by Cora Brent
Thank you for your loyalty.
Thank you for never giving up on me.
Thank you for being my brother.
I couldn’t just stand in the hallway weeping like a child while my wife was in labor so I left him there and joined Roslyn in the delivery room.
“Nine centimeters,” the doctor said cheerfully as he discarded a pair of latex gloves. “Looks like we won’t have time for that epidural.”
Roslyn bolted upright. “WHAT?” She looked down at her stomach in a tearful panic. “No no no, there’s time. There’s got to be time! Conway, what are we going to do?”
“Shhh,” I soothed, trying to hold her. “Don’t cry, honey. It’s going to be okay.”
She blinked at me through her tears. “It can’t be time yet. I- I’m not ready for it to be time yet.”
I cupped her face in my hands. “You’re ready, Roslyn. We both are.”
Half an hour later as I cheered my wife on, held her hand and told her I loved her more than anything, she pushed our child into the world.
“A boy!” the doctor announced, holding the baby up as he shook his tiny fists and wailed in his newborn confusion.
As he was placed in Roslyn’s arms I couldn’t breathe for a few seconds. I took a step back and just stared in humble wonder as my life changed in the most wonderful, irrevocable way.
Roslyn looked at me, her face radiant through her tired smile.
“Come over here, Con,” she said softly. “Come and meet your son.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
STONE
The hospital waiting room looked like an elementary school holiday party. The staff got a kick out of the Gentry kids running around so they dug up some construction paper, crayons and glue for the kids to play with. Even Cami put her reporter notepad down and contributed to the impromptu arts and crafts session. There were still a couple of people in the waiting room that I was not related to by blood or marriage but they seemed universally charmed by the gifts of construction paper tree ornaments that the kids handed out.
Evie was sitting on my lap as we listened to Creed and Chase arguing about whether tomorrow’s turkey dinner ought to be deep-fried or grilled.
Creed scowled. “It’ll be at my damn house and I’m planning on firing up the grill.”
Chase pressed his argument. “Takes forever and a day to grill a turkey. Am I the only the only who remembers last year? We didn’t end up having dinner until eight pm. My boys were ready to eat each other by that point.”
Creed shrugged. “I’ll start earlier.”
“Why are you such a stubborn bastard?”
“Why are you such an annoying prick?”
Cord, the third member of the Gentry triplets, the infamous incorrigible brothers of Emblem, Arizona, sat beside me and chuckled. “Some things never change,” he said, staring fondly at his brothers as they fired insults back and forth until little Tommy overheard them and started bopping around, shouting “Prick! Prick!”
Stephanie Gentry came marching over to confront the men with her hands on her hips. “Would you guys please knock it off? You’re setting a bad example.”
“Yes ma’am,” the two men replied, hanging their heads in pretend shame. Stephanie rolled her eyes and walked away to stop her son Derek from trying to parachute off a nearby end table. Chase and Creed raised their heads and grinned at each other.
Meanwhile, tiny Isabella was marching around the room and demanding kisses for Piggy the stuffed cat. Following closely was her indulgent father, Deck.
“Kiss now,” ordered Izzy when she reached us, holding the matted stuffed animal up in her chubby little hands.
Evie gently took the toy in her hands and gave it a reverent smooch. Then she passed it to me and even though I felt ridiculous pressing my lips to the thing’s musty fake fur it was worth it to see the little girl’s eyes shine with approval.
“Good job, Uncle Stone,” Deck said appreciatively. Then they moved on to extract the same treatment from Creed.
The hour was closing in on ten p.m. and the youngest kids were starting to get antsy. No one really wanted to leave before welcoming the newest family member but it was late. Plus there were Christmas Eve family rituals to see to; cookies that needed to be set out for Santa, little ones who needed to be tucked into bed. We hadn’t heard any updates for a while and I was just about to volunteer to go find out if there’d been any progress when Conway himself arrived. A hush went through the room and we all stood up immediately.
