by D. A. Young
“Tell me why you’re up. Did you have the same nightmare again?”
A distressed look settled over her features. “No! Ugh! Don’t remind me! I need to call Ella in the morning and see if she’s been experiencing—”
“No.”
“No? What do you mean no???”
“I mean no! What in the hell do you think I mean? You understand and command the English language just as I do, woman! Every time you call Ella, I get a follow-up call from Wyatt about anxieties you’re projectin’ onto his wife! I’m surprised he hasn’t blocked your number from her phone by now. Besides, it’s just a commercial.”
Eyes wide with terror, Sidra jerked her hands away from him and covered her mouth. “Excuse you! It’s not ‘just a commercial’! It’s-it’s…cannibalism!”
“As your lawyer and husband, I gotta tell you that you’re not makin’ the compellin’ case you think you are, “Daffy Duck”.” She continued to dead-eye him, therefore Casey diplomatically added, “I’m sure things will look different to you after Moira gets here.”
“Never!” she denied theatrically. “That box of cereal better not cross over our threshold ever again! It’s evil and positively barbaric! They eat their own kind!”
Casey squinted at her, disbelieving at how incensed she was becoming. “Woman, you have crossed the line! I’m puttin’ my damn foot down, here and now! Cinnamon Toast Crunch is my favorite cereal! If I want a bowl, I should not have to resort to eatin’ it in the car or at someone else’s house because of your sensibilities. Goin’ forward, if you see the commercial, simply change the channel.”
With a pout, Sidra dropped her hands to her baby bump. “That is so unfair!”
Palming her face, Casey kissed her soundly. “Enough talkin’! I’m wide awake now. Allow me to distract you and harness that crazy into somethin’ a lil’ more productive for a couple of hours.”
Sidra’s protest died on her lips as she was reminded of why she’d sought him out in the first place. Gasping, she braced herself against Casey’s chest and rode out the flash of pain. It wasn’t just the twinge and pinch she’d experienced in the kitchen. This was the tightening of her stomach followed by a pain that felt like needles raking across her abdomen.
“Ohhh!”
“Baby! What’s wrong?” Alarmed, Casey threw the covers back. Carefully supporting her weight, he turned on the lamp and got out of bed to kneel in front of Sidra. “Talk to me!”
Grimacing, she clenched his shoulders, making him wince under the pressure of her nails. Sheepishly Sidra replied, “Nothing! I just forgot to tell you that…my water broke in the kitchen.”
Casey stared at her stupidly. “Does this mean it’s—”
She managed a tired laugh, wincing as another contraction zapped her.
“Yesss! It’s time, babe!”
What the…! Only his woman!
She was the perfect intersection of beautiful and delusional, driving him out of his mind. But man did he enjoy a challenge! Or as Jack was fond of saying, Casey was simply cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs.
“I swear that it’s like navigatin’ my way through the Bermuda Triangle with you sometimes! How do you forget somethin’ like that?! You couldn’t have led with that when you woke me up, darlin’?” His adrenaline was now amped up like he’d kicked back ten espresso shots, every nerve in his body zinging with anticipation. Casey grabbed the pillows and fashioned them to support her back comfortably.
“Then you sat there, lettin’ us ramble on before gettin’ to the point, Sid! You know I have a three-point power plan from the moment your water breaks! How far are your contractions?! Let’s hit those breathin’ techniques!” he sternly ordered. “Puff! Puff! Whoosh! It’s go-time, baby! You’re early but accordin’ to my investigation on premature labor, just in case this happened, Moira’s lungs are fully developed.”
Sidra winced again, watching as Casey ran around the room like he was on fire, setting the timer on his phone and scrambling to the closet to grab his black sweatsuit and threw it on. It was followed by a black beanie, socks, Timbs, and a whistle around his neck. Casey had been preparing for this moment for the last six months. His “What To Expect When Expecting” book was highlighted and dogeared and now hidden because he was driving Sidra crazy with it. He’d gone to baby conventions and tried out products, grilling the manufacturers’ representatives thoroughly and reading every single review offered on the products he approved of.
“The rambling was vital! We’re about to embark on a life-changing adventure, and the magnitude of that hit me when I was standing over you! This is the last time it’ll just be us! Casey, I needed to express how I felt about you in case you forget when we’re ears-deep in dirty diapers!”
