The Mystical Attraction of Alpha

It takes a little over two hours, but finally the last of the doctors leaves, the door clicking shut behind them.

“Finally,” Roger sighs, falling back into the linens of the freshly-changed bed. “Now we just have to get our stupid family to leave and we’ll get some sleep – ”

“Excuse me,” I say, glaring over at him. “If you think you’re tired -”

“Fine fine,” he sighs, turning his head to grin at me. “You’re right. What can I get you, my love? Do you want anything?”

The doctor officially gave me and Jesse a clean bill of health after I delivered the placenta and Jesse had his first feeding and full check-up. It was, of course, a relief to have everything turn out right and relatively easy -especially in comparison to Ella’s experiences – but now that they’re all gone?

Honestly, it all feels very real.

Like now I have to be a mom, and Roger has to be a dadall by ourselves.

“I don’t know,” I say, laughing a little and looking between Roger and our little baby. “Honestly, it’s all kind of weird, isn’t it? All of this fuss and then they just…leave you alone with a baby. To do what you will.”

“I know,” he says, looking at me with wide eyes. “I’m glad you know what to do. I’m totally lost.”

“I don’t know what to do!” I protest, laughing and shaking my head.

“What!?” he breaths, sitting up sharply.

“I’m just a doctor, Roger!” I say, laughing harder now and feeling a little hysterical as well as exhausted. “People come to me pregnant, but then I send the babies home with them! I don’t know what to do with a kid – that’s Ella’s department.”

“Well then,” he says, looking anxiously towards the door. “I take back my previous words. Ella has to stay – for like, ever.”

“Or at least until this kid is six -”

“Can we push to seven?” Roger asks, looking at me with real anxiety that just makes me laugh harder.

There’s a little knock on the door but suddenly Roger and I are laughing too hard to answer it. It cracks open anyway and Ella again peeks her head in.

of new parents,” she says, shaking her head at us and

from his eyes. “What are we supposed to like…do with him?” he asks, gesturing to the baby as Sinclair comes in after Ella, shutting the door and grinning at us. Rafe fusses, starting to blink awake in Sinclair’s

coming close and reaching for the baby, which I gladly hand off to her. ” And, you know.

folds her legs beneath her on the bed and Sinclair pulls a chair up to the bedside, completing our little group of

and looks around at us sleepily, a little confused. “They sleep a lot their first couple of weeks. And then, after that, they find ways to tell you what

looking dubiously between Rafe and

and looks at me like she’s considering the idea but I just laugh and shake my head. “You can’t take my baby, Ella,” I say, crossing my arms. “Even if Roger is

I didn’t like him,” Roger murmurs, sighing and leaning against

a surprised little screech all of a sudden and all of our eyes turn to him as his own gaze fastens on his cousin, his eyes going wide

he

you want to see the baby, Rafe?” Ella coos, leaning forward so that Rafe can meet Jesse face-to-face for the

really does lean forward to see Jesse, his face very

looking down at his son with a fascinated and pleased expression. “He really

Jesse,” Ella says, laughing a little as she beams at her own baby. ” He’s

lot. It’s going to be very

him a light smack on the chest. “They will. Besides, shut up, I want to

the bed, letting him lean forward and continue to reach

voice a little awed,

“What?” Sinclair asks.

as if

and Roger and I just shrug, fine with it if Ella is. I don’t see Roger’s response, but I don’t hear a protest,

lays him out on the blankets, and Ella very gently, very tentatively places Jesse next

very, very still for a moment as he stares at his cousin. And then he begins to turn, and almost

the moment they touch, when Rafe’s fingers brush against Jesse’s cheek, and

parents take a sharp

feel it –

for a spilt second and then all of our eyes dart back to our kids, who are still touching, just

his new cousin, who just sighs and closes his

Ella says, her hands going to her mouth for a split second before she reaches down and gathers Jesse back up into