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.

then Roger passes another name down the bond, and I smile,

Because I love it.

And we wait…

at the same time

Happy!

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

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

think we just named the

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

afternoon to the owner of the bungalow tapping on the door, 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

my meals in bed, instead insisting that I come and sit with him on the couch for the elaborate dinner he made. Well, elaborate for Roger, who never learned to cook. But the spread of sandwiches

making each other laugh, sending messages to the baby when he was awake to see what he’d do. And honestly, the baby never

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 time it was just…so natural, and so easy.

wonderful. But after the second day, we knew we had to get

close outside the little bungalow after we’ve packed and

me, let it sweep through me. “Maybe not

me another little peck, before looking around. “I really like this place. Maybe the owner will let us buy it,” Roger murmurs, looking

I put a hand on my stomach. “But, considering that

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

into a

“And I’m going to enjoy the process very

I say, laughing and rolling my eyes, shoving him away a little bit. ” You just make the babies, I’ll grow them,

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

kiss his cheek as he opens my car door for me. “Or, we can just pass them all off on

be into that?” Roger asks, loading our tiny luggage into the

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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