Page 69 of Interception

The alarm clock reads 5:59 a.m. when Aiden starts fussing. Blake is off in the land of nod, so I creep out into the living room with Aiden and pace the floor with his tiny body resting like a starfish on my chest as I sway back and forth, humming the lullaby my mom used to sing me when I was a kid.

My mom is flying in from Denver next week to meet the babies and Zee for the first time. She’s seen them on FaceTime, but it’s not the same. As I walk the floor, hoping that Zee can get a few uninterrupted hours of sleep, I’m relieved at the thought of reinforcements arriving to help us through the next few weeks.

I may be a twenty-nine-year-old husband and father, but I’m still comforted by the thought of seeing my mom and sharing my wonderful family with her.

* * *

When the doorbell rings, Zee starts running around the living room like a headless chicken, trying to tidy the evidence of our whirlwind life over the past few weeks. She’s got spit-up on her shirt, and there’s still a faint smell of Blake’s diaper blowout twenty minutes ago.

“Babe, no amount of Febreze is going to mask Satan’s diaper. My mom won’t care about any of this. Just chill.”

“I’ve never met your mother, and all she has to go on is the fact that we hooked up, got knocked up, and rocked up to a wedding she didn’t get to attend. Oh, and the wedding was my idea, so the blame lays squarely on my shoulders.”

“She’ll love you.”

“I don’t exactly have a great track record with parents. If my own don’t even like me, I doubt your mom will.”

“Well, you have a stellar record with Danfords. Aiden, Blake, and I adore you, and I promise my mom will, too. And no one gives a shit about my dad. He could be dead for all I know.”

“That’s sad, Coop. Remember, I’m still swimming in new-momma hormones.”

“Don’t give that loser the time of day. I don’t. I have all the family I need.”

“Are Faith and Hunter coming over? Everyone loves them. Maybe they can talk me up. Be my backup.”

“Not that you need it, but yes, they are going to come over later and bring dinner with them. Oh, and Faith said she’s bringing a whole bunch of our laundry that I didn’t even know she swiped when they were here the other day.”

“She’s a legend. I looked at the pile of onesies and vests the other day and resigned myself to the idea of trashing them and buying new clothes for the boys. My God, they can spit up or have a blowout in five outfits a day.”

“Okay. I can’t leave my mom standing on the doorstep forever. Are you ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

Just as I’m about to open the front door, Aiden starts fussing, and Zee is quick to hightail it toward him before he wakes Blake.

I twist the doorhandle and throw back the door, pulling my mom into my arms. “Mom, it’s so great to see you.”

She wraps her arms around my waist, squeezing me the same way she did when I was five. “My boy! I can’t believe you’re a daddy. And a husband.”

“It’s been pretty full-on around here lately.”

“I bet. You were enough of a handful when you were a baby, I can’t imagine having two of you. Now enough chatter, where are my grandbabies and my new daughter-in-law?”

“Aiden was fussy, so Zee is trying to get him settled.”

My mom bustles past me, her super spidey grandmother senses on high alert. I grab her bags and follow her into the living room, and I’m filled with pride at the sight of Zee swaying and singing to Aiden with pure adoration in her eyes. That’s my family.

“Mom, I’d like you to meet my wife, Zee. I mean, Zoey Porter. Now Danford.”

My mom clasps her hands over her mouth as she lays eyes on one of her grandsons for the first time. “Hi, Zoey, I’m Jennifer. And who’s that tiny bundle of joy in your arms?”

Zee is forcing a smile. She’s nervous, and with anyone else, she can mask it, but I know her too well. “Nice to meet you, Jennifer. This is Aiden Cooper Danford.”

I move to her side, leaning in to give Aiden a little kiss on the cheek. “What do you think, Mom? Does he look like I did when I was a baby?” I watch as my mom’s eyes well with tears.

“He’s the spitting image of you when you were born.” As if responding to the sound of my mom’s voice, Aiden opens his sleepy eyes. “Oh, but he has his mother’s eyes. He is so precious.”

“Would you like to hold him?” I wasn’t sure if Zee would be comfortable with a veritable stranger taking our son from her arms, so I’m glad she’s the one to ask, and it means a lot to me. I want them to get along.

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