoln looked at it with a frown. “Are you sure? It seems fierce for a baby.”

  “Do you honestly believe Craig and Jill will produce anything lamblike?” Theo plucked the lamb out of Lincoln’s hand. “The fiercer the better. Baby girl has already put her mom on notice, twice mind you, that she’s doing things in her own time.”

  Lincoln’s whole face brightened. “You’ve got a good point. This is Jill we’re talking about. Everything’s going to be okay, right?” For a moment, he looked at Theo for reassurance, and then he shook his head. “No, don’t give me promises. It will be all right. You haven’t heard from Dustin and Robin, have you?”

  “Actually, I’m right here.”

  Theo whirled around at the sound of his sister’s nervous voice. Robin stood a few feet away, rocking on her heels, a habit she always had when she thought she was in trouble.

  “Hey,” she said with a little half wave.

  “Robin!” Lincoln gasped, dropping the lion. Theo bobbled and caught it, his heart suddenly pounding. Lincoln ran to her and engulfed her in an enthusiastic hug. “You’re here. I can’t believe you’re here.”

  The joy in Lincoln’s voice almost undid him. Theo watched them with a painful ache. God, it seemed like Lincoln had grown to be a yard bigger than her now. And she’d cut her hair. It hung in a sleek bob that framed her face. It made her look older and more unapproachable, but the way she clung to Lincoln told a different story.

  They pulled apart, and Robin looked at him, the regret and pain so clear in her eyes that Theo was moving before he realized. She clung to him, shaking. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

  “I am too,” Theo said and realized he was. He could’ve reached out more, done something else to heal the breach other than sit back and lick his wounds and sulk in his pride. He rubbed his hand over her back, his heart so full he thought it would break. “I’ve missed you so much.”

  “I thought I wouldn’t be welcome after… after what we said.” Robin clung harder and then pulled back with tears shining in her eyes.

  “You are always welcome,” Theo insisted, brushing a hand over her hair and pulling her close again for another hug. One more minute and he’d be crying too.

  “Is Dustin coming?” Lincoln asked in a voice both hopeful and anxious.

  Robin gave Theo an uncertain look. “He’s planning on it. He wanted me to let him know if you were going to be here.”

  Theo sighed, his heart heavy once again at the implication. “I wasn’t planning on going anywhere.”

  “Please, I don’t want a fight between you two.” Robin caught Theo’s arm, her expression pleading. “Please don’t.”

  “I don’t either.” Theo patted her arm. “I’m not ruining Jill’s day. If after I see her, he wants to come in, I’ll go.”

  “That’s not fair,” Lincoln objected, dark red spots flashing on his cheeks.

  “It’s okay.” Theo looked up at him. “Seriously, it’s a start, Linc, a good start. You can slay another dragon for me later. Jill should have the chance to see all of us today without drama or hurt.”

  It hung there, awkward and uncertain as Lincoln’s shoulders stiffened more, and then he relaxed as he saw Robin’s pleading expression. “Okay,” he said softly and Robin smiled, hugging him again.

  Lincoln met Theo’s gaze, his eyes hesitant, and Theo smiled back. He’d never forget that Lincoln had his back, and that meant more to him than he could say. “It’s okay,” he mouthed again. “Thank you.”

  “It’s go time!” Morris came back rubbing his hands together, breaking up the last of the awkwardness. He gestured to the forgotten lion in Theo’s hands. “Go buy that and prepare to be a sucker when you first meet her. Nieces have their uncles wrapped around their tiny fingers.” He shot Robin a curious look, then raised a questioning brow at Theo.

  “You would know.” Theo reached for Morris’s hand, anxious on so many levels that he couldn’t even express. He handed Lincoln his wallet and the gifts they’d picked out. “Would you get these rung up for us?”

  “Sure.” Lincoln cast a look between Theo and Robin, then made a beeline for the register.

  Morris’s long fingers closed around Theo’s in silent support. Having Morris next to him bolstered Theo. If Dustin showed up, he wouldn’t let it come down to a confrontation. “Morris, I want you to meet my sister Robin. Robin, this is my fiancé, Morris.”

  Robin’s mouth opened in surprise. “When did you find time to date?” Then she blushed and held out a hand. “I’m sorry. It’s nice to meet you.”

  Morris chuckled and shook her hand. “Trust me, finding time to date was an ongoing issue between us.” He gave Theo a loving nudge. “But we worked out a system.”

  “So you’re the one who texted me?” she asked, cocking her head. “You said you were a friend. I guess I should’ve realized.”

  Texted? Theo turned to Morris, narrowing his eyes, as Morris smiled cheerfully at Robin. “That would be me.”

