Kristin opened her eyes and turned her head expecting to see Tommy sleeping in the rocking chair beside Jenilea’s bassinet.

“Hey girl,” Santa said with a smile as she got up and walked toward Kristin’s bed.

“Santa!” Kristin said with more energy than she’d been able to muster in quite some time.

“How are you feeling?” Santa asked Kristin as she leaned down to give her friend a hug and then sat down on the bed beside her.

“Wonderful!” Kristin replied. “Where’s Tommy?”

“He went down to the cafeteria with Tyrique to find something to eat,” Santa informed her.

“What time is it?” Kristin asked, her eyes searching the room for a clock.

“Six o’clock in the afternoon,” Santa informed her.

“Would you mind bringing Jenilea over here?” Kristin asked as she unbuttoned her pajama top. “I’d like to feed her before I explode.”

“Oh,” Santa said as she got up and walked over to the bassinet. “I can give you some privacy, then.”

“Don’t be silly,” Kristin said as Santa walked back over to the bed and handed Jenilea to her.

This was something she’d never get tired of; cradling her little girl in her arms and looking into her eyes. Kristin and Jenilea already had their own language and all Kristin had to do was at her daughter to know exactly what she needed.

“How’s mommy’s big girl?” Kristin cooed at her daughter as she slipped a pillow under Jenilea’s back to prop her up.

“Look at you,” Santa said as she pulled the rocking chair closer to the bed and sat down.

“What?” Kristin asked as she looked over at her friend.

“Well, you haven’t even been a mom for 24 hours yet and it’s like you already know everything you need to do,” Santa explained. “It’s amazing.”

“I don’t even know how to explain it,” Kristin said as she began feeding her baby. “It’s like I just know what I’m supposed to do. It’s the weirdest feeling.”

“I think it’s wonderful,” Santa told her. “I just hope I’ll be as good as you when I have my baby.”

“I’m sure you’ll be a wonderful mom,” Kristin said as she stroked her daughter’s little cheek.

“Kristin,” Santa said. “Did you hear what I just said?”

“Sure,” Kristin replied as she looked over at Santa. “You said you hoped you’d be as good when you had your—”

Kristin’s mouth hung open as she realized the meaning of her friend’s statement.

“You mean?” Kristin questioned.

“I’m going to have a baby!” Santa said as a huge grin covered her face and her eyes seemed to light up the room.

“Congratulations!” Kristin exclaimed as she reached out and gave Santa a somewhat awkward hug. “When did you find out?”

“Yesterday,” Santa told her. “I was going to tell you at your party but that didn’t work out.”

“I kind of ruined that for everybody,” Kristin joked. “Didn’t I?”

“I think you had a good excuse,” Santa told her.

“Hey Santa?” Kristin asked, her tone becoming serious.

“Yeh?” Santa replied.

“Can I ask you something?” Kristin said as she glanced down to see that her daughter was still alright.

“Of course,” Santa told her. “What’s wrong?”

“Do you really think that I’ll be a good mom?” she asked.

“What? Of course you will be!” her friend reassured her. “You are going to be a wonderful mom and Tommy, as much as I hate to admit it, is going to be a great dad.”

“I just feel so overwhelmed already,” Kristin confided to her friend.

“Well you can talk to me any time,” Santa told her. “What’s on your mind?”

“Every time I look at her I know I’m supposed to feel joy, and I do, but I also feel fear and anxiety.” Kristin said. “This little life is all my responsibility and if I screw up that’s the end.”

“Kristin, you can’t think that way,” Santa told her. “You have so many people around you to help if you need it, I’ll come over at three in the morning if you need me to, and you’re a natural at this. I’ve never seen anybody look so perfect with a baby in their arms than you do right now with Jenilea.”

“I guess,” Kristin sighed as she brushed a hair out of her face.

“Don’t do that,” Santa told her. “You told me yourself that this already feels natural for you. Of course you’re going to be a little bit scared but that’s normal and you can’t let it get the best of you. You’re going to be a perfect mom, Kristin.”

Kristin’s smile lit up her face. People had always told her she was a good singer, a talented actress, good at her job and other things of that nature, but nobody had ever thought to tell her that she was a good wife and mother.

“Thanks Santa,” Kristin told her friend. “You always know exactly what to say.”

Kristin lifted her daughter onto her shoulder and began to pat her back as Santa’s phone rang.

“Go ahead,” Kristin told her.

“Thanks,” Santa said with a smile.

Kristin listened as Santa answered her phone and it didn’t take her long to figure out that Aldo was on the other end. Just as Santa flipped her phone shut Kristin and Santa both began to laugh as they heard a noise they didn’t think a day-old baby was capable of producing.

“Did you do that little miss?” Kristin asked her daughter as she cradled her in her arms again. “That wasn’t very lady like!”

“Well, we know she’s got some of her father in her!” Santa commented with a laugh.

“I guess so!” Kristin replied with a chuckle of her own.

“Doesn’t that hurt?” Santa asked as Kristin began to feed Jenilea again.

“Well it’s not exactly a massage if that’s what you mean,” Kristin joked.

“Where do you go to get these massages, girl!” Santa exclaimed with a hint of mischief in her voice.

Kristin and Santa were still laughing when Tyrique walked into the room.

"Damn Kristin!” Tyrique said as he stopped in the doorway to stare. “Bible belt or not, that is hot! I need to get me some of that."

"This is not a pie eating contest and, no, you may not sample the grand prize." Kristin replied attempting to stifle a giggle.

“Let me translate,” Santa added. “Don’t mug the jugs.”

“Alright, alright,” Tyrique sighed as he leaned against the wall.

“Hey Aldo,” Santa said with a smile as he came into the room with Tommy.

“Eyes up here,” Kristin informed him as she used her free hand to point to her face.

“I…um…” Aldo stuttered as he continued to stare at Kristin.

“Oh for heaven’s sake Kristin,” Tommy said as he walked toward her. “You know Aldo can’t handle that. Would you cover those things up?”

Kristin checked on Jenilea before draping a light blanket over her upper body.

“Better?” she asked with a sarcastic little grin.

“Thanks,” Aldo said with a sigh of relief as he leaned against the wall beside Tyrique.

“You know,” Kristin told them. “You could come over here and give me a hug.”

“I think I’ll wait until after you have a shirt on,” Aldo told her.

“Aldo doesn’t appreciate the beauty of nature like I do,” Tyrique informed Kristin as he came over to give her a hug.

“The beauty of nature, huh?” Santa questioned her husband as they all shared a laugh.