Chapter 1

       "A little higher now," my younger brother, Noah, said, so I left the sign a bit higher. "Now lower."

       I sighed, ready to drop the sign. "I've been doing this for the past five minutes, Noah. I told you that I don't have the time for this, so I don't know why you insisted on getting me to hang this sign."

       "Uh, because you're the tallest person we saw when you were walking by," Noah said. "And how dare you not have the time for preparing for your cousin's wedding tomorrow? What kind of a cousin are you?"

       "One that's going to end up late to work if you won't be serious about this," I said. "I only agreed to help because I didn't think it would take this long to hang one sign."

       "You're almost done," Noah said. "Just hang it a little lower." I moved it the slightest bit, and Noah then told me to hang it higher.

       I groaned, keeping the sign up as I turned my head to look at Noah. "Are you serious? I barely moved it, and now you want me to hang it higher?"

       "It's still crooked," Noah said. "I'm surprised you wanted to help anyway."

       "Why wouldn't I want to help with Calvin's wedding?" I asked. "He's our cousin."

       "I know," Noah said. "But...."

       He didn't finish his sentence, but I knew what he was going to say.

       "Weddings aren't a sore spot for me, Noah," I said. "It happened five years ago. I'm over it."

       "Are you really?" Noah asked. "You wanted to spend the rest of your life with her."

       "Yes, I'm aware of that," I said. "It happened, the person who drugged Cassidy was found and is now in now in prison, so I'm fine. Seriously, I'm going to be late for work so how do I have to move the sign?"

       "Down."

       Noah was horrible at this. Someone, anyone, could be way better at telling me if the sign was crooked or not.

       Which was perfect because a certain five year old came walking by with his mom.

       "Hey, Ace," I said. "I'm going to trust you more than my own brother. Is this sign crooked or not?"

       Ace looked at the sign and stepped back a bit. "Yeah. I think you should move it up a bit." I did, and then Ace nodded. "There, that's perfect."

       I pinned up the sign before climbing down from the ladder, then stepping back myself to check. It was finally straight, and I could have sworn I had it in that exact spot multiple times.

       "Noah, were you messing with me the whole time?" I asked. "The sign is straight now, and you were getting me to lower it."

       "It's not my fault," Noah said. "I thought the sign shouldn't have been straight because the wedding isn't going to be straight."

       "You're unbelievable," I said. "I told you, I have to head off to work and I'm almost late. You could have done that joke with anyone else hanging the sign."

       Noah sighed. "You're too uptight."

       "Gee, I wonder why," I said. I had been working for hours on end recently, and it was getting exhausting. At least I had tomorrow of since it was my cousin's wedding, but that was probably going exhausting too.

       Not as exhausting as work, but still exhausting.

       "I still need help though," Noah said.

       "I'll help," Destiny said. "That was the whole reason Ace and I came down here anyway. He wants to help out even just a tiny bit with setting up for his dad's wedding."

       "Because I am the best son ever," Ace said.

       "You know, I'm happy my third child is like me so far," Destiny said. "I don't know what I would have done if all three children are like their dads. Anyway, we'll take over from now, Josh, so you can head off to work."

       "Thank you," I said. "Good luck with Noah in charge. If he gets too unbearable, just ignore him."

       "Rude," Noah said.

       I just sighed and rolled my eyes before heading to the hospital. I, thankfully, made it in time. My boss would have had my head if I showed up late, yet again. Though, every single time I ended up late, it usually had to do with one of my brothers. Or both.

       While I was on my shift, I was walking through the maternity wing when I heard a baby crying. Now, the maternity wing wasn't my specialty and I rarely ever worked there, but I had a soft spot for babies since I lost the chance to be a dad. 

       I lost my child I didn't even know about. 

       Once in a while, I would think what he or she would have been like. If they looked more like Cassidy or me. If they would act more like Cassidy or me.

       I would think about what it would be like to see him or her take their first step. Say their first word. Smile their first smile.

       My heart was broken five years ago when I learned my girlfriend was drugged at a party, and the dosage was too high for her body to handle. The rest of my heart shattered when I was told weeks later that Cassidy was pregnant.

       So when I heard a baby crying, I went to the room the crying was coming from to see if a doctor or nurse was helping out. There wasn't one there, and the young mom laying on the bed with her crying baby looked like she was really struggling.

       My boss wouldn't be mad at me if I went to help, right? I mean, I worked at the hospital, and I had a slight idea as to what would make the baby stop crying.

       Even if my boss did get mad, what would she do? Fire me? 

       I looked at the name under the room number to see who was in there. Cleo Walters. I didn't know her at all. The name didn't even sound familiar.

       I knocked on the door and Cleo looked over, looking extremely exhausted. "Need any help?" I asked.

       "Yes," she said. "I haven't slept in days and I'm trying to sleep but she keeps crying and I don't know why because I just fed her and burped her and she doesn't even need a diaper change and I have no idea what I'm doing."

       I walked over and gently moved Cleo's daughter so that her head was where Cleo's heart was. "She's a newborn, and got so used to hearing your heartbeat that it's hard for her not hearing it."

       Within moments, Cleo's daughter slowly stopped crying, only whimpering for a bit before she fell asleep.

       Cleo sighed and rested her head back against the hospital bed. "Thank you. I honestly have no idea what I'm doing and it doesn't help that the nurse that is supposed to take care of me is never around when I need her."

       "Hey, all mothers have no idea what they're doing when they have their first child," I said. "Who's your regular nurse, by the way?"

       "I think her name is Vanessa," Cleo said.

       "Ah, that explains everything," I said. "She isn't the best nurse, to be honest. She's just starting out and she doesn't like listening to people. Look, if you ever need help with something but Vanessa isn't coming, just ask for a Josh and I'll get here as soon as I can, or I'll send someone else if I'm busy."

       Cleo smiled slightly, but weakly. "Thank you."

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Yay, time for my baby Josh's book. Josh deserves all the love he can get, since he not only lost the love of his life, but his child too. HAHAHA oops.

So, I no longer have two classes this term, and I am no longer starting school tomorrow lol. I had to drop my drawing class for specific reasons hahaha.

ANYWAY, Welcome to Spruceworth, where you have to expect the unexpected. What ever could happen next?