ALICIA PULLED UP TO THE CURB AT HER AUNT AND uncle’s house. She was obviously the last to arrive, because the driveway was full. She hoped they hadn’t started dinner without her. She was starving. She’d worked all weekend, buried in Garrett’s file, going over everything about his injury. She’d spent Friday night and Saturday reviewing his notes and writing her treatment plan, so she’d be free on Sunday to enjoy family time.
Plus, she hadn’t seen her cousin Mick’s wife, Tara, since the hospital, and Alicia was dying to get her hands on the new baby.
As she walked in the door, the baby’s cries tugged at her heart. She headed into the living room and found Tara, her mother, and her aunt huddled over a small blue wrapped bundle.
“Okay, you can all get out of my way,” she said as she slipped out of her coat and tossed her bag on a nearby chair. “I need to hold little Sam.”
Tara turned and sent a tired but giddy smile her way. “Take a number. You might have to fight Sam’s grandma and aunt Cara for him.”
“They get to see him more than I do.” She squirted some antibacterial gel onto her hands, rubbed it in, then held out her arms. “Come on, Aunt Kathleen. I know for a fact you’ve been camped on Mick and Tara’s doorstep since he was born three weeks ago.”
Kathleen sighed. “You bet your cute little butt I have. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a baby in the family. And little Sam here is the brightest thing to come around since I started getting new daughters-in-law.” She gave a little wink to Tara, who took a seat on the sofa.
Kathleen handed Sam over to Alicia. She took him and pulled him against her chest. He was awake, and his big blue eyes regarded her with a curious stare. His cheeks were full and pink. He had dark hair like Mick, but she saw a lot of Tara in him, too.
Alicia walked over to the sofa and sat next to Tara, who looked about ready to pass out.
“He’s gorgeous,” she said, sliding her fingers across his soft, chubby cheek.
Tara leaned forward and smiled. “I think so. He looks like Mick.”
Alicia shifted her glance from the baby to Tara. “And you. His chin and his mouth are definitely yours.”
“You think so? I only see Mick when I look at him.”
“Oh, I definitely see you. And Nathan.”
Tara sighed. “Nathan says that, too. He tries to act like he doesn’t care since he’s almost a man himself now. But he’s over the moon about having a baby brother. And when he sees Mick fussing over the baby, it’s like Mick’s giving him permission to do the same.”
“Well, you know how it is with guys.”
“I do. I still have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that I’m the mother of a newborn and also a son who’ll be eighteen this year. That’s quite a spread.”
Alicia laid her hand on Tara’s. “And isn’t it wonderful that you get a second chance to do it all over again?”
Tara regarded her. “When you put it like that . . . you’re right. I’m so lucky.” Her eyes filled with tears. “Oh, shit. Here come the hormones again.”
Kathleen laughed. “Expect those for a while, honey. I’ve told you they come and go.”
Tara grabbed a tissue from the box Alicia’s aunt held out for her. “I know. It’s been so long that I forgot what it was like. Poor Mick. As if my pregnancy wasn’t bad enough, now he has to deal with this postpartum nonsense.”
Alicia cuddled Sam’s warmth against her chest. “Oh, but look at the result. How could he complain?”
“No complaints here,” Mick said as he walked in and slid onto the sofa next to Tara. He pressed a kiss to Tara’s lips and pulled her against his side. “You can cry all you want, or yell at me anytime those hormones act up.” Mick gazed over at Alicia and gave her a giant grin as he looked with pride at his son. “Because look what you gave me.”
“Look what we made together,” Tara said, lifting a loving gaze to Mick.
“Okay, it’s getting all nauseating in here. The room is so filled with love and baby hormones I might have to take a step outside just to get a cold slap of frigid air.”
Alicia laughed. Leave it to Gavin’s wife, Elizabeth, to break the weepy mood. “Hey, Liz.”
“Hey, yourself. I see you’re holding my new nephew. And time’s up.”
Alicia stood. “You want your turn?”
Elizabeth took the baby from her. “Honey, this baby will likely never have a minute’s peace when he’s over here for family gatherings.”
“Isn’t that the truth?” Alicia’s mom said, throwing her arm around Kathleen. “I suppose we should go check on dinner.”
“Might as well,” Kathleen said with a sigh. “I obviously won’t get another turn with Sam for a while.”
“You’ll get your turn plenty, Mom,” Mick said. “Tara loves that you come over to help. And she needs it. She’s out of practice with this new-mom thing, as you can tell.”