Thrive - Side 2

Come eleven o’clock, we were more rested and ready for visitors.

“I wonder how I look...” she said, looking up at me.

“I am not answering that.” I said.

“Why not?”

“You know why.”

"Alex-"

I have her a knowing look.

“Fine. Have you heard from anybody? My mom and Tyler are just leaving the house.”

“My parents are on their way here as in a cab.”

“Awesome.”

“What do you think, Scarlett?” she asked the yawning child in her arms.

“Hope she’s awake when our parents get here.”

“Me too.”

Fifteen minutes later, there was a knock at the door.

“Come in.” I said.

In came Abby’s mom and Tyler.

“Hi, sweetie.”

“Hi, Mom.”

“Congratulations you two.”

She hugged me and hugged Abby slightly since Scarlett was in her arms.

“Can I see my granddaughter?”

“Of course.”

She raised her and handed our daughter to her.

“Well, aren’t you precious? She looks so much like you. Those eyes are killing me.”

“They are beautiful. Aren’t they?”

“Very much so. Alex’s relieved that she doesn’t have his eyebrows.”

“But any children you guys have will be adorable.”

“That’s true.” she said, smiling at me.

“So, what’s her middle name?”

“Aurora.”

“That is beautiful. Who came up with it?”

“I did. The day we moved into our new home, it just came to me.”

“It’s perfect. Her entire name is perfect."

"May I hold her?" Tyler asked.

"Of course. You're family."

He truly and always will be part of her family… our family.

“Hey there, cutie.”

He might as well be her grandfather; the sight warmed my heart. Seeing the smile on my face, I kissed her cheek which caused her to blush.

“She seems to like her grandfather.”

Scarlett was giggling and looking up at him.

“Same to you, kid.”

While this was happening, there was another knock on the door.

"Come in!" Abby repeated.

In came my parents; I smiled when they walked into the room.

“Congrats, you two.” my mom said, hugging her before going over to me.

“Thank you. It was a little early, but everything’s wonderful.”

“Well, she is beautiful. May I hold her?”

“Of course.”

Just like she’s done with everyone else who wasn’t me or Abby, she cried as Abby handed her over.

“Oh, it’s okay, baby girl.”

“I know it’s early, but have you come up with a nickname yet?”

“When we were first holding her, Alex called her pumpkin.” she said, looking over at me.

“That is adorable, Alexander.”

I was looking at the ground blushing; Abby kissed my cheek.

“I remember him two Halloweens ago, he couldn’t see himself using cutesy names like that when we started becoming parents. Look at him now.”

We were deciding on what to watch first when we heard a knock on the door. Abby got up first to answer the door, grabbed the dish and opened to a huge group of kids.

“A lot of cutie pies out there.”

“Cutie pies?”

“You’re gonna have to get used to me talking me like that if I’m gonna be a mom.”

“Well, I can’t imagine me talking like that.”

“You will be. You just don’t realize it.”

“Nope.” I said, shaking my head.

She kissed my cheek.

“I’m right and you know it.”

I didn’t know how to respond.

“We’re gonna take turns tonight.”

-knock knock-

“You’re up slugger.” she said, patting my thigh.

“You’re adorable.” she said as I sat back down.

“It was inevitable. I guess.” I said.

“Of course it was. You’re a father now.” my dad said.

She took my hand as I wasn’t looking at anyone; I smiled and looked at her. They must’ve stayed for an hour when Abby needed to feed Scarlett and was ready for lunch; I could hear her stomach growl.

“Hungry?”

“Extremely.”

“I can go get something. Do you have anything in mind?”

“Surprise me. I’ll feed her in the meantime.”

I nodded and kissed her forehead before kissing Scarlett.

“I’ll be back soon.”

I headed to the cafeteria.

“I love you in the morning and in the afternoon. I love you in the evening and underneath the moon.” I overheard.

“Hey.”

“Hey.” she said, finally looking up.

“Hope I didn’t interrupt anything.”

“No. No, you didn’t.” she said, whispering.

