Page 110 of Rescue

He doesn’t answer, but after a long moment he nods, once. I sigh, knowing that’s the best I’m going to get. “Okay. I’m gonna head back. I’ll see you.” I turn to go but stop when his hand comes out to grab my shoulder.

“A couple weeks ago you said I don’t respect you,” he says, his voice still strained. “That’s bullshit, Len. I don’t think there’s anyone in this world I respect more than you. You’re one of the best people I know. And I know you’re going to be okay.”

“Reed.” I don’t know how to respond to that. For a family that doesn’t deal well with emotional stuff, that’s a lot to take in.

“Haylee would be lucky to have you.” His voice is a lot more like normal, and he finally turns to look at me. His eyes are red, but his face is relaxed, smiling. “We’re all lucky to have you.”

Then he slings an arm around my shoulder, and we walk back to the waiting room together.

***

It’s two hours before Daltrey comes back out to the waiting room. It’s enough time for Daisy’s dad to arrive from Ohio and for Reed to make things up to Paige by taking several relationship quizzes in the teen magazines she finds on a rack. When Daltrey pushes through the door, everyone goes silent. He looks exhausted and terrified, and he’s grinning from ear to ear. “I have a daughter,” he announces to the room, and everyone goes crazy.

Paige is crying—even Karen looks teary—and everyone is hugging him, asking questions, slapping his back.

“Daisy’s perfect,” he tells Mr. Harris, shaking his hand. “Amazing. I can’t believe her.”

“And the baby?” our dad asks.

Daltrey just shakes his head, apparently too awed to speak.

“Come on,” he says, waving everyone to the door. “Daisy wants to introduce you.”

“Allof us?” Karen asks, looking around at the crowd in the waiting room, ten of us in total. “Doesn’t she want to rest for a while first?”

Daltrey rolls his eyes. “She said, and I quote, ‘Get the family in here to meet this gorgeous child.’”

So we all follow him back to Daisy’s room, laughing, all of the awkwardness of earlier long gone. How could anyone be angry right now? There’s a new member of our family.

Daisy is sitting up in bed, her hair gathered on top of her head. She looks exhausted and pale and completely ecstatic, and she’s holding a baby. Everyone immediately hushes as we enter the room, staring at her.

“Come in,” she says, grinning. “Come meet Rose.”

“Rose!” Paige squeaks. “What a beautiful name!”

Daltrey grabs Reed’s shoulder and steers him over to the bed to see his kid. Our oldest brother stares down at her for a minute before putting his arm around Daltrey’s shoulder, laughing through watery eyes. “This is unbelievable,” he says. “Aren’tyoustill that little?”

Cash joins them, kissing Daisy on the head before peering down at Rose. “Thank God she got your looks,” he tells her.

“Shut up, Cash,” she says, laughing. “She has Daltrey’s hair and eyes.”

“Then she’ll be beautiful,” Paige says, hugging him before turning her attention to the baby. “Sheisbeautiful!” She bursts into noisy tears as Reed laughs, pulling her into a hug.

“Glad to see you’re keeping tradition alive with the name,” Cash says, nodding at Daltrey in approval. “Axl Rose is a worthy rock star to name your kid after.”

“We did not name her after Axl Rose,” Daisy scoffs. “We gave her a flower name to match mine.”

“Sure we did, honey,” Daltrey says, meeting Cash’s gaze over her head and giving a quick shake of his head. “Totally Axl,” he mouths.

Mr. Harris steps forward to meet his first grandchild, kissing her forehead before turning his attention to Daisy. He hugs her for a long time, whispering something in her ear, and when he straightens, her eyes are wet.

“Dad,” Daltrey says, turning to our father, who’s hovering near the door. “Come and see.”

The others step back, Reed tensing only a little, as Dad takes the spot by the bed. He shakes his head, looking down at the baby. “She’s beautiful,” he agrees, nodding his head several times before slapping Daltrey on the back. I think he might be close to tears, but he just keeps nodding, staring at the baby. Emotional maturity is harder than it looks.

Daisy introduces Rose to Levi, Karen, and Sam. I stand by the foot of the bed, content to watch from the perimeter for a while, just like I usually do. Until Daisy looks up and meets my eyes. “Come here.”

I cross to her side, and she grins up at me. “Want to hold her?”