"Yes. They stopped the bleeding and fixed it."

"Can I still have babies?"

"Yes. That's what the doctor said." I held her tighter. "You mean, you would want another one after all this?"

"Only with you." Teardrops were streaming down her cheeks. "You were amazing. You delivered our baby!"

"Nina...you were the amazing one, so brave. We have a daughter. I couldn't even truly appreciate her because I was so terrified to lose you."

"Where is she?"

"She's in the nursery. I haven't checked on her because I couldn't move from outside the operating room until I knew you were okay."

"I want to see her."

"I'll go check if they can bring her to us."

The door opened just as I was getting up. A nurse carried our baby girl who was swaddled in a blanket. She was wearing a pink hat and had white mittens covering her hands.

Nina cradled the baby to her chest. Our daughter immediately started to search with her mouth for sustenance, her little head twisting back and forth over Nina's breast as she tried to locate the goods.

"Look at her!" Nina laughed. "She knows who her Mama is. She's not wasting any time."

"She's like her Daddy that way."

The nurse coughed and smiled awkwardly. "Are you planning to breastfeed?"

"Yes."

"The baby had a little formula. But if you like, we can try seeing if she'll feed right now."

Nina lowered the hospital gown, revealing her swollen breast. Amazingly, our daughter latched on almost immediately. Couldn't say I blamed her one bit.

"I'll leave you alone with your daughter," the nurse said before exiting the room.

Nina lifted the pink hat. "She looks like you, Jake. She's got the same dark hair as A.J. I guess I have weak genes."

"You just can't escape me. Now, I'm multiplying inside you." I ran my thumb along the baby's soft fuzzy hair as she continued to devour Nina's nipple like there was no tomorrow. The suckling sound was freaking adorable. "My little alien. You wreaked havoc today."

"Is that what you want to name her? Aliena?"

"That would be fitting. But I think we should come up with something else."

"Actually, I kind of had a name in mind," she said.

"What is it?"

"Kennedy."

"Kennedy Green. I like the sound of that. The two of us."

"Yes. Exactly."

"It's perfect, baby. Perfect." Tears were returning to my eyes. She had a name. I was finally able to absorb the magnitude of my daughter's entry into the world now that Nina was safe. "You like that, Kennedy?"

"She doesn't care what her name is right now. She's too busy eating."

"I can relate. You make me forget my name all the time when I'm feasting on you."

"It will be a little while before that happens again. I have to heal."

I groaned, "Don't remind me."

She lifted her brow. "We can be creative."

"Oh yeah?"

"I think your delivering our baby warrants a pretty d.a.m.n epic b.l.o.w. .j.o.b when we get home."

"I'm gonna be pushing for an early release then."

"Seriously, Jake. You were incredible in that elevator."

"We do elevators well, baby, don't we?"

The following day, Nina was extremely sore, but thankfully, all of her vitals were checking out normally. She was taking a nap while I held the baby in the seat next to the bed.

Earlier in the day, I'd gone out to purchase a car seat for the long ride back to Boston. We were counting the minutes until we could take Kennedy home to meet her big brother. We'd told our families not to bother travelling up to New Hampshire, to save their energy instead for when we got back. Nina needed her rest now anyway. Her mother was planning to stay with us for a couple of weeks, so we'd have plenty of help.

There was a light knock at the door. A woman walked in with some paperwork.

"Hi, Mr. Green," she whispered. "Your wife filled in the information for the birth certificate earlier today. You weren't in here at the time. She wasn't sure of exactly how you wanted your occupation listed. Would you mind adding it in for us?"

"Of course." I kissed Kennedy's head as she lay cradled in my right arm. "It's official, little alien. I'm your Daddy on paper, too."

I moved Nina's plastic water jug to make room on the small table for the piece of paper and took a pen from the woman.

"You're a lefty." She smiled.

"Yup. My son, too."

Filled with pride, I looked down at my daughter's first name on the form. Nina and I hadn't discussed a middle name. I wasn't even sure if we were going to give Kennedy one. So, when I noticed that Nina had filled that line in, it took me by surprise. But what really shocked me was the name she chose. She'd told me the story, so I knew it wasn't a coincidence. It was a beautiful sentiment meant to give us some closure. More than that, it spoke volumes about the kind of person my wife was. It was a bigger level of acceptance than she'd ever gifted me with before. It touched me so deeply that the pen was shaking in my hand.

Kennedy Aria Green.

CHAPTER 23.

NINA.

