“I’m sorry. Are you speaking to me?” Jed asked, apparently stunned by being addressed in this manner.
“If you are the person banging loudly on the glass and upsetting our babies, then, yes, I am speaking to you! Can’t you read?” This time she pointed to a sign taped to the wall nearby.
BABIES SLEEPING!! DO NOT BANG ON THE GLASS!!
“I’m sorry but I didn’t see the sign and I thought I was tapping gently,” Jed said. “I had no intention of disturbing anyone.”
Susan, glancing through the glass and observing that her grandson was the only baby not sleeping soundly, was about to protest when she noticed the clock on the wall. “It’s eleven o’clock! We can go see Chrissy! Come on, Jed,” she urged. Her husband was still trying to apologize to the woman who was standing in front of the quartet as though prepared to fling herself between them and the window if they displayed any more antisocial inclinations.
“Great! Let’s-” Rhythm began.
“You and I will go get a cup of tea or something in the cafeteria,” Blues said. “Susan and Jed might want some time alone with their daughter.”
“But-”
“Come on, Rhythm.” Pulling her husband by his arm, Blues led him down the hallway. But Susan and Jed didn’t notice; they were hurrying off in the opposite direction to see their daughter.
Chrissy was sitting up in the bed nearest the door, writing notes on computer-generated birth announcements. She put down the pen and beamed when her parents walked in the doorway.
“You certainly don’t look like a young woman who gave birth to two beautiful babies less than twenty-four hours ago,” her father said, leaning over to kiss his daughter’s forehead.
“Did you see them? Aren’t they gorgeous? Are you mad at me?”
“We saw them. They’re gorgeous. Why in heaven’s name would we be mad at you?” Jed asked.
“You knew you were having twins and you didn’t tell us,” Susan said, getting the point. She kissed her daughter despite this fact.
“I just didn’t want everyone to fuss…”
“You mean you didn’t want your family to fuss more than they-we-were doing already,” Susan corrected gently.
“Yes. I guess. I mean, Stephen and I thought we were timing this so well.”
“And you did,” her father assured her, sitting down on the foot of the bed. “Getting pregnant nine months before Stephen got his degree, what could be better?”
“Stephen having a job, knowing where you’re going to live. Little things like that, right?” Susan asked her daughter.
“Exactly! But now-well, I guess you haven’t seen Stephen… or his parents.”
“We ran into Rhythm and Blues outside of the nursery.”
“And they didn’t tell you?”
“Tell us what?” Jed asked.
“That Stephen has a job! He got the job he wanted!”
“Well, good for him,” Jed said.
“Where?” Susan asked immediately. “Where is it?” She took a breath and held it, waiting for the answer. She hadn’t even rocked her new grandchildren in her arms. If Chrissy and Stephen were moving to the West Coast…
“Mom, please don’t get that expression on your face. You’re going to like this. The job is in New York. New York City.”
“You’re coming home!” Susan cried, flinging her arms around her daughter’s neck and beginning to tear up.
“We’re going to New York City. We’re not moving to Connecticut. We want to live in the city, Mom-”
“In the city! Have you and Stephen thought this through? Do you know how much you’ll spend on private school tuition for two children?”
“They’re only thirteen hours old, Mother. They’re not ready for school yet. Besides, Stephen and I have enjoyed living in Philadelphia and you know I’ve always wanted to live in New York.”
“What about the dogs?” Susan asked, thinking quickly. “You always say you’d never consider getting rid of them. You can’t possibly have two bullmastiffs in a small apartment in New York City. Connecticut has lawns where dogs can run and the children can have a swing set and a sandbox and go to really excellent schools for free…”
“And live at home when they attend Yale,” Chrissy finished, beginning to sound a little sarcastic.
“And when does Stephen start work?” Jed asked.
“That’s the problem. They want him to begin in two weeks.”
“You’ll never find any place to live in two weeks…”
“I know, Mother. The company offered to put us up in a hotel for a few weeks, but with the dogs and the babies and… and all… Well, I was hoping we might be able to move in with you and Dad.”
“Of course you can!” Susan’s world changed. It was a dream come true.
“Just until we find an apartment in the city. And this isn’t going to be easy. The house will be overflowing with Stephen and me and two babies and two dogs, and-”
“You are all welcome to come and stay as long as you like,” her father assured his daughter. “We will love having you.”
“Yes, but… Stephen!” Chrissy beamed as her husband walked in the door, his arms full. A couple dozen roses were squashed beneath two large fluffy teddy bears, two tiny Yankees caps, a five-pound box of Neuchatel chocolates, a bottle of champagne, and the latest issues of the New Yorker, New York, Time Out New York, and the day’s New York Times.
“Hi, everyone. I think I have everything you asked for,” Stephen said to his wife. “How are Ethan and Rosie doing?”
“Ethan and Rosie? You named them? They’re Ethan and Rosie?” Susan asked.
“Yes. What do you think?” Chrissy sounded worried.
“Wonderful! Is Rosie a Rosemary or-?”
“Just Rosie,” Chrissy said. “And Ethan is Ethan. We don’t want anyone to put horrible nicknames on them.”
Susan, who knew that parents didn’t have as much power over their children’s nicknames as her daughter (christened Christine) seemed to think, just smiled. “They’re wonderful names. How did you come up with them?’
“I’ve always wanted a daughter named Rosie,” Chrissy said, surprising her parents with this insight into her life. “And Stephen picked Ethan.”
“My parents think it’s a bit old-fashioned, but I’ve always liked the name,” Stephen admitted as he struggled to open the champagne. “Speaking of my parents, did Chrissy tell you…?”
Before he could finish, his parents entered the room, followed by a redheaded young woman holding what appeared to be the hospital gift shop’s entire stock of “It’s a Girl!” and “It’s a Boy!” Mylar balloons. “Chrissy, you dear, dear thing!” Blues cried. “And so efficient-imagine having two children at the same time. So smart of you! And Stephen-champagne. What a treat!”
“Mother… Dad…” Stephen didn’t seem to know how to continue. “When did you get in?” he asked after a short pause.
“Absolutely hours ago,” Rhythm replied. “You know us. We don’t like to let any grass grow under our feet.”
“And it’s not every day we add to our family. Look what I bought the babies!” Blues pulled two tie-dyed infant sleepers from her massive straw purse. “I found them at a craft shop up the coast. Isn’t it lucky I bought two? They’ll look adorable in them, don’t you think?”
What Susan thought was that they’d look like miniature deadheads, but she just smiled. This was Chrissy’s problem, not hers. Besides, Stephen had managed to open the champagne and was trying to keep a half dozen little white Styrofoam cups upright while he filled them. Susan helped to pass them around, serving her daughter first.
“A toast!” Rhythm said rather loudly, raising his glass in the air. Some champagne sloshed out onto the floor just as the same nurse who had chastised Jed in the hallway appeared.