Forever Mason, page 23
“We should’ve stayed in town last night,” I tell them as I pull onto the road.
“It’s early. There won’t be any traffic,” Katelyn says. We talked about staying at the Preston’s or my parents', but Josie said she felt uncomfortable and wanted to be in our apartment. There is definitely a risk with us being thirty minutes from the hospital, but if it makes our little mama happy, who am I to try and change her mind.
When we pull into the emergency entrance, the grandparents are all standing outside. Mr. Preston and my dad rush to the car door, open it and guide Josie into a wheelchair. Katelyn goes with them while I go to park the car. Thankfully, there’s a spot near the door, and I don’t have to go too far.
Inside, I have to sign in because it’s after hours, and then I’m on my way to labor and delivery. Once I’m buzzed in, I take a seat with the dads and my mom and let the wait begin. When a nurse in pink scrubs comes into the room, I stand immediately when she says my name. “What’s wrong?”
She smiles. “Nothing at all. Josie is asking for you.”
“Oh, okay.”
Mr. Preston stands in front of me and pulls me into a hug. “You were there for her when . . .” he pauses. “Just know how grateful I am to you, Mason. Please take care of my babies.”
“I will.” I hug him and then excuse myself to follow the nurse. She dresses me in this yellow papery gown and tells me to put a cap over my hair. “What’s this for?”
“For delivery.”
“Oh, I’m not the father, just the uncle.”
She smiles again. “Josie has requested you be in the room with her when she delivers.”
My throat tightens. We hadn’t discussed this at all other than Katelyn and her mom being in there. I know I went to Lamaze class, but that was to help through the beginning, not the birth. The nurse shows me into the room. Katelyn is by Josie’s side, helping her breathe, while Mrs. Preston stands at the foot of the bed.
“Hey, Mase,” she says as if she’s out of breath.
“Hey, what’s up?”
“Ah, nothing. Just trying to push a watermelon out of my—”
“Don’t you dare say it,” I say with laughter. “Are you sure you want me in here?”
She nods and moans through a contraction. I grab her hand and tell her to squeeze it as hard as she needs to. She cries out and grips my gown. “Hey, come on now. Inhale and exhale. Breathe through the pain.”
“I’m trying.”
“I know you are.”
When the contraction subsides, she leans back in the bed. Katelyn gives her ice chips and wipes her forehead. Josie looks at me and says, “You deserve to be in here unless you don’t want to be.”
“Nowhere else I’d rather be.”
“Another one is coming, sweetie,” Katelyn warns. We help Josie into a sitting position and guide her through another contraction. They’re quicker now, and she’s definitely in pain.
“Can’t you give her something?” I ask the nurse.
“She declined any form of pain relief,” she says. “She wants to do this naturally.”
Fuck that. I’m an athlete, and I can’t stand pain.
“I can do this,” Josie says.
“I know you can,” I tell her. “You’re one of the strongest women I know. And I’m here to be your punching bag. I just can’t tolerate biting.” Josie laughs, but it’s short-lived as another contraction rips through her.
“All right, it’s time,” the nurse says, and then she disappears.
“Where in the hell did she go?” I ask.
“To get a birthing team and the doctor,” Mrs. Preston says. One would think with how much doctors are paid, they’d be in the room the entire time. I watch the door, counting down the seconds it takes the team to return. When they come in, they’re dressed in gowns and pushing a cradle. The doctor pulls up a stool on wheels and settles himself between Josie’s legs. He’s lucky he’s here to help her birth her child, or I’d have an issue with where he’s at right now.
“All right, Josie. On your next contraction, you’re going to give me a big push, and we’re going to help this baby come into the world. Are you ready?”
She nods, and then without any warning, the contraction sends her into a screaming fit. Worse than when Liam left.
“I got you,” I tell her. “I’m not going anywhere.” I’m almost on the bed to give her support. She clings to me, crying. Right now, I hate Liam. I hate him with every fiber of my being. He did this to her. He left her to deal with this on her own. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that he knows she’s having a baby, and he chose not to come back. If I ever see him again . . .
