They shared a few kisses as they waited for the rest of the wedding party to get there.
After about 500 pictures, it was time for them to head to their reception.
The DJ introduced them, along with the wedding party and they began their first dance.
"You are the most beautiful bride I've ever seen".
"Thank you, Handsome".
"I cannot wait to get you out of this dress tonight".
"Calm down, sailor. I promise it will be worth the wait".
"Are you pleased with the ceremony?"
"Yes, I am. Are you?"
"Absolutely. Martez's passage was perfect".
"He was so cute. I don't think he's done a lot of public speaking".
When their dance was over, they began to mingle about the room. Jennifer had placed wedding quotes around the room. Each table had a picture of them on it.
After an hour, it was time for the wedding toasts.
They opened it up to anyone who wanted to give one. The bridal party went first.
"So, we met Jonathan when our husbands started hanging out. And then we started hanging out. So at some point, we started a tradition where we all have dinner together, and then the men play poker and the ladies chat and sip cocktails. It is literally our favorite night each month. So one night, Jonathan brings a gorgeous redhead to poker dinner. And we just instantly fell in love with her. She was engaging, intelligent, had personality, and she was the absolute sweetest girl we had ever met. That night, we told Jonathan that he was absolutely not allowed to break up with Jennifer ever, and we meant it. And just like that, our octagon was complete. And now we can't imagine not hanging out with her and being friends with her and we have been jealous of her wardrobe ever since we met her. To Jonathan and Jennifer, a lifetime of happiness".
Everyone toasted them.
Max was next.
"I've known Mr. H. since he was a scrawny little kid. And he's become more like a son to me than anyone else. He makes me proud to know him, and proud of him every day. And then he brought Miss Edwards home, who I guess I get to call Mrs. H. now. She filled the house with light and love and she loves him like nobody else could or has. Mr. Edwards, if you don't mind me saying so, you have yourself a mighty good girl there. Welcome to the family, Mrs. H."
Jennifer and Jonathan clinked glasses and then raised them to Max before they both hugged him.
Martez stood up next.
"I just came on the scene not too long ago. But I am so thankful for this lady. For those of you who don't know, I was in the prison when the riot happened and Mrs. Hart got stuck inside. During the riot, Mrs. Hart and I had the chance to speak about the circumstances surrounding my unfortunate incarceration. She didn't make any promises, only that she would write about my story if she had time. When she left the prison at the end of the riot, she told the Governor that I saved her life. I wouldn't exactly call it that, it was more like I stopped someone from hassling her. But he thought it was important enough to come ask me about it, and to talk to me about my situation, and then he saw it in his heart to give me full clemency. And none of that would have happened if Mrs. Hart hadn't been there. Mr. Hart was outside the whole time, but we didn't realize that. And as soon as I was given clemency, he offered to help me find a job and get back on my feet. She says I saved her life, but really, they saved mine. These two are stand up people, and they are worth knowing. Congratulations! I wish you both a lifetime of love and good health".
Jennifer leaned over and hugged Martez. Jonathan reached out and shook his hand.
After the toasts were over, Jonathan and Jennifer had another dance.
"Darling, when do I get to find out where we are going on our honeymoon?"
"We are spending the night in Napa Valley. And we are leaving tomorrow for Thailand, Tokyo, Beijing and Bangkok".
"Oh, I love it! I've always wanted to go there".
She kissed him as they danced.
After 4 hours, they were ready to leave, so everyone lined up for the wedding toss. Everyone was given a paper lantern, and they released them into the sky as Jonathan and Jennifer walked down the aisle. At the end, Jonathan wrapped his arms around Jennifer and she leaned back against him as they watched the lanterns float away into the distance.
"Darling, we forgot to clean up the suite".
Susan came up to her and Jonathan.
"You two go on. We'll take care of everything. Have a wonderful time on your honeymoon and we will see you when you get back".
They said their goodbyes and then climbed into Jennifer's car and drove off into the night, Mr. and Mrs. Hart.
The next morning, while Jonathan and Jennifer were enjoying their first breakfast in bed as husband and wife, a full-page marriage announcement about their wedding was published in both The New York Times and The Los Angeles Chronicle, for all the world to see.
Two Years Later
Jennifer slipped out of bed when Jonathan's alarm went off, and headed to the bathroom.
A few minutes later, when the snooze went off, he got up and came and found her in the bathroom.
"Negative, again. I don't want to talk about it".
He wrapped his arm around her.
"It will happen when it happens, darling."
"I just never thought it would take us this long".
"There's no timeframe on when it's supposed to happen".
"It's been over 8 months, Jonathan. And it never gets any easier".
"Maybe we should try a little harder".
"Try harder? How on earth could we possibly try any harder? We are already having sex morning and night, plus you are taking all these medicines to boost our chances. Only thing left to do is get a fertility statue for the front yard. Or a male prostitute, to give me a break".
