Page 16 of The Champion
My dad, while rolling his eyes, passed a nearby tissuebox to her, and then she passed it on to Alley and Emma who were apparentlyhaving issues as well.
“He is little at five pounds two ounces and seventeeninches long. They do have him on a little bit of oxygen, but the doctors sayit’s probably just temporary.”
I handed the camera off to mother who sat in betweenEmma, Andrea and Alley. They cried over each picture, and I noticed Charliesitting quietly off to the side.
I went sit next to him and nudged his leg. “You happydad?”
He smiled and nodded.
“Yeah, I’m just so...relieved,”he shrugged and looked down at his feet. “I’m relieved I was here and they areboth doing good.”
“I know what you mean.” I was about to say more untilEmma spoke up.
“Hey Jameson, what’s his name?” Emma asked looking upfrom the pictures.
I smiled. “We haven’t decided yet.”
Everyone had been asking for weeks what we’d name him butwe had yet to agree on one. I knew what I wanted but I wasn’t so sure Swaywould be okay with it.
Lane snuck on my lap.
“He cute?” he asked curiously.
“Yeah he’s pretty cute.” I smiled at him. “Are youexcited to have a cousin?”
“Sure am!” he announced. “I’m gonna get him a gift.”
He then grabbed Spencer’s hand and walked toward the giftshop.
Spencer glanced down at him as they waited for theelevator. “You can get him anything you want just no cougars. His dad will goapeshit.”
“Noted,” Lane said nodding.
A few hours later, I sat there quietly watching mybeautiful wife sleep as I rocked our newborn baby. He was handsome, no surprisethere and perfect. His features reminded me of myself but I could see Sway inthere as well. He was a perfect mix of the two of us, blended together.
He seemed to have my exact hair color and texture withloops that flung out at the ends. You couldn’t tell what his eye color would bebut I assumed he’d have green since both of us had green. One thing he did havethat I found particularly adorable was Sway’s nose. Sway had an adorable buttonnose, which our son now had.Our son.
It felt almost anomalous to think I was now a father.
He looked up at me and in that moment, I knew just likehis mother I could never deny him of anything. Sway was everything to me and Inever knew that I could love anything as much as I loved her until our son wasplaced in my arms.
He instantly had me wrapped around his finger; my reasonfor existence had just doubled. In that moment, nothing else matters more thanthese two. Not racing, not the championship, nothing.
I gently rocked him, humming softly. Soon he wormed hisway closer to me, just as Sway always did, and fell asleep.
My eyes focused on Sway again. Her lips were pushed outinto that adorable pout she had when sleeping, her cheeks flushed from theexertion she put forth today. She was beautiful and she had just given me thebest Christmas gift anyone could have possibly given me.
She had made me a father. Winning the championship thisyear had nothing on this feeling.
Bell Housing – Sway
“You know kid,” Charlie said holding the baby against hischest. “Your parents are stupid sometimes but the smartest thing they did wasbring you into this world.”
“Wow dad, thanks...Ithink.” I adjusted the blanket surrounding me to hide away the funbags.
“Sway, it’s not the destination you choose. It’s thejourney you take to get there.”
“What does that even mean?”