Casey paused, slanting a stern glare her way. “That ain’t even gonna happen, darlin’! You know I extensively researched the Super Diaper Annihilator 4.0!”
Puffing, Sidra rose to her feet. Casey gently pressed her back down. He removed the throw she was clutching around her waist (how had he not noticed that?!) her soiled underwear, cleaned and placed a pair of bloomers, complete with a pad, on her. Next, he dressed Sidra in loose, flannel loungewear, her lightweight parka, and put her favorite pair of comfy, shearling boots on her feet. Once done, Casey kissed her hard, staring deep into his wife’s frightened eyes.
“I won’t ever forget us, Sid. How silly does that even sound? That’d be like forgettin’ how to breathe! Don’t ever doubt that! None of this would even be possible without your crazy ass!”
Carefully, he escorted her to the door. Casey grabbed his clipboard, her hospital roll-on carrier and slung the diaper bag he’d insisted on packing a month ago over his free shoulder. Down the hallway, he stopped again to pound on their guest bedroom door.
“Yo! Wake up! It’s time!”
There was a muffled exclamation, the sound of something large hitting the floor before the door opened to reveal Dominick Harris, Sidra’s half-brother. Throwing clothes on haphazardly and hair sticking up everywhere, his eyes traveled over Sidra with excitement. He’d wrapped up his world tour two days ago and arrived yesterday. He planned to stay until the baby came. Lucky and Lena were in South Africa promoting her therapeutic-wellness line and weren’t expected until two weeks from now.
“Contraction status?” he yawned, grabbing his leather Chucks next to the door.
“Her water broke in the kitchen! No Braxton Hicks here, son! Contractions are about fifteen minutes apart. Back pain. Fluid downstairs, so she’s got the pad on. This is real-deal game time!” Casey barked. “Move that ass, rockstar!”
“Good grief, Hitler! I’m going! I’ll get the ice chips ready.” To his sister, Dominick inquired, “Any abnormal pelvic pressure?”
“Are you kidding me?” Sidra groaned as another contraction hit her and Casey scribbled furiously on his clipboard. “It’s all abnormal as far as I’m concerned! Now, let’s go!”
***
With Casey coaching his aggravated wife, who threatened to choke him with that ‘stupid fucking whistle’ every ten minutes and Dominick playing mediator between them, Moira Vivienne Sullivan wailed her way into the world five hours later, weighing seven pounds, eleven ounces. She was a deep-golden hue with cocoa wisps covering her head, pink cheeks, and alert hazel eyes like her daddy, Uncle Jack, and his namesake, her cousin baby Jack. To her mother’s chagrin, Moira was the spitting image of her father.
“What the hell?! How did I do all the work and you’re getting all the credit?!” was the first thing her exhausted, outraged mother demanded to know, followed by a teary declaration of, “She’s exquisite! Oh, my goodness, we were made just for her, Zaddy! Now throw that damn whistle and clipboard away!”
They lay in bed, Sidra holding Moira with Casey’s arms curled around his precious family. A relieved Dominick had hightailed it out of there with his phone full of pictures that he planned to share with Lucky and Lena once he got back to their loft.
“We did good, babe,” s
he said simply as their daughter’s tiny hand latched onto her finger. “She’s tiny but fierce and all heart. Like a star plucked straight from the sky. I know I complained about her looking like you earlier, but I didn’t mean a word of it! I’m completely in love with her and the way she looks.”
“You sure about that, Sid? You sounded fit to be tied once you got a good look at my baby girl,” Casey teased, running his fingers over Moira’s tiny toes, causing her to squirm. Husband and wife shared a laugh when she gave a squeak of protest. Then he sobered up, tucking black spiral curls behind Sidra’s ear and dropping a kiss on her shoulder.
“Thank you for givin’ me new life. I swear on my soul that I’ll be the best husband and daddy that you could dream up. I won’t ever let you or our family down and I can’t wait to do her hair. Wade’s been giving me pointers. He says the quality time has brought him and Camille even closer.”
“Go for it. I know you won’t let us down. You’re welcome and yeah, I’m sure about her looks, babe.” Sidra lifted her face away from Moira’s to briefly kiss Casey. “She’s a manifested replica of the love that bursts from my heart. Thank you for such a precious gift. I promise to cherish both of you every day for the rest of my life. Now, can you please put some more cocoa-Vaseline on my lips? I feel and look like I just went ten rounds with Ali, Frazier, their mamas, and their cousins too.”
