Chapter Text
Eddie clumsily swung open the door to his small, one bedroom home in Fishsquare. To his very delayed surprise, however, the room was not empty.
“Where have you been? Do you have any idea what time it is, Edward Duncan? I’ve been worried sick!”
His sister. Oh gods, his sister . Why was she here —
“You reek of stale beer. How drunk are you? Did another girl reject you?”
“Jade, what're you—”
“Or was it another man? You know you can tell me these things, dear. Come in, sit down. I’ll get you some water…”
Eddie sighed heavily and let himself be sat. He didn’t have much of a choice, given his legs were too knobbly to control at the moment. She was always this overbearing, but something seemed off. She was fidgeting. Rambling, more so than just talking. She was nervous.
“Why’re you here sooo… late ?” She got quiet at that, and put his glass of water down. Jade suddenly looked very small, an incredible and seemingly impossible feat, given how little Eddie was and how large her presence always felt. She slowly walked back to the couch, sat, and took his hand.
The last time she was acting like this, Dad had died.
“Eddie, I’m… I didn’t know where else to go,” Oh no . “I don’t know what to do, I’m—” She paused, seeming to struggle with it for a moment. “I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant , and he left me —” Her voice cracked and she finally broke down, leaning into her brother’s shoulder. As he rubbed her back, she continued, and Eddie could just barely make out the words, “— and I don’t know what to do anymore. ”
Eddie suddenly found himself very sober. There were millions of emotions coursing through him, everywhere from anger to shock to wonder. Jade was having a baby. She was going to be a mother. He—
“Oh my gods, I’m going to be an uncle,” he whispered. He was awestruck. “You’re going to be a mom and I’m going to be an uncle. I’m…”
Distantly, he heard her mumble out that he smelled. But he wasn’t listening anymore. He was looking around at his dingy little home, hardly even suitable for him, let alone Jade and a baby. He stared at one of the many bottles littered around the floor, thought about the alcohol on his shirt and the bitter taste in his mouth. He thought about Jade, and the asshole that left her, and the baby Eddie would one day get to hold. And he felt sick. How can I be there for them like this? He needed to step up for once. He was going to be a good brother, a good uncle , if it was the last thing he did.
*****
Eddie’s stomach was still churning by the time they finished cleaning her up. Her. A little baby niece . Jade had wanted him to stay for the birth, asked him not to leave her alone, and because he was resigning himself to be a good brother, he couldn’t refuse. No matter how gross it seemed or how hard she squeezed his fingers or how loud she yelled, he was going to be there for her. And he was. She did it, and she was very tired, but she was okay. They were okay.
The midwife brought back a little swaddled bundle and placed it in Jade’s waiting, weary arms. Though tired as she was, life and light filled her eyes as she looked upon her daughter for the first time.
“Ohhhh,” she cooed quietly, her voice hoarse, “look at you, my sweet girl, my little Katya.”
After a few long minutes, the baby was passed to her eager Uncle Eddie. His heart swelled with pride as he looked at her little pink face, and tears ran freely down his cheeks.
“She’s almost as big as me,” his voice cracked and Jade laughed softly. He continued.
“Hey, Kittie. Hi there,” he cooed as she made a little noise, “It’s your Uncle Eddie. We’re going to have so much fun together, you, me, and your mama. I’m going to teach you so many bad habits,” Jade gave him a disapproving look, “and your mama’s gonna yell at me for it. And we’re all going to make meals together, and get into so much trouble. Just the three of us, our little family.”