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And I was rewarded with an unconditional love...

Happy Easter!

I awoke Easter morning when Amber lifted one of my eyelids to see if I was awake.

"Uncle Nick, wake up. The Easter bunny was here for us" I opened me eyes and there she was with chocolate covered face, holding a jelly bean to my mouth.

"Amber what time is it? Oh never mind like you can tell time" I turned on the couch to face the big grandfather clock and saw that it was barely 5 am. "Amber, honey it is too early for chocolate, go back to sleep"

"The bunny left dis for us early so we eat it now Nicky" She opened my mouth and popped the jelly bean inside. I sat up right before I choked to death. "Aren't you sleepy?"

"No siwwy goose head" She said taking another bite out of her chocolate rabbit.

"Do you think your Mommy and daddy would let you eat this for breakfast?"

"Oh yes, Daddy said I can always have chocolate every morning. It's good for my teef"

"It's good for your teeth huh?" I smiled. She was a little me.

"I think maybe we should put the chocolate away until Mommy and Daddy wake up. Did you try to wake them up?"

"Yes, Daddy said go tell uncle Nicky!" Oh how nice of him.

"Well, let's have some REAL breakfast first okay?" She nodded and handed me the bunny thankfully. I stood up and grabbed her hand and together we ventured into the dark kitchen.

"What do you usually have for breakfast little one?" I asked her while I rummaged through the cabinets.

"Jewwy beans"

"You are the silly goosehead!" I said to her, she giggled. Chocolate still all over her face.

"And I guess we need to wipe off that face of yours too" I walked over to the kitchen sink and wet a paper towel and cleaned off her face. She made faces at me the whole time.

"Do you like fruit loops?" I asked her taking out the cereal.

"Fruit loops yay!" She said jumping on the chair. She WAS a little me.

"That's what I say too. YAY!!" Then I poured her a bowl and me a bowl and we ate.

"Can I have dome duice pwease?"

"Come again?"

"Duice pwease" I stared at her, still not having the slightest clue what she was talking about.

"Duice! Duice!"

"Juice?" She nodded... thank God. I went over to the fridge and poured her a glass of orange juice. We ate and played a mean game of peek-a-boo at the same time. It reminded me of the many time I did this with her father and uncles.

I yawned, it was still only 5:30. I almost fell asleep in my bowl of cereal a few times. The greatest thing I could have possibly hoped for happened when I saw that little girl yawn. That made me excited.

"Okay Amber my sweetness, how about you go back upstairs and go to sleep"

"No, I want to stay with you" I closed my eyes in frustration. How many times had I done that to both Brian and Kevin. Sometimes payback was a bitch!

"Okay come on, you can sleep next to me" She smiled and grabbed my hand as we walked back into the living room, which doubled as MY bedroom. I laid on the couch and helped her as she climbed next to me, cradling herself in the crux of my arm. I had to smile when I saw her put the two middle fingers of her left hand in her mouth. I rubbed her arm as she closed her eyes, then suddenly I felt compelled....

Where are you going..little one little one

Where are you going my baby my own

turn around and your two, turn around and your four

turn around and your a little girl walking out of the door...

I sang softly and quietly until I heard her gentle breathing fall into a peaceful rhythm. I awoke several hours later to a camera flash. I blinked my eyes open to see Kevin, Kristin, Leigh and Brian all staring at Amber and I laying on the couch.

"Sorry bro, I had to take a picture, that was just too damn cute" Kevin said putting the camera on the coffee table.

"It's about time you woke up. It's almost ten"

"She came and got me up at 5 this morning" They all laughed.

"Wow, she let you sleep in" Kris said going over to her daughter and gently picking her up. "Open up your eyes sleepy girl. Time to get up" She sang into her ear.

"You better get up and get ready for church kiddo" Brian told me pointing to his watch.

"What time does church start?"

"11:00"

"Shit!"

"HAHA! Uncle Nick said a bad word Dad" Tessa tattled on me. I gave her a pouty face and then jumped up and ran to the bathroom to get ready. Church. I really wanted to be more religious, but I was one of those guys who only found their way to church on Christmas and Easter. If I had kids I would raise them better than that.

After a very long and grandiose church service we were once again on our way home. The pastor had managed to successfully put both Amber and Tessa to sleep. Hell, I had to even nudge Kevin more than once. We were just sitting in there living room minding our own business when Leigh started up again.

"I think I am in labor!" She said holding her stomach. Brian who was diligently watching the television looked over to her, "Honey, remember what the doctor said, let's wait a few more minutes to see if the pain passes"

"I think I know my own body"

"Just wait for a little bit okay?" She nodded and visibly disgusted she walked into their bedroom and shut the door. "What if she is really in labor?" I asked Brian after she exited.

