Lil' Mike's Birth. July 19-20, 2014

“I know it is meant for the baby’s butt, but we need it for our lips,” she said plainly with one hand up to her parted mouth and one pointing out to the hospital basinet. My family’s eyes darted around the crowded white room searching for sense. “Pass us the Vaseline, please”. Laughter littered the room. My brother crossed to her with his new father face—all apprehension and joy. The grandparents cooed a creole prayer and soft Haitian song by the large windows, as the new mother lay beautiful and glowingly spent in her bed and gown. “You just had a baby and ate an entire bag of gummy worms!” I made my way to the blue hat bundle. A new Black boy with long fingers and little mahogany rimmed ears. There he was lying eyes-wide in my brother’s tattooed arms. An inked chain coiled down from his shoulder to his forearm where his new son’s head rested just above the broken chain link. He lifted up the child of promise and whispered, “I love you little Mike.”