On the 3rd June at 3.12 pm, Rebecca Kaplan gave birth to a healthy- though somewhat small- baby boy, Adam.
Truth be told, Teddy was a bit besotted. He’d spent a lot of time around the Kaplans since his mother died, but now he was there almost every day. He’d hold the new-born in his arms, even though his hands were as big as Adam’s whole body.
Billy wouldn’t have minded, except part of him hated Adam. He knew it was ridiculous and immature and stupid and he would never have admitted it to anyone, but this tiny, screaming, wrinkly little child was just repulsive to him. He’d resolved to stay with Teddy for most of the first six months of Adam’s life, but that was proving difficult when Teddy wanted to spend so much time with Billy’s new brother.
For the first few months, Billy managed to more or less keep these feelings to himself and could sometimes even be induced to hold the baby, if only for short periods at a time.
But as Adam grew and took up more space and cried louder and longer, and more time was spent discussing his development, Billy found his resentment growing once more. When Adam was about five months old and his mother wouldn’t stop declaring how he could sit up (Billy failed to see the wonder in this), Billy abruptly said to Teddy “Why do you like him so much?”
Teddy didn’t look up from his lap, where Adam was happily being bounced up and down, “Are you seriously jealous?”
Billy blanched at the word, “No, of course not.”
“That’s ridiculous.” Teddy still wasn’t looking Billy in the eye.
“I’m not jealous!”
“Billy, he’s a baby.”
“I know.”
“I don’t like him more than you.”
“I know!”
“Then what’s the problem?”
Billy sighed. Truthfully, he didn’t know what the problem was. “It’s just- he- I don’t…” He trailed off.
Finally, Teddy looked up, “Am I not giving you enough attention?”
Billy looked at the floor and then said, “No.”
The next moment, he felt a tiny hand on his face; Teddy was holding Adam up to Billy’s eye-level, had grabbed the baby’s arm and was manoeuvring it to touch Billy’s cheek. Teddy put on a fake high-pitched voice and said, “’Please, don’t be mad, Billy, I love you. I’m not trying to steal your boyfriend. I just want to dance.’” He jigged Adam up and down a bit, causing the baby to squeal with delight, Billy smiled despite himself. “’Please love me, Billy, I need a brother to-‘”
Suddenly, Adam gripped Billy’s facial hair and dug his nails in.
“Ow!” Billy yelped.
Teddy tried to pull Adam away, but the baby held tight. “He doesn’t know how to let go of things,” Teddy explained apologetically.
“Adam, let go.” Billy said, trying to shake his head free.
“Billy, take him.”
“What?”
“If you hold him, he might let go.”
Feeling silly, Billy held out his arms and Teddy gently passed the baby, Billy raised him slightly and the tiny fist unclenched from his cheek.
“See?” Teddy said, slightly smarmily, Billy thought.
“I still don’t like him,” Billy said, looking the baby in the eye.
“Feeling’s mutual,” Adam replied.