David sat in the rocking chair nearest the incubator and stared into it. He couldn’t help but smile as he looked into the machine at his first biological grandchild. Never mind the fact that she was incase in a plastic machine with plastic tubes up her nose so that she could breathe. She was beautiful and he made a point to tell her father as much. “She’s perfect, Jake. Just perfect.”
“I know, Dad. I keep thinking the same thing. She’s just perfect.”
“She’s magnificent.” Her eyes cracked open and David caught a glimpse of the beautiful green eyes that her mother bore. “I thought babies were born with blue eyes”, he said, captivated.
“An infant’s eyes can change within hours of birth”, Jake said with a smile.
David chuckled. “Wow. At least I’ll know which of my granddaughters I’m speaking to by looking at her eyes”, he laughed. “God, she’s beautiful, though. Her eyes are just captivating.”
“Just imagine what it’s going to be when she’s all brown curls and green eyes. The first guy to break her heart is going to be a dead man”, he said with a laugh.
“You’re gonna be beating the boy back with a baseball bat, Daddy, and I’m just gonna sit back and laugh.” David looked over at his son and saw a tear slide down his cheek. “She’s going to be ok, Jacob. You already said that the doctor said she’s doing better than expected.”
“It’s not that, Dad. I guess I’m just emotional today, I guess. I don’t usually cry. Not because it’s more macho not to cry but because I need to be strong for Delilah and Miri. Honestly, I won’t let myself shed a single tear in front of Delilah. But, when I’m here, staring at that little girl in that incubator, not matter how much I try not to, they just fall.”
“Believe you me, son, I totally understand. I’ve shed my fair share of tears in the time I’ve been with your mother.”
“What? Tough assed David Draiman cries?”
“I’ve had my share of break downs. I think the last time I shed tears was when your Uncle Matt died.”
“You cried over Uncle Matt passing?”
“Yes. Your Uncle and I were as close as your Uncle Ben and I are, if not closer. What compounded it was that he asked me to speak at his funeral not long before that.”
“Why did he ask you and not Mom?”
“He wanted to spare your mother that heart break.”
“Have there been other times?”
“The miscarriage.”
“That was hard on all of us. Mom didn’t even know yet and she lost it. Did you know what it would have been?”
“If I remember correctly, Dr. Chase said it would have been a boy.” David had to take a deep breath. “Now, why don’t we find someone to take my granddaughter out of that incubator so I can hold her?”
“Dad, you have to scrub in first. There’s no telling what kind of germs and crap you’ve brought in with you and these babies in here are too little to fight anything off.”
“Then show me to where I can scrub in so I can hold my granddaughter.”
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David sat and rocked in the chair with his new granddaughter in his arms, humming the same familiar tune that his wife had hummed to the little girl that morning. Although she had the oxygen on, she was still the most precious thing he’d ever seen.
Jacob heard his father humming to his daughter. He knew the tune, but he couldn’t think of where he’d heard it before. “Dad, what is that you’re humming?”
“It’s a lullaby your mother used to sing to you guys when you were all infants.”
“Do you remember how it goes?”
“You mean the words?” Jake nodded. “Nope. I wish I could help you. She taught it to me at one point, but we haven’t used it in years. I don’t even think she sang it to Malachai’s kids.”
“I remember her humming that tune to them, but I don’t remember the words.”
“You’ll have to ask your mother. I believe it’s an old Celtic lullaby her father sang to her and Uncle Matt when they were little. She would actually sing it in Gaelic.”
“No wonder I don’t know the words”, he said with a laugh. “She didn’t teach us Gaelic. You both taught us Hebrew, but she never taught us Gaelic.”
“She’s not fluent. All she knows is that lullaby.”
Jake nodded in acknowledgement. “Ah, I get it. Teach your kids what you know.”
David nodded. “You’re right. Keep that in mind as you raise this little girl here. Teach her what you know.”