“I can’t do this. I can’t. Oh God, make it stop.”
“Hey, hey. None of that,” I say to her while the doctor and nurse continue to bark orders at her. “Look at me.” I lift her head away from my chest so she can see me. For a second, I’m taken back to that night, the one where he left, the pain and turmoil in her eyes is haunting. “Remember the prize at the end of all this? All this pain is going to be worth it. I promise you. Have I ever lied to you?”
Josie shakes her head.
“And I’m not now. You’re going to have a baby any minute now, and they’re going to love you the minute they lay their eyes on you. You have done this for nine months now. You just have to finish. One big push, okay. Just give me one more, and then that dude down there will put your baby in your arms, and it’ll all be over.”
“Okay.”
“Yeah, we can do this. Come on now.” I hold her up and encourage her to push with everything she has.
The sound of crying fills the room, and there’s a collective gasp. “It’s a boy,” the doctor says as he places the baby on Josie’s midsection.
“Oh my God,” Josie says through her tears. I kiss the top of her head and step back while she looks over her child.
I have a nephew.
Liam has a son.
After a few minutes of gushing, Josie asks me to get her dad. I go out to the waiting room and tell him which room she’s in, and once he’s out of earshot, I say to my parents that Josie’s birthed a boy. My mom hugs me, and I break down. I’m beyond having a broken heart for Liam. He should be here saying this stuff. Not me. After I gain my composure, I excuse myself and go back into the room. The doctor is gone, and the nurses are cleaning the baby.
“Congratulations.” I lean down and kiss her forehead.
“Thank you,” Josie says, looking at me. “For everything.”
“It’s what friends are for.”
She shakes her head. “No, Mason. You’re more than a friend. You’re my family. I wouldn’t have been able to do this without you and Katelyn. I love you both so much.”
“We love you too, sweetie.” Katelyn’s head is next to Josie’s, and she’s stroking her hair. “We’re not going anywhere, ever.”
The nurse brings the baby over to Josie and sets him in her arms. She unwraps him and counts his fingers and toes. “Look at those long fingers,” she says. “He’s going to make the best quarterback.”
Her statement catches me off guard. “He’s going to play football, huh?”
She nods. “With you as his uncle, how can he not?”
I swallow the frog in my throat. “True. He’s going to be the best Beaumont has ever seen.”
Josie only holds her son for a minute until she passes him around. My parents have joined us in the room, and we’re all anxiously awaiting his name.
“So, what did you decide?” her mom doesn’t even look at her daughter when she asks because she’s too busy staring at her grandson.
“Noah Michael Preston.”
“Noah, what a beautiful name for this perfect baby,” my mom coos.
When he finally gets to me, I hold him in my hand. He’s tiny and fits perfectly. His eyes stay closed, and he squeaks a lot. “Hey, buddy,” I say softly. “Man, I’m so happy to meet you. We’re going to be best friends and do everything together. I’m going to teach you everything I know about football, girls, and life.” Everyone laughs, but I’m not paying attention to them. Noah’s little arm rises, and I know he’s already looking for a high-five. I give him one. “High-five, my man.”
Josie tells us she wants some alone time with her son. I hate that my time is cut short, but I get it. They need to bond and all that. When I hand Noah to his mother, I lean down and whisper, “Thank you for keeping him. I’m going to be there every step of the way. You’re not doing this alone.”
“I know,” she says.
I kiss her forehead and leave the room, all while fighting back the tears.
After we clean ourselves up, Katelyn and the Preston’s head to the cafeteria while my parents head home. They’re going to do some shopping and make sure the apartment is fully stocked for Noah’s homecoming. I walk them to their car, and once they’re gone, I get into Josie’s car and head over to the Westbury’s. I’m beyond the point of caring about their feelings. They need to step up and do the right thing.
