Some people dozed in chairs, others were sipping coffee and chatting. Several children were passed out, lying across several chairs. A baby boy was sound asleep on his mother’s shoulder, arms dangling while she talked to a burly mountain man, hovering so close I had to assume they were a couple.
I scanned the room, found the entrance to the birthing center, and started toward it. I was caught off guard as I got close to see one of the men leaned against the wall, sipping a coffee. It was the tall, lean one. The hot one, as I had called him. Rebecca had told me all their names once, and his was the only one I committed to memory. He also, just for the record, happened to be the only single one.
He was tall and thin, but he had broad shoulders that looked deceptively muscular under his clothes.
Unfortunately for me, it seemed he noticed I was looking at him. He nodded to me and motioned behind him down the hall.
“She’s in there,” he said. His voice was low and velvety. It sounded delicious. That was the only vocabulary I had to explain it.
“Thank you,” I said.
“Anytime,” he said, the twang in his voice enough to make my face feel like it was full of cotton and my hair stand on end as I walked by him and into the door just to the left.
As soon as I walked in, I could feel the presence of love in the room. I felt it like a wall of fog I had to walk through to get to them.
Rebecca was in the bed, a blanket pulled up to her chest and looking tired but happy. Beside her stood a tall man I recognized as her fiancé Deacon. He was holding a tiny dark-haired baby to his chest, an open flannel shirt so the baby was touching his skin.
“Oh my God, she’s so tiny!” I said as I approached. “Congratulations, Rebecca.”
I reached over and gave her a light hug and then stood again to look at the baby. Deacon had turned her so I could see her little face, pressed against his chest. She looked like she was sleeping.
“Helen, nice to meet you in person,” Deacon said. “This is little Eloise.”
“Oh, how precious,” I said. “Hello, Eloise.”
I stayed for a short time, chatting with them and cooing over the baby before noticing light poking through the curtains of the room.
“Is it morning already?” Rebecca asked.
“Looks like it,” I said. “Should I tell everyone to go on home? Let you sleep a bit?”
“Nah, I can do it,” Deacon said.
“Well,” I said. “Obviously you won’t be coming in today.”
“Why? What could possibly keep me home?” Rebecca laughed, and I joined her.
“Look, you take care of that baby,” I said. “Don’t worry about coming back to work until you’re ready. I know you want to do tattoo work as much as possible, but I want you to know that as long as I’m in charge, you will always have a job at Dina’s. Now get some sleep and enjoy your beautiful little family.”
5
EVERETT
I stayed at the hospital overnight, making sure that everyone else got home safe and that Deacon and Rebecca had everything they needed. Deacon told me a couple of times I could just go home, but I told him no. I wanted to be there for him and Rebecca. I was taking my godfather duties extremely seriously.
Besides, once everyone else was gone, the hospital was extremely quiet, and the nurses showed me a dark corner that I could nap in and said they would come get me if Deacon or Rebecca came out looking for me. Thankful to have a place to rest a bit, I went in and found I couldn’t get my eyes to shut. No matter how tired I was, I just couldn’t sleep.
Around seven, I knocked lightly on the door and poked my head inside. Deacon was awake, holding the baby while Rebecca slept. He looked exhausted but over-the-moon happy. It made the lack of sleep worth it to know I was helping my friend get that time.
“You heading out?” Deacon asked.
“Yeah, man,” I whispered. “Got to head up to the office.”
“What? No,” Deacon protested. “Carter will understand if you call out. He said so when he was here.”
“Yeah, but there’s too much to do,” I said. “We have that call with the folks up in Pennsylvania and a ton of other stuff that’s got to get done today. Carter can’t do it all.”
“Alright,” Deacon said. “But try to take a nap, will you? Just lock the office door and get a few hours on the futon.”
“I’ll try,” I said. “But I don’t sleep on the job.”
He laughed. “Liar. I’ve caught you snoozing before.”
“Only when there isn’t a job to go out and do,” I said, defending myself. “We have three crews out today. I’ll find something to keep me awake.”