Casey laughed outright. “I wasn’t gonna say it, but I gotchu, baby. A specialist from Miramar’s spa is comin’ by first thing in the mornin’ for whatever you need.”
“You’re simply the best, Casey Sullivan.” Sidra lifted Moira into her arms and kissed her, mumbling nom, nom, nom against her plump cheek. “Isn’t she divine?! I could seriously just gobble her up!”
Casey snorted rudely, “And yet, you consider the cereal that shall remain nameless, to be cannibalistic.”
“Shaddup, Mugsy.”
***
The sun was just coming up, and Sidra was finally asleep after fawning over their daughter despite Casey urging her to rest. She’d drifted off mid-sentence while Moira finished feeding. She’d taken to breastfeeding like a champ and was proving to be a happy, content baby thus far. The family would be here in a couple of hours, so Casey took the opportunity to take Moira outside to the reception area and over to a window. He opened the blinds slightly, allowing dawn’s light to touch his daughter’s head and celebrate her as he whispered a lifetime of love to her. Moira cooed and sighed, gazing up at him trustingly. Casey was in awe of how perfect one tiny being could be. He’d thought it didn’t get any better than when Ruby and baby Jack were born, or when D.J. smiled sagely at him and dropped some knowledge, but this feeling right here was enough to bring him to his knees.
Casey felt lightheaded. His heart was overflowing with a love so fierce and purposeful that he knew it had to come directly from God Almighty. It poured from his eyes, running down his cheeks as he thought of Ma up in heaven and knew she was watching over them. It had been decades since Casey last hugged and laughed with her, yet Moira’s presence held steady with them all as if they’d just seen her hours ago.
“Isn’t she a beauty, Ma?” he whispered in a raw voice as baby Moira yawned wide, her little body going taut as she stretched and snuggled deeper into the lavender cashmere blanket her Aunt Avery had sewn for her. “I wish you were here to hold her. Baby Moira’s surpassed every hope of what I thought she could be seven hours into her new life! She’s got our eyes, too. A right beauty she is! I’d hoped she would look more like Sid, but maybe our next one will. If not, we’ll keep tryin’.” The baby pursed her lips and gurgled happily. “Ssh, Moira! That’ll have to be our secret from Mommy for now.”
Sensing movement behind him, Casey smiled down at his daughter. “I would go to wars or start them on your behalf, little one. Never doubt that,” he fervently pledged. “There is no level of hell that I wouldn’t enter or create, to ensure your safety. Now, it’s time you meet the people who would follow me blindly and willingly, no questions asked, sweet baby.”
He shifted to face Alexei, Jack, and Darby, respectfully waiting, not a dry eye among them. “I knew y’all would make it here sooner rather than later.”
“Wild horses couldn’t drag us away from meetin’ the newest member of our family,” Jack vowed hoarsely, coming forward to carefully hug him and his new niece. “Congratulations, Casey.”
Smiling compassionately, he wiped the tears from his baby brother’s cheeks. “Suck it up, man! That’s what fatherhood does to you. Welcome to the club!”
“Well, I wish someone woulda warned me,” Casey sniffled. “And I thought my wife had me whipped! I don’t even know how I’m gonna survive this! I’m torn between ‘Take my wallet; everything I own is yours’ and ‘I’ve already got a tower and moat with your name on it’!”
“You ain’t never lied, bud.” Jack bent down and pressed a kiss to his niece’s downy head. “Welcome to the family, little one. I’m your Uncle Jack, and you’ve got a couple of cousins and aunts that are over-the-moon ready to meet you.”
Darby was next with a hug for Casey, a kiss for his niece. “Of course, we’d be here! Remember what Ma used to say? ‘The Irish are connected heart-to-heart. No distance or time shall keep us apart.’.”
He examined Moira with his signature shit-eating grin. “Whoo boy! How’s Sid takin’ the news that it looks like she didn’t have diddly-squat to do with makin’ babygirl? Hey, Miss Moira! I’m your Uncle Darby, the best-lookin’ and smartest of your uncles.”
Ignoring Jack’s scoff, he praised his niece. “She sure is a cutie, lil’ bro.”
