Reconciliation

 Chapter 20

The Beginning of Family Life

Hours passed and Ben had fallen asleep in the other, vacant bed in the small hospital room. It was increasingly difficult for him to get comfortable, with the ever growing bulge in his belly, but eventually exhaustion took hold.

Ben woke to the sound of the baby crying, it was cut off rather suddenly. Alarmed by the abrupt silence, he rolled over and with some difficulty managed to sit up.

The sight that met him was unexpected, to say the least.

Albedo was sitting up, he had removed his shirt and was holding the baby close to his chest.

“Albedo, what are you doing,” Ben asked.

“Feeding her, what does it look like?”

“You can do that?”

“Evidently,” Albedo replied, “It’s as much a surprise to me as it is to you.”

“Don’t try to do too much, too soon; you’ve just been through surgery and childbirth.

The baby evidently satisfied, released her grip on Albedo’s nipple; he weakly handed her to Ben before falling asleep again.

Ben placed the baby, who they had decided to name Azmea, back into the bassinet and was about to return to his own bed, but then on a whim crawled into the small hospital bed beside Albedo. The conditions were cramped, these were only intended for one person, but Ben felt the need to be close to Albedo right now.

Kevin came to the door of the hospital room and knocked, he got no response, and never being one to stand on ceremony opened the door and walked in.

“Ben, you awake?”

The sight he was met with was a shock to him, Ben was lying in the bed alongside Albedo.

‘What is he doing,’ Kevin wondered with a mixture of anger, and though he hated to admit it, jealousy.

‘Why should I be jealous?’ Kevin asked himself, ‘It’s not as if I wanted to raise a child with Ben, or that we’re anything more than friends and bros, right?’

A soft cry came from the incubated bassinet, Kevin walked over to it and marveled at this tiny wonder.

“Hey, there, I’m your dad’s best bud; well one of your dads, anyway. You can call me Uncle Kevin, when ya learn ta talk, that is.” He placed his hand awkwardly on the back of his head and realized how silly he must have seemed.

A hand fell upon his shoulder, and turned to see not Ben, but Albedo standing there.

“Should you be up Albedo, you’ve just been through childbirth and surgery.

Even as he said it, Kevin could scarcely believe it.

“I’ll be fine Kevin, thank you for accepting what has happened.”

“I ain’t accepted it yet, but Ben will always do whatever it takes to help someone who needs it, and I’ll always do whatever it takes to help him.”

“You are truly a good friend, Kevin Levin, Ben chose well; I am sorry I never realized this before now.” 

“Don’t sweat it, dude, now get back to bed, before you break your stitches or somethin,” Kevin smirked.

“Yes, sir,” Albedo agreed with a similar smirk.