Page 99 of Kiss My Glass
Everyone’s at the hospital. Danny’s mom and dad, Ava and Cam, Chiara and Jordan, me, Mom, and Danny. Only Nate is allowed in with Shelby. The maternity ward has a family waiting room and it’s a good thing no one else is scheduled to give birth this morning because we fill the whole damn place.
“Who wants coffee?” says Ava and starts taking orders.
“None for Danny,” I say swiftly, ignoring his scowl. “His heart will explode.”
Ava grins. “I’ll get him what my dad and your mom are having. Basically, compost in a pot.”
“Yum yum,” says Danny, sourly, but he goes to help Ava fetch the drinks.
His mom has brought cookies again, and Chiara hands around a box of her dad’s cannoli. We’re all making small talk and nobody’s listening to anyone because we’re all vibrating with nerves. This whole room is humming like a hive of anxious bees.
Shelby’s cesarean was booked for nine, and it should take no more than an hour. Forty-five minutes in and we’re all checking our phones and watches. An hour goes past. An hour ten. Danny’s dad is getting restless. He stands up, and I see both Ava and Danny readying to intervene if he starts throwing his weight about.
The door to the waiting room is opened. A nice-looking male nurse smiles in.
“Congratulations,” he says. “It’s a strong, healthy girl. Six pounds, no need for incubation. Baby and Mom are doing very well. We’ll keep them here for another three or four days, then they can go home.”
“When can we see them?” Danny’s dad, of course.
“Whenever Mom feels ready,” says the nurse. “I’d give her at least an hour or so.”
Mom. Shelby is a mom. I’m an aunt!
“Holy shit, I’m an uncle,” Danny says to me.
We hug each other. Everyone hugs everyone. Danny’s dad is the biggest hugger of them all. Danny’s mom is tearful, and so is my mom. And Jordan. AndChiara. She has an actual heart, who knew?
Danny calls his sister, Izzy, and there is screaming down the phone. He calls Izzy’s twin, Max. No screaming, but a lot of happy banter. Ava calls our brother Jackson, who deafens her with a whoop, and I leave a text message for our other brother, Tyler, who I know is in class, teaching. I get a row of thumbs-up emojis immediately in reply. He’d been waiting.
Then, as if on cue, we all sit down again and release a collective whoosh.
“My knees are shaking,” says Ava. Cam puts his arm around her and kisses her temple. He’s got a huge smile on his face.
“Alright, bets on a name,” says Danny, who’s also grinning from ear to ear. “I pick Chloe.”
“Absolutely not,” says Chiara. “I guarantee it’ll be Billy. After her dad.”
“Oh,” gasps Mom. I rush over because she honestly looks like she might faint.
“I’m alright,” she tells me. “I just… I didn’t see that coming.” Mom smiles at Chiara. “Seems I have to hand my witch crown over to you.”
Incredibly, Chiara blushes. “I don’t know for sure…”
“Oh, yes,” says Mom. “There’s no doubt.”
She’s tearful again. And now, I’m crying, damn it.
Jordan hands me a tissue box. “I’ve already used most of them,” she says. “Sorry.”
I blow my nose and wipe my face. Give Mom a last hug. Sit back down next to Danny, who wraps his arms round me and holds me tight.
“I love you, Frankie Armstrong,” he murmurs. “We’re going to spoil that kid rotten, aren’t we?”
“I love you, too, Danny Durant,” I reply. “We’ll be the greatest aunt and uncle a girl can have.”
Epilogue
FRANKIE