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His family had finally started trickling home, leaving Jake with his thoughts. And they weren’t pleasant either. This is bull shit!, he thought as he looked over his wife’s sleeping form. They’re not going to release her for a week. “But that’s SOP with C-Sections”, the dumb broad said. Actually, last I checked it was three to five days, not a full fucking week. But, at least she’ll be able to get out of bed and go down to the N-ICU to nurse Miri. I know she had her heart set on breast feeding. I think that was an ideal that Mom drilled into her head, he though with an audible chuckle.
As he finished the thought, there was a knock on the door. “Jacob, it’s Mom.”
“Come on in, Mom.”
When she came into the room, she had his baby sister in tow. “Hey, Jake”, she said.
“Hey there, little sister”, he said with a grin. He looked back at his mother. “PLEASE tell me you brought me some clean clothes, Mom. I feel disgusting.”
She smiled. “I brought you clean clothes, your toiletries so you can get a shower, and the necklace you asked me to bring you.”
“The one you and Dad got me for the twelfth birthday, right?”
“Yes… the one we get ALL of you kids for your twelfth birthday.”
“How are you holding up, big brother?” Jessykah asked him.
“Emotionally, I’m a wreck. Physically, I stink, I’m tired, I’m hungry, I want to go home with my wife and daughter, but Delilah’s not being released for the next few days and Miri’s not being released for at least a month.”
“And you’re not leaving without them, huh?”
He shook his head. “Not on your life, Jessykah Danyelle.” If looks could kill, Jessi would have hit the floor dead. Jake was serious.
“Jacob, would you like me to go get you something to eat?” his mother asked.
He nodded. “Please. I’m starving.”
“Chicken or beef?”
“A burger would be nice”, he said with a laugh.
“Onion rings?”
“Sonic sounds wonderful”, he laughed again.
“So, here’s how we can do this. I’ll take Jessi and we’ll go get you something to eat while you get a shower and change your clothes. When were you planning on making your next trip to the N-ICU?”
“I was planning on it after getting cleaned up.”
“Can I go down there with you?” Jessi asked.
“Do you have the wristband that Mom and Dad used earlier?”
She held up her wrist. “No, I was asking for my health, Jake.”
He laughed. “If you say so.”
“Mom, why don’t I sit here with Delilah so Jake can get cleaned up while you go get him something to eat? After he gets out of the shower he can take me down to the N-ICU so I can see Miri. He can eat when he comes back down here.”
“If Jake’s ok with that, I don’t see why not.” Brie looked at her son. “How does that sound to you?”
“It’s fine. As long as I can get a shower here soon. I’m filthy and I don’t like to feel this nasty. I stink.”
“It’s not that bad, Jake”, Jessi said as she took a seat on the other side of Delilah’s hospital bed. She pulled a digital reading pad from her bag and got comfortable.
“Jacob, get your shower and I’ll go get you something to eat.”
“Yes, Ma’am, I’m on my way to the bathroom now.” With that he stood, got the bag with all his stuff in it from his mother, and went into the bathroom.
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The hot water felt good as hit beat against his skin. He leaned with his head against the cold tile as he gathered his thoughts. Nothing was going the way it should have that day. But, on the bright side, he had his little girl. She was the light of his life- her and her mother. His green eyed girls were going to be okay. Miri had to fight a little harder than he had hoped, but she was going to be ok. His little princess was going to be just fine. He knew it.
He stepped out of the shower and dried off. The first things he dug in the bag for after wrapping the towel around his waist was the thin gold chain that meant so much to him. Once he found it, his gently caressed the pendant before untangling the chain and putting the necklace on. He pulled his t- shirt on, then slid into his jeans. After putting on a clean pair of sock with his tennis shoes he wore to work that morning, he picked up the mess and went back into the room. He put the bag next to the chair, he looked at his younger sister. “Come on, Jessi. Let’s go see Miri.”
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