Four weeks later, our house had turned into a virtual zoo. Somehow, in the midst of the baby coming home, A.J. had convinced us to get a dog. We ended up adopting a black pug. We came up with the name Luna because it's the Spanish word for moon.

So, we had a newborn baby, a pug yelping at all hours, and now Skylar and Mitch were arriving for a weekend visit to meet Kennedy for the first time. They were bringing their entire family: three kids and their aging blue-fronted Amazon parrot, Seamus. A.J. had gotten on the phone earlier this week and begged them to bring the talking bird who always provided hours of entertainment.

On his way home from visiting Ivy, Jake was out stopping for beer and wine. So, I was alone with the kids when our friends arrived. The noise that emerged from behind the door was evident before the doorbell even rang.

I lifted myself off the couch with Kennedy attached to my breast before throwing a blanket over her head to hide myself. Luna raced me to the door as her tiny scurrying paws scratched against the hardwood floors.

I opened the door. It was quite a vision to behold: Skylar, Mitch, three kids and a caged parrot.

"Pick a lane, b.a.l.l.b.a.g!"

"Ugh...what did the bird just say?" I asked, stepping out of the way to let them enter.

Skylar sighed. "Sorry. We have no way of controlling what things stick with him. Mitch got a little bit of road rage on I-95, and Seamus just won't let it go."

The bird squawked. "Pick a lane, b.a.l.l.b.a.g!"

"Well, that's just great for the kids," I said, sarcastically.

Skylar kissed me on the cheek. "Welcome to our lives, Sissy. How's your fiery v.a.g.i.n.a, by the way?"

"Only you would ask me such a question right off the bat. It's actually a lot better. Thanks for asking."

"Let me at her." She lifted the blanket to get a peek of Kennedy, who was still suckling on my breast. "She looks just like Jake."

"I know."

Mitch was holding their one-year-old son. "Do you know your Wi-Fi pa.s.sword? Henry needs the internet."

"Sure. It's written down next to the cordless phone in the kitchen."

Mitch and Skylar's older son, Henry, had autism and was mostly non-verbal. He kept to himself the majority of the time while fixated on electronic devices. Henry had already taken his spot on the couch with his iPad.

Their daughter, Lara, who was around A.J.'s age, went in search of my son.

A.J. appeared, holding his tablet. "Hey, Lara. You wanna play terraria in my room?"

"Sure." Lara's long auburn hair swung as she followed him down the hall.

Mitch lifted a sippy cup to Mitch Jr.'s mouth. "If your son is anything like his father, I think we're gonna have to put a stop to the hanging out in A.J.'s room in about five to seven years."

"We'll deal with that when it comes." I laughed.

"That's gross. They're practically like brother and sister," Skylar said.

Mitch put his arm around her. "That's not gonna matter to them when their hormones start taking over. Remember how we felt at that age? You were sort of like my sister back then, and I wanted to do very bad things to you."

I interjected, "Well, I'm his mother, and I have to agree. A.J. is just like Jake, and if that's the case, we could be in trouble."

The door slammed shut, and Jake appeared. "Did someone call my name? Trouble?"

"We were talking about how similar you and A.J. are and how they might want to lock Lara up in about seven years."

"Oh, without a f.u.c.king doubt," Jake said, taking off his coat.

Mitch sat down with the baby next to Henry. "I have to say, having a daughter gets scarier with each year."

"Lara's starting to get b.o.o.bs already." Skylar shook her head. "It ain't even funny."

Jake walked over and kissed me before lifting the blanket to peek in on Kennedy. "If this little thing ends up being anatomically anything like her mother, I better start a gun collection."

Skylar took Mitch Jr. from her husband and joined them on the couch. "I was just saying how Kennedy is like your mini-me, Jake."

"What can I say? Let's just hope she'll at least have Nina's sweet personality."

"Pick a lane, b.a.l.l.b.a.g!"

Jake whipped his head to the left where the bird sat in his cage in the corner of the room. "You brought Seamus?"

Laughing, I said, "Yes, I told them to bring him, figuring it's a zoo around here lately anyway. We might as well add him to the mix."

Jake snapped his finger and turned to Mitch. "You know what I just bought?"

"What?"

"That stuff to make your favorite drink, b.i.t.c.h."

"What drink is that?"

"What do you call it again? Crying Climax?"

"Weeping o.r.g.a.s.m."

"Well, we're making it later. How about a beer for now?"

Jake took two bottles out of the paper bag he'd brought in and handed one to Mitch.

Mitch twisted the cap off, took a swig and said, "So, Jake, you'll have to tell us the full story of the elevator birth. I can't even imagine."