  Before Theo could demand answers, Lincoln came bounding back, one long, lanky string of nervous energy. “Where do we go? Did your friend say if Jill’s okay?”

>   “She’s fine and I’ve got directions. Jill’s in stage two of labor. I had to text Sierra and ask her what that meant, and she said it probably wouldn’t be long now.” Morris led them down one long corridor after another, and Theo walked beside him, his head down, trying not to look around as Robin and Lincoln chatted behind them in low voices.

  “You okay?” Morris asked as they reached the waiting area.

  “Yeah, yeah, I think so.” Theo rubbed his hands on his thighs. There were a couple other families in the waiting room, and the air was filled with a mix of excitement and anxious patience. That was a step up from other hospital waiting rooms where a different kind of anxiety cast a pall over everything. “Robin said Dustin’s thinking of coming if I’m not here. I told her to let him know I’d go if he did come, to give him some time with Jill. I don’t want it to be an argument, but it pisses me off.”

  “Understandable.” Morris steered him toward a couple empty seats.

  “God, I want a cigarette.” Theo shook his head, his jaw tightening. “I’ve got to let this mad at Dustin go because Lincoln’s already about to get into it for me, and I refuse to be the cause of a fight between them.”

  Morris pondered that as he pulled out a sketchbook and pencil from his ever-present bag. “I wouldn’t be so quick to leave if he does show up. It doesn’t have to be an argument. Let him see you. Let him see you’re still here, being beside your family, taking care of Lincoln like you promised. You are wearing that shirt for him, right? Because you’re proud of him and what he’s accomplished at school, show that. Let him see that generous heart of yours, and not the pain. There will be time later for the hard conversations. And maybe seeing you in that light will make him reconsider what he’s missing.”

  Theo heaved out a sigh as Morris began to sketch, the pencil moving in long strokes over the page. “So don’t get prickly with my family the way you get prickly with yours?”

  “Exactly.” Morris shot him an amused glance. “Though you have more cause, and I’m working on my knee-jerk defensiveness.”

  Robin and Lincoln were sitting in a corner, their heads together as they talked. He wanted to go to them, to join in, but he wasn’t entirely sure of his welcome. He didn’t want to ruin it for Lincoln. Let him catch up with her, and then maybe he would have a chance.

  “So you texted her.” Theo studied Morris, not sure if he should be irritated or not. He was sure that most of his irritation came only because he was on edge.

  “Yep, Dustin too.” Morris continued drawing in apparent unconcern. “I got their numbers from Lincoln. Did it right after we went to the farmer’s market after you told me what happened. Never heard from him, but she responded a couple times.”

  Okay, dammit, Theo was annoyed. “How would you like it if I went behind your back and interfered with your family?”

  Morris finally looked up, lifting one heavy brow. The man said so much with just a look. That was irritating too. “Last I checked we were working on being a family ourselves. And if things go the way we plan, they’re going to be my family too. How would you react if someone in my family was causing me misery? Wouldn’t you say something?”

  Fuck, Morris had several points there. Theo crossed his arms with a scowl but couldn’t think of a rebuttal. He could say it was crossing a boundary or they weren’t engaged yet when Morris had sent the text. But Morris was right; Theo would’ve done the same damn thing. Yep, irritating, never mind that on a normal day he’d probably be overjoyed.

  “You could’ve discussed it with me first,” he grumbled.

  “True, and I’m sorry I didn’t, but I’m not sorry I sent the text because she’s here. And you know what, she’s probably not here because of my text either. I reminded them they were missed and welcome.” Morris went back to his drawing. “So please don’t be mad at me.”

  Theo huffed out his breath and then realized he didn’t want to be mad at Morris, not when it was nerves fueling him. “What else did you say to them?” he asked curiously, watching Robin and Lincoln reconnect. He couldn’t be mad seeing that.

  “Oh, just that there was a new baby coming and what better time to come together with no worries about the past and that when you and Lincoln talked about them it was obvious how much you loved them.”

  Theo smiled despite himself and kissed Morris’s shoulder. “You’re too much, you know that?”

  The corner of Morris’s mouth lifted. “You too, Boarman.”

  Theo tried to sit still, but the inactivity soon had him on his feet looking for something to do. Morris shook his head and continued to draw, his lips pursed in thought. He could probably wait forever if he had enough paper and lead in his pencil. Robin broke away from her conversation with Lincoln and walked over to him as Theo paced restlessly about.

  “How’s school going?” Theo asked, searching for an opening. “You still studying business?”

  “Yeah. I doubled down this last year. Buried myself in school. I think I’ll end up graduating a semester early.” Robin leaned against the wall next to him as Theo finally stood still.

  “I guess that means you’re not still dating that theater major?” Theo asked.