“I have a son,” announced my brother and the tears that rolled down his cheeks were as real as the ones that suddenly welled in my eyes.
Some of the kids started hooting with excitement and we all crowded around Conway to offer hugs and handshakes.
“So,” I said, grinning so wide I wondered if it was possible for my face to crack. “Tadpole is going to need a real name now.”
“He’s got one,” said Conway.
“What is it?” Cord’s oldest girls squealed. “Tell us!”
Con looked right at me. “Ethan Stonewall Gentry. That’s his name.”
I was too stunned to even respond. Conway had never even hinted that he was considering this. My nephew would always know where his middle name came from. I could only hope I was up to task of making him proud.
“Damn good name,” said Creed and then he started a round of applause that quickly caught on. Even strangers, people scattered around the waiting room as they anxiously awaited news of their own loved ones, rose from their seats with smiles and joined in the hand clapping. They were people we’d never seen before and likely wouldn’t ever run into again but yet they all stood with us and celebrated this triumphant human moment.
Everyone in the family was very eager for a peek at the newest Gentry. It seemed the hospital had policies that didn’t allow a horde of children to traipse through the maternity ward late at night but someone decided to bend the rules and let the lot of us in.
“Just for a few minutes,” whispered a nurse in pink scrubs as the kids hopped up and down with eagerness.
When I hung back, behind the long line of family members streaming towards the viewing of Ethan Stonewall Gentry, Evie turned to me with a question in her eyes.
“You go on,” I told her. “I’ll be there in a minute.”
While everyone else was admiring the baby I jogged out to my car to grab something. The wrapped package was exactly where I’d left it, under the driver’s seat. I hadn’t wanted to bring it into Cord’s house with the rest of the gifts. It was something that was between Conway and me. It seemed like now was a fitting time to give it to him.
When I returned I found Truly and Stephanie out in the hallway, each weighted down with a sleepy child in her arms.
“And where’d you run off to?” Truly questioned with a lovely smile as her daughter, Zoey, regarded me with dark solemn eyes. Truly leaned closer. “Your nephew is waiting to meet you.”
Luckily Roslyn had been placed in a private room so there were no worries about disturbing another patient. Still, the noise decibel was not really appropriate for a hospital, especially this late at night. One of the nurses stuck her head into the room and warned that everyone would need to leave in two more minutes.
No one noticed when I walked in. Evie was standing beside Roslyn’s bed holding baby Ethan and she looked as if she never intended to let him go.
“I love you already,” she said before finally handing him back to his proud father.
“All right crew,” announced Cord, “Let’s let the new parents get some rest. Anyway I just received a text alert that Santa was spotted over Flagstaff, which means he’ll be in the Phoenix area soon.”
The effect was something like firing a starting pistol. There was a mad dash for the door and cries of “Mom! Dad! Hurry!!”
“We’ll be back tomorrow,” Saylor promised as she hugged the new mother. “Congratulations sweetheart and Merry Christmas.” She barely had time to straighten up befor
e her youngest daughter pulled her out of the room, with the twins and Cord following close behind.
Chase waved a hasty farewell and then ran out to track down his boys as Stephanie yelled that they were running pell-mell toward the hospital exit.
Creedence passed by next. He flashed me a smile and then returned to assuring young Jacob Gentry that they would make it home before Santa Claus reached their house.
“Look, there’s Uncle Stone,” said Deck as he approached with one arm around his beloved wife and the other carrying his little daughter.
“Hi Uncle Stone!” waved Isabella and then presented Piggy for another kiss.
Evie walked over and wrapped her arms around my waist, tilting her head back and resting her chin on my chest. “Well hello there, Uncle Stone,” she said.
“Stone,” called Roslyn with a laugh. “Get over here.”
Conway settled on the edge of the bed with the baby in his arms. My little brother was now officially a father.
