A New Addition

I step outside to find my wife, Mabel, and our daughter, Kyla, watering the garden. I grin and lean against the door frame, waiting for them to notice me.

They're dressed like mother and daughter, flowy, yellow sundresses with flower print. Mabel holds Kyla hand to steady the can.

¨Lemonade's made,¨ I call out. Kyla screeches and drops the watering can, ¨Daddy!¨ she sprints over and crawls into my arms.

I hold her until Mabel walks over and whispers in her her ear, ¨Daddy and I have a surprise for you!¨ I tell her, ¨Auntie Ky-Ky is coming over!¨ she bounces up and down like a typical 4-year-old. ¨She me favwite! She named for me!¨

I just laugh. Ever since our daughter met Mabel's sister she thinks her Aunt was named after her.

We go inside the house, the we hear the ding-ding-dong of the doorbell. Mabel glides over and swings it open. Aunt Ky-Ky hurries in and embraces us both. Kyla scrambles over and asks, ¨Auntie, why your tummy big?¨ Amused, Ky-Ky answers, ¨My little boy is still in there, But he should be out soon.¨

I stroll into the kitchen and pour everybody a glass of lemonade. I hear footsteps headed for the living room, so I carry the glasses there, waiter style. I hand everyone their glass, and as I hand Ky-Ky hers, she playfully smacks my arm, ¨You goofball!" I know she was going to say something else, but she knows better in front of Kyla.

We chat and sip our lemonade until I see that Mabel's 27 year old sister is breathing heavily. I shoot to me feet and demand ¨What's happening?¨ Mabel doesn't answer my question, she just orders ¨Hospital. Now.¨ and throws the keys at me. I rush Ky-Ky out the door and quickly into the car. I hurriedly backup out of the driveway and speed downtown towards the hospital. I try to hurry her into the building, but she can't walk too fast. I finally get her through the doors into the emergency room lobby and doctors come out of nowhere and rush her down a blinding white hallway.

I'm stuck in the waiting room. I'm so nervous I bite my nails until they're raw and red. I look at the various televisions and toys for little kids. Kyla would love to be here. She would love the toys.

I flop onto the couch and watch the clock every few minutes. It seems so slow. 3:10… 3:12… 3:32… finally, one of the doctors come in to let me know I can see her. But as I walk behind him down the white maze, I think Kyla wouldn't like it here. She would be going crazy, She has no idea what's happening. She would bawl.

The doctor finally stops in front of a door I would've passed if I didn't know what was behind it. I thank the doctor and rush in. Ky-Ky lays there, holding a tiny, blue bundle.

She smiles and holds it out for me, ¨His name's Will. Please don't drop him.¨ I gingerly take him and cradle him to my chest. I look down at his little face. I can already tell he's going to be blonde, like me. He has wide, blue eyes that stare back at me. His smooth skin is warm to my touch.

I look at my sister-in-law and back at the baby. I look between them for a couple minutes and finally, look back at Will.

He's finally fallen asleep, and is so silent, I almost can't believe he's still alive. I whisper, so quietly that only I can hear it, and so could Will, ¨Don't worry, I'll never let go."