Father's Day
A little snippet I wrote in honor of all the dads out there. Sonic POV
This story is dedicated to my wonderful husband, who has in so many ways exceeded every expectation I have ever had for a father. He'll never know how grateful I am and how blessed I feel
Their hands are so tiny. It's the first thing I remember thinkin' once the whole thing was over with, once things had settled down an' it got quiet. It was late an' everyone was in a hurry ta get back to bed. Nothin' really changed for them tonight, it was exicitin' in the moment an' all, but it's over for them now. The babies are here, the babies are healthy, an' they pat me on the back, tryin' ta hide their yawns. They leave, one by one, to snuggle again inta warm beds an' sleep, after all nothin' major happened ta them today. Nothin' changed.
I stare at them as they sleep. They're so still I reach out every few minutes ta put my hand lightly on one little chest, then the other to make sure they're breathin'. The little blankets around them look too tight an' it makes me nervous. Rosie says newborn babies like ta be bundled up like that, all tight an' snug, but I don't like it. I reach out ta loosen the strangle hold the white knit snake has on the tiny, helpless form of my little girl, but I stop at the last moment, pullin' away an' fiddlin' with the cuff of my glove instead. If I move her aroun' I bet she'll wake up. If she woke up, would she want to eat again? She'd only been in the world for . . . almost two hours now an' had done a pretty good job suckin' at Sal's breast, but she fell asleep awful quick, she couldn't have got that much. Rosie says Sal doesn't even have milk yet, just some other weird named stuff. But that's normal. That's good and that stuffs important to the babies. Still, I doubt it's very fillin'.
I can't stop lookin' at 'um. They're just too awesome. Too new and way too special. Already it's hard ta believe that this time last night they were just a weird, unknown thing inside Sal. They kicked me in the back sometimes at night, when Sal snuggled close. They felt so strong then. How can they look so fragile out here in the world? The boy moves a little an' I hold my breath. He isn't just "the boy" anymore, he has a name. Sal didn't like any of the names I thought up for him. They were cool though. Things like Racer, Speed, Juice, an' my favorite, Sonic II. A prince a' Mobius needs a respectable, borin' name I suppose. Nicholai Maurice. She's crazy if she thinks I'm callin' my son that. One day I'll think him up a real good nick name, when he gets a little older an' I know 'im better. But for now, Nick will work okay. It's not so bad.
I got ta name the girl. I think Sal was surprised by my suggestion for her name. She kept lookin' at me like she thought I was gonna say, just kiddin', I wanna go with Sonica or somethin'. But I was serous and she had smiled, noddin'. Sophia Sallie. My mom's middle name an' a 'course Sal's name. Pretty names, for such a pretty baby. I wonder if I just think she's pretty 'cause she's mine. Sophie is smaller than Nick an' I think I shoulda made Sal eat more. I didn't know there were two of 'um in there. Sal tol' me usually one twin is smaller than the other, but Sophie weighs over a pound less. Maybe I should mess with the blanket so she'll wake up an' eat again. I would, but I feel kinda bad for Sal. She spent the better part a' the day bringin' the babies inta the world an' I'd hafta wake her up. Sure enough, as soon as I decide it'd be better if I just let 'um all sleep, Sophie makes a soft, mullin' sound, then out an' out starts ta cry. I carefully pick her up, careful to hold her head, an' rock her a little ta see if she'll calm down.
She feels like she doesn't weigh nothin' in my arms. I'm a little scared I'll hurt her, she's just so little. I think back ta when Tails was a baby. He wasn't ever this small, was he? Maybe I just don't remember it quite right. Maybe he didn't seem so little 'cause I wasn't all that big either. He was excited about the baby. I can't wait ta tell him there are two an' bring him ta see 'um. He's never seen no one younger than he is. It makes me sad, thinkin' about it. Sophie calms down a little, but I'm pretty sure she's not gonna be happy for long. She's gonna want Sal, but I'll wait till she starts cryin' again ta wake her.
I talk ta her a little, like I did when she was still a funny mound in Sal's middle. They could hear me an' I think Sophie might even remember my voice, 'cause she gets awful still an' quiet when I talk to her. She makes soft, sniffle sounds, smellin' me maybe. Her eyes aren't open yet, so I guess she don't have any other way ta learn about me. She knows my voice, but my scent's new ta her. I wish I'd gotten a shower or somethin'. She smells so good. That baby smell is strong on her fur an' I bend down low ta breath her in, wantin' ta always remember her this way. It's hard ta picture her all grown up right now, but I know it'll happen one day. It scares me. I don't want her, or Nick either growin' up ta fight a war. I don't want 'um gettin' hurt in the city, loosin' friends an' family ta a war that started way before they was ever thought of. I promise myself that won't happen. I won't let that happen. I want 'um ta go ta school an' get good jobs an' be happy. I feel a new sort a' determination, different than anythin' I ever felt before. Suddenly I ain't fightin' just for me. I ain't fightin' just for all those people trapped in robot shells. I'm fightin' for my family. For my babies. I wanted ta win for all those things that came before. I will win for them.