Fall 16
I sat outside a room in the clinic, waiting. My heart was pounding, and my tears were streaming from worry. My wife, Dorothy, was in labor with our second and only child.
Only child…my tears streamed out faster, thinking of how our new baby will never meet his or her older brother who passed away almost two years ago on winter tenth. That day was a sorrowful day.
My son's cause of death still haunted me to this very day. I can still see the necro, and my son soiled in his own blood. I shut my eyes tightly, trying to prevent the haunting memory and my tears from coming out more, but it didn't help. I…missed him so much. I…was worried now, what if something happens to Dorothy? To the new baby?
"Barrett?" I looked up at Clara's face. She gasped when she saw I had been crying.
"Di-did something happen?" she asked as I wiped my tears.
"I…just miss him, that's all." Her lower lip began quaking as her whole body began to shake a little.
"Grampa?" I looked over at my granddaughter, who was in her mother, Clara's, arms. Winter tenth was a sorrowful day, but it was also a joyful day too. My son's death day was also the day of his daughter's birth. My granddaughter meant the world to everyone; she was our light in that dark moment.
"I-I'm fine, Cadence! Everything is gonna be okay!" I reassured her, noticing the worry in her eyes.
"Why don't I tell you a story?" I asked, outstretching my arms, to motion for her to climb on my lap. Clara allowed her to be cradled into my arms.
"Would you like to hear a story of when your daddy was a little boy?" Cadence gave me a puzzled look.
"Little boy?" Clara bent down towards Cadence.
"Yeah! Mommy used to be a baby too! Just like you! And so was your grandpa Barrett!" Cadence's eyes widened, as she looked up at me.
"Grampa Barrett baby?" I began to laugh.
"Yeah! Grandpa Barrett was a baby, too!" Cadence's brows furrowed in a non-believing way.
"And I'm your daddy's daddy! And Nana Dorothy is your daddy's mommy!" Cadence's eyes widened again.
"Wow! Really?" Then her eyes gave a look of disbelief again.
"Then who mommy mommy and daddy?"
"Your grandmother Rosalind and grandpa Jack, of course!" Clara exclaimed as Cadence gasped in awe, causing us both to laugh. However, our laughter was cut short when a loud wail from a newborn echoed throughout the clinic. My heart began pounding as Natalie came out, with a smile on her face.
"It's a healthy girl!" she exclaimed, "Dorothy did beautifully!"
A girl…I felt a surge of emotions run through me. I bet she was beautiful, just like her mother. With a girl that meant, beating on every boy who broke her little heart, scratch that, beating on every boy who even gazed in her direction! They would be sorry .
It meant playing and discipline all over again, just like with her older brother when he was little. I couldn't wait any longer, I gave Cadence back to her mother before walking into Dorothy's room. Julia and Rosalind were both in the room as they cooed at the baby.
"Oh, she's beautiful, Dorothy!" Rosalind exclaimed.
"Yeah, now Clara and Leann will have a competition." Julia joked as they both looked up at me. My eyes widened at the tiny little girl. She was absolutely beautiful! Brown hair covered the top of her head, as her pink eyes squinted in the bright room.
"Oh! Dorothy! Barrett! She's beautiful!" I heard Clara gasp in awe as Cadence tilted her head in wonder.
"Baby?" she asked, as I looked over towards her.
"Yeah. Would you like to meet your aunt?" She stretched her little arms as I took her from her mother's arms, allowing her to see the baby.
"What name?" She asked, as my eyes widened. Cadence was supposed to be Leonel's name originally, but that was now his daughter's name. What were we going to name her?
"You look nervous, honey." Dorothy said as I blushed; she gave a reassuring smile, "Don't worry, I've thought of a name. B-but, if you don't like it…uhm…"
"I'm sure I'll love it." I said, as Dorothy blushed.
"What do you think of Yuri?" She asked as I gave Cadence back to her mother, taking my new daughter from my wife's arms.
"I think it fits her like a glove." I said, joy swept over me, the same kind of joy I had when her older brother was born.
"I love you, Yuri." I whispered, closing my eyes; allowing myself to see the memories of my son's smile.