Canto Seventy-Two: Holly:

Seeing my new daughter’s face gave me a new sense of hope that I could fix everything. Maybe not my family, but for my kingdom. My subjects needed me as much as my children did. Judith granted me permission to see my baby. At first, I was shocked.

“You mean it?” I asked.

“Uh-huh,” she said, nodding. I narrowed my eyes.

“Is it really okay?” I asked.

“Yes,” she said.

“And I can see her now?” I asked.

“Yes,” Judith said. She held out her hand.

“I’ll take you to see your daughter,” she said. “I am not going to take you see your wife.” Her voice sounded so bitter when she said that. I gulped.

“Yes… ma’am…” I said. I took her head and led me out of my office.

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Can it be possible for a baby to be so beautiful? When I looked into Holly’s face for the first time, I fell in love. She had a little round face. I couldn’t help but to nuzzle her little face. Maybe we could be a whole family again.

“How is my wife doing?” I asked.

“Tired,” one of the nurses said. “But she will be fine.”

“Yeah,” I said. My eyes sighed on the baby in my arms.

“Does this little lady have a name yet?” I asked.

“No,” the nurse said. “Would you like to give her one now?” I stared at that tiny little face. She looked so peaceful sleeping in my arms. Was it possible for her to look so pink? Maybe she was sick. I think I have seen this color before.

“Holly,” I said.

“Holly?” the nurse asked. I looked up at her as if in a daze.

“Yeah,” I said. “I am calling her Holly.” The nurse wrote down the information.

“Okay, Holly it is,” she said. I stood there as it donned on me that I had acted without Madonna’s say in any of this. I just decided to name our daughter on my own. I doubted that my wife even got to hold our daughter even once. I looked up to see Judith with her cold gaze fixed upon me. She dared me to move. The balls of that woman. I was the king of this kingdom here. I could do what I wanted and no one could tell me what to do. But I did need to get my kingdom back together. I already made up my mind that I was going to do what it took to make that happen. Even if that meant giving up on my wife.

Judith walked up to me. She patted me on the shoulder.

“It’s time for us to go back now,” she whispered. I stared at her with big eyes.

“Right now?” I asked.

“Yes,” she said. “You’ll get to see little Holly later.”

“And my wife?” I asked. “What are her?” Judith and wrinkled her nose.

“The nurses will check on her and give you updates,” she said. “But you will not go and see her.” She didn’t leave me any room to argue. I looked down at my sleeping little girl.

“Can I see Holly tomorrow?” I asked.

“Of course you can,” Judith said. “Now say goodbye to your little darling.” Her tone had softened by then. I took one more look at my little Holly.

“Alright,” I said with a sigh. I leaned down and kissed my daughter on the forehead.

“Bye, sweetheart,” I whispered. Judith took the baby out of my hands and handed her back to the nurse. Said nurse returned the back to her bassinet. Judith walked me back to my office.

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I got to visit Holly every day until she came home with me. I know that I should’ve felt happy when I saw her. But every time I looked at her perfect, round face it reminded me of what was going to come next. Heaven was going to be calling to take Madonna back and separate us for good. In the beginning, I fought to keep her in my kingdom forever. Now, I just don’t have it in me anymore. That just leaves what will happen to the children. Are they going to stay with me or will they go with her? Are we going to have to split them up? Would they get to see me if they end up going with her? Judith said that she had it all worked out. Frankly, I don’t like the sound of that.

In short, I am not looking forward to when Heaven comes to collect my wife.