CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
Beaufort, South Carolina
December 25
The hospital room looked like a Christmas store had exploded. An artificial tree sat in the corner with an entire stuffed zoo beneath. Twinkle lights rimmed the ceiling, plastic snowmen perched on the sill, elves sat on shelves, and candy canes hung from a string over the door, a sprig of mistletoe among them. Calliope and Twitch had gone wild. Twitch had even cast a video of a roaring fire to the television bolted to the ceiling. Emily sat upright in the bed, holding the newest addition to the Bishop family. Nathan had dozed off in the chair beside her bed.
Tox walked in, his head parting the candy canes like one of those beaded curtains in a head shop. “It looks like Santa Claus threw up in here.”
Calliope followed her husband into the room. “Shut up, gigante. It looks festive. I don’t want the baby's first images of Christmas to be a sterile hospital room.”
“She can’t even focus on the boob in front of her. You think she's going to remember this room?” Tox asked.
“I’ll remember it,” Emily spoke from her bed. “It's just the most thoughtful thing.”
Tox stage whispered to Nathan, “Is she crying?”
Nathan leaned over and wiped her tears, then kissed his daughter on the top of her head. “Hormones, I think. She cried at a cough syrup commercial earlier.”
“The wife had a cough, and the husband drove to the pharmacy in the middle of the night!” Emily defended. “It was sweet.”
Deciding that topic had reached a natural conclusion, Nathan turned to his friend. “Is Miles with you?”
“He's on his way.”
“I’d like to speak to you both when he gets here,” Nathan explained.
“I’m here.” Miles Buchanan loped into the room carrying a wooden rocking horse. “I figured the boys could use it until she's old enough. What's up?”
Nathan stood and walked over to the Buchanan twins. “You may or may not know that we haven’t asked anyone to be godparents for our children.”
Tox stood a bit straighter, sensing the follow-up.
“We’d like to ask you two to be godfathers to the boys. Miller to Jack and Miles to Charlie. Emily has already chosen her childhood best friend Caroline to be Charlie's godmother. Calliope, we’d like you to be Jack's.”
Calliope sat on the bed and put an arm around her friend. “Oh Emily, I’d love to be Jack's godmother. Thank you.”
Tox laughed. “Great, now they’re both crying. Thanks, man. It is an honor.” He clapped Nathan on the shoulder. “We’d be honored. Right, Mi?”
Tox and Nathan looked over at Miles, who stood still as a statue, his eyes glassy. He cleared his throat and stepped forward. “Yes, of course. Honored.” Miles echoed his brother. “I’m going to grab a coffee. Can I get anyone anything?”
“Coffee, black,” Tox requested.
Nathan withdrew his wallet. “I’ll have the same.”
“I got it.” Miles turned away, set the rocking horse down, and hurried out the door.
“He's okay,” Tox replied, seeing Nathan's puzzled expression. “He went from having no one to… us in just a few months. I don’t think he realized what he was missing.”
Nathan nodded his understanding.
“And what about daddy's little girl? Who will guide her on the path of life and, you know, teach her how to pick locks and get a fake ID?” Tox rubbed his palms together.
Nathan shook his head at the ceiling. “What have we done?”
“Hey.” Tox held up his hands. “I didn’t even mention boys.”
Emily cut him off. “We’re going to ask Chat to be this little angel's godfather when he gets back. He flew home to spend Christmas with his family. And of course Twitch, her namesake, to be godmother.”