Scarlett was beginning to shut her eyes.

“Could you take her please?”

“Of course.”

I took her and placed her in the tray that she slept in when no one was holding her.

“Thank you.” she said, taking a bite of her sandwich.

“You’re welcome. How’s it?”

“Not as good as anything I can make, but pretty good.”

I laughed.

“You have high standards.”

“Well, I’m allowed to. I do cook for a living after all.”

“That’s true.”

“How’s yours?”

“Pretty decent. Rather have anything you cook.”

She nodded and smiled.

“I heard you sing.”

“Did I sound good?”

“Absolutely. Did that get her to sleep?”

“Yes. I wasn’t even trying to sing her to sleep, though. It just happened.”

“You have a gift.”

She blushed.

“You’re too sweet.”

She put her sandwich down and leaned over to kiss me; l did the same and went in for a kiss.

“I love you.” I said.

“I love you, too.”

Her phone vibrated and smiled as she read it; I assumed it was Miranda.

“What’d she say?”

She handed it over to me.

“Is it ridiculous how excited I am to see them?” she said.

“Not at all.”

She smiled again before digging back into her lunch. She was ready to jump out of bed when she heard a knock on the door, but I wouldn’t let her; she pouted. Instead, I went to answer the door and greet our guests; she wasn’t a happy camper which was apparent.

“Abby!” she said, rushing over to hug her best friend.

“Hey, Miranda.”

“How’s it feel to be a mom?”

“Absolutely wonderful. There’s no feeling like it.”

Then, Jack came over and hugged her.

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

“Is she sleeping?” Miranda asked.

“Yeah. I got her to sleep ten minutes ago.”

“How’d you do that? It’s hard to do that with Luca.”

We looked at the wide awake child in his stroller.

“It was actually unintentional. I just felt singing to her and it happened.”

“What’d you sing to her?”

“Remember the sign we saw that Sunday when we went out shopping?”

“Of course. I love that sign.”

“What was written on it.”

“OMG. That is adorable.”

“Could I hold my nephew by any chance?”

“Absolutely.”

“Hey, buddy.”

“So, Scarlett decided to come early.”

“Sent me into a panic. There’s more of a risk going into labor a month early. Luckily, I had Alex to keep me grounded.”

“Someone needed to, might’ve as well been me.”

“All that matters is that she’s healthy and beautiful.” she said.

“She came into this world, wailing.” I said, laughing.

Everyone laughed.

“That’s when I knew she had to be healthy.”

“Ok. What’s her middle name?” Miranda asked.

“Aurora.”

“Sleeping Beauty.”

“She might as well be a princess, knowing her entire name.”

“Princess Scarlett. I love it.”

Abby went on to tell them the reasoning behind her regal middle name.

Abby got more comfortable and smiled. A random thought popped up, but it was a relevant one.

“What?” I asked.

“I have a middle name. I’d like your opinion.”

“Shoot.”

“Aurora.”

She turned slightly to see my reaction.

“I love it. Scarlett Aurora Gaskarth.”

“It has a beautiful ring to it, doesn’t it?”

“Definitely.”

“And it sounds very regal like your name.”

I started to laugh.

“What? It does! Alexander William Gaskarth.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“Of course I am. So, it’s perfect. A family of royals. You can’t forget that I’m 62% Scottish/Irish, too.”

“I love you, Abigail Gaskarth.”

“I love you, too.”

“I agree with you on that one.” Miranda said.

After a half hour of talking, Scarlett woke up.

“She’s awake.” Abby said as she saw her move.

“May I?” Miranda asked.

“Of course.”

“Hi, baby girl. Well, aren’t you precious?”

She cooed and reached for her aunt’s hair; she had a look of frustration when she couldn’t get it.

“Now, where have I seen that look before?” I asked, directing his attention over to me.

She laughed.

“It’s not enough that she looks like me. She has to act like me as well.”

It ended up a long day as we had visits from the rest of our friends and a moody child, but it was one that wouldn’t be soon forgotten.

Notes