A leaden silence followed his last words; the four men looked at each other, but none of them voiced their thoughts. After what seemed like an eternity, it was Adam who started to talk again, after swallowing hard a few times and taking a deep breath. In a shaky voice, he told the others why he came to the library.
Brian was the father of the baby he was carrying, a little boy, just like he sired the little girl in the librarian’s womb. Adam’s intention was to keep in touch, talk over the phone or on camera once in a while, offering updates on his state through different stages of the pregnancy and finding out the latest news about Zelda’s progress. If he was allowed, of course, he added, lowering his gaze.
Brian changed his position so he could face Adam, and took the younger man’s hands in his. Of course, he said in a soft voice, nothing would make him happier than the two of them keeping in touch and sharing their experiences throughoutpregnancy. Now, when he saw there were no reasons to fear the other father of his baby girl, the librarian wanted him to be part of her life, and was grateful for the chance to know about his son and meet him when the time comes.
Later that night, Brian told Bart what happened at the library, emphasizing that Adam was just another victim of the evil woman who was hell-bent on destroying their life. His husband listened to him without saying a word, hugging him tight and holding him like a child. It doesn’t matter what Donna Fabrizia does, did, or will do, the blond, younger man whispered when the librarian finished the story, in the end, she’ll always be the sorry loser, because love always wins.
************
Brian lay sprawled on the bed in the guest room at Reardon’s villa’s that served as bedroom for him and Bart when they spent the weekends there, a smile of contentment playing on his lips. The bed was ultra-comfortable and extra-large, the biggest the librarian ever saw; his darling husband called it Bedzilla, and he, Reardon, and Edwin agreed the name was suitable.
Brian started to caress his swollen belly, the smile on his lips getting brighter. One more week, and little Zelda will meet her siblings and fathers, he said to himself, his heart jumping with joy at the thought. Everything was going extremely well with the pregnancy, to everyone’s great relief, and the doctor didn’t expect any complications during the C-section surgery.
Over the months that passed since Adam showed up at the library, the young man called Brian once a week, sometimes even more often, and they spent hours on end talking about the babies and showing each other photos of the ultrasounds. Just like in the librarian’s case, the younger man’s pregnancy was in normal parameters.
Bart wasn’t jealous when Brian was called by Adam or called him; on the contrary, he was thrilled at the thought of meeting baby Sean, what his bearer chose to name the baby boy. He even suggested a shared custody agreement of sorts; when the children would grow older, they would spend the weekends together, alternating between their fathers’ houses.
“Can I come in?” Edwin’s soft voice brought the librarian back from his thoughts. “I knocked two times, but you didn’t answer, so…”
“Sure, little brother,” Brian gave him an affectionate smile. “Sorry, I was thinking about Zelda, Sean, and how they changed our lives for the better.”
“They surely did,” Edwin nodded as he headed to the bed. He sat on the edge of the bed and caressed his older brother’s belly. “Hello, sweetie, your uncle here. Everything will be alright, you don’t have to worry. Your job is to be a cute, sweet princess.”
“Ow,” Brian exclaimed, pain contorting his face. “I think she wants out a little earlier than planned,” he continued between pants.
“Is everything alright here?” Reardon peeked inside the room, his voice a bit worried. “Is it only me, or does your brother not look very well?”
“No, he’s not.” Edwin pulled his phone out of his jeans’ back pocket. “I’m calling his doctor, can you please get downstairs and get Bart and Luca.”
“Of course,” Reardon nodded. He used his teleportation powers to go to the living-room, where the two men had the time of their life in the company of all the children. “Guys, it’s time. Brian went into labor, or at least that’s what Edwin and I think.”
“Ugh these contractions aren't playing around.” Brian was said between pants when the three men rushed into the room. “Hey there, ready to meet the newest member of the Cavallieri clan?” He greeted them in a happy voice.
“The ambulance will be here in about forty minutes,” Edwin announced after ending the call. He looked between the three men. “Do you think you can help him to safely get downstairs?”
“We can at least try,” Luca’s answer came after a moment of reflection. “Master, can you stand?”
“Yes, I think so,” Brian breathed out the words between two sharp inhales. “Actually, I think it would hurt less if I stand.”
After what seemed an eternity to everyone involved, the librarian was comfortably sitting on an armchair in the living-room. “Soon, you are going to meet your daughter. Are you ready?” Reardon’s words were accompanied by an encouraging smile.
“Never been more ready,” Brian smiled.
CHAPTER 13
“Babe, will you please give me your phone?” Brian asked his husband in the ambulance taking them to the clinic. “I need to talk to Adam.”
“Sure,” Bart reacted right away, offering the device to the librarian. “How are the contractions?”
“Ugh,” Brian exclaimed, inhaling deeply. “Hey, I thought you should…hear it from me,” he spoke into the phone between pants. I’m in labor.”
“This is Rory, Adam's brother,” the male voice from the other end of the line answered. “I don’t know if he can't talk right now. Who should I tell him, called?”
“Tell him it's Brian,” the librarian managed to articulate as another wave of pain hit. “Shit, this is getting way too serious,” he muttered.
“Okay, Brian, hang on,” Rory calmly said, “I’ll put my brother on the speaker.” His words were followed by a muffled, short conversation, then the familiar voice of Adam. “I gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby boy. How is it going?”
“Can I see him sometime?” Brian made great efforts to speak “Ow,” he exclaimed again. “It's going well. The contractions are pretty strong, I’m in the ambulance, on the way to the clinic.”