“Thanks, fam. You already know I heard an earful about her looks.” Proudly, Casey handed the baby to Alexei, who humbly accepted Moira, cradling her to his chest.
“Pozdravleniya on your beautiful angel, Casey!” Alexei kissed his youngest son’s forehead. “And Sidra? All is well?”
“Thank you! She is excellent.” Casey pulled on his earlobe and shook his head. “Did you hear from Kat? She promised that Sid’s ‘push’ present would be ready on time.”
“Yes. Kat sends her congratulations as well as her love and will be here soon.” To his newest granddaughter, he cooed, “Privyet, Miss Moira! It is an absolute honor to finally make your acquaintance! Your Papa is going to spoil you silly, da?”
Casey glanced around expectantly, feeling disappointed. “I guess Mama Bear will be here later with the rest of the brood?”
All three men snorted rudely at him and Jack added, “Surely, you know better than that! She wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
At that exact moment, the elevator chimed. The doors opened, and it was full of teddy-bear-shaped balloons in lavender and pink as well as a larger, heart-shaped one that read ‘Welcome, Baby Moira!’
“A little help, please!” Vivienne’s request was muffled by the mass of balloons.
The brothers rushed to her assistance while Alexei looked on in amusement, completely captivated by the precious bundle in his arms. “You will find, Miss Moira, that your Nana never does anything by half-measures. She has a great heart, nyet? It is part of her beauty.”
He solemnly nodded as the baby gurgled and wiggled as if cosigning with him.
“Where did all of these come from???” a laughing Casey inquired, grabbing a dozen balloons. There had to be at least five dozen in there. He was deliriously happy to see Vivienne and share baby Moira with her.
“After you called us, I called Melvin, the general manager at the Miramar Resort. I added him to my contacts for this very reason. He was gracious enough to indulge my request. I custom-ordered the name balloon months ago.”
“Not to mention that Melvin wasn’t tryin’ to get on The Wolf’s bad side, even if it was three in the morning,” Darby remarked dryly as he and Jack finally got the rest of the balloons out, revealing Vivienne.
Casey whistled as he engulfed her in a hug and bussed her cheek loudly. “You left the house with no makeup on, wearin’ a track
suit, and your hair still wrapped??? Now, I know you really love me!” He chuckled when Vivienne swatted his shoulder crossly but returned his hug. “Come on, Mama Bear! Let’s get you and your latest grandbaby acquainted.”
The baby wasn’t even in her arms yet, and Vivienne was misty-eyed. As soon as Alexei woke her up and told her the news, she’d been feeling overwhelmed with emotion. A wave of poignancy left her incapable of speaking and mingled with jubilation. Twice, Alexei had asked if she was fine, and Vivienne could only nod her confirmation. She was inept to explain how grateful and beyond blessed she was to have the honor of being entrusted with her best friend’s children and having the privilege of raising them.
Mar, our baby is now a daddy, Vivienne thought. Alexei gently placed baby Moira in her arms. Instantly she exclaimed, “Casey! She looks exactly like you on the day you were born. Hello, lovely girl! I’ve been dying to meet you! Your mama and daddy sure did make some magic, my love.”
The men exchanged quizzical glances and Casey was the one to vocalize their curiosity. “You were there? How did I not know this?”
Keeping her eyes on her new granddaughter, Vivienne answered, “I sure was, hon. I drove Mar here! You were a pigheaded little baby that refused to wait for your due date but then took your sweet little time coming out, hours after your Mama’s water broke and she was fully dilated. No amount of pacing or rocking over her Mayo table could make you budge! You sat there until you were good and ready to come out. I was blessed enough to be by your mother’s side throughout the entire adventure.”
She glanced back at Sidra’s hospital room and smiled. Of course, it seemed perfectly fitting. “Another fun fact? You were also born in room 418.”
***
Past
“Blimey, Viv! This one’s full-blown Irish fer sure!” Moira panted. Her grip on Vivienne’s arm tightened as she leaned against her friend for support and they walked the corridor.
“Ouch! Oooh-wee! That’s a nice, solid grip,” Vivienne winced, feeling the circulation in her fingers being cut off as Moira’s nails dug into her flesh. “Of course, your baby’s Irish, silly woman! Shit that hurts! What else would he be?”
