The storm raged outside and had knocked the power out so Jonathan went down in the basement to check the fuse box. He'd been down there a while when he heard Max frantically calling him.
"Mr. H!" His voice tinged with panic
Jonathan ran up the steps and through the kitchen to the living room to find Jennifer sitting on the sofa, grimacing and Max pacing, "What's the matter?"
She looked up at Jonathan, "Darling, it's time."
"Time?" He asked then the realization hit him, "Time! Are you sure?"
"Pretty sure, I've been having contractions for a while." She said
"For a while?" he questioned, "How long? And why didn't you say something?"
"Darling, once they start it could be hours…oh!" She blurted out, "But like I said, it's time."
He helped her to her feet, "I don't know how long it will take to get to the hospital in all this rain so we better get going." He looked at Max, "Max, would you call Dr. Kendall and tell her we're on our way? Her number is on the fridge."
Max relaxed a bit, "Sure thing, Mr. H."
Jennifer was in labor for five hours and becoming exhausted.
"Come on, Sweetheart, you need to push again." Jonathan encouraged her
"Yeah?" She asked, "You need to shut up!"
He stifled a laugh, "Come on, Jennifer."
She sighed heavily and gave one more push and the cries of an infant began to fill the delivery room as Jennifer collapsed back against the pillows
"Here he is." Dr. Kendall announced cradling the newborn, "Jonathan, you want to cut the cord?"
He nodded, still holding Jennifer's hand and he looked down at her and smiled, "You were amazing." He kissed her and brushed her hair back
"So were you." She said quietly
He moved to where the doctor was and took the scissors and cut the cord, "We need to get him cleaned up."
"Please let me see him now." Jennifer said
"Alright." The doctor said and brought him to her
She looked at her son and began to cry, "Oh my goodness, he's so beautiful."
A short while later after the baby was cleaned up Jennifer was put in a private room and Jonathan was with her. She held her son in her arms marveling at his tiny features. His eyes were the typical blue and she wondered what color they would turn out to be, Elliot's green or her whiskey colored brown. Despite having parents with dark hair he had not a full head of thick hair but dark wisps and it looked like Jennifer's nose.
"Look at his little hands." She said holding one between her thumb and forefinger
"He's absolutely amazing." Jonathan agreed sitting on the edge of the bed with his arm around her, "And quite the handsome lad."
She looked up at Jonathan touched by the love in his eyes, "I don't know what I would have done without you."
"Well, you don't have to ever worry about that." He said kissing the top of her head, "So did you decide on the name yet? I don't think they let you leave until you do."
"Well, with the way it rained I think Noah would be fitting." She explained, "Noah Harrison Edwards."
Jonathan was a bit surprised, "I like it but may I suggest a minor change?"
She smiled a tired smile, "What did you have in mind?"
"What do you think about Noah Stephen Hart?"
"Hart?" She asked totally caught off guard by his gesture, "Jonathan you don't have to…"
"Jennifer, I want to." He said looking at Noah, "He's my son…unless you…"
"Oh no." She replied, "I…I just…we never explicitly discussed it."
"Well, we have now." He said, "Noah Stephen Hart it is."
Noah cooed his approval content in her arms, "I guess he approves." She said looking at Jonathan, "I love you so very much."
He kissed her deeply, "I love you, too, both of you."
He looked at Noah again amazed that this tiny child could stir such feelings inside him and he knew he was exactly where he belonged.
TWO WEEKS LATER
Jonathan and Jennifer were settling into parenthood and beginning to discuss their marriage plans, having decided to put it off until after the baby was born. Noah was turning into a happy, contented baby who adored his parents. But like most new parents, sleep was at a premium and love making basically off the list. One morning Jennifer woke up with a start realizing she hadn't heard Noah crying and that Jonathan wasn't in bed or getting ready for work. She put on her robe and walked across the hall to the nursery to find Jonathan in the rocking chair giving the big guy his bottle.
"That's it, Noah." He said softly as Noah hungrily drank the breast milk Jennifer had expressed, just in case, "I know Mommy usually does this but I wanted to let her sleep and besides it gives us a chance to hang out, just us guys."
"Does that mean I have to leave?" She asked leaning against the doorway smiling at how natural he seemed to be as a father
He looked up and returned her smile, "Nah, the good looking girls can always come in."
She shook her head and walked over to them and knelt down by the chair, "So that's what you're teaching him when I'm not around, to like the pretty girls?"
"I would never do such a thing." He quipped, "Right Noah?"
Noah looked up at him with green eyes shining bright, the only real evidence of Elliot Manning that managed to weave itself into his DNA. His hair was dark but almost the same shade as Jonathan's and he inherited his mother's facial features.
"Aren't you going to be late for work?" She asked
"I'd rather be here." He said, "But I guess I better get ready."
He stood up and handed Noah and the bottle to Jennifer, "Well, you'll just have to come home early."
"You can count on it." He assured her kissing her deeply, "I better get in the shower."
"Hmm, I seem to be in need of one myself." She said
His smiled and his eyes took on a mischievous glint, "Then I'll never get out of here." He reluctantly left the room as Jennifer continued to feed Noah
A few hours later after Max had left for the market and dry cleaners Jennifer was downstairs reading on the couch and Noah was sleeping in his bassinet. She was usually napping when he did but since Jonathan had let her sleep later she had more energy. She was contemplating lunch when the gate buzzer sounded. She checked on Noah and walked over to the intercom.
