of her husband inhaling the baby scent. He took Pierce for a moment and handed him to Luke before bringing the second baby to her.
She held her other son and peeked under the cap and saw dark brown hair like hers. “So they’re not identical.”
“No …” Ethan said. “This little guy has his mama’s hair.”
Mia studied him some more. He may have had her hair but he looked just like Pierce. This was her Rory. Out of all the names she and Ethan had gone over, those two names had pulled at her from the start.
“Rory Anders Christopher.”
“Pierce and Rory. I love it,” Luke said.
“Me too,” Ethan spoke before kissing her hard and long. “I love you, Mia. Thank you for making me a daddy.”
“I love you,” she replied before turning to Luke. “Give me that baby!”
Luke placed Pierce in her other arm. Her two boys. Carrying these boys around all the time was going to be the best upper body workout, she thought with a smile.
“Now take our first family picture.”
“With pleasure,” Luke said, getting in position. Mia looked down at those two identical faces then glanced up at who they looked like. Her three boys—her family.
“You need to look at me,” Luke said, making her laugh.
“Sorry. Hard to take my eyes off them.”
But finally, Mia focused on the phone and smiled and let Luke take the picture of them. She finally had a family. She could almost burst from how happy she was. She loved Ethan so much and her heart swelled with love for her two sweet babies. As she kissed each little forehead, tears escaped her eyes.
Mia leaned down and whispered to her sons. “Mommy loves you so much. Don’t you ever forget that.”
Mia
She felt like she was in the hospital forever. Five long days of doctors and nurses checking up on her. Ethan’s mother arrived the day after the twins were born and had been keeping her company during the days when Ethan was at practice. Mia was so glad to have this time alone with her mother-in-law. They talked—a lot. Mia told her with ease things that had taken forever to speak to another soul. The woman just had something about her that made her want to share.
Another everyday visitor was Allie, despite the fact that Mia could tell the boys freaked her manager out. Still, Allie scooped them up and showered them with attention. It was weird seeing her manager—no, her female Luke, her best friend, Mia thought with a laugh—so loose with the babies. If she wasn’t mistaken, there was longing in Allie’s eyes.
Ethan came in the evenings, always with a treat in hand. Day one he brought her one of the best pieces of chocolate cake she’d ever eaten. The following days he brought her slices of apple and pumpkin pies and the most delicious peanut butter cookies. He’d then flip on the television, crawl in bed with her, and sneak bites of the goodies, or if the boys were up, the four would sit in bed staring at one another. Pierce had the same set of freckles right beneath his right eye just like his daddy. Besides the hair and eyes and the freckles, there really wasn’t any difference between the two boys. That would make life interesting.
It was a happy day when Mia was released from the hospital. Her recovery pleased the doctors, though she still left with a list of appointments for the next few weeks.
Everyone descended upon their home over the Thanksgiving holiday. Her father arrived late Wednesday after his classes let out for the long weekend. Ethan had informed her father of what had happened during the delivery so when he walked into their home, he pulled her into his arms and held her so tight. She could feel him fighting his emotions.
“Papa, I’m okay. Really.”
“I know, ma fille.”
“Want to meet your grandsons?”
“They’re up?” he asked, surprised.
“They were stirring when I answered the door. Ethan’s up with them.”
Her father grinned in answer and Mia took his hand to lead him upstairs to the nursery. Opening the door, she entered and saw Ethan standing in the middle of the room, a baby in his big arms, crooning to him. She loved that man so much, even more now with the babies. He was really just perfect.
Her husband looked up and smiled at her. “Rory decided he didn’t want to stay in the crib,” he said, indicating his son in his arms.