Cantrell: The Early Years, Part SIX

New Year’s 2285, a Cantrell: The Early Years, Part Six Update

Erik and Kayleigh spent time getting their house ready for the New Year’s Eve party they were throwing that evening. The family was all very excited that another baby was due to join the clan very soon.  Erik did most of the setup, so that Kayleigh wouldn’t overdo it.  He loved how industrial she was, but she was very due at the moment and both of them wondered if she would end up having to excuse herself at some point during the evening to give birth.

As before, the couple elected to not learn the gender of this, their third child.  Somehow, it was just more fun that way. A nice and welcome surprise. Erik was also very happy to learn there truly was only one baby, this time. He had actually lost sleep over worry it would be twins again. Not that the boys weren’t all kinds of fun. But, yeah, they needed a bit of a break.  So, the two spent time working on names; both male and female. 

Erik placed the last piece of flatware at a setting. Done. At last the tables were set, the banquet table polished to perfection, just waiting for them to layer it with foodstuffs. Erik wondered about having a punch bowl. Then quickly decided against it. He had a fully stocked bar, complete with bar back. They would not want for adult beverages.

Finished with the needed tasks well ahead of time, he went out into the backyard to clean the chicken coop, collect the eggs and say hello to their two horses.  He scooped up the horse piles his two steads lovingly left behind for him. He took a minute to check out his greenhouse, too. Currently, he had a plantain tree, an apple tree, ten grape vines, onions, carrots, parsley and sage plants, one tomato bush, which really was sufficient.  He took a moment to water what needed it.

Coming back indoors, he checked on Kayleigh, who was taking a nap and then the twins, who were also busily snoozing. Then he smiled to himself. He wanted some peace and quiet, and went halfway across the planet to find it, when he was now enjoying just that. He loved how still it was. In that moment of awareness, he realized there wasn’t a single thing he would rewrite about his life.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

Sitting out on the front porch, Erik waited for his guests to arrive.  He watched as the sun began to wane. The sky ever-so-slowly growing dark as if someone had their hand on the dimmer switch and drew the level downward at a snail’s pace.  Next thing he knew dusk had fallen.  Tomorrow would be a new year. Bringing with it a new series of the Top Four music awards. Over his crisis, at least for now, he realized he should get to work on yet another album. There had been a slight lapse in releases of such from his rather break-neck pace. 

Understandably. He sought balance between his busy career as a Rock Star and his family. With another baby on the way, he foresaw a continuation of his staying home to help. It stung him to learn his mother obviously thought he wasn’t helping out, or worse, that Kayleigh was feeling that way at all.

Checking his timepiece, Erik got up from the bench on his front porch, went inside and set the already prepared food onto the banquet table.  Then he unlocked the gate in anticipation of his guests’ arrival. Those just down the hill were the first to arrive.  Erik held infant Sajik in his arms, marveling at how big he’d gotten in so short a time.

“I can’t believe how quickly he’s grown,” he told Spock. “Seems like just yesterday he was a newborn.”
“They do tend to be growing like weeds. You met him when he was merely a day old. Six standard Earth weeks later and they both have fattened up nicely.”

The family, having all arrived, seated themselves at the dining room tables and enjoyed a traditional meal together. Erik loved these moments. This was part of the big family he always wanted. He was very happy the two families got on so well together. He was very much wanting to see how both sets of twins got along, however, his boys proved to be back to their newly found solid sleep pattern. Likely, they wouldn’t hear from them again until the morning.

When the time drew near, they all gathered into the Sunroom/Laundry room to catch the countdown to the new year. A bit of a raucous group, Erik decided some were very happy to be flipping the calendar on 2284 for a fresh start. Silently, he was amused at this. Despite his crisis of angst, it had been a terrific year for him, personally. The birth of his two baby boys, a second Clean Sweep, which he had since realized was nothing to be afraid of. Yet, he still looked forward to the promise each new year carried with it.

After they all left, some helping with the cleanup, Kayleigh did, indeed, go into labor.  Erik placed the last leftovers into the fridge, washed his hands and went up to be there for his wife. He stood in the doorway and watched, with interest. He never knew just how the babies got into the bassinet, realizing it was nothing short of magic.

Just after midnight, the baby was safely delivered.  “Erik, come meet your baby daughter,” Kayleigh invited.  She then placed the newborn into the bassinet to go take a quick shower, to freshen up. Erik stepped into the room to gaze at his precious baby girl. As he watched her, an enormous sense of possessive angst rolled over him. Instantly, he understood Drake’s attitude toward Erik. He finally got it. She was his little girl. For the moment Erik didn’t care if the emotion was irrational. For now, he was the main man in her life — until some upstart challenges that. Careful, there, Captain. She will leave you one day.

In another moment the wee girl began to fuss. “It’s okay, Melodie Anne. Daddy’s here, he’s right here.” Erik carefully picked her up, cradled her in his arms, and fed her a bottle.

“You need something, anything at all, you come and ask Daddy for it,” he whispered. “I’m here for you. Always. I don’t even care if you’re twenty-two when you ask.”

All for now, thanks for reading!