The next day, Bro took the baby down to the adoption center, where one of the officers from the other day was waiting for him. He asked him what his decision was. Bro told him he'd like to keep him. "Are you sure?" asked the officer and the adoption agent over and over again. "A baby is a huge commitment." Bro told them each time that he was. He spend the next 45 minutes filling out paperwork. When he got to the line that asked for the child's name, he hesitated.

"Do you have a name for him?" the agent asked. "If not, we have a few books you could look through."

"No, it's fine," said bro. "I have a name." He had spent an hour last night researching names. He lowered the pen to the paper and wrote STRIDER, DAVE in the blank. When the paperwork was done, Bro payed the center and they left. The center had given him a stroller and a car seat, but he had to buy everything else. The drove down to the Babies-R-Us. For obvious reasons, Dave couldn't keep sleeping in the sock drawer, so they had to get a crib. They also needed a high chair, some toys, food, and diapers, which Bro had changed that morning without any difficulty.

When they got back to the apartment, Bro got stares from his neighbors as he walked down the hall, laden with supplies. They had all expected him to give him up for adoption. Bro reached his apartment, put down the bags and Dave, and called Mr. Egbert. This time it was him who answered, and the first thing he said was, "Did you keep him?"

"Yeah, I did."

Bro heard Juliet shout "YES!" in the background as Mr. Egbert said, "We'll be down in just a minute." He hung up.

Bro had just finished hauling the crib's box into his room when there was a knock at the door. He opened it to see the Egberts standing in the hall, beaming at him and holding John, their 3 month old child. He ushered them inside. Mr. Egbert reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny pair of pointed shades, just like Bro's own constant accessory. "For your new son," he said, handing them to Bro.

"Son?" Bro said, "Oh, hell no. I'm too young for a son. No, Dave is more of a little brother." He put the glasses on Dave and he giggled. They fit perfectly. Juliet walked into Dave's room.

"What's this?" she said, "You haven't even got his crib unpacked?" She picked up an alan wrench from the ground and said, "We can help with that."

"No, it's fine, I can do it. You don't have to-"

"Nonsense. We're here and we've done it before. We already know how."

It was too late to protest. Juliet had already dragged the box out of his bedroom and started opening it. Mr. Egbert pulled out the instructions and started reading. Bro shrugged and picked up a few pieces. Due to the Egberts' experience, they managed to get it set up in 15 minutes while the two babies played with some of the smuppets laying around.

Bro started unpacking the rest of the bags. Mr. Egbert peered curiously into one and pulled out a small plastic Katana. "Um, Bro? Why did you buy your baby a sword?"

Juliet sighed. "Please tell me you're not going to 'raise him as a warrior' or whatever it is you call it."

"What's so bad about raising my lil' bro to be a bad ass?" He picked Dave up off the couch and handed him the tiny plastic blade. "I think it'll be good for him to learn to be tough." The Egberts sighed. Mr. Egbert bent down next to John and gave him a little stuffed clown doll.

"I think it's better to raise a child with tender love." He made the clown dance in front of John, who giggled. "Kids are little and fragile, and they need our protection. We're here to keep them safe, and nurture them gently to their full potential."

It was quiet for a moment as Mr. Egbert's words hung in the air. "Well that's a load of bull-shit."

"What do you mean?" Mr. Egbert asked."

"I feel like if you coddle the kid, he won't be as capable when he grows up."

"I guess if you do it wrong."

Bro shrugged. "Just be careful you don't try too hard."

"Same to you. Don't be too tough on him." Mr. Egbert picked John up. John started chewing on the stuffed clown. Bro looked at the clock. it was almost six o'clock. He invited the Egberts to stay for dinner.

"And by dinner, I mean I'm probably going to order Chinese," he added. They agreed, and he called in an order. While they were waiting they set up the high chair. When the doorbell rang, Bro went to collect the food and pay the delivery man, Juliet put Dave in the high chair and John on the table in front of her, and Mr. Egbert got out plates and baby food.

They set the food out on the table and started dishing it out. Bro opened the jar of baby food. He then realized he had never actually fed Dave baby food before. Yesterday he had only used formula, which, now that he thought about it, probably wasn't good enough for a seven-month old child. He scooped a bit of food out of the jar and tried to give it to Dave. The baby closed his mouth and avoided the spoon as if his tiny little life depended on it. The food smeared on his cheek and fell onto the tray of the high chair. Bro looked at him for a second and said, "Seriously, kid?"

He tried again. This time moving slowly and carefully. When he reached the closed lips he prodded them a little. The mouth remained solidly shut. Juliet looked up from her baby and saw Bro's difficulties. She poked her husband who had a forkful of food on the way to his mouth and whispered something in his ear. Mr. Egbert looked over at Bro and nodded. He leaned over and tapped Bro on the shoulder.

"Need some help?" Bro shook his head, but he took the jar and the spoon anyways. "Watch carefully." Mr. Egbert first wiped the food off of Dave's face, and then proceeded to teach Bro how exactly to feed a fussy baby. He then handed the food back to Bro and watched as he did the same. Mr. Egbert nodded as Bro managed to get the food into Dave's mouth instead of his face.

When the bottle was empty, Bro finally got to eat his own food. The Egberts were pretty much done by this point, so they offered to clean up a bit while he ate. Bro agreed, and they started clearing up the empty take-out boxes and putting the leftovers in the fridge. When everything was cleared up, the Egberts sat on the couch and Bro and Dave sat on the chair opposite them.

"So, Bro, taking care of a baby is a huge commitment, you know that, right?"

"Yeah, I already figured that out."

"You can't exactly go out DJing every night. And a day job wouldn't work out either."

"Yeah, which is why I just won't work."

"Huh?"

"I have plenty of money put away. I can manage just fine until he's chill to stay home alone for a night."

"Are you sure you have that much money?"

"Yeah. My DJing gets me good money. Even when Dave is stayin' home alone I'll go out like, once a week."

"That plan doesn't seem… completely air tight. What if you don't get a gig? What if it doesn't pay as much as you need?"

"I think you're underestimating demand for me. A little hiatus will actually help me get a gig. if I'm gone, people will want me more, so when I come back, everyone will want me and they'll play high for me. Once a week will be plenty."

"That seems a little conceited, don't you think?"

Bro shrugged. "That's just how things work. If it's to my benefit, I'll manipulate it. Anyone else would, and it doesn't hurt anyone."

They were quiet for a moment. Then, John started to cry. Mr. Egbert looked at his watch. "Shit," he muttered. "John's betdime was half an hour ago. We better head home. You sure you can manage on your own tonight?"

Bro waved his hand. "Yeah, yeah, I'll be fine. You guys go home. Babies need to sleep." Mr. Egbert tossed the keys to Juliet and picked up John. They said their goodbyes and left. Bro turned to Dave who was now starting to get a bit cranky and said, "Just the two of us again. How about a little party?" Dave started to cry a little."Yeah, not tonight." He put Dave in his crib. He continued to cry. Bro sighed a little and picked him back up. "Come on, lil' guy. What do you want from me?" He remembered when he had visited the Egberts when John was first born, and Juliet had sung to him. "Oh hell no, I'm not singing to you." He thought for a minute, sat down on the couch, and began to rap quietly.

Dave's crying was getting softer. As Bro finished his rap, he looked down at the now sleeping baby. He put him gently down in the crib and went to bed himself. Yeah, he could make this work.

Wow, sorry it took so long to get this up! I made sure to make this chapter longer than the other two. I'm starting to get a little bit of a plan as to where this story is heading, so I might be able to get the next chapter up sooner.