Chapter Seven

Today there was a party for Chase.

Everyone had dropped in to meet him by now separately and Chase didn't mind being passed around and having his picture taken. His dads didn't mind getting cash for his college fund. Everyone bought gifts for Maddy; Lego sets and game cards for her tablet. (Her parents had been more lenient with her use of that lately.) TC "won" the diaper contest and had to Chase's dirty diaper.

"Your dad's gonna pay for this when he gets back to work," TC aid to Chase, carrying him to the nursery.

But for him it was really only practice; if he and Jordan's hopes came true she would be pregnant in the next few months. This wasn't lost to Maddy and Chase's parents. Gwen wasn't the best at keeping a secret, telling her boyfriend Kenny everything who in turn had told them. The two doctors had finally got off the "right time" train and were hoping nature worked soon. It was about time in Drew's opinion, the talk of a baby for the doctor couple started before Maddy was born. He and Rick hadn't spent that much time thinking of when it would be the "right time" and conception of a child for them was much more complicated–and involved more people. Drew depositing sperm into a cup was the easiest part; the rest was beyond their control. Twice it could have all been for nothing. Their daughter and son were worth every bit of stress they had endured. For an hour, maybe two when Claudia was four months pregnant with Chase–the day they all found out he was a boy, Rick and Drew were worried about a boy growing up with two dads. The wisdom of a five-year-old knocked sense into them.

There was a thunderstorm later that night. Chase slept through it; Drew even got up to check his breathing to make sure. Maddy, however hadn't liked thunderstorms from the time she was born. She didn't cry anymore during one but she refused to be alone.

Maddy bolted into her parents' room and into their bed after the second thunder clap. She landed on Drew.

"Hey sweetheart," he said, putting an arm around her. "It's only noise. You're fine."

"I don't like it. Can I stay here till it goes away?"

"Sure."

Aw, parenthood.

Drew and Maddy were still solid asleep when Chase let everyone know he was awake. Rick looked at the night stand .

6:07am.

"Daddy's coming, son. Hold on." Rick had learned to put his prosthetic on in less than a minute. Chase settled when Rick picked him up from the bassinet. "Hey big guy. Good morning. Let's go to your room so your dad and sister can sleep, huh?

While Chase's bottle was warming, Rick let Rex out and filled his food bowl before he could forget.

"Your sister loves chocolate chip-strawberry pancakes." Rick told the boy as he drank his bottle. "I think she deserves a treat, do you?" Not exactly the healthiest breakfast but he figured putting in more fruit balanced out the chocolate. He continued to talk to the baby after burping him and putting him into the baby seat on the island in the center of the kitchen. The pancakes and sausage were almost ready when Rick heard Maddy and Drew's voices in the hall. He heard their daughter say something about pancakes and chocolate milk followed by Drew's laughter.

Rick smiled at the sound.

The joys of family.