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Andrew realizes not for the first time that he hates hospitals. Maybe it's the uncomfortable hard plastic chair he's sitting on or how the air smells of serialization and sickness.
But after years of being in a relationship with Neil Josten, Andrew sadly frequentes hospitals regularly and has to deal with them on a normal basis. But this time Andrew is not here for Neil but for his brother and his wife.
It's been years now since Palmetto and his deal to Aaron. But just last year Aaron finished his Medical Residency in Boston and Andrew moved here to play stickball. To be closer to the blue-eyed walking disaster he married as well as his brother and the life he started here. And after years of therapy and trying to reconnect, Andrew likes to think that they have grown closer and are what brothers should be like.
Andrew thinks of the day his brother had forced him out of his sleep by banging on his apartment door at 7 am. He was frantic and desperately holding on to Andrew. And repeating “I am going to be a father.” Aaron looked scared shitless and was on the verge of tears. Once he started talking Andrew couldn’t get him to stop. Going on about how scared he was and how he didn't want to be like them, the people who hurt them. Like their mother. All Andrew could do was hold his twin brother through it and listen.
So here Andrew is, sitting in a hospital waiting to be an uncle.
An uncle, a brother, a husband, a cousin, a friend. Andrew thinks of how hard he’s had to fight for each title. So he guesses that sitting in this uncomfortable waiting room is a small feat for what he would do for his brother. Regardless, it doesn't help with his anxiety or the fact he has to hear Nicky ramble on.
Nicky and Erik are sitting across from him and Neil and of course, Nicky is running his mouth trying to fill the silence. “Well I am 100% sure it's a girl and here is why. During the whole pregnancy, Katelyn was saying how bad she was having heartburn. And I read somewhere that it's a side effect of the baby having a lot of hair. Argo, it's a girl!!”
“Nicky the bets have already closed and my money is on the baby being a boy,” Of course, Neil always has to be the instigator. He and Renee were the only ones that bet on a boy and Andrew and the rest of the foxes bet on a girl. Andrew had read the article Nicky was talking about, but he wasn't about to openly agree with him. With therapy and all Andrew still had standards and pissing his cousin off was one of them.
Andrew lets out a long-suffering sigh and Neil turns in his seat to face him. Then Neil smiles that stupid smile that transforms his whole face. It was breathtaking like everything else about Neil. “Regretting your choice?”
“Of meeting you? Yes.” Neil lets out a laugh and turns their joined hands that are sitting on Andrew's lap so that their rings catch the light.
“Mmm, if you say so, Drew.” Menace. Andrew smiles. He does that a lot now.
That’s when a nurse comes out with a clipboard. “Minyard?” They all spring up at the name. “The baby and the mom are both doing great. And the parents are ready for visitors now, so if you'll just follow me.” Neil squeezes his hand and Andrew squeezes back.
As they walk into the room Andrew sees a tired-looking Katelyn smiling down at a bundle of beige blankets. He’ll give her props for going through three hours of labor and still trying to save the gender reveal for them.
Aaron greets them at the end of the bed with a smile plastered on his face and hugs Nicky but turns his body toward Andrew in question. Andrew nods his head and Aaron pulls him in. Nicky squeals and squeezes both of their shoulders.
Aaron gives them one last squeeze before herding everyone to the coaches next to the hospital bed and grins. “Boy or a girl! Come on Aaron, I am dying to meet my little cousin.” Nicky is practically vibrating on the seat next to Andrew. Aaron rolls his eyes but the smile never leaves his face.
Aaron looks so much older and stronger than that scared and bruised 15-year-old Andrew had met on the other side of bulletproof glass in Juvie.
Andrew watches as Aaron walks over to his wife and carefully takes the baby from Katylen then places a kiss on her head before moving towards the group of men.
He stops before Andrew and carefully places the tiniest human being Andrew has ever seen into his arms. Andrew holds his breath and the baby blinks up at him.
Hazel eyes that he now shares with two of the most important people in his life.
“I want you guys to meet Joseph Minyard.” Andrew's head snaps up.
He lets out a watery breath, “Joseph?” Andrew’s eyes are clouding over with unshed tears.
“Yeah, after my best friend and the man who saved my life.” Aaron meets his eyes and Andrew realizes that they're both crying. A moment of understanding passes through both of the twins and Andrew’s body feels so heavy yet so light.
Andrew looks back down at his nephew and promises that he would protect him with his entire being. “Joseph,” he whispers. And the baby smiles back at him.
Andrew holds little Joseph, his nephew, and for the first time since he was seven, allows himself to fully grieve his childhood and, for the first time, pray for his nephew. Andrew doesn't believe in a god or any higher power, but he needs this child to be safe. He wants no one else to go through what he had to as a child. He wants so many things for this little human that it hurts and it fixes everything all at once.
After staring down at mini Aaron, Andrew gently passes Joseph over to Nicky who has been crying since he walked into the room. Then Andrew stands. He can see Neil in his peripheral as he shuffled over to get a better look at the baby.
Andrew has an overwhelming feeling of love and family that passes through him. He feels as though he is bursting at the seams.
This is usually the part where he would have to walk away but Andrew goes over to his brother and embraces him. It feels as though Aaron’s arms are the only thing keeping him together and they cry into each other's shoulders. Family.
Andrew has a brother who cares, a husband who loves him, a cousin who never gave up on him, friends that never left, and now a nephew named after him.
“Wow, he looks just like you Aaron. Katelyn really just copied and pasted your whole face.” And the room breaks out in laughter. Leave it to Neil and his awful jokes to lighten the mood.
Andrew moves to the side of Katelyn’s bed and grabs her hand then gives it a light squeeze. Not that he thought he needed to be gentle after what she went through but because gentleness is something he had to learn. Something he only affords to the people he loves.
“Thank you,” he whispers and he realizes that he would have never stood a chance at scaring her away. Not after knowing how she was able to create and endure something so beautiful.
“No. Thank you, Andrew,'' She squeezes back.
Andrew knows what pain is and knows how hard healing is. But Bee was right, it is the little and big moments in his life that make living worth it. Despite and because of the pain. And with so much life going on in this room Andrew lets it become part of himself.
Healing, Love, and Family. Little but oh so big things for Andrew.