"Then we'll go to the hospital. She is NOT in labor Nick, she just thinks she is"

"Okay"

Kristin called us in to dinner, which I was really happy about. The whole house smelled of cinnamon and brown sugar. I loved ham. Howie would never let me eat it if I were home. But I wasn't home. SO i pigged out. Had the whole Easter dinner, Ham, Yams, Croissants, Fried okra. You name it and I ate it. Leigh came out and barely ate anything claiming she was having a little pain. Brian asked her if she wanted to go to the hospital and she promptly said no. "I wouldn't want to ruin everyone's Easter" She had said with more than a little sarcasm in her tone of voice.

That was dramatic. But that was Leighanne, so when my stomach pains arrived I was hesitant to say anything. I was panicking inside though. The thought of being that sick again scared me to death. I sat there quietly in the living room nonchalantly holding my stomach hoping no one would notice. "What's wrong Boo? you haven't said much" Suddenly all eyes were on me. I went to say nothing but I found myself crying like a baby "My stomach hurts" In a heartbeat, Kevin, Kris and Brian all ran over to me. Kristin feeling my head, Kevin asking me if I needed to go to the hospital and Brian running to call 911. "I am okay it just hurts and It's a little scared, God what a wuss I am"

"No your not baby, I can imagine how scared you are" Kristin said patting my hair.

"I am labor" Leigh said but stopped cold when she saw everyone huddled around me. "I can't believe this!" She said, no not said more like squealed. "I am about to have a friggin baby and you are coddling HIM! What's wrong with you people?" Brian turned to her and tried to hug her but she pulled away, "No! This is ridiculous. You don't love me!"

"Leigh you are being...oh my God" Brian said directing his eyes to the floor right where his wife was standing. The puddle on the ground had him in a brand new state of panic.

"Leigh your water.." She looked at him and smiled, "I know"

My pain was forgotten as a new excitement came into take it's place. "We have to go! Jesus, okay...um..okay..Let's go" Brian said running to the door and grabbing her bag. He then left the house. We even heard the car start. "He is going to leave without me" Leigh said in a panic between her breathing. Kevin calmly walked over to her and helped her out the door. Brian was on his way back inside. "I forgot you. Sorry" Then the two of them left. Kevin and I followed. Kris decided to stay with the girls and clean up the dinner mess.

As we sat in the waiting room, a look of horror suddenly appeared on Kevin's face as he turned to me "God Nick, in all the excitement we completely forgot about your pain. Are you still feeling bad?"

"No. I'm okay. I think it was just gas" He smiled, "Are you sure? If you are feeling bad you have to tell me"

"I am fine Kevin. Sorry I didn't mean to get you all worked up. I don't know what came over me. I feel like an idiot for crying"

He pat my leg, "Don't. I am sure you must have been terrified of all that stuff. I can only imagine what it was like to wake up attached to machines, not know where you are" I nodded as his grip tightened on my leg. "It's okay to cry Nick" I sighed and then happily changed the subject, "I wonder if Brian has passed out yet?" That made Kevin bust out laughing.

"I'm impressed that he even got himself to the hospital"

"Yeah barely, I mean he almost left without Leighanne"

"I know"

Shortly after that little conversation, three cokes, and one Hershey bar later, Brian came out. Glowing. I sat up and so did Kevin.

"We have a baby" He whispered. The glint of tears in his eyes made me get choked up. Then a whole new wave of jealousy passed through me. It was a weird feeling. Kind of like one a person has that is not able to say good-bye. I had really wanted to have just one more time of just me and him, without baby. I kind of just lost him tonight. At least that is how I felt, until I saw him for the first time.

When we walked into the room and saw Leigh all disheveled holding this small bundle in her arms, I melted. I approached slowly. The way you might approach a sleeping bear. HE was so tiny. You could barely see him under the blanket he was swaddled in.

Kevin took the baby in his arms and rocked him as Brian held Leighanne's hand. Then Brian said "Nick, would you like to hold your Godson?" I looked at him in awe. I didn't see my brother. I saw Baylee's father. "Godson?"

"Yes, that is if you say you would like that title?" I looked to Leigh, thinking that at any moment she would just say only kidding but she smiled at me. "Of course I would love to be Baylee's Godfather" Kevin slowly handed me the baby. As he entered my arms, all thoughts of jealousy were gone. Now only replaced by love. I loved this little boy. We would have so much fun.

"Happy Easter Baylee!" I whispered to him and kissed his cheek.

I could have floated away on all the love in the room. It was outstanding. The love we all shared for this new tiny person. The love we shared for each other...