Chatper 478


    Chapter 478 – Meeting the Family


    Cora


    “He’s amazing,” Roger says, beaming as he raises his head look at me in wonder. “I didn’t – damn it,


    Cora, I didn’t know I could love someone this much -”


    “What about me!?”


    “Someone besides you,” Roger says, rolling his eyes. “You’re my mate, Cora, obviously that’s


    different.”


    “Damn well better be,” I murmur, bending over the baby and stroking the skin of his perfect, tiny face


    with the tip of my finger. Roger leans close, giving me a kiss on the cheek.


    “Thank you,” he says, his voice so quiet I barely hear him. “You’re amazing Cora. I’m so grateful for


    you, and for him, and everything you did to bring him into this world.”


    I smile as I raise my eyes to my mate’s and then I kiss him for real, passing all of those sentiments


    back down the bond. Because this little baby – he really is both of ours, equal parts of both of us, the


    perfect embodiment of everything we mean to each other.


    And quite suddenly, he’s our entire world.


    “So, what do you think,” I say a momentter when I break the kiss, looking back down at the baby.


    “Does the name still fit?”


    “Yeah, I think the name still fits,” Roger says, his lips turning up in a smile as he looks the baby over. “I


    think it’s perfect.”


    “All right,” I say, beaming down at our kid. “Then wee, to the world, little J-”


    But then, the door opens, and I see E peeking in.


    “I gave you a full five minutes,” she squeaks. “But I don’t think I can bear it any longer-”


    Iugh, reaching out a hand towards her. “Come in!”


    When the door opens, I see Sinir and Henry peering curiously behind her, both eager to set their


    eyes on the baby. Only Rafe isn’t excited, but he has an excuse because he’s curled sleeping in


    Sinir’s arms. My smile widens as the my family starts to troop in.


    “Wow,” Sinir murmurs, bending over to peer at the little baby in his brother’s arms. “He’s beautiful,


    Cora. Congrattions.”


    “Roger!” I say,ughing and giving him a little shove. “Let them hold the baby!”


    “I would,” Roger says, looking over at his family with a big smile. “But I’m afraid to move. I don’t want to


    drop him.”


    Iugh, reaching to take the baby from Roger and then turning to ce him in E’s waiting arms,


    which are practically vibrating with their eagerness to hold her new nephew.


    “Oh!” E squeaks, one hand going to her mouth as she looks down at our perfect little baby boy. “Oh,


    he’s so perfect! And so little! And so cute – oh I didn’t think he’d be cute like this ”


    “Excuse me,” Roger says, sitting back against the pillows and crossing his arms over his chest. “You


    didn’t think my baby would be cute!?”


    Eughs, shaking her head and not bothering to look at my mate. “No, not like that, Roger, don’t be


    ridiculous – I just – I expected him to be dark, like Rafe – like you and Dominic -” she grins, studying


    her nephew. “But his hair is lighter,” she murmurs, running her fingertips over his soft fuzz of hair, “like


    Cora’s. It’s beautiful.”


    I beam as I watch my sister fall in love with her nephew, as I watch Sinir look over her shoulder at


    him with pride.


    “What did you -” E says, lifting her head in sudden surprise and looking between Roger and I. “What


    did you call him? Do we finally get to know?”


    “Well,” I say, sitting up straight now, feeling quite formal all of a sudden. ” E, Dominic, Henry – Roger


    and I are very pleased to introduce you to your nephew and grandson…Jesse. Jesse Sinir.”


    E gives another sudden squeak as her hand again goes to her mouth. “Oh my god,” she murmurs,


    pressing her eyes shut against her sudden tears, ” it’s so perfect – oh, I can’t handle it, Dominic, you


    have to take him -”


    Sinir moves fast now, passing the sleeping Rafe to aughing Henry and then reaching for Jesse,


    taking my tiny baby into the crook of his gigantic arm and beaming down at the newest member of the


    Sinir tribe as E wipes at her tears with the back of her hand.


    “What a little tiger,” Sinir murmurs, grinning at Jesse and running a broad palm over the baby’s


    head.


    “May I?” Henry asks, eager to meet his grandson. And Sinir smiles, waiting patiently as E darts


    over to lift Rafe out of Henry’s arms so that Jesse can take the ce of honor.


    “Well well, little grandson,” Henry says, smiling softly at the little baby who fusses in his arms once


    Sinir passes him over. “Don’t worry, I’ll send you back to your mother soon I know she’s the one you


    want. I just want to get a good look at you. Do you know who I am? Grandpa?” Henry smiles and


    lowers his face to kiss the baby’s head. ” I’ve been waiting a long time to meet you, little Jesse,” he


    murmurs. “We’re all very d you’re here.”


    The next few minutes pass in a haze of happiness with everyone marveling at the newest, freshest


    member of our family, each of us wondering a little absently about his future, about how much we’re


    going to love him. Somehow, inevitably, he ends up back in my arms and though I’m d his family all


    got a chance to say hello, I admit that there’s a great deal of relief to have him back with me.


    “Right here, where you belong, little baby,” I murmur, staring down into my son’s face as he starts to


    drift off to sleep, frowning a little and making meugh. “Here with your family that loves you.”


    The doctors and nursese in a little after that and the room is busy, though I admit I don’t catch


    much of it, too distracted by the sight of my sleeping baby and my own exhaustion. Roger gets up from


    the bed to go and fill out the birth certificate paperwork and do some other things – I don’t know what –


    while I stay in the bed, just spending some quiet time with the baby. Eventually, though, I feel a familiar


    hand on my shoulder.


    “Congrattions, Cora,” Hank says when I look up, and my face bursts into a grin. “He’s really


    beautiful.”


    “Thanks, Hank,” I say, smiling at him and covering his hand with mine. But then I blink, quite suddenly,


    to see a familiar face behind him. “Oh, Sarah!” I say, smiling at her too. “Did youe to see the


    baby?”


    “Actually,” she says, biting her lip – and then, to my surprise, wrapping her arm around Hank’s. “I came


    with him. He said it would be all right – is it all right?”


    “Of course, it’s all right,” I say,ughing a little and looking between them. “I just – I didn’t know – ”


    “Wait, what!?” E says, gasping anding to my side. “What’s all this!?”


    Hank, I grin to see, blushes and waves his hand, dismissing it. “It’s not important right now we don’t


    want to take away from the baby – ”


    “Hank!” E says,ughing and smacking him on the shoulder, “why didn’t you tell us!? Sarah!” she


    exims, stepping forward to wrap her arms around our friend. “I’m so happy for you two!”


    “Thanks,” Sarah says,ughing and blushing as well. “But really – I don’t want to distract -”


    E hugs her again as Hank turns back to me, smiling his quiet smile and slipping his hands into his


    pockets.


    “I’m d I was here,” Hank says, though equally d my presence was unnecessary. Your doctor said


    that everything went beautifully.”


    “It did,” I say, grinning at him. ” Thank you foring, Hank,” I say, meaning it genuinely.


    “Anything for you, Cora,” he replies, giving me a quiet smile. “And for this family. I’ll miss you all when


    I’m gone.”


    “What?” I ask, my eyes going suddenly wide. “Where…where are you going?”Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.