I went to Roslyn first and kissed her cheek. “Congratulations,” I said. Then I leaned in Conway’s direction to see the face of my newborn nephew for the first time. Wrapped securely in a white blanket with blue stripes, he was small and perfect. Perhaps he felt me staring at him because he opened his eyes.
“Hey, little guy,” I said softly as I brushed one fingertip across his smooth cheek.
Baby Ethan continued to peer at me intently. I knew all the common sense talk about how babies lack the ability to focus when they are so young but I didn’t care. He saw me. I was sure of it.
Conway ignored my protests and carefully handed him over. As I cradled his small body I understood Evie’s words completely. I even repeated them.
“I love you already,” I told the baby. I felt Evie’s hand on my back. I was aware that Roslyn and Conway were watching me and I thought I heard an emotional sniff come from my brother.
“Folks, you need to say good night now,” said a nurse from the doorway. She smiled at us. “You’re free to return after eight a.m. tomorrow.”
I handed Ethan to his mother, feeling an immediate void when his warm little body left my arms.
“Just give me a quick minute with Con,” I said to Evie. She nodded agreeably and sat beside Roslyn to soak up a few more precious seconds staring at the baby.
Conway followed me out to the hallway after I paused to pick up the wrapped package I’d left beside the door a few minutes ago. I handed it to him wordlessly right there in the hospital corridor. He looked confused but then tore the paper off. I saw his smile widen as he realized what it was.
“You ripped this right off the wall, didn’t you?” he laughed.
“I did. I thought tonight would be a good time for affirmation.”
Conway held up the framed object and we both stared at the words it captured.
Strength in Brothers.
It had always been true and always would be.
“Thank you, Stone,” Conway choked out and then we enjoyed a long man-hugging moment that some of the nurses wandered out to gawk at.
I didn’t want to keep Con from these priceless moments with his new family so I collected Evie, waved farewell and told Con to shoot me a text when he and Roslyn were up to receiving visitors tomorrow.
“Oh wow,” breathed Evie as soon as we stepped outside. “I forgot all about the snow.”
I looked up. The snow still fell steadily and there was a thin film of white blanketing everything in sight. I thought about all the families out there in the wide world, all the parents tucking their treasured children into their beds and perhaps whispering a tender oath of love before reluctantly leaving the room.
“Stone!” exclaimed Evie. “What are you doing? Are you sick?”
I had knelt down in the snow right at my wife’s feet. I took her hand and looked up into her confused eyes. The question had been on my mind all day. I was just waiting for the right time to ask it.
“Evie Gentry, will you have my baby?”
EPILOGUE
CONWAY
Six years later…
“But I don’t wanna leave! Me and Rider were just about to build a fort.”
“And where were you guys planning on building a fort in Uncle Cord’s house?”
“Cami and Cassie’s room. They’ve got cool stuff in there.”
I stifled a laugh as I peered down at the two eager faces looking up at me. “I don’t think your teenage cousins would appreciate having their room ransacked by two kindergartners.”
Ethan frowned. “But Corinne said we could.”
“Well, Corinne might be trying to get back at her older sisters for something so I wouldn’t try it.”
“Fine, we’ll make our fort somewhere else,” grumbled Rider. “Come on, Uncle Con, it’s Ethan’s birthday!”
“Yeah, Dad. It’s my birthday!”
I got down on one knee and slung an arm around the shoulders of each boy, pulling them close to me. “Ethan, your mom’s feeling kind of tired. Besides, you’ll see each other all day tomorrow and you’ve got to get tucked into bed before Santa Claus gets to town.”
The mention of the benevolent red-suited giver of Christmas joy quieted them. My son craned his neck so he could check the reaction of his cousin. Ten months apart in age, the boys had been inseparable since infancy, really more brothers than cousins. They seemed to confer in silence before Ethan nodded.
“All right,” he said generously and smiled when I planted a kiss on his cheek.
“Go start saying your goodbyes,” I said, releasing the boys.
