Mackenzie McHale was having a dream.
She was warm and the sun was shining on her freckled face as she sat on a beach with her toes in the damp sand. There was no one around save her, turquoise water lapping gently at the shore, sun dappling on the sea, breeze rippling her hair and catching the salty scent of the waves and sending it along.
Then she heard music. Just an acoustic guitar, and someone singing quietly. She turned, but saw no one. Where was that melody coming from?
That question was enough to send Mackenzie back towards the waking world. She thought to herself, "I was dreaming," and then came back to consciousness. "Oh, why am I awake?" she moaned. "The bed is warm, the sun is shining…" and then she came fully awake with a start. Where was Will? His place next to her was empty, and had been for some time, as none of his warmth still lingered in the sheets. Was something wrong?
She grabbed her leggings and t-shirt, discarded to the floor hours before, when she and Will fell into bed together, limbs tangled. They had made slow, steady love before falling asleep in each other's arms.
Then she heard it again. The singing and guitar strumming. It was Will she'd heard, the hum of his acoustic guitar and the croon of his voice. What was he doing? He'd wake the baby! Why hadn't she heard her yet this morning?
When Mackenzie pushed open the bedroom door she looked out into the dining room. What she saw immobilized her in the doorway, a smile slowly creeping across her face. Will was standing with one foot up on a dining room chair, his guitar resting on his thigh, strap around his shoulder. And on the dining room table, reclining in her bouncer chair, was twelve-week-old Caroline McAvoy, who was clearly relishing her status as audience of one.
Will finished Brown-Eyed Girl by Van Morrison, which he'd adapted and made Blue-Eyed Girl, in honor of his daughter's turquoise gaze. Then he started on You Got It by Roy Orbison.
"Every time I look into your loving eyes
I see a love that money just can't buy.
One look from you
I drift away
I pray that you
Are here to stay.
Anything you want, you got it
Anything you need, you got it
Anything at all, you got it
Baby."
When Will sang the word 'baby' to Caroline, he leaned in to kiss her little cheek. For her part, she kicked her legs enthusiastically and cooed. Will went on singing,
"Every time I hold you I begin to understand
Everything about you tells me I'm your man."
"Well, I'm Mommy's man. I'm your Daddy," he added, then sang,
"I live my life to be with you
No one could do the things you do
Anything you want, you got it
Anything you need, you got it
Anything at all, you got it
Baby."
During the guitar solo, Will leaned in as close as he could to little Carrie's face and nuzzled her soft skin. She grabbed at his hair until he had to gently pull her hands away, laughing at how strong this little peanut could be, at only twelve weeks and 13 pounds.
"I have to finish the song now, Care Bear," he said. Then he sang,
"I'm glad to give my love to you
I hope you feel the way I do.
Anything you want, you got it
Anything you need, you got it
Anything at all, you got it
Baby.
Anything you want, you got it.
Baby- you got it."
He put the guitar down and leaned down to kiss his daughter, the baby girl he'd created with Mackenzie, who looked so very like a combination of the two of them. Her red-gold hair was his, her eyes a blend of his blue and her hazel, but with Mackenzie's crinkles in the corners. She had Will's appetite and Mackenzie's focus. The girl was only twelve weeks old but she could pay attention. She made the perfect following. He now had a fanbase of two.
"Someone likes her Daddy's singing," Mackenzie said as she padded softly into the dining room. At the sight of her mother, Caroline started kicking her legs and waving her chubby little arms. Mac opened the velcro straps holding the baby into her seat and lifted her out, snuggling the infant up to the crook of her neck and breathing in her sweet scent.
"She slept until 7:30. I heard her doing that little annoyed grunt thing she does when she's getting ready to start fussing, so I went in and got her. She was so happy to see me, Mac. She smiled as soon as I looked down at her. I changed her diaper and got her dressed and brought her out here. She had a big bottle and then I decided to put on a concert to keep her entertained for a while. I discovered a few weeks ago that she likes to watch me sing." Will said.
"Of course she was happy to see you. You're her daddy," Mac said, smiling. "She likes the music- what girl wouldn't want to hear a handsome man sing?"
"No, she wants to watch me. She stares at my face. She likes to make eye contact with me while I'm serenading her. Do you think she understands?" he asked.
"I don't think that she comprehends every word, no." Mackenzie said. "But she does understand the love, she likes the sounds, she tracks your movements with her eyes… you interacting with her is helping to build neural connections. She recognizes it as something special." Mackenzie cradled Caroline in her left arm and snaked her right arm around Will's waist. She leaned her head onto his chest and said, "This little girl couldn't have a better daddy."
Will kissed the top of Mac's head and walked to the kitchen to pour her a cup of coffee. "Do you want breakfast? I can hold her while you eat." he offered.
"Why don't you make me some toast and I'll eat it while you rock her." Mac said, kissing Carrie's cheek.
Will toasted Mackenzie some rye bread and buttered it while Mac sat in the rocker and snuggled Caroline and talked to her about their day. "While you take a nap, Daddy and I can take showers, and then we'll go outside for a walk. Maybe we'll go to that cafe that has the mobiles on the ceilings that you like to watch. How does that sound?" Mackenzie said looking deep into her daughter's eyes.
"Give her to me and eat your breakfast," Will said. He took Mackenzie's vacated spot in the rocking chair and Mac moved to the couch. As he rocked little Caroline, he sang quietly to her. "You're my blue-eyed girl." When Caroline drifted off, closing her eyes completely just five minutes later, Will continued to rock her. When he was sure she was totally asleep, he walked to the side of the couch and lowered her gently to the Moses basket on the floor. Mackenzie looked on and marveled that her husband had become such a natural with an infant so quickly. Then Will walked back to Mac and said, "I'll hop in the shower while you finish up. We'll head out when she wakes up?" Mac nodded her assent, tilted her face up to his for a kiss, then went back to her toast and the newspaper while Will wandered off for a shower.