Page 18 of Coming Innocent

Logan removes Everett and then trails behind Avery as she moves up the steps leading to the second floor. She turns to the first room on the right and comes to a complete halt. Before her is a beautifully decorated nursery. A mural of zoo animals cascades the far wall while two white cribs stand about two feet apart with a rocker on either side on the opposite wall. A changing table is placed on the wall closest to the closet while a dresser containing another changing pad is residing between the two windows overlooking the yard.

“Oh my gosh, it’s beautiful. Did you know about this?” she asks as she strolls farther into the room.

“I had no idea. Wow, it’s perfect.”

She heads over to the dresser in awe and lies down Caroline to change her and finds a small stack of diapers nearby. With a steady hand on her daughter, she begins to open a few of the drawers and finds tiny clothes folded flawlessly.

Avery makes quick work of the diaper change and turns around to find Amy and Joseph standing in the doorway.

“What do you think?”

“Oh, Amy. Did you do this? It’s magnificent. It’s exactly what I pictured.”

“Well, I had quite a bit of help. Austin mentioned that you hadn’t finished the nursery yet. Nikki told us what you had planned and we kind of went with it.”

“You did an amazing job; better than I ever could have done. Thank you so much.”

“You’re very welcome. Now, which one of these babies can I cuddle for a little while?”

Avery steps over and places Caroline into her grandmother’s arms and she coos like the attention seeking baby that she is, earning a laugh from Amy. Everett is placed into Joseph’s waiting grasp and she watches as her father reaches up to wipe the tears welling in his eyes.

“I’m sorry, I just hate to think that we almost didn’t have this, that we almost didn’t have you, Avery. One of the happiest days of my life is when you surprised us on our doorstep. Without your bravery, I wouldn’t have these two precious children to spoil.”

“Oh, dad,” Avery whimpers as Logan wraps an arm around her shoulder and she leans into his hold.

The room grows silent as each of the grandparents peer down at the miracles in their arms, each person taking in the meaning of her father’s words. They have all overcome so much in such a short time. All of the pain they’ve endured has brought them to this beautiful moment, this moment of pure and genuine love.

“Well, I suppose our moment of hoarding these babies has come to a close,” Amy declares, breaking the silence as Caroline reaches up to take a handful of her straw color blonde hair. “Joseph, let’s go give everyone else a turn.”

Joseph follows dutifully as his wife leaves the room and passes off Caroline to Sydney’s waiting arms. Soon the room fills with the talk of the twins and everyone exclaiming how perfect they are.

But to Avery, this gathering is perfect to her. Her family all together in one room, and if she tries hard enough she can even imagine her sister standing by her side proudly. And just as she has that thought the subtle scent of strawberries teases her nose and Avery grins broadly knowing that her vision is indeed a reality.

***

AS THE ROOM FILLS with their family, the mindless chatter swirls around her wrapping Nikki in a comfortable ease. She grabs a plate of food that Amy and Sydney had brought over to help welcome the family back to their home and makes her way back out of the kitchen.

Nikki watches as Austin and Melanie saunter into the kitchen, laughing loudly.

“Hey, cuz, how are you doing?”

“I’m good, just hungry. It seems I’m always hungry,” Nikki adds with a chuckle as she shoves a baby carrot into her mouth.

“How much longer?”

As Nikki chomps down on the vegetable in her mouth, Austin responds as he rests a gentle hand on her lower back, slipping it beneath her shirt and rubbing her skin in a soft caress, “Grace could arrive any day now. We’re actually three days past the due date.”

“Oh man, I bet you’re miserable.”

Nikki winces as she remembers how miserable she was at the beginning of her pregnancy. Months spent in the hospital as her body refused to keep anything down and the fear that she would lose the baby. She recalls how the day her doctor gave her he all clear to spend the remaining days of her pregnancy at home, Melanie and her aunt Andrea had convinced her to head back to Carson and tell Austin that he was going to be a father.

Melanie cringes as she watches the emotions creep along Nikki’s face and apologizes. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think.”

“No, it’s ok,” Nikki comforts as she smiles towards her cousin. “I’ve almost forgotten about all those months ago. We definitely can’t wait to meet her, but she can keep baking as long as she wants. Of course, I would be happy to see my feet again.”

Austin laughs and moves his hand from her lower back towards her hip and tugs her close.

“Come on; let’s get you a seat so you can enjoy your food.”