A week later, the baby shower was in full swing. Cali made her rounds, greeting guests, giving hugs, and directing people to the radiant Syd, who was seated in a huge chair in the middle of the room. The doctor had given strict instructions for her not to walk around too much and to keep her feet propped up. Cali had refurbished an old foot rest, putting a layer of cushion on it that matched the theme of the baby shower.
Syd wore a beautiful, low-cut, quarter-sleeved, hot pink maxi dress that had a high slit. It fit her like a glove, accentuating all of her curves and especially her round belly. She capped off her look with a sleek matching fedora. Her best friend was so sexy that when the fellas saw her fully dressed, Morgan gaped at her like he was seeing her for the first time and Red threatened to throw his coat over her.
The hot pink and coffee brown color scheme was a hit with party guests and Cali couldn’t be happier. She’d also set up a separate area for the men near the pool tables. While the women nibbled on cucumber sandwiches with the crusts cut off and sipped on Moscato and sparkling water, the men were treated to sweet and sour meatballs, chicken wings, and beer. As a result, Cali lined up at least three jobs from a few ladies who’d recently found out they were expecting and booked a wedding with a former coworker of Syd’s.
Red had disappeared with Morgan and she began to wonder where they’d gone. Syd kept asking where they were and Cali had no idea. She’d tried calling Red a few times and even dialed Morgan, with no luck. She hoped everything was okay. That last thing they needed was drama. She’d already checked on Uncle Cal, who hadn’t been feeling well earlier. The home health care aide she’d hired also sent her hourly texts with updates. He was doing okay. Corrine was running around the room with another little girl.
Dinner was served and Cali finally had a chance to sit down. She pulled up a chair next to Syd, who was shifting uncomfortably. “Are you okay, babe?” Cali asked.
“I can’t seem to get comfortable. My back is hurting and I just feel icky.”
“Was it something you ate?”
Syd shrugged, a deep frown on her round face. “I can’t eat anything.”
“Uh oh. You can’t eat? Maybe we should call Dr. Love.”
Cali had invited the doctor at Syd’s request, but Love’s schedule didn’t allow her to attend. That was fine with Cali. Although she had nothing against the good doctor, she didn’t want to be reminded that Red had been attracted to her. Yep, she was a bitch like that.
“Where’s Morgan?” Syd grimaced and set her plate aside. “He still hasn’t come back yet?”
Cali sighed when Morgan and Red chose that exact moment to reappear. Morgan winked at Syd and kissed her.
Red squeezed Cali’s shoulder. “What did we miss?” He swiped a chicken wing from her plate. “Did Allina make this chicken?”
“Yes, I did,” Allina announced from her seat nearby.
“I’m going to go ahead and get me some food.” Red hurried over to the buffet line.
Morgan sat next to Syd. “You okay, baby?”
“I don’t feel good,” Syd told him.
“I told her we should call Dr. Love,” Cali said. “But she said no.”
Morgan nodded. “Is it your back?”
“That, and I can’t get comfortable.”
“Well, we only have a little bit to go. Can you hang on or do you want to go to the hospital?”
“No.” Syd scrunched her nose. “No hospital. I should be okay.”
“Cali, you think we could speed things up?” Morgan asked.
“Sure. All the games are done. We can start opening gifts right now.”
Cali made an announcement, stating that Sydney wasn’t feeling well so they were going to go ahead and open the gifts.
Once every gift was opened, Syd leaned back in the chair, discomfort on her face and a light sheen of sweat on her brow. Cali noticed a lone gift on the table that hadn’t been there before. “Oh, Sydney, you have another gift.” She picked it up and handed it to her. “Only one more,” she assured her friend, who looked like she wanted to strangle her.
Sighing, Sydney tore open the beautiful light blue gift wrap. The Tiffany & Co. emblem was unmistakable and Cali gasped as Morgan dropped to one knee in front of a shocked Syd.
“Sydney,” Morgan asked, his face serious. “I love you so much. You’ve made me so happy. I could think of no one else that I’d want to make my wife. Will you marry me?”
Cali glanced at Red, who was grinning.
The crowd giggled as Morgan pulled the gorgeous ring out of the box and slipped it on Syd’s pinky finger. Cali cheered when Syd gasped, expecting her to shout “Yes!” at the top of her lungs.
“Shit,” Syd exclaimed.
Everyone in the room was watching, confused by Syd’s response. Cali wanted to say something, anything, to break the silence that descended upon the room.
“Oh shit,” Syd repeated. “I think my water just broke.”
Morgan jumped up and into action, running around the room like a chicken and barking orders at Red and Kent. Cali rushed up to Syd, who was breathing in short bursts. Allina helped her get Syd into a standing position.