"Yes."
"I have a delivery from The Baby Boutique." A male voice replied
"Oh yes, come on up." She buzzed him in and went to the front door, opening it she gasped as she came face to face with her ex-husband, "Elliot?"
"Hello, Jennifer."
"What are you doing here? I thought…" She trailed off
"Oh, I stopped the delivery guy and told him I'd bring the package up to you." He replied, "Are you going to let me in?"
"Why are you here?" She asked folding her arms across her chest
"I'm here to see my son, of course."
"Your son?" She asked incredulously, "I seem to recall you kicking me out because I was pregnant."
"Please, let me see him." He asked his voice softening
She sighed heavily, "Alright."
He stepped inside looking around, "Quite a house."
"Yes, I suppose it is." She agreed
He took a deep breath, "Where is he?"
"He's in here." She led him into the living room and over to the bassinet where Noah was sleeping. Elliot looked down and smiled but found himself unable to muster any connection to his infant son.
"He's so little." He said nervously
"Babies usually are." She said
"So I hear you and this Hart fellow are getting married." He
"Elliot, how did you even find me?" She asked
"My attorney had your address." He said
"Ah and how did you know about Jonathan?"
"I called your father." He said
"My father told you?"
"Not exactly, he railed at him then told me you'd found a real man and hung up on me." He replied, "So I did some checking."
She shook her head, "Why? You made it clear you wanted nothing to do with me or the baby. So why did you even bother?"
He sighed heavily, "I thought that maybe if I saw him maybe I might feel something. I thought it might make a difference."
"And did it…make a difference?" She asked
He looked down at the floor then when he looked up he couldn't meet her eyes, "Jennifer, I wish I could say it did but I just don't feel anything."
She moved closer to the bassinet and looked down at her sleeping son, "I really don't understand you, Elliot. How you can be so cold. But I think you better…"
"Darling." Jonathan came walking in the door, "Would you believe I forgot the…what's going on here?" He asked
Elliot flashed a phony smile and extended his hand, "You must be the lucky groom to be. We have something in common, I'm Elliot Manning."
Jonathan ignored his extended hand and saw the expression on Jennifer's face, "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Jonathan, is that any way to treat a guest?" The nasty side of Elliot Manning was finally coming out
"I think you better leave and I don't want you showing your face in my home again." Jonathan replied
"Jonathan…please don't… he's not worth it." Jennifer replied angrily
Elliot looked at his ex-wife and smirked, "Hostility never looked good no you, Jennifer."
"Get out." Jonathan said trying to keep his temper in check
"Fine, I'll leave but you and I should get together sometime. There's probably a lot you don't know about the woman you think you want to marry. I'd love to fill you in."
Elliot headed for the door and Jonathan went to Jennifer and put his arms around her, pulling her close, "Darling, are you alright?"
She smiled and nodded, "I'm fine."
"What did he want?" He asked
"He said he wanted to see Noah." She explained
"What happened?" He asked
"Nothing, he saw him and said he felt nothing." She said, "I'm really not sure why he bothered."
"I'm not sure why you even let him in." He said
She pulled back and looked at him, "Well he buzzed the gate and claimed to be the delivery man."
"And once you saw it was him you still let him in." His tone was growing angry again
"Jonathan, what are you getting at?"
"What I'm getting at is that the guy shows up and you just let him in our home to see our son." He pulled back from her
"I did that so he would have to face what he'd done. I wanted to see him look at Noah and see what he'd given up." She explained
"Is that all it was?" He asked
"Jonathan, why don't you just say what you mean?" She was completely bewildered by his attitude
"You were hoping he would change his mind, weren't you?"
She was almost speechless, "Jonathan, why would even think that?" She moved closer to him, "Elliot abandoned me."
"Yes and you still loved him. You wanted him to change his mind." He replied
"Of course I did, at first." She explained, "But by the time I ran into you in London I knew that wasn't going to happen. I knew I had to move on, it was over."
"But not because I you wanted it to be."
"Jonathan he was my husband. Of course I wanted him to want the baby." She said a smile forming on her lips, she put her arms around him, "But you see, I met this fella who swept me off my feet and showed me what real love is. The kind of love Elliot Manning knows nothing about and isn't capable of."
"Oh?" He replied his demeanor softening
"Yeah, and I fell head over heels for this fella and there isn't anyone else in the world for me." She assured him as Noah began to fuss, she looked at Jonathan, "Well, there is this other fella."
Jonathan smiled and kissed her
She went over to the bassinet and picked him up, "It's alright, sweetie. I guess you're hungry again, huh?"
Jonathan came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders, "I'm sorry, Darling. I guess seeing him here made me crazy."
"Jonathan, I love you more than I can ever put into words and I'm sorry it upset you."
He kissed the top of her head, "You don't have to be sorry. Now, why don't you feed young Master Hart and I'll just get my papers and be going."
She turned around and met his eyes, "You'll still be home early?" A smiled played on her lips
"Wild horses couldn't keep me away." He kissed her then kissed Noah, "You take care of Mommy for me, okay Champ?"
She watched him go upstairs to look for his papers and sat down to breast feed Noah, "Your daddy is one very special man. Not the daddy that made you but the one who wants you and loves you and I hope you grow up to be just like him."