I pull into the driveway and don’t bother shutting off the car. I pound on the door until it opens. They both stand there, looking smug. I look directly into Bianca’s eyes and say, “You have a grandson as of a couple of hours ago. It’s time you call your damn son and tell him to get his ass home. And for the love of God, start acting like a decent human being.”
They stand there, saying nothing.
“I don’t know how you’re going to sleep at night knowing you have a grandchild. What kind of mother are you?”
The door slams shut.
Thirty-Four
I’m the world’s best uncle. I have a coffee mug and t-shirt that says as much. Plus, Noah loves me. Sometimes, I’m the only one who can soothe him, and I’m okay with that. I know he loves his mama, but there is no one like his uncle. Honestly, I’m glad I’m the only one because I’m not keen on sharing my little buddy.
Currently, he’s chilling in his car seat while we drive around town. It’s two in the morning, and this little guy is wide awake. The vibration of the engine seems to relax him and keep him from wailing in the middle of the night. The doctor has said he’ll grow out of this, but we’ve yet to see it. Of course, he’s only a few months old and still trying to assert his dominance over all of us. In our house, he’s the king. When he cries someone picks him up. He coos, and we coo right back. It’s ridiculous how this little guy can turn all of us into a puddle of goo. Katelyn tells me that by the time we have children—which I totally fist pump at—I will be immune to baby antics. There’s no way that will happen because when we have our own child, it will be a whole other ballgame. Noah just holds a special place in my heart.
Noah already loves sports. Right now, we spend our nights watching baseball. He hasn’t found his favorite player or team yet, but he’s partial to the Red Sox. I tell him that someday, they’ll win the World Series, and the curse of the Bambino will be over, but I’m not sure even I believe that. The Red Sox seem to have the worst luck in the postseason, especially when they’re matched up against the Yankees.
We’re waiting for football to start. That’s when the real fun will begin. I plan to watch a full Sunday of football with my bestie, and he’ll be in the stands on Saturdays rooting for me. His aunt Katelyn has already made him a couple of jerseys to show his uncle Mason some support. Noah’s a big hit in the weight room as well. There have been a couple of times when I’ve had to bring him in because Josie and Katelyn are working, and our times don’t match up for a baby handoff. Coach doesn’t care because Noah doesn’t make a peep, and the guys on the team love visiting with him. The cheer team flirts with him, but that’s mine and Noah’s secret.
When Liam’s song comes on the radio, I go to turn it down but decide to leave it. I’ve heard the song before, and it’s good, but this is as far as I’m willing to go to support this career of his. If he had been honest with Josie or me, things could be different, but they’re not. I glance at Noah and see that he’s still awake. I reach over and touch his hand. He maneuvers his little finger around mine. For a baby, his grip is firm. With Liam’s voice playing through the speakers and his son sitting next to me, my heart breaks for the missed opportunity for these Westbury men. Even his paternal grandparents want nothing to do with him.
“Do you hear this guy singing?” I ask Noah, knowing full well I’m not going to get a response. “His name is Liam, and I’m going to tell you a story about him, and then once I’m done, I’m never going to talk about him again unless you ask me. You hear me, buddy? When you ask me who your dad is, and I know you will someday, I’ll tell you this story again. Man, your dad was my best friend, and we did everything together until one day I messed up. You see, when we were young, we made a pact, but things didn’t work the way we thought they would. Your dad made a choice that would benefit me, and by the time I realized the magnitude of that choice, it was too late. He doesn’t know about you, or maybe he does and can’t get back to Beaumont to meet you. I don’t know.” I turn the corner and continue to drive. “The thing is, I want to believe that if Liam knew he had a son, he’d be here. But then, I think about how he left and hurt your mama, and I’m not so sure anymore. I will tell you this, as you grow up, you’re going to hear his name a lot. You’re going to see his name everywhere when you get to high school, and people are going to ask if you’re his son. I hope, by that time, you know the truth, and I pray that Liam knows the truth as well because he’s already missing out on your life, buddy. You’re not even my kid, and I love you more than anything. Well, except your aunt Katelyn. She’s pretty amazing, don’t you think?”
