In the weeks leading up to the birth, Kallie was a ball of energy and took great joy in telling everyone about the baby brother or sister she’d have, even if they’d already heard the news a million times from her. She especially loved telling Shane and Helena, for reasons none of us could really fathom, and told them the same thing at least once every day. It was cute, and I have no idea how they didn’t get tired of it. 

She would tell me, too. In the early mornings she’d get out of the toddler bed that Shane had made and would ask to be picked up into my bed with Alice, where she would point at Alice’s tummy and tell me for the millionth time that her brother or sister was in there. She told everyone, and it became a running joke.

I wasn’t even there when Alice’s water broke. I had taken Kallie to the store to get some food for dinner while Shane and Jenny stayed with Alice, watching some game show thing on TV. I was in the produce section when Jenny called my phone and said that they were at the hospital and that Alice was getting prepped.

“But it’s early!” I protested, worried. Jenny just laughed a little.

“She’s due in a week, Dana. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

It was. I knew it would be, but it didn’t make me any less grateful. By the time I’d taken Kallie over to Helena’s (who had agreed to watch her instantly) and gotten to the hospital, it was almost over. I met Jenny outside the room, and she smiled. “Shane’s with her,” she told me, but seeing my expression she grinned. “But I’m sure one more would be fine.”

It was. One of the nurses got me ready and I was at Alice’s bedside as fast as I could make it. She gripped my hand and I told her I loved her, and not two minutes later I watched as my son was born. Shane had made a move to leave the room respectfully, but I gripped her shoulder and made her stay. She was the first one that held the baby, who was squalling. I was too busy hugging Alice.

“What are you going to name him?” Shane asked quietly. I finally managed to turn away from the beauty that was Alice and look at my best friend holding my son. I looked at Alice, since we hadn’t really discussed it.

“My dad’s name is Charles,” she whispered, exhausted. I stood up and took him gingerly from Shane, looking him over. I showed him to Alice and she smiled. That was all it took, his name was Charles, but we always called him Charlie unless he was in trouble. That all started when Shane took him back from me and called him that.

An hour later, the rest of them had arrived. They had to go in shifts since there wasn’t a ton of room, which none of them seemed to mind. We were all just so happy that things were all right, and I was glad Alice had a private room. I was so happy that my family seemed to be complete.