Brian Haner Jr
Brian Haner Jr.
"This isn't a good idea," Brian said ten minutes later as Nicole started to put a tiny wrapped bundle into his arms. "I don't do the baby thing. I sort of ignored my friend's kid until it got past the breakable stage."
"Shes tougher than she looks," Nicold promised, even though he knew she was lying. "Just relax. Bend your arm so she's completely supported and her head can rest in the crook of your elbow."
The baby was red and kind of squished looking. He couldn't see any part of her except for her face. Even her head was covered with a little pink hat. She was too tiny not to scare the pants off of him. And when Nicole placed her in his arms, she seemed to weigh nothing at all.
"Oh, God." He placed his free hand against her side to keep er from slipping and stayed completely still. "She's about the size of a football."
"I'll have to take your word on that."
He glanced up and saw that Nicole was still smiling at him. No doubt she was amused by his stiffness, but he'd never held a newborn before.
"Now what?" he asked.
"Say hello, or anything else that comes to mind. She's your child, Mr. Haner. What would you like to do?"
Give her back, he thought, but he didn't say that.
"Call me Brian."
Nicole chuckled. "Most fathers prefer Daddy."
He glanced at her. "I was talking to you. You keep saying Mr. Haner. I'm Brian. I'd shake your hand, but I'm tied up for the moment."
"I understand." She pointed to the baby. "It's okay to move around if you'd like."
He shook his head, too scared to do anything but stand there holding his daughter. Feelings swelled up inside of him, emotions that he could barely indentify. There was pride and fear, but so much more. A sense of having been part of a miracle. Was this tiny creature really flesh of his flesh? Had he had some kind of small part in creating her?
Nicole seemed to understand his confusion. She patted his arm, then stepped back to give him time alone.
Brian took a tentative step, then another. His daughter didn't wake up. He risked a tiny rocking motion. When she stirred, he froze.
Against his arm he felt small movements. His daughter puckered her mouth, then opened her eyes and stared at him.
She had brown eyes... Haner brown. He remembered reading somewhere that newborns couldn't see all that well, but at that moment it seemed to him that his baby could see into his soul.
Brian Haner had never been a believer in love at first sight, nor had he ever experienced anything even remotely close to it. But as he stared down at the tiny infant who was his child, he felt himself falling faster and harder than he ever had before in his life.
"Shes tougher than she looks," Nicold promised, even though he knew she was lying. "Just relax. Bend your arm so she's completely supported and her head can rest in the crook of your elbow."
The baby was red and kind of squished looking. He couldn't see any part of her except for her face. Even her head was covered with a little pink hat. She was too tiny not to scare the pants off of him. And when Nicole placed her in his arms, she seemed to weigh nothing at all.
"Oh, God." He placed his free hand against her side to keep er from slipping and stayed completely still. "She's about the size of a football."
"I'll have to take your word on that."
He glanced up and saw that Nicole was still smiling at him. No doubt she was amused by his stiffness, but he'd never held a newborn before.
"Now what?" he asked.
"Say hello, or anything else that comes to mind. She's your child, Mr. Haner. What would you like to do?"
Give her back, he thought, but he didn't say that.
"Call me Brian."
Nicole chuckled. "Most fathers prefer Daddy."
He glanced at her. "I was talking to you. You keep saying Mr. Haner. I'm Brian. I'd shake your hand, but I'm tied up for the moment."
"I understand." She pointed to the baby. "It's okay to move around if you'd like."
He shook his head, too scared to do anything but stand there holding his daughter. Feelings swelled up inside of him, emotions that he could barely indentify. There was pride and fear, but so much more. A sense of having been part of a miracle. Was this tiny creature really flesh of his flesh? Had he had some kind of small part in creating her?
Nicole seemed to understand his confusion. She patted his arm, then stepped back to give him time alone.
Brian took a tentative step, then another. His daughter didn't wake up. He risked a tiny rocking motion. When she stirred, he froze.
Against his arm he felt small movements. His daughter puckered her mouth, then opened her eyes and stared at him.
She had brown eyes... Haner brown. He remembered reading somewhere that newborns couldn't see all that well, but at that moment it seemed to him that his baby could see into his soul.
Brian Haner had never been a believer in love at first sight, nor had he ever experienced anything even remotely close to it. But as he stared down at the tiny infant who was his child, he felt himself falling faster and harder than he ever had before in his life.