Noah makes a tiny noise and even though he didn’t understand what I said, I take it as a sign that he’s listening. I’ll work on him, though. I’ll teach him how remarkable his mother and aunt are and how he should cherish them.
“The kicker is none of us knew your dad could sing like this. Maybe if we did, things could be different. But then, if that was the case, I might not know you, and I don’t know how I feel about that. This conundrum is what we call having your cake and eating it too. It’s not really something I’ve understood, to be honest. But people say it, and I just roll with it. You’ll learn this when you’re older.”
The song ends, and the disc jockey comes on, saying that Liam Page is the “overnight sensation the world has been waiting for.” It’s hard to fathom that this Liam Page was once my best friend. It makes me question our relationship and what else he’s hidden from me. Was I really that bad of a friend all these years that he couldn’t confide in me that he had a penchant for music and playing the guitar? I must’ve been. This whole other side of Liam makes me feel like our friendship was nothing more than a lie.
After an hour of driving around, Noah and I head back to our apartment. He’s quiet when we enter the house and doesn’t make a peep when I get him out of his car seat. I don’t bother to put him back into his crib but lay him down in his playpen, which is set up in the living room. The last thing I want to do is wake up Josie when she needs as much sleep as the rest of us. I lay down on the couch and watch Noah through the mesh. He wiggles for a moment and then stills. It’s not long until he closes his eyes.
The Cohen house looms in front of me. I stand on the concrete path that leads to their door, giving myself a mental pep talk. I need courage. Not the liquid kind, but the type that helps my feet move. What I’m about to do, I need to do. I’ve put this off long enough.
I knock and step back, putting some space between the door and myself. It opens, and thankfully Mr. Cohen answers. I prefer him over his wife, but honestly, neither of them is very gracious to me.
“Mason,” he says my name curtly. “Is something wrong with our daughter?”
Not Katelyn, but our daughter. They act like she’s a possession to them.
“No, sir. I’d like to speak with you and Mrs. Cohen if you’re available for a few minutes.”
“I suppose,” he says as he steps aside so I can enter. Mrs. Cohen is standing there, with no expression on her face. I will never understand how these two people raised Katelyn. She is nothing like them, for which I’m thankful.
They make no motion for me to sit down or do anything except stand by the door. This is not how I saw my day playing out. I clear my throat and stand tall.
“I want to start by saying you’ve raised a remarkable woman when it comes to Katelyn. I thank God every day for her. She’s changed my life. With that said, I’m here to ask you for her hand in marriage.”
“Absolutely not,” her mother barks out.
“I know we’re young.”
“It has nothing to do with age,” she says. “You’re not the man we want her to end up with. She deserves a doctor or lawyer, not . . . whatever it is you’re going to be.”
Ouch.
“A teacher,” I tell them. “I want to give back to this community because it’s helped shape the man I am today.”
They say nothing.
I look at Mr. Cohen. “I can provide for your daughter, sir. We’re in love and have been since we were sixteen. I may not be your ideal person for her, but I am her person, and it would mean a great deal to Katelyn and to me, knowing that we have your blessing to get married. As I said, I know we’re young, and just because I’m asking you now doesn’t mean we’re going to run off and get married tomorrow. We still have three years of school to get through, but it’s important to me that Katelyn knows she’s my future, and I’d like to show her as much by putting a ring on her finger.”
“You are awfully young,” he says. “You haven’t even lived your lives yet.”
“I understand, but anything I do, I’ll do with Katelyn.”
“Is she pregnant?” her mother asks. “Is that why you’re here?”
“No, ma’am. I can assure you she is not.” If she were, I wouldn’t ask. I’d just marry her. “I’m trying to do right by you,” I tell them. “I want Katelyn to know that when I do ask her to marry me, it’s with her parents’ permission or blessing. Call me old-fashioned, but this is important to me, and I suspect it will be important to your daughter.”
