Introducing Edan

Being very close to winter, the day was bleak and windy, keeping most people inside. Pushing a pram along the deserted footpath, Kelli kept a brisk pace; her determined expression masked the temptation to turn back. It was her first outing with her newborn son. One she’d been thinking about since leaving the hospital a week ago. Smiling down at him, she began talking. ‘Edan, we’re going to see your Daddy at last.’ Kelli began in a conversational tone, even though her baby was dozing, warm and sheltered from the wind. ‘I can’t tell you how excited he was to hear the news you were coming and we agreed on your name ages ago. I had copies done of all your scans and tests I could to make sure he had them. I kept a set also.’ Pausing in her story, she checked the road before crossing, not starting again until she reached the footpath on the other side. ‘Mummy and Daddy got married two years ago next month. We were debating whether you’d arrive on that date, but you came early instead.’ A tremor had surfaced in her voice, so Kelli stopped. She’d finish the story a bit closer to her destination. Hunching her shoulders against the biting wind, she attempted to stifle the memories she preferred not to dwell on. While the wedding had been wonderful, recalling it now stabbed at her heart. Her mother kept telling her time would help, but Kelli wasn’t confident of that.

All too soon, they’d arrived without her resuming the conversation. Pushing open the gate, Kelli paused for a minute to take a deep calming breath before turning right on the path. A small building stood in the distance. After a minute of walking, Kelli applied the brakes to the pram before bending over to pick Edan up and strode the final short distance carrying him. ‘Well, Edan here we are. I promised I’d bring you as soon as I could.’ The smile stiffened on her face as she settled down on the fresh new grass, her shoulder rested against the headstone as she turned the baby’s face towards the engraving, hunching over to protect him from the wind. ‘Meet your Daddy, Stephan.’ Her voice faltered. ‘He tried very hard to be here to see you.'

The completed story can be found here - http://www2.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1091577