He hesitated.
Then: “Come keep me company?”
Before dawn, his alarm vibrated.
“Yeah.”
Downstairs, Greg settled into the old rocking chair with Susan and Steve tucked inside Michael’s blue blanket.
I sat beside him with coffee.
Susan squeaked.
Greg looked down.
“Daddy’s here.”
This time, the words didn’t frighten me.
Greg settled into the old rocking chair with Susan and Steve tucked inside Michael’s blue blanket.
I took a sip.
“Susan is still an objectively ridiculous name.”
Greg rocked once.
“She’s grown into it.”
I laughed.
When the bottle was empty, he looked toward the stairs.
“Back to bed?”
“Susan is still an objectively ridiculous name.”
“Absolutely.”
Greg stood, placed Susan and Steve carefully in their warm box, and folded the blue blanket beside them.
Then he reached for my hand.
We went upstairs together.
Greg stood, placed Susan and Steve carefully in their warm box, and folded the blue blanket beside them.
