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.

passes another name down the bond, and I smile,

Because I love it.

And we wait…

Roger and I gasp at the

Happy!

god,” I say, laughing and sitting up as Roger snatches me to him, pulling me

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

we just named the

clothes and the blanket and trooped back to the house,

bringing us a basket of food so we could eat something, and Roger went to get it while I curled further up in bed, deciding that I was

couch for the elaborate

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 he was awake to see

sex, obviously a great deal of that as well. But honestly, it blurred in with everything else we did, a usual part of the day as we napped, and went swim and laid out in the sun. The entire

to get back – because as much as we

again, yes?” Roger murmurs, pulling me close outside the little bungalow after we’ve packed and locked up. “Next

kiss me, let it

this place. Maybe the owner will let us buy it,” Roger

sweet, baby,” I sigh, but then I put a hand on my stomach. “But, considering that this little

“And considering what the goddess said that

into a grin. “You’re thinking

I’m going to enjoy the process very

say, laughing and rolling my eyes, shoving him away a little bit. ” You just make the

arm around my shoulder as we head for the car. ” Nah, I’m

he opens my car door for me. “Or, we can just pass them all

Roger asks, loading our tiny luggage into the trunk before crossing to

say, rolling 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 her own kids

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