Page 78 of Good Sisters

We three and Dad walked in. Gavin was holding his newborn baby in his arms.

‘Congratulations!’ Louise said.

‘Well done.’ Dad patted Gavin on the back and gave Shania the thumbs-up.

Shania was lying back on the bed looking exhausted and happy.

‘So?’ Julie asked.

‘A girl.’ Gavin showed us his baby proudly.

‘Awwwww,’ we all cooed.

‘What are you calling her?’ Dad asked.

‘Lemon.’ Shania said the name as if it was a prayer.

We all froze.

Dad laughed. ‘Good one! What’s her middle name? Kiwi? So what are you calling her?’

I tried to catch his eye, but he was looking at Gavin.

‘It’s Lemon, Dad.’

‘What?’

‘Her name is Lemon.’

‘How do you spell it?’ Dad asked.

‘L-E-M-O-N,’ Shania said. ‘Isn’t it beautiful? It’s nature, sunshine yellow and light all rolled into one name.’

‘So, just like the fruit?’ Dad was incredulous.

‘Yes.’ Gavin’s jaw set just as it did when Dad said men should go out to work.

‘You’re calling your child a lemon?’

‘No, Dad, not a lemon, Lemon.’

‘You’re a lemon if you do that,’ Dad said. ‘Pure cruel that is. The child has no hope in life with a name like that.’

Gavin looked like he was about to throw a punch.

‘Dad, it’s Shania and Gavin’s baby and they like the name, so let’s go with it,’ said Julie.

‘Lemon is a fruit, not a name.’ Dad was just as stubborn as Gavin.

‘It’s certainly unique. She’ll be the only Lemon in the country.’ Julie tried to smooth things over.

‘Exactly.’ Shania beamed. ‘I’m the only Shania I know and I love it.’

‘Well, if it’s unique you were going for, you’ve definitely achieved that goal,’ Louise said.

‘I think it’s lovely.’ I wanted to paper over Dad’s disapproval. ‘Can I hold her?’

Gavin passed Lemon to me and I inhaled her milky scent. Oh, I missed this. I missed Jess’s sweet scent and holding her close, feeling like her protector.

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