Page 136 of False Start

“We all had to work as a unit to get the win. Some of us had to throw or catch the ball. Others had to block so our players wouldn’t get hit. Some had to kick. Everyone had a role to play.”

“Kind of like a family.”

“Exactly like a family,” Kyle echoed. “Do you remember when I took you to Talon’s birthday party a couple weeks ago? Remember how she was showing off her new baby brother?”

Sebastian giggled. “Yeah. He kept blowing bubbles with his mouth.”

“He did, didn’t he?” Kyle smiled, sucked in a long breath, and let it out slowly. “Well, what would you think if I told you thatyouare going to have a new baby brother — or sister.”

My son’s eyes grew wide, and my hands floated to my mouth as tears pricked my eyes.

I knew that look.

He was excited.

“Wait, really?!”

Kyle nodded. “Really.”

Sebastian blinked rapidly. “How? When?”

“Well, I think you can see that your mom and I love each other.”

Sebastian smiled at me, and I winked at him. “Yeah,” he said.

“We love each othersomuch that we made a baby, and that baby is growing inside your mom’s tummy right now — just like you did.”

“In hertummy?” Sebastian looked at me slack-jawed. “Does it hurt?”

“Sometimes,” I said on a laugh, and I went over to join them on the bed. “You know how I’ve been feeling kind of sick lately? Well, that’s because it takes a lot of work to make a baby.”

“You’re making a whole human!”

“Isn’t that so cool?” Kyle asked.

Sebastian nodded emphatically. “And I’m going to be a big brother!”

“You are,” I said, squeezing his knee. “The best one ever.”

“Can I hug the baby? And play with it?”

“Absolutely. And you’ll help me and Mom protect it and care for it. Babies can’t do much for a while, so it’ll be a lot of work, but we’ll make it fun, won’t we?”

“Yeah,” Sebastian said. But his smile faltered a little then, and his eyes met Kyle’s. “Will the new baby call you dad, the way I call my dad?”

“Yes, buddy, they will.”

My son swallowed. “Would it be okay if I call you dad, too?”

Kyle’s eyes fluttered shut, and I watched him compose himself before he reached down and put both hands on Sebastian’s shoulders. “You can call me anything you’d like to. And I want you to know that this doesn’t change a thing between you and me. I…” He swallowed. “I love you. And you’re always going to be my buddy. In fact, I’m going to need you now more than ever. I’ve never been adadbefore,” he said the word like it was crazy, and Sebastian giggled. “What the heck am I supposed to do? I need you to walk me through it all.”

“But I’ve never been a big brother, either!”

“Well, then I guess we’ll figure it all out together, won’t we?”

Sebastian nodded, and then he looked up at me. “We’re going to be a great team, aren’t we, Mommy?”

“We sure are,” I said, kissing his hair.