Page 133 of Omega's Refuge

“You did it, Tanner. You did it.” Rex rained kisses down on my sweaty face, and he hugged me against his chest. Tears streamed down his face as he stared at me. “God, I love you.”

My mouth was dry as a bone, but I rasped, “Love you too.”

Dr. Thompson held up a squirming, red-faced baby. “Congratulations, Tanner and Rex. You have a healthy baby boy.”

“It’s a boy?” I whimpered, laughing.

“It sure is.” Dr. Thompson smiled. “Rex, would you do the honor of cutting the umbilical cord?”

Rex smiled and kissed my forehead. He went down to where the nurse had clipped the cord. He took the surgical scissors from Nurse Evans and he cut the cord in one decisive stroke. Then he smiled down at the little baby.

The nurses whisked the baby to a station where they cleaned him up, weighed him, and wrapped him in a soft blue blanket. Tears blurred my vision as Nurse Evan then brought the infant to me, lying him on my chest. His tiny fingers curled against mine, and his cries softened as I murmured to him. Whether he was the biological father or not, Rex was beaming with pride as he watched us.

“You did it,” Rex whispered, kissing my forehead and then the baby’s. “He’s perfect, Tanner.”

“He is,” I mumbled. “He’s so adorable.”

Dr. Thompson chuckled. “He’ll be even cuter when he isn’t so red and wrinkly.”

I sniffed and wiped at my damp eyes. “I think he’s perfect the way he is.”

Dr. Thompson left shortly after, and the medical team moved quietly around the room, cleaning up. Nurse Evan brought me a glass of water and adjusted the blankets around me.

“When the baby wakes up, we’ll help you breast feed him.” Nurse Evans said. “It can take a few tries to get them to latch on. Sometimes it’s painful for the father or mother too, until the nipples toughen up.”

“After what I just went through,” I said hoarsely, “Something tells me breastfeeding will be a piece of cake.”

Epilogue

(One week after the birth)

It was amazing how quickly Rex and I settled into life with a new baby. Rex was so proud of baby Scott. He took to fatherhood as if he was born into it. He didn’t seem to care at all that he wasn’t Scott’s biological father. I knew from the moment he laid eyes on Scott he loved him.

I felt exactly the same. It was weird how a baby could elicit unconditional love, frankly, even before we laid eyes on him. I’d love the baby almost the moment I’d known I was with child. There had been that brief moment in the hospital, when I’d been uncertain if I should keep the child, but from the moment Rex had asked to claim me, I’d been free to bond with the baby.

I was sitting on the couch with Rex one evening, both of us watching Scott sleep, when there was a knock on the door. When Rex opened it, Mrs. Rodwell stood there holding a vase with a big bouquet of flowers.

“Mrs. Rodwell,” Rex said, sounding surprised. “Come in.”

She stepped in, holding the flowers stiffly. “Sorry to just barge in, but I haven’t had a chance to give my congratulations yet.” She’d come to the hospital the day of the birth, but the baby had arrived before she could deliver the pregnancysuitcase. She hadn’t hung around, so she hadn’t seen Scott yet.

I smiled at her, hoping she might relax once she knew I held no ill-will against her. She’d bought us a beautiful crib, and as far as I was concerned, the past was the past. So long as she didn’t do anything like invite Steve to the ranch to meet baby Scott, we would get along just fine.

Rex took the flowers from her. “Take a seat. Would you like anything to drink?”

“Oh, no, I’m fine.” She twisted her hands. “I… I wanted to also tell you boys that Joe, Martha, and the others have all booked a week with us in a few months.”

“Really?” I was excited to hear that. I’d been talking on the phone with the gang every now and then, and loved the idea of seeing them again. “They actually finally booked the trip? I was afraid it would never happen.”

“It’s happening.” She smiled. “Everyone from the first trip has paid the deposit and everything.”

“That’s great.” Rex looked happy too. “They were such a great group.”

“They were.” I nodded. “Joe and Martha are like family.”

“I knew you both would be happy about a reunion with them.” Mrs. Rodwell came closer to me and the sleeping baby. She peered at him, looking as if she was viewing an alien. “He’s a beautiful baby,” she murmured, flicking her gazeto me. “He looks like you, Tanner. I see some blond fuzz on his head. From what I recall, Steve had dark brown hair.”

“That’s right.” I got the feeling she was trying to pay me a compliment by mentioning the baby’s coloring. It was the first compliment she’d ever given me. I appreciated the effort. “Sit.”

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