  Robin shook her head. “He bolted not long after Mom and Dad’s funeral. He said I had too much drama and he couldn’t deal. Stupid bastard.”

  “I’m sorry,” Theo said quietly. He didn’t like the thought of Robin dealing with all of that alone. He really wished she’d let him be there for her.

  “Artistic types.” Robin shrugged. “They can be flaky as fuck.”

  “Not all of them.” Theo glanced over to where Morris was still bent over his sketchbook as he talked to Lincoln.

  Robin followed the direction of his gaze. “I have to be honest, that was a surprise. You haven’t really dated since Dad got sick.”

  “It surprised both of us, too, but we fit each other. He’s a good man. I’d like for you to get a chance to know him. Maybe you can come over for dinner after we leave?” Theo tried to keep his voice nonchalant but didn’t succeed. “There’s a pizza joint that Morris loves. I’m sure they have a branch nearby.”

  “Okay.” Robin looked at him and offered him a tentative smile. “I’d really like that.”

  “Yeah, me too.” Theo slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in for a hug.

  “I hear there are some uncles waiting,” a voice cut into the moment. Theo’s head jerked up. A woman with a vaguely familiar face stood at the entrance to the maternity ward, clad in a nurse’s purple scrubs covered with balloons.

  “And an aunt,” Morris said, stuffing his sketchbook away. “Hey, Mrs. Suero.” He took Theo’s hand as he approached as if he knew Theo needed that closeness. “Theo, this is Felipe’s mom.”

  “I was trying to figure out why you looked familiar.” Felipe had her eyes and the humor in them. “Nice to meet you. Is Jill okay, the baby?”

  “Everyone’s fine,” Mrs. Suero said with a reassuring smile. “Mama’s getting cleaned up, and Daddy’s got the little one in the room if you want to meet her.”

  “You’re not going to make me hold her, are you?” Lincoln shook his head adamantly at Theo. “I don’t know anything about holding babies.”

  “You’ll be fine,” Morris said as the group followed Mrs. Suero down the hallway. “They’re easy to hold at this stage. Wait until they get to the squirmy part and don’t want to be held.”

  Craig sat in the rocking chair in the room, a blanket-wrapped bundle in his arms. He looked up with a huge grin. “Holy hell, Robin.” He rose carefully and walked over to them. “Here, Theo, meet Olivia.”

  Theo took the baby with a combination of awe and a little fear. “Hey there.” He looked down at the tiny wrinkled face. Olivia’s eyes were closed, fair lashes fanning her cheeks, and her lips were pursed. Theo’s heart squeezed. This is what they meant by love at first sight.

  Lincoln crowded closer as Craig picked Robin up in a huge hug. “I’m so glad you came. Jill’s going to be thr
illed you’re here.”

  “Oh my, isn’t she a cutie,” Morris said, stroking her cheek with his knuckle. He grinned at Theo. “I can see it already, a goner, the both of you.”

  Theo shot him a smile and looked at the trepidation and longing in Lincoln’s eyes. “Want to hold her a minute before Robin steals her?” He laughed at the torn expression that crossed his brother’s face. “That’s about how I felt when I first held you, and I was almost your age. Sit down and crook your arm. I promise you won’t hurt her.”

  “She doesn’t weigh anything,” Lincoln said after Theo nestled the baby in his arms. He cradled her as if she were made of delicate glass.

  “Try carrying her on top of your bladder. Then you’ll realize how much she weighs,” Jill said tartly as her wheeled bed was pushed into the room. Theo straightened and examined his sister’s face. She looked exhausted but radiant, and then her eyes lit up even more when she saw Robin. “Oh my God, come here, you.”

  Theo looked away, blinking back the stinging in his eyes, and Morris slid an arm around his shoulders. “Think we should tell them about us or wait?” he asked in a low voice by Theo’s ear.

  “Wait,” Theo replied as he watched Robin and Jill’s reunion. “There’s so much emotion in this room, any more happiness and we’ll all start weeping like we’re in a bad soap opera.”

  When Jill finally released Robin, she looked in danger of a good cry. Theo had to do something about that because if she got started, they all would. He stepped up to the bed and squeezed her hand. “You weren’t supposed to take Labor Day seriously,” Theo said with a solemn expression.

  Jill laughed and laid her hand over her stomach with a grimace. “Don’t make me laugh, you big jerk.”

  “Good job, Mama.” Theo leaned down and kissed her cheek. “She’s perfect.”

  Jill’s eyes welled, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Thank you.”

  Theo straightened as the room went quiet. He glanced at the doorway and saw Dustin hovering uncertainly just past the opening. Theo and him looked quite a bit alike, only Dustin was taller, his hair darker, and his eyes had a moody cast to them. So many emotions swarmed up that at first Theo couldn’t identify them.