Darien took a second to catch his breath as he reached the top of his parents hill. He put everything down.
"Hi Mom. Hi Dad. I know it has been a little longer between our visits than we like, but I brought someone here for you to finally meet." He popped back the top of a stroller, pulled out a carseat. "Rini, meet grandma and grandpa." He put her right in front of their name plates and kneeled before them. "Mom, dad, this is Rini." He smiled.
"She is sleeping right now. She does that a lot. But at least I was able to get her out here. Wish you could see her eyes. She has red eyes, just like you mom. We are still trying to figure out this pink hair thing. Doctor said it might be temporary, but I want her to have it forever. It makes her special. And my God her smile is like Serena's, lights up the entire room." He started to clean off their plates. "Serena really wanted to be here, but she is still recovering and she really needs her rest."
He adjusted Rini's blanket and sighed. "She has been doing so great with this mom thing. I told you guys she was going to make a great mom. If I had to list the times when I thought she was the most beautiful..."He nodded. "The second they put Rini in her arms, that smile." He exhaled slowly. "Top 3 for sure."
"She didn't have the easiest labor considering how small she is and she was in a lot of pain after, but she pushed through for her Rini. She refused her pain meds because she wanted to nurse her. I tell you that nursing looks hard. If she is not pumping, she is nursing, and if she is not doing that, she is changing her. I always have to remind her to eat and drink. Other than that I feel pretty useless. Her dad told me the first few months can be like that. Serena does almost everything. If not her, her mom."
"Her mom has helped so much. Her whole family really. I am so grateful for them. Her brother came right when he heard she was in labor and helped me finish anything I needed. Her dad helped buy us groceries when we got discharged. He didn't want us paying delivery fees. We have a great support system." He deeply exhaled. "And it is weird, I just can't help but be jealous. She has them. And at any time she can call them and they will be there. Sammy takes a a few hours, but she can count on him just as much. All I really have is Andrew and Rita, and they aren't even blood. They are just all I come to table with." He adjusted his position. "Don't get me wrong they treat me like their son." He shrugged. "It is just different."
"I also can't help but be mad that our daughter will never really know you, but she will for sure know them. I worry she will never understand she really has two sets of grandparents, not just one. She will only know what I remember of you, and what I remember is so little, and we know that's not the same."
"I wish you two were here to hold her. You could see how she smiles in her sleep, and God she is so perfect."
He smiled. "Serena tells me she strongly believes, you two picked her just for us, and whether or not it is true, I like to believe that. So thank you for her." He reached into her carseat and caressed her face. "I couldn't imagine a more perfect baby."
"I really wanted to get her out sooner, but adjusting with a newborn is hard. People who say sleep when the baby sleeps..." He made a confused look. "Who the hell thought of that." He cleared his throat. "Sorry mom. I know how you feel about bad words."
"But it is like my everything changed." He went on. "Dad I know you always told me not to cry, and I have been really good at not crying. I tear a little here and there. But that day I held her for the very first time. I couldn't help it. My eyes were like faucets." He itched his nose. "To know she is the only blood relative I have..." His shoulder drop. "I was so overwhelmed with love, fear that I would not be able to do this right. Happiness, because we wanted a baby so bad, and I wanted a family of my own more than anything. I was so thankful for Serena, because she made this happen. So I bawled so bad. They have photos of it too, I am not graceful cryer. Serena's tears made her look so pretty, mine...? Yuck."
"I told you guys from day one, I knew Serena was going to be the best thing that ever happened to me. She continues to bring so much joy to my life. I would say I don't know how she will top Rini, but I am sure with each kid we bring I will be more and more in love with her. "
"She wants three more kids, because she doesn't have to worry about someone ever sitting along in a rollercoaster." He laughed. "I told her the same can be done with two kids, but she thinks two kids is not enough. We will see if having another kid will change her mind, but I am sure if they are anything like this little one, she won't and if anything she will want more."
He watched as Rini stirred in her seat. He turned the seat around, removed her blanket, and unbuckled her. He gently pulled her out. She did a big stretch. He clicked his tongue to soother her. Kissed her forehead.
"It is crazy how much she has grown in just a month. I can't wait to see what she looks like at her first birthday. Serena wants to do a huge birthday for her, and we will of course send you two an invite."
He rocked Rini in his arms, brought her up to kiss. "Is it weird that sometimes I smell her? I seen Serena do it too, is that normal? Or is this another reason why I get to put her on my list as my person?" He gave them a second like they were really going to answer.
Rini made a small noise. "Shhh, shhhh. It's okay my sweet girl. Daddy is here." He bounced her. "Wanna say hi to grandma and grandpa? Hmmmm? I am sure they would love to see your pretty eyes." He kissed her head again. "Oh my sweet girl." He whispered. "I wish they were really here with us too."
"The would have loved you so much." He whispered.
She cooed.
Then an idea came to his head. Supporting Rini with one arm, he moved a small blanket to the center on their name plate, right between his parents names. He then slowly moved Rini towards the blanket. She made a little noise. "Shhh, shhhh, sweet girl, Daddy just wants a picture with you with Grandma and Grandpa, okay?" He said calmly. "It will be so quick." He finally placed her down. She stretched out, while he stood up with his phone in hand. He snapped what seemed like 10 different shots. Then she started to whine, and he quickly picked her up.
"This is going to be on my home screen." He nodded. "Serena and Rini have the lock screen. But this will be the home screen, the first time my parents held my baby."
"Next time I come, Serena will be here and we will get a full family photo, I promise." He looked at his watch. "I should probably start getting her home. She doesn't do very well without her mom for very long."
He put her back in the car seat. Stood up. Put the carseat back into the stroller. Picked up the blanket. "I love you guys. I miss you every day. Again thank you for her. Until next time." He blew them a kiss.