Lymber craft's Arc

Chapter 29 of 70

The months moved fast after that drive home. Lymber's belly grew again while Violetta learned to walk. Paul worked days and came home to bottles and laundry. Polly stopped by twice a week with soup and dry advice. The wedding sat on a list somewhere behind the crib and the car seat. Lymber's due date crept up until it was the week, then the night. Her water broke at four in the morning. Paul carried the bag to the car while Polly took Violetta across the road to his family for the day. The clinic staff knew her by now. They wheeled her back without questions. Paul held her hand through the second cesarean, steadier than the first. He did not look pale this time. He watched the doctor's hands and then watched Lymber's face. At eight sharp the doctor lifted the baby over the curtain. A boy. Brown hair, wet and dark. Green eyes that opened once and closed. Paul said, hey. He said it again, softer. Lymber said, Jett. Paul nodded. He did not ask her to talk it over. He said, Jett, welcome. Polly came through the door at nine with coffee she did not drink. She looked at the baby a long time. She said, he looks like your father. Lymber said, does he. Polly said, around the mouth. She sat down and took the baby from Paul without asking. She held him the way she had held Violetta, standing up, rocking on her heels. She said, you did it clean this time. No microphone. No crown. Lymber laughed and it hurt her stitches. Polly said, I told your mother-in-law you'd call by lunch. Call by lunch. Lymber said, I will. Paul went across the road at noon and brought Violetta back. She stood at the side of the bed and stared at her brother. She touched his foot with one finger and then hid her hand behind her back. Paul lifted her onto the mattress. Lymber pulled all three of them close. The room was quiet. No phone buzzed. No one filmed. Lymber looked at the boy in her arm and thought about the wedding list still sitting on the counter at home, the dress she had not picked, the church her mother-in-law would want. One thing at a time. Jett was here. The rest was a room she would walk into next week.