October Secret Agent #13

TITLE: Empathy
GENRE: YA Paranormal

“Long night?”

The nurse in standard blue scrubs gives the disheveled man a sympathetic smile. She’s seen his particular expression before – exhausted, relieved, and not a little shell-shocked. His hair looks as though it’s been permanently mown down by an anxious hand.

“Yeah, it was.” The man is staring through a large glass window at a row of bassinets. He turns to the nurse and smiles back.

“My daughter.” He points a finger at the pane, indicating the third newborn from the left.

“Your first?”

“Actually, I have son, but... first time, uh, participating. You know?” He turns back to the window.

“She’s a beauty,” the nurse says, out of habit. Upon examining the pink face, she realizes the conventional compliment is actually true. The infant’s eyes are open. Unusual this early – and under the bright nursery lights – but not unheard of. Her tiny head is turned toward the bassinet next to her.
“She keeps looking over that way,” the man says.

The nurse glances at the adjacent bundle. A baby boy. Then she examines the face above the blue blanket more closely. “That little one seems to be looking right back,” she says. Now that is unusual.
“I’ve never seen such a thing,” she murmurs.

The nurse and the man stand before the glass in silence, as the baby girl reaches a tiny hand toward the boy. Her mouth opens in a soft, bleating call.

The boy mirrors her movement, stretching out his fingers.

Through the transparent bassinets, two pairs of blue eyes lock.