Free Sudden Independents by Ted Hill

a nervous glance toward the door. “Keep your voice down.”
    “You love her,” Samuel said with obvious pleasure over his newfound discovery. He bounced from foot to foot. “You want to do it with her.”
    Jimmy dropped the clothes and Teddy bear on the sofa and narrowed his eyes. “I’m going to kick your butt if you don’t shut the—”
    Another scream ripped through the wall, longer than the rest, and Jimmy found himself hoping Vanessa would breathe again soon. Shouts of encouragements to push could be heard underneath her powerful strain. Finally, she stopped screaming.
    Luis yelled, “That’s it!”
    The high-pitched cry of a newborn rose in crescendo like a bugle above the commotion of Vanessa’s sobs and Mark’s triumphant cheers. Samuel and Jimmy smiled at each other and bumped knuckles as though they’d just accomplished something important.
    Luis cried over the newborn’s wail, “It’s a boy!”
    Jimmy swung the outside door open and the board game players snapped their combined heads around to look at him. “It’s a boy!”
    Game forgotten, the group jumped to their feet and split off in different directions shouting the news throughout the entire town.
    Jimmy walked back inside with the tingle of excitement contagiously out of control and running rampant. Samuel stood by the delivery room door looking unsure if it would be safe for him on the other side yet.
    The door opened and knocked Samuel in the head, bouncing him out of the way.
    Ginger reappeared and grabbed the stack of clothes.
    Rubbing his forehead, Samuel winked at Jimmy, who offered a sneer in return. “How’s the baby?” Samuel asked.
    Her smile was big enough to fill the room. “He’s wonderfully beautiful and looks like a perfectly healthy little angel. I get to bathe him now.” She swirled back to the other room to perform her task.
    Samuel lightly punched Jimmy’s shoulder. “See, she’s got those built-in maternal instincts already.”
    Jimmy clenched his fists. “I swear if you don’t stop, I’m going to—”
    The sudden blaring echo of motorbike engines resonated outside. Jimmy stepped to the door as Hunter and Scout pulled up out front. He went numb with relief now that his brother was safely home.
    Scout propped his bike on its kickstand and helped a little girl off its seat. He rushed to the door and almost ran over Jimmy. “Where is she? Where’s Vanessa?”
    Backing out of the way, Jimmy barely pointed toward the delivery room before Scout dashed through the other door.
    Hunter walked in, holding the little girl’s hand. Jimmy pushed his anger over Hunter’s overlong stay in the Big Bad in order to offer a welcoming smile to the newcomer.
    “Who do we have here?” he asked, kneeling in front of her. She smelled like summer wildflowers and looked like sunshine, he thought, puzzled by such a strong first impression.
    Hunter made introductions. “Catherine, this is my brother, Jimmy, and his friend, Samuel.”
    The girl stretched her arms wide. Her hug was gentle, leaving Jimmy refreshed and feeling good inside by the warmth of her little embrace. He patted her back and wondered why Hunter was grinning. “Very nice to meet you, Catherine.”
    Samuel crouched low next to Jimmy to face the little girl. “I’m also Hunter’s friend.”
    Hunter frowned. “You knew what I meant.”
    “Yeah, well it’s the way you….” Samuel’s response was cut short when the little girl wrapped her arms around him. “That’s quite the hug you got there, Catherine,” he gasped.
    “Thank you. I like giving them.”
    “Where did you find her?” Jimmy asked Hunter.
    “Under my tree, silly,” Catherine answered for herself. “I was all alone except for my tree, the family of robins, and that chatty squirrel, until your brother found me. He’s taking me home. Are we close?”
    Jimmy processed the girl’s rambled speech and the question she directed at Hunter, who lifted his chin for Jimmy to respond.
    “You