“Mr. Monroe would you like to cut the cord?” asks a nurse.

I gulp and release Evelyn’s hand and slowly walk over to our miracle. He is so perfect. I’m a father! Tears stream down my face as I cut the cord quickly. The nurse takes him away to a warming station to get his weight and measurements. I frown as I watch him go and walk back over to take Evelyn’s hand.

We were warned it would be a few minutes before we could hold him, but damn if I don’t feel like rushing over there and picking up my son.

“How are her vitals?” I have to know. She has been through so much and I don’t need another mishap when it comes to my infinity.

“She’s doing great actually.”

“Excuse me! I’m right here. Just because I can’t move doesn’t mean I can’t hear!”

We laugh. That is so my crazy-ass beautiful girl.

“Evelyn, would you like for Tristan to hold your son so you can see him?”

The nurse walks over with baby Tristan wrapped tightly in a bundle.

“His vitals are good and his lungs are strong. There are a few more tests that we need to do, so only a few minutes, okay?”

Evelyn nods, wiping tears from her eyes. I have never seen her speechless.

The nurse hands me our son and he is so light and fragile. I move so slowly that Evelyn starts laughing.

“Tristan, hurry up and bring him to me.”

I laugh, holding him up by her face. I wish she could hold him, but she’s completely paralyzed and strapped down. This is just a precaution in case of an emergency. At least she can’t feel anything because of all the drugs pumping through her.

“Tristan, the video camera is on, right? You didn’t forget; please tell me you didn’t forget.”

I look behind her head to see the light on the camera blinking.

“It’s still on baby; it got everything.”

She sighs as tears roll down her face.

“He’s perfect,” she chokes. “He looks just like you,” she whispers.

I look at our son. I think he looks like Evelyn, but I am not going to start a war she would win.

She looks from our son and into my eyes.

“To infinity,” she whispers.

“To infinity babe,” I whisper back.

“Tristan!” she yells.

“Shush, the baby is sleeping,” I scold her.

She walks slowly towards me. The cancer and chemo have taken a toll on her body, and I pray every day that this Leukemia will be gone soon.

“How are you feeling?”

She sighs. “Not going to lie. I just want to scratch the hell out of this incision. It itches so damn bad babe.”

That is not what I was asking about and she damn well knows it.

“Evelyn Marie Beaumont,” I growl.

She throws her arms up and winces, forgetting about the staples in her stomach.

“Ouch! Okay, I feel like crap. Tristan, I want to tell them to start radiation soon. We have one baby. We got our miracle. It’s time I go back.”

She is right. The faster she fights this off the faster we can live our lives without worry. Well, we will worry about remission relapsing, but at least that is a different kind of worry.

“Is that what you really want to do?”

She bites her lip. I know she wants us to have our other two kids. With just chemotherapy, it lessens the chances. Adding radiation in with the chemo takes the chances to all but none. She has been through this already. Tristan Charles Jr. is honestly a miracle. But it is not bad to want more miracles, right?

“I think it is babe. I mean, I want to get healthy, and I am not just fighting for me anymore. I am fighting for the baby and for you too. I need to beat this.”

“All right baby.” I wrap her in my arms gently.

“What time is mom coming?”

I grin because she calls my mom hers.

“She’s not. Drake is going with you today. He has a crush on one of the patients getting chemo. He’s too shy though, so he probably won’t say anything.”

She pulls back smiling. She loves happy stories for girls like her. ‘Girls losing hope because of losing hair’ is how she always phrases it.

“Which one?”

“Selena,” I state.

“She has Leukemia like me. She is very pretty and even sweeter. She told me she is from South America. I’m kind of jealous of her skin tone.”

I laugh because Evelyn has a beautiful complexion. She is not pale and she knows it.

“Don’t even say it. I already know.”

“Good,” I whisper.

“I’m gonna go kiss our beautiful baby boy goodbye so I can get this over with.”

I let her pull away and I immediately miss her touch. So much has happened in the last year. I am such a lucky bastard.

26

I have just started this session and I already want to be back at home with Tristan Jr. I look over at Drake and he is staring at Selena.

“Drake, go say hello,” I whisper.

He turns towards me.

“Uh, no.”

I frown. Why are men so complicated?

“Why not?”

He contemplates that for a few minutes.

“Because isn’t it tacky to pick her up during her chemo? I mean seriously, isn’t that a little odd?”

He has a good point, but then again it shows something about his character. It shows that he doesn’t care if she spends her days battling cancer or that she is bald. It shows he is a good man.

“No Drake, I think that makes you a wonderful man.”