“Oh my God, I ruined my dress,” Syd yelled.
The room was buzzing with excitement as Morgan raced back into the room, picked Syd up, and ran out with her screaming orders at everyone around.
* * *
At approximately, 8:02 p.m. on January 12th, Syd gave birth to Red’s first niece, Brynn Morgan Smith. She was healthy, even though she was born a little early, and arrived with a head full of hair.
Cali and Allina arrived shortly after 8:30 and were directed to the family waiting area where they were seated. Kent told the ladies the hilarious story of Syd in labor. Red had wanted to choke the doctor who’d gone in to examine Syd in the hospital room. He could hear her scream from outside the room and he hated to hear her in any pain, even the expected pain of childbirth.
Syd’s labor was so quick, Dr. Love barely got into the room before she had to push. They weren’t able to give her an epidural, which had sent Syd into a crazed panic. Despite Red’s insistence that he not be in the room with them, Syd demanded that he come hold her hand, which was why he was holding an ice pack to his knuckles. Fortunately for him, Morgan had pried her hand off of Red’s and excused him from the room.
They were waiting for Syd and the baby to get cleaned up. Morgan promised he would come and get them as soon as the coast was clear.
Red checked his watch. Mama Smith had graciously offered to keep Corrine even though she wanted to be at the hospital to meet her new grandbaby.
“Hey,” Morgan said, walking into the waiting room. He had on a pair of blue scrubs. “She’s ready.”
They followed Morgan to Syd’s hospital room. Red clapped Morgan on his back. “I can’t believe you’re a father, man.”
His friend grinned. “She’s beautiful, Red.”
“I bet. How’s Syd?”
“Your sister, man.” Morgan shook his head. “She cut the fool after you left the room. But she’s good, just loving on the baby between naps.”
“You don’t have to tell me about my sister.” Red laughed. “The drama queen.”
“Stop talking about my friend,” Cali said. “She had a baby. Geez. Give her a break.”
“Look at your man’s hand, Cali,” Morgan said, staring pointedly at Red’s swollen hand. “Your friend cut the fool,” he repeated.
Cali laughed. “I’m glad I wasn’t here.” Red glared at her and she shrugged. “Sorry, babe.”
Morgan knocked on a door at the far end of the hallway. When they stepped in, Red smiled at the sight of his sister holding his niece. Dr. Love was in the room also. He gave her a quick hug before turning to his sister and his niece.
“Hi,” Syd said, her voice hoarse. “Come meet Brynn.”
Red hesitated, only moving when Cali pulled him with her closer to the bed. As Cali cooed over the beautiful baby, he squeezed Syd’s foot. “She’s adorable,” he said when Cali picked her up and brought her over to him.
“Isn’t she?” Cali said, her voice soft. “She’s gorgeous.”
“I don’t normally say this, but she is a doll,” Dr. Love said. “Congratulations.”
Cali smiled at Dr. Love. “Thanks. I’m a proud godparent.” She wrinkled her nose and mumbled something in “baby.”
“Thank you,” he told Dr. Love before she walked out of the room.
Cali was beautiful holding the baby. There was no nervousness around the baby on her part, no fear. Holding little Brynn looked natural for her. Red thought about what it would be like to see her holding a child of her own.
Red ran a thumb over the baby’s hand, marveling at how tiny she was. Her little hand was smaller than his thumb.
“Did she scratch herself?” Red asked, running the back of his finger over a red line on her plump cheek.
“Yes,” Syd replied. “That’s why we have those gloves on now. She’s a feisty one.”
“I’m not surprised,” Red winked at Syd.
“Do you want to hold her?” Cali asked him, swaying back and forth.
He shook his head. “She’s too small.”
“I know, right?” Morgan said. “I get a little nervous holding her. The nurse said it helps if you sit down with a pillow on your lap and hold her that way.”
Red shrugged, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “I’ll wait until she’s a little bigger.”
“You’re such a wimp,” Cali teased.
“Fine, I’ll hold her.” When Cali placed the baby in his arms, he took in the baby smell and felt his heart open up a little more. His niece. She’s definitely going to be spoiled. He gave her the once-over, pulling off her sock and counting her toes.
“Hi, Brynn,” he said, tickling her stomach with his finger. “I’m your uncle.” The baby frowned and started whining and Red looked at Cali for help.
Cali laughed. “She might be hungry.” She took the beauty from his arms and walked her over to Syd. “I think she wants her mama.”
“They’re trying to get her to latch on, but I’m having some problems.”
