“Do you want to feed her?” Christian asked his mom.
“Of course I do,” she smiled.
Christian put a bib on Skylar then handed his mom the bottle. She took the screaming baby over to the couch and sat down, propping a pillow under her arm and the baby’s head. The crying stopped as soon as that bottle went in her mouth; it was the cutest thing Christian’s ever seen.
His mother started cooing to Skylar about being a hungry baby, making Christian smile. He was glad his parents were being so supportive. His dad moved over to the couch and sat down next to Anne so that he could see the baby better.
While those two were occupied, Christian went to Shea, taking his hand and pulling him into the kitchen. Christian turned to face Shea, who was looking a bit shell-shocked.
“How you holding up, love?” Christian asked softly, brushing his knuckles over Shea’s scruffy cheek.
Shea closed his eyes and stepped into Christian, loosely slipping his arms around Christian’s waist and tucking his face into his neck. Christian sighed and wrapped his arms around Shea, cupping the back of his head with one hand.
“I feel like we’ve made a mistake,” Shea croaked. “I don’t know how to take care of a baby, I can’t…I can’t do this.”
“Shhh, Shea, everything is going to be fine, I promise,” Christian murmured.
Shea shook his head and clutched Christian tighter as he pulled in a ragged breath.
“Shea, you’re just overwhelmed. You’ve had this huge responsibility dumped on you practically overnight, but I’m here, we’re going to do this together,” Christian tried to assure him.
“I can’t even hold her,” Shea sobbed, his whole body trembling as he clung to the back of Christian’s shirt.
The last time Christian saw Shea cry was when his family died, and that was over four years ago. So for him to be crying now meant that he was feeling lost and helpless and couldn’t see any hope of things getting better.
“Christian, honey, can I have a word with Shea?” Came his mother’s voice from behind Shea.
Christian looked up to see his mother standing in the kitchen doorway, her hands clasped together in front of her, a soft but concerned smile on her face. His mother always looked so put together with her crisp blouses, jeans, and perfectly coiffed white hair. He pulled back from Shea, who quickly tried to pull himself together, swiping the tears from his face. Christian looked down at him, giving him a soft kiss on the lips before leaving so that his mom could talk to him.
He walked into the living room and found his dad holding Skylar while he sat on the couch - she was out cold. The bottle sat empty on the coffee table. Christian smiled; she was definitely going to grow fast if she ate like that all of the time. He went and sat down next to his dad.
“How are you holding up, Christian?” his dad asked, glancing over at him.
“I’m okay, surprisingly,” Christian answered.
“That’s good. Shea’s falling apart, isn’t he?” Henry Sr. frowned, his green eyes looking sad.
“A little bit.” Christian sighed and nodded.
His dad then reached over and squeezed his knee. “You stay strong for him, just like you did when his family died.”
Christian looked over at his father to find him looking at him with love and pride in his eyes. Christian swallowed back the emotion that suddenly clogged his throat. “I will, dad.”
“You’re a good man, Christian, and I’m glad that you and Shea are together. You guys have always been the perfect pair, and I know that this baby is in the best hands with you and Shea. She is going to be loved and cared for and given everything that she needs,” Henry Sr. said sincerely.
Christian fought back the tears that threatened to fall. Damn his dad! Why did he have to go and say shit like that right now?
“Even if she doesn’t have a mother?” Christian rasped.
“Children don’t need a mother and father. As long as they have someone who loves them with their whole heart, than that’s enough. Whether it be two men, two women, a man and woman, or one man or one woman, it doesn’t matter. Love and stability are what make children happy and grow into good people. You have to teach her how to be a good person, the difference between right and wrong. That is what defines a parent, not what gender you are.”
Christian nodded, unable to stop the tears from streaming down his face. “Thank you, dad.”
“I love you, son. You know that right?” his father murmured.
Christian smiled. “Yes, I do know. I love you, too.”
“Good. Now, I think you are about to change your first poopy diaper cause this kid is farting away over here,” Henry Sr. chuckled.
Christian laughed and brushed the tears off his face. His father handed over Skylar and kissed Christian’s forehead. Christian gave him a grateful smile before getting up to grab a diaper. Christian just finished changing the baby when Shea and his mother walked into the living room. Shea looked a bit more pulled together even though his eyes were red and puffy from crying. Who knows what Anne said to him. Christian would try to find out later when they were alone.