23. Reed

23

REED

“GEORGIA ON MY MIND” – RAY CHARLES

I head home, grab my car, and jump on the expressway to get to the suburbs, where Wendy and Charlie are having the baby. When I pull into La Grange Memorial, I have a quick flashback to being here years ago. This is the hospital where they brought my cousin after his accident and pronounced him dead. “ So it goes ,” as the woman I met on the plane said.

I find the maternity ward, my footsteps echoing softly on the clean, tiled floor. Looking around, I see a waiting room filled with anxious people. Spotting Charlie’s dad sitting in one of the chairs, I make my way over.

“Hey, Mr. Dunn! How are Charlie and Wendy?”

He looks up, his tired eyes sparking as he recognizes me. “Reed! Good to see you. Charlie went with Wendy to the delivery room a little while ago.” He gives me the room number and adds, “I don’t think it will be long now.”

I nod, a smile breaking across my face. “Thanks, Mr. Dunn. I’ll see if I can check on them.”

I check in at the nurses station, and Dunn has put me on the list of authorized visitors. Following the nurse’s directions, I go down the hallway until I reach the room where Wendy is in labor. I hesitate for a moment, gathering my thoughts, before pushing the door open.

Inside, Wendy is surrounded by medical staff, her face flushed with exertion but also a radiant glow of anticipation. Charlie stands by her side, holding her hand, offering words of encouragement and support. Mrs. Dunn stands on the other side, a silent support.

“Wendy, Charlie, Mrs. Dunn,” I say softly, not wanting to disrupt the moment.

Charlie looks up, relief flooding his features. “Hey, man. Thanks for coming. It means a lot.”

“Ahhhh!” Wendy yells.

“Push! We’re almost there!” one of the nurses says.

I give a small nod and step to the side, behind Dunn. “I’m here for you, both of you. You’re doing great, Wendy!” I smile when she looks my way.

As the medical team continues their work and Wendy’s labor progresses, I stay by their side. I’ve never been in the room for the birth of anyone.

“You got this, babe. You fucking got this,” Dunn says, still holding her hand. “I love you.”

There are a few more contractions, and during what seems like a break in the action, Dunn turns his head toward me.

“I just realized it’s Wednesday. Don’t you have work?”

“Work can fuck off. I told ’em I had somewhere to be.”

Dunn grins. “Attaboy.”

“What the hell happened this weekend, Reed?” Wendy asks. “Heard you made out with some chick?”

“Babe, I told you that was bro code!” Dunn shoots back. He looks at me. “Sorry, bro. I tell her everything. She’s in the circle of trust.”

I laugh. This doesn’t seem like the time or place for this conversation, but Wendy’s the alpha in this room. “Yeah, yeah I did,” I admit.

“Don’t worry, Charlie swore me to secrecy and everything. I won’t tell Samantha,” Wendy adds between deep breaths.

“Neither will I,” Mrs. Dunn confirms.

“Oh, don’t worry about that,” I assure them. “We broke up.”

“You broke up and didn’t tell me?!” Dunn exclaims.

One of the nurses shoots me a funny look.

“Sorry, man. I’ve been recovering this week. But yeah, I flew out to see her in California, and we’re dunzo. We ended things. Amicably.”

“That’s great to hear,” Wendy says. “I liked Samantha a lot but she was always—uhhhh! Here comes another contraction!”

“You got this, babe!” Dunn says. “Breathe! Deep breaths!”

After a few more rounds of contractions—in the end it kind of seems like one long contraction—Wendy gives a huge push, and then we hear crying.

One nurse cuts the umbilical cord, and another hands a crying, beautiful, tiny baby girl to Wendy.

“Congratulations,” she says.

Wendy takes the little baby in her arms, tears of joy streaming down her face. Charlie leans over, kissing Wendy’s forehead and looking at their daughter with awe and disbelief.

I watch the scene unfold, my heart swelling with happiness. The sight of Wendy cradling their baby girl is a moment I’ll never forget.

“You did amazing, Wendy,” Charlie whispers, his voice filled with pride. “She’s perfect.”

Wendy looks up at Charlie, her eyes shining with love and exhaustion. “We did it,” she murmurs.

I step forward, my eyes misting over. “Congratulations, you two. She’s beautiful.”

As the new family basks in the glow of their shared joy, I feel grateful to be a part of this precious moment. A pure and profound love fills the room, binding them together in this new chapter of their lives.

After a moment, Charlie looks at Wendy with a soft smile. “Have you thought of a name for her, babe? Which of the ones we’ve talked about? I’m giving you the final call. What does she feel like to you?”

I chuckle. This is the same guy who was shooting bottles at two a.m. in rural Kentucky not five days ago, not to mention faking his way into a hotel reservation. Now he’s giving his wife full authority to name their child. The duality of man.

This is why I fucking love Charlie Dunn.

Wendy looks down at their daughter and takes a deep breath. “She feels like a Georgia. Georgia Mary Dunn. After where her grandmother was born.”

Charlie’s face lights up. “Georgia,” he repeats, as if testing the name on his lips. “I love it. Georgia Mary Dunn it is.”

“Georgia Dunn,” I echo, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips. “It’s not Reed, but it’s a beautiful name.”

After a few minutes, I step toward Dunn, who is now holding baby Georgia, and put a hand on his shoulder. “I picked you up something on the way here.”

“Oh?”

I pull out the T-shirt I ordered a little while ago for him that says Girl Dad .

“Buddy. Love you.” He chuckles and gives me a hug.

“That’s so cute, Reed.” Wendy smiles. “So before the drugs wear off, what I was saying is, Samantha’s great. But you’re pretty great, too. You’ll meet someone new soon.”

“Or not,” Dunn quips. “You never know.”

I shake my head. “Dick. Let’s not worry about me right now.”

“What about that girl you made out with this weekend?” Wendy asks. “What’s she up to? You gonna see her again?”

I open my mouth, and at that moment I realize I have absolutely no way to get in touch with Luna, even if I wanted to. “I don’t even know her name.”

Wendy’s eyes widen. “You made out with a girl and you don’t know her name? Damn, Reed!”

“Yo yo,” Mason says when I walk through the door. He’s in the same position as always, at his desk playing video games. “You’re home early.”

“Am I?” I honestly have no idea what time it is.

“Yeah. It’s not even five yet.”

“Remember Charlie?”

“The West Point guy you stopped in here with the other day?”

“Yeah. He and his wife had a baby.”

“Oh, damn. That’s cool. What are you up to later?”

I laugh. Of course that would get no reaction from him. “Man, I have no clue. Why?”

“I got a girl coming over, just FYI.”

“Okay.”

“You gonna date anyone? You know, now that you and Samantha are done?”

“No idea, man. I don’t know.”

“Cool. Just want to make sure you know this is kind of my area. And obviously, I bring girls here a lot.”

“Obviously.”

He turns back to his video game, and I guess this is the end of the conversation.

I make myself some bread and butter, and I leave the butter out so it will be nice and soft for next time.