I found Roslyn in the kitchen talking to Evie and Saylor. Chase and Creed had already left with their families and a few minutes earlier I’d seen Deck carrying gifts out to the car so he’d be leaving any minute as well.
“Where’s Ethan?” my wife asked as I slid my arm around her.
“Wreaking havoc with his partner in crime,” I said. “I told the boys to wrap it up because we had to get going.”
Roslyn yawned and patted her belly. “I guess I must have been this tired with Ethan but I don’t remember.”
“You were.” I put my hand over hers, over the place where our daughter grew. In two months Ethan would have a sister.
A commotion broke out in the living room and Saylor excused herself to go put a stop to it. Apparently her youngest daughter had swiped a private diary from the twins’ room and began reading it aloud to anyone who would listen. The yelling escalated until Cord joined the scene and shouted that everyone needed to “Calm the hell down and have a Merry Goddamn Christmas!” Cord hardly ever raised his voice but when he did it ended up being more theater than anything else. However, his daughters stopped fighting and burst out laughing so I suppose he got the effect he wanted.
When we joined everyone in the living room, Deck, Jenny and Isabella were departing. Deck caught my eye, grinned broadly and held open his leather jacket to show that he’d pulled on the shirt I’d given him. It read ‘Brothers Gentry Garage’ in the new logo Cord had designed a few weeks ago. Years of hard work and slowly building the business had paid off and we’d just moved to a new, larger location where we employed three mechanics and an office manager. We couldn’t have done any of it without Deck’s early help and I never wanted him to forget how grateful I was. I flashed him the thumbs up sign before he followed his family into the winter night.
I saw that Stone was sitting in a corner armchair, his two-year-old son Nash curled up in his lap as he read from a tattered copy of Twas the Night Before Christmas. Abruptly Ethan and Rider decided to crash that cozy scene by tickling Stone until he had no choice but to stand up in order to fend off their attack. As the boys howled in triumph, Stone carried Nash over to Evie. The little boy’s face lit up as he held his arms out to his mother.
“Those two,” Stone said to me, shaking his head and looking tenderly over at our two sons as they whispered together, probably plotting world domination.
I watched the boys. “You know what the
y are, right?” I asked him.
He raised an eyebrow. “Us?”
“Exactly. They are us all over again.”
A few minutes later we all left Cord’s house together. His three daughters had evidently called a temporary truce. Corrine was sitting on the couch getting her long hair French braided by Cassie. Cami was sitting beside her sisters and rummaging through a pile of Christmas DVDs. They all blew us kisses and shouted ‘Merry Christmas!’ as we left.
The night air was chilly but not freezing. Ethan held my hand as we walked. “Dad, do you think it will snow tonight?”
I looked up at the clear desert sky. “No, not tonight, buddy.”
“Why not? It’s Christmas Eve!”
“It just doesn’t snow here, son. In my whole life I’ve only ever seen it happen once.” I called over to the neighboring minivan. “What about you, Stone?”
“Only once,” my brother agreed as he hauled Nash into his car seat.
Ethan wouldn’t be discouraged. “But if it happened once it could happen again.”
“You know, you’re right, Ethan. It sure could.”
I pressed the button for the vehicle’s doors to slide open, then I lifted my son into the back seat.
I waved to Stone and his family before getting behind the wheel and driving the short distance home. As I pulled into the driveway I saw the taillights of my brother’s van swinging into his own driveway across the street. With the success of the garage we’d been able to buy our own homes this past year. No more renting. When we found these two houses on the market, right across the street from each other and within a five-mile radius of the triplets and Deck, it all seemed like fate.
“Hey!” I shouted across the street as Stone paused in his front yard to fix an illuminated reindeer that had fallen over. “Merry Christmas!”
“Merry Christmas, Con,” he shouted back.
Stone’s son ran to the end of the driveway and waved furiously. “And Happy Birthday Ethan! See you in the morning!”
“Not too early,” warned his mother as she tried to pull him into the house.
