Cora

Matthew? Roger tries, passing the name down the line to the baby and I grip his hand, and we both wait…

But nothing.

“The baby doesn’t like the name Matthew,” I whisper, laughing a little. “Well, it was just a starter,” Roger murmurs, grinning at me again. “You try one.”

“All right,” I say, leaning my head back and taking a deep breath. And then I pass a name down, trying… Oliver.

“Oliver!?” Roger bursts out in disgust and I gasp, glaring at him.

“You are biasing our son!” I accuse, sitting up to smack him. “I said nothing when you said stupid Matthew!”

“Matty is a cute name “he protests, laughing and blocking my blow. “Oliver is the name of a sickly Victorian child who wants more gruel -”

I growl and lay back, taking a deep breath and gathering myself. “Well, let’s see what the baby thinks,” I murmur, sending Roger another glare. And then I try again, whispering Oliver? down the bond. But nothing comes back.

“Good baby,” Roger murmurs, kissing my stomach again and making me laugh. “Don’t let her call you that. It’s terrible.”

“Okay okay,” I say, taking a deep breath. “Let’s try one more.”

“I’ll pick it?” Roger asks.

“Sure,” I reply, relaxing. “But this time, pick one you really, really like. One that you’d actually want him to be called – your favorite.”

“Okay,” he murmurs.

another name down the bond, and I

Because I love it.

And we wait…

Roger and I gasp at the same time as we feel the baby

Happy!

as Roger snatches me

did we just -” he stares at me, thrilled. Laughing, elated, I take his face in my hands and kiss him,

just named the

the sun came up, and then we gathered up all of our sandy clothes and the blanket and trooped back

us a basket of food so we could eat something, and Roger went to get it while I curled further up

because Roger wouldn’t let me eat all my meals in bed, instead insisting that I come and sit with him on the couch for the elaborate

two more days like that, surviving on whatever the landlord brought us every day in baskets and otherwise laying in bed talking, making each other laugh, sending messages to the baby when

everything else we did, a usual part of the day as we napped, and went swim and laid out in the sun. The entire time it was just…so natural, and

But after the second day, we knew we had to get back – because as much as we

again, yes?” Roger murmurs, pulling me close outside

let it sweep through me.

before looking around. “I really like this place. Maybe the owner will let us buy

on my stomach. “But, considering that this little guy is coming along? We’re going to

says, his eyebrows raising. “And considering what the goddess said that night

break into a grin.

I’m going to enjoy the process very much,

and rolling my eyes, shoving him away a little bit. ” You just

head for the car. ” Nah, I’m going to be a very involved dad. You’ll see. You’ll barely have to lift

cheek as he opens my car door for me. “Or, we

loading our tiny luggage into the trunk before crossing to the

my eyes and sitting down in the car, closing my door behind me as Roger climbs into his seat. “Ella, loaded up with four of

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