Page 28 of Hot Life
My mouth quirked in a grin as I let Odette drag me across the house. “Shh,” she instructed as we crept up to the outside of the nursery. I heard the murmur of voices, and upon Odie’s urging, I peeked in.
Des and Cedric were on the floor while Des held the baby. My men had surprised me with the baby’s nursery. I cried at how gorgeous it was. They commissioned a mural artist to paint jellyfish and sea creatures all over the walls. The deep blues, the violets and oranges of the fish, it was astounding. And there they all sat in the center. My world. My ocean. They were each looking at each other when the murmur sounded again, a gruff, soft voice that I’d come to love.
“It all started when your papa saw a red-haired angel in a vision. The angel helped papa save daddy. Then guess what? Papa married the angel and they both found me. Then we made you. Mommy Angel, Papa, and Daddy. And somewhere along the way, we picked up your two other moms and those crazy rat-dogs too.”
I sniffled with emotion along with my sister, and the guys looked up. “Snoops.” Cedric smiled at me, motioning me to come forward. I walked over and curled up in his lap, kissing his cheek before kissing Desmond’s too. I took the baby’s hand as it wrapped around my finger. So delicate, so precious. “She looks like her mom,” Des whispered in awe.
“Like an angel?” I said with a soft smile at Cedric.
He nodded. “My angel.”
The past few weeks had been a blur. I had never been more thankful for my unconventional family than I had been during that time. It was all hands on deck. We even had a day bed in the baby’s nursery so someone could sleep next to her tiny sleeping body. We were all equally obsessed. None of us minded or objected to changing a diaper or fetching a fresh onesie. Odette’s meticulous scheduling had us always stocked with fresh laundry that my mother came once a day to fold and arrange. Then once a week, a vibrating rumble would sound early in the morning. I’d look outside to see my father, in his work overalls, solemnly riding his lawnmower, tending to the grass to give my husbands a break from the yard work. After the blizzard arrived a very early spring, or an unseasonably warm winter, whichever. My family helped me through it all. Through every tearful hormonal drop, where I would sob and feel those old fears creep back in. In those dark moments where I thought I really couldn’t be a good enough mother. When my milk didn’t come in like it was supposed to, Caroline swooped in with bottles and formula, assuring me it was okay to stop breastfeeding if I wanted to. Through tearful and tired reluctancy, I heeded her advice.
After more days of crying than not, Cedric had finally gently suggested I talk to Dr. Kamara about postpartum depression. Desmond agreed and took me to my appointment, agreeing to, very slowly, take me on his Harley. At six weeks post-surgery, I was okay to start a very tender return to normal. Dr. Kamara agreed, with no backlash or judgement, and prescribed an amazing antidepressant. It pulled me from much of the darkness and doubt and helped me be a better, more confident new mom to little Krill. Who actually still didn’t have an actual name.
Odie lowered into a crossed-legged seat. “Do we have a name yet? I think Caroline will die if she doesn’t get to monogram some blankets and shit soon.”
Des chuckled. “We’re working on it.”
My sister wiggled her fingers impatiently, and Desmond reluctantly and gently handed the baby over.
“That reminds me, I want to go somewhere today. Can you guys get her dressed?”
“I’ll load the diaper bag,” Cedric replied.
Caroline popped into the room and chimed, “I’ve already got three dresses to choose from for her today.”
* * *
The blue light flickered over the bundle in my arms. She looked like the angel of the family, not me, her soft swirl of dark red hair perfectly twirling a curl down her forehead. “What are they called?” Caroline whispered in the aqua light as the baby’s long eyelashes drooped in sleepiness.
“My turn,” Cedric chimed, swooping the baby out of my arms.
Des leaned back on the carpet next to the tank. “We’re going to have to set a timer or something because I feel like I’m getting jipped out of my cuddles.”
My heart swelled as I looked at my family, Cedric beaming as he gently ran a finger through the baby’s hair. Desmond caught my gaze and grinned, while Odette wrapped a loving arm around Caroline who stared up at the moonlit creatures swimming in front of us.
“They’re called beluga whales. And Tilly had her calf the same day we had ours,” I explained.
Des raised his eyebrows. “Well, how about that.”
“Which brings me to the name…”
Four sets of eyes shot to mine. I took a deep breath, flicking a glance to the small white whale weaving in the water behind her mother. “Tilly’s calf’s name is Ruby…” I shrugged. “I think it fits. What do you guys think?”
I watched their minds alight, soaking it in, before smiles touched each of their expressions.
“Ruby.” Cedric beamed.
Desmond leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine. “Ruby Queen Winslow-Gregory.”
“It’s perfect.” Odette grinned.
“Little Ruby.” Caroline sighed dreamily.
“Hey, look up,” Des whispered, breaking our kiss and looking over my shoulder. I spun around to see Tilly in all of her magnificence, twirling around her own Ruby. Four other whales joined her and they danced and swam, just for us. Maybe they were blessing our baby Ruby with some long sacred song of the sea. Maybe the beluga whales recognized another pod. Another pod of moms, and dads, and people who weren’t perfect but loved each other deeply, swimming the deep and dark oceans of life together. I looked into the mother whale’s deep and soulful gaze, knowing we did it, her and I. We did it together.
And we were all going to be okay.