I mulled the name over in my head, then looked to Robert. “You don’t want to name our oldest after you. Robert the Third?”
He shook his head. “I want all of my boys to have their own identities. They’ll have my blood running through their veins and my heart beating in their chest. He won’t need my first name to be my son.”
“Carter,” I said out loud. “I like that. What do you think?” Pressing my free hand to my stomach, I glanced down. I swear I felt the fluttering of butterflies in my belly, but not the usual kind. These were real, not imagined.
I gasped and brought Robert’s hand to my abdomen. “He kicked! I think he likes the name.”
Robert kept his hands on my stomach for a few more moments but couldn’t feel anything. He lowered his head. “It’s okay, Carter. You’ll make your presence to the world known soon enough.”
Another fluttering in my belly.
“He likes the name.”
“Of course he does.” Robert stood and pulled the door open for me to pass through.
As soon as we stepped into the waiting room, we were met by a familiar face.
“Jesse?” I called, Jason’s wife, my sister-in-law.
Her eyes rounded. “Deborah. Robert.”
“Hi, it’s been a while. How are you?” We hadn’t seen Jason or Jesse since they came over for dinner months ago, after Jesse lost the baby.
“I’m good.” She nodded, noticeably swallowing as she glanced between Robert and I. “I see you’re doing well.” Her eyes drifted down to my belly. “Congratulations!”
“Thank you.” I looked at Robert, and then back to Jesse. “Are you …” I paused, knowing it was impolite to question someone as to why they were at the doctor’s office.
But when Jesse’s hand covered her flat stomach, I instantly knew.
“I’m here for confirmation, really. I haven’t told anyone yet. Not even Jason.” Her eyes flittered between Robert and I.
“Your secret is safe with us. Would you like us to stay and wait for you?”
She shook her head. “No, that won’t be necessary,” she insisted. “But thank you.”
“Okay. Well, good luck. Please give us a call if you need anything.”
I stared off as Jesse moved around us to head through the door we’d just come out of. I then turned my attention to Robert. “This might mean our baby boy will have a cousin close to his age,” I told Robert, who was frowning.
“We’ll have to look after her and that child. Jason will be a shit father.”
“Robert, don’t say that. He could step up and be—”
“Who he’s always been. We’ll keep an eye on Jesse and this baby. If she’s pregnant.”
I leaned my head against his shoulder, drawn into the protectiveness I heard in his voice. Being truthful, I also didn’t trust Jason enough to care for his own child, but I believed Robert when he said he would look out for Jesse and the baby. My husband may have been a hard ass but he always looked out for those who couldn’t look out for themselves, especially if he had a connection to them.
“That baby will be a Townsend, and he or she is going to need looking after.”
“I love you,” I sighed. I moved my free hand over my mouth, stifling a yawn.
“Let’s get you home and fed.”
He pressed a kiss to the top of my head and I willingly let him direct me toward the elevators.
****
Present
