Page 55 of JoJo

“I’ll see you again in a minute, beautiful. I’m just going to make sure they don’t get too rough with our little princess linebacker.” She offered up a weak smile, still not opening her eyes. Once I was out of the scrubs they’d made me put on, and following along behind them in the hallway, I texted everyone via one big group that the baby was here. I also explained it would probably be a little while before they were able to come back since JoJo was out of it.

~ Four hours later ~

Finally, Keys walked into the room with our little guy perched on her hip. His head full of dark wavy hair was laid down on her shoulder as he stared into the room nervously. I stood from the bed where JoJo was holding our daughter and moved to take my son from keys. “Hey buddy, you ready to meet your little sister?”

“Is hu names Chaw-wee?” I tried to stifle the chuckle as I tipped my head in agreement. Killian had just turned three, and damn if the way he pronounced words didn’t just slay my heart in the best of ways. We had been working on how to say things properly, but some words were just hard. Besides, I wasn’t sure I was ready for my little guy to grow up too quickly just yet.

“Yeah, bud, her name is Charlie.” I grinned over at my wife then. We were playing a practical joke on my dead, childhood best friend by naming my daughter after him. I’m sure it would sound horrible if people knew that’s what we’d done, but Charlie would have been laughing his teenage ass off if he were here. Besides, we were blessing our daughter with a whole lot of heart, because that’s what Charlie was when he was here on this earth, nothing but heart. I’d upheld everything my friend had requested of me when he lay dying, and wrote me that last letter. I lived hard, I’d grown my hair out for once –it was now down to my shoulders. I married the girl after our first ‘date’ and I didn’t name my son after him. I’d never get to date a girl named Juliet, but I was okay with that, and my wife certainly agreed. My buddy Charlie could do without that one wish being granted.

As I sat on the bed with my son, he reached over and gently brushed his fingers over baby Charlie’s cheeks. It was such a reverent gesture that it sent chills over my body. “Got it,” Keys whispered from across the room, causing me to look up.

“Got what?”

“I captured the perfect family photo,” she wiggled her phone at me and then I felt my pocket vibrate. I’d look at the picture she sent later. Right now, I had the real deal in my hands, and I wasn’t ready to let go of any of them just yet. Not for anything.