From Bully To Beloved

I help Sera into the elevator, careful not to jostle the carrier with our sleeping daughter in it. Charlie and I worked overtime to make sure the apartment was ready before the baby was born. But you can’t always have what you want. Not complaining. A lot of late nights went into making our forever home. There are still a few rooms that need to be finished, but for the most part, all the important rooms are ready.

We ride up to our floor, which now has a beautiful entryway that separates the elevator from our apartment. I open the front door and step aside to let them in. “Home sweet home, babe.”

Sera and I walk into the living room, and we’re greeted by our close friends and family. A magenta banner is strung up and reads: “Welcome Home, Bianca!” Justin and Charlie are there, along with Kelly and Marie. Sera was adamant that she didn’t want too many people around when we brought little Bianca home for the first time.

But I knew she’d appreciate having our family there to greet our newest member.

She’s beaming when she looks up at me. “Did you organize this?”

“Nope, not me. This was all Kelly’s idea.”

“That’s right,” Kelly says as she approaches us. “You think I wasn’t going to be here to greet my goddaughter when she came home? Let me see! Let me see!”

Sera pushes back the hood of the carrier to show off our beautiful little girl. She’s fast asleep, her soft curly light-brown hair sticking out from under the little rosy hat the hospital gave her. Her eyes are closed, but they’re gray and have already started to lighten, which probably means she’s going to have my green eyes.

A perfect little combination of me and Sera.

Kelly and Marie coo over the baby.

“Oh, how precious!”

“Look at that little face!”

Justin puts his arm around my shoulders. “She’s beautiful, bro. Can’t believe she’s yours.” His eyes say, “She’s pretty, you’re-eh, not so much.”

We smirk at each other.

Charlie reaches out to shake my hand, smiling from cheek to cheek. “Congratulations, chief. Love babies. Can’t wait to have a few of me own.” Charlie’s voice is shaky from the emotion, his eyes wet. His usually disheveled hair is smoothed to one side. It looks like he’s trimmed his beard a little and put on a fresh shirt. Quickly, he wipes his tears away. “Right. As soon as ye want me to finish those last rooms, I’m ready.”Material © of NôvelDrama.Org.

“Seriously, Charlie. You’ve been a lifesaver over the last few months. I appreciate you getting our home ready for our little family.”

“Ah, sure…you know me, ready any time, ya know that. Family man, meself. Well, not right now, but one day-hopefully.”

“Are you in a relationship or are you single, Charlie?” He wears several silver rings, but none of them look like a typiColtonwedding or engagement ring. Not that I think he would wear a typiColtonring of that sort.

“It’s just me right now.”

I think for a moment. “Well, I know a single girl. Her name is Jane. She’s my realtor. English girl.”

Charlie perks up. “A realtor, ya say? Sounds pretty perfect with her being in my line of work. What’s she like?”

“She’s very pretty, but to be fair, she can be, let’s say-difficult.”

“I’m well used to difficult. I nearly prefer it! Can you put us in touch?”

I forward him Jane’s website.

“Thanks, and no worries, chief.” He winks. “This Irishman knows how to tame her.”

Sera sits on our new couch, while Kelly and Marie crowd around her. I’m about to join them when Kelly whips out a newspaper. “Tada!” It has an article about the art show, and I see Sera hold her breath. Quickly, we flip through the pages, and there it is.

The headline in bold black Times shines at us:

Young Artist Wows the Art World

as NYC’s Toughest Art Critic Gives Rare Stamp of Approval

It’s followed by a glorious review. The article goes on and on, marveling at Seraphine Ashton’s exquisitely skillful linework and her fresh view as well as unmatchable capture of the human body.