Vivian

Emily

Sarah

The baby names fly through the house

Breaths of hope

And anxiety

The books of names start appearing

On the window ledge

On the couch

Left out from perusings the night before

Cheyenne

Gloria

Fiona

They spin faster around me

Little splashes of color

Twirling

Dipping

Sometimes suffocating me

My mom asks for my opinion

Rose

Chantille

Veronica

The names are overwhelming

I sit on my bed

Headphones in

Blasting music to shut out the sound

Of the names

All around me

Betsy

Dixie

Morgan

They dance through my sleep

The crying awakens me

I tiptoe out of bed

Down the hall

And peer into the cradle

Her little face

Is scrunched up

Red, tears rolling down her small cheeks

Mom lies, asleep, a few feet away

I pick up the tiny child and rock her in my arms

She's so light

Light like my puppy was

I look down into her face

And whisper to her

It was worth it

It was all worth it

The names

All of it

You're worth it,

Baby Sister