I’d noticed that Maggie always made big announcements on the weekends. It was Friday evening and here it was, the home birth was a go!

“Sure, baby,” I said. “When is the meeting?”

“They’re coming over in the morning at 10:00. Is that okay?”

“Thanks for the warning,” I said with a smile. “What is this meeting about?”

“Mama and her cousin Myra want to help us prepare the space.”

“Prepare what space?” I said, feeling a bit left out again.

“Our bedroom, silly. There is some preparation we need to do and they want you to pick out the music.”

“The music? What music?”

“This home birth is going to have a soundtrack, honey. Mama says they always play music during the birth. We can set up the CD player and those little speakers in the bedroom. Can you have that ready by the morning, sweetheart?”

“Uh, sure hon, but what kind of music? I mean what kind of music do you want?”

“I’m leaving that up to you, Jimmy. I’m sure you’ll pick something beautiful. Besides Mama said that it was going to be your job to welcome Layla into the world, especially because you’re going to be the first person she sees,” Maggie said with a smile.

“Sees?”