Latch on? After Red put two and two together, he backed away. “I think…” He pointed at the door. “I’m going to go on out.”
“Yeah, I don’t want to see that,” Kent added, following Red out of the room.
* * *
The next morning during breakfast, Red and Cali told Uncle Cal about the baby and showed him all the pictures Red had taken on his cell phone. Red couldn’t get enough of his little niece. Watching Syd and Morgan fawn all over the newborn made him think about all the time he’d missed with Corrine. Seemed like there was a ton of her life he hadn’t been a part of. He vowed he’d never miss another important event in her life.
“She’s a beauty,” Uncle Cal said. “Looks like Syd.”
“I think she looks like Morgan,” Cali said. Corrine appeared with a handful of Cheez-Its and climbed onto her lap. She wrapped her arm around her and squeezed. Red smiled at his two favorite girls.
“Is that the baby again?” his daughter asked, with a mouth full of crackers.
Cali swiped one and popped it in her mouth. “Yes, it’s her. Isn’t she pretty?”
“Her nose is scrunched up.”
Uncle Cal started to laugh, but ended up coughing. Red watched as he used a Kleenex to catch the phlegm.
“How are you feeling, Uncle Cal?” Cali asked.
“I’m tired.”
“Well, how about we leave you to get some rest?” Red said.
“I’d like to talk to you for a minute, Red,” Uncle Cal said, his eyes meeting Red’s.
“What’s going on, Uncle Cal?” Cali asked, worry lining her face.
“I wanted to go over some business with him. When he leaves, though, I’d like to talk to you.”
Cali whispered something into Corrine’s ear. When his bundle of energy hopped out of her lap and disappeared around the corner, Cali stood and followed without another word.
Sighing, he turned to Uncle Cal. “What’s going on?”
“Have a seat.”
Red had an idea what was going to come next, but he would let the older man lead the conversation. He’d promised himself he wouldn’t pressure him anymore to tell Cali the truth. Every time he did, Uncle Cal’s health seemed to take a turn.
Plopping down on the couch, he crossed his legs and waited.
“Jared, we’ve had a couple of conversations about my assets and what I want done when I… die.”
“Yes. Everything is set; notarized copy is in my safe at the office.”
“Thanks. I plan on telling Cali tonight.”
Red knew this was for the best, but he couldn’t help feeling a little apprehensive. He wasn’t sure how Cali would feel about this news. “What are you going to tell her exactly?”
“There’s a lot to say. I want to start with what really happened the night I came to get her at that hotel.”
“Do you need anything else from me?”
“I won’t be here much longer.”
Red stared at the older man, unsure how to respond. “What are you talking about? How would you know that?”
“I want to thank you, again, for opening your home to me and loving my daughter.” Uncle Cal sucked in labored breath. “I’m tired.”
Leaning forward, his elbows on his knees, Red dropped his head and took a deep breath. “Uncle Cal, you’re still here. You’ve been fighting. Don’t give up now.”
“I’m tired,” he repeated.
“I can’t listen to you tell me that you’re going to give up the fight. You’ve beaten the odds every time. The doctors didn’t even think you’d leave the hospital, but you’re here. You’ve been here. You can still get up and walk to the bathroom. You can eat your own food. Doctors don’t know everything. They say terminal, but people live as long as God puts breath in their lungs and pumps blood through their heart.”
“If I woke up tomorrow and ran a mile, it would definitely be a miracle,” Uncle Cal said with a weak laugh. “But if I don’t wake up tomorrow, I have to be okay with that, too. And I have to make sure that Cali is okay with that. She acts like she’s tough.”
“She is tough.”
“She is. But her heart… if you get past that hard exterior, it’s all mush. You know that by now. I need to know she’s going to be okay.”
“I’m not sure what you want me to say. Cali will be okay, but not for a while. Losing you won’t be easy.”
“I know, but I need you to do something for me.”
“Anything you need.”
“When I… when that time comes, please make sure she knows that I loved her more than anything.” He coughed, covering his mouth with another tissue. “Tell her that I only did what I thought was best.”
“She knows that.”
“There’s a good chance that she’ll be angry with me, say things she may not mean. If I leave here, she’ll feel guilty. Don’t let her. Tell her about this conversation.”
“I will.”
“Can you go let her know that I’m ready?”
Red got up from the couch and hugged Uncle Cal. “Thanks for being there, Uncle Cal. You’re family.”
“You’re family to me, like a son. When you propose to my Cali, know that you have my full blessing.”
Proposing wasn’t something Red had thought about, but if—or when—he ever got to that point, knowing that Uncle Cal gave his blessing would mean a lot to him. “Thanks. I’ll go get Cali.”