John's Baby

I knocked on the door gently and I was unsure if anyone heard it. I almost knocked again.

"Come in," John called from behind the door. I turned the knob and pushed cautiously into the hospital room. The whole place smelled like antiseptic and latex.

John sat down. Apparently, he had stood up when he heard me knock. As I entered the room, his wife nodded a hello to me as she sipped Sprite through a straw.

"Would you like to hold her?" John asked, his voice quivering slightly. He stood up again.

"Can I?"

"Of course, of course."

He picked the baby up gently from her plastic crib, making sure her tiny head was supported by one of his largish hands. He brought her over to where I stood in the entrance way and held her out to me. I took the baby carefully and held her close to my body. I held the baby awkwardly, like someone trying to carry too many grocery bags, but no one seemed to mind.  I looked sheepishly at John and then at his wife. They both smiled back at me warmly. John stepped back towards his wife and sat down beside her. They watched me as I began to pace. I did not see them watching me because I was looking at the baby.

She slept. And while she slept, she smiled. I began to move all about the room, rocking the baby to and fro. She did not stir. After a few minutes, I broke the silence.

"How are you?" I asked the mother, looking up from the baby for the first time.

"I'm fine. I'm very tired and I'm hurting," she replied. Her eyes were dull, but her face was vibrant. She was practically glowing.  She was a small woman, but she was very strong.

"Her name is Eva."

The mother's face flushed with pride.

I stopped walking and sat down. John quickly joined me. We looked at the baby and she sneezed, screwed up her face, and yawned. Soon after, quietly, her face relaxed into the same easy smile she had.

"I've never seen a baby smile like that before. Not when it's so little," I said.

"She's beautiful," John whispered, looking from the baby to his wife. "She's the most beautiful baby I've ever seen."