Page 77 of Embers in Our Past

The party starts to dwindle, and my mom is helping Abby get the last few gifts put away in the nursery. We didn’t register for much because we already bought a majority of the bigger items. Her parents wanted to gift some of the bedroom sets, and my mother had purchased some other items for the baby, so we simply asked for clothes and other essentials. This was about togetherness and making memories, especially being this close to the due date. I loved the idea of just gathering for the sake of being with our loved ones.

My brother comes around the corner with a bag that says, “World’s Best Uncle” across the front.

“Super subtle, Riv,” I tell him.

“I know, right?” he says, his smile taking over his face.

My brother seems to be ecstatic in the role of uncle, and it’s really special to share this with him. We missed out with our dad, being so young when he died. We will never get that back with him, but we can give my daughter the best relationship possible with the people we consider family, and I know she will have the most amazing uncle in River. He loves hard and with his whole heart.

“Did you get the baby a special gift?” I ask him, pointing at the bag.

“No. This one is for you, man.” He smiles, his dimples popping out. My brother is the most considerate guy I know, and I wish everyone in life had someone like this they could call?—

“You absolute shit!” I tell River as I look inside the gift bag. “No fucking way. I don’t want this.”

“Yes, you do,” he says, nodding his head vigorously. “I think it should be a tradition we pass down.”

Horrified, I look up at him. “You want me to give this to my fucking daughter?”

“Ew, no, you lunatic! Like a tradition we give our friends, you sick fuck!” He smacks me upside the head.

I hand the bag back over to him, trying to return it.

“Nope, I’ve deemed it bad luck to give it back, and now you have to keep it and do exactly what I did with it.” He throws his hands up, not accepting the bag as I chase him into the kitchen with it.

Kennedy walks in with Abby and my mom. “What’s going on in here?” Kennedy asks.

I throw the bag behind my back. “What? No, nothing!” I yell an octave too high.

“What’s behind your back, son?” my mom asks.

“Ma, nothing.”

“Clay, what do you have behind your back?” Abby asks, rubbing her belly.

River looks over at me, his eyes pleading for me to keep my trap shut.

“River gave me his dirty underwear.” Why in the fuck did I just say that?

All three women wrinkle their noses, and River looks at me like I’ve got shit for brains. I internally roll my eyes at the stupidity of the lie I just told, and River looks like he’s going to fall over with the laughter he’s trying to contain. Fucker.

They decide to leave us be, and the minute they’re out of earshot, he whisper-yells, “My fucking underwear? What the fuck, Clay? Haven’t I taught you anything?”

“I panicked, okay?” I bring the bag up in his face, and he glares at me.

I shove the bag in the back of the pantry, hoping Abby doesn’t go looking for it and consider it forgotten for now. I can’t deal with this nonsense right now.

Sitting outside on the balcony, the warmth of the season is just right.

“Today was perfect, wasn’t it?” Abby says as she closes her eyes and rests her head on my shoulder.

“Yeah, I think so. The baby shower was exactly what you wanted, baby?” I ask, kissing the top of her head.

“Mmhm.” She sighs. “You know what would make this even more epic though? A foot rub.” She then proceeds to readjust herself and pushes her swollen feet over to me so I can massage them. She’s getting closer to her due date, which has brought on the sausage-toe phase of pregnancy. Her words, not mine.

“I like the color you chose. This bright color can be seen from space, I think.” I chuckle as she wiggles her toes with the neon pink toenail polish.

“Don’t make fun of my toes.” She laughs, keeping her eyes closed, but her smile widens.

---