She turned to him, eyes blazing.
"That is not funny! Nor is it happening! And might I add, if you don't want to make love with me, all you have to do is tell me".
"Jennifer, calm down. I was kidding".
"Well, it didn't sound like it".
"I really was kidding. It was just a joke. Except the statue part".
"Maybe I need to go on a diet. I'll talk to Max about us only eating chicken and rice and green veggies for the next month."
"Jennifer-you don't need to go on a diet. Diets are for people who need to drop some pounds. You don't have any pounds to drop. And you heard the doctor, there could be any number of reasons this hasn't worked yet, and we might never know the answer. Dieting can't be what's keeping you from getting pregnant".
"Well something is certainly keeping me from making you a Daddy".
"Jennifer, I told you. I'm just as fine if we don't have kids as I will be if we had 10".
"Lucky you. You win either way."
They walked downstairs and had breakfast.
As soon as they were done, Jennifer kissed him goodbye and headed upstairs to shower.
"Have a good day, I love you".
"I love you too. I'll be home early".
They shared a long-ish hug before he left.
As soon as she was upstairs, Max turned to Jonathan.
"Is Mrs. H. ok? She doesn't seem like herself".
"She's upset because we aren't pregnant yet. Just tread lightly with her, today. She seems to be more moody today than the other days".
"Got it, Mr. H."
Jonathan headed to the office and Jennifer showered and got dressed and then headed to the study to start on her next article.
She worked steadily for about 2 hours before Max interrupted her.
"Mrs. H., I'm headed to the market. Need me to pick up anything specific?"
"We need more bottled water upstairs in our fridge, and we are almost out of Advil. And can you please pick up a few bunches of kale, and some more bok choy and arugula, some asparagus, some more mushrooms and lemons, and the regular stuff for salads? Jonathan and I are going to be having salads at every meal this week, just about. Here, I wrote it all down for you".
Max took the list from her.
"How are you going to get Mr. H. to eat salads? You know he don't eat things like that".
"I'm his wife, Max".
"Right, Mrs. H. I'll be back soon".
As soon as he left, the phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Jennifer? Hi, it's Susan. Can you come to my office?"
"Sure. When?"
"Now would be ideal".
"Ok, on my way".
Susan's Office
Jennifer got in the car and headed straight to Susan's office.
She was immediately ushered back to Susan's personal office.
"Hi, thanks for coming. We had a mom come in this morning, and she had her baby with her. And we did her checkup and everything checked out just fine. And then the nurse took the baby to get some x-rays to check something, and when they came back, the mom was gone. Camera footage shows that she bolted. She left a note in her bag and everything. So, I would hate to see her go into the system, and you and Jonathan were the first people I thought of who could be foster parents."
Jennifer was shocked.
Susan buzzed a nurse.
"Bring the baby in, please".
The nurse walked in and handed the baby to Jennifer.
"Hi there, sweetheart".
Lauryn had the most gorgeous blue eyes and dark brown hair. She was sucking on a pacifier that had a small blanket attached to it.
"Her name is Lauryn Olivia Jones. If you adopt her, you can change it to whatever you like. She's almost 3 months old, and she has a near perfect medical history. I suspect that the mom has some postpartum mental issues happening and that's why she bolted. No father figure in the picture. I have a contact at DCS and she said they are in such desperate need of foster families that based on my recommendation, they won't fight you guys on it. They will, however, need to come do a home study and have weekly check-ins. If all goes well, and you guys fast track the adoption, it should be final in 45 days".
"What were the x-rays for?"
"The mom said she had been having trouble moving her right arm. I suspect now, that was just an excuse for her to leave her alone without endangering her because her x-rays were as perfect as they could be".
"You really think we can do this?"
"I know you can. You guys would make great parents".
"Well, then I guess I need to call Jonathan. I came here in the convertible. He'll need to come get us".
"No need. We have a car seat here, and you can order a crib and have it delivered and set up, along with all the other stuff you'll need. Plus, she packed a bag with lots of things for her"
"That was kind of her".
Susan's phone rang, so she reached over and picked it up.
"Hello, this is Dr. Kendall".
She chatted for a few minutes and then hung up.
"Ok, so I have to go to the hospital. I'll get some things together and come by in a couple of hours".
"Thank you".
They helped Jennifer with the car seat and she got Lauryn strapped in and headed home.
She called Jonathan on the way home.
"Hi darling. Everything ok?"
"I think so…are you going to be home soon?"
"Yes, I'm on my way".
"Great. I'll see you when you get there. Tables have turned, darling. This time, I have a surprise for you. I love you".
"I love you too".
The Hart's
Jennifer and Lauryn came inside and sat down on the couch.
"Mrs. H, is that you?"
"Yes, Max. I'm in the living room".
Max walked in.
"What's a baby doing here?"
"Well, it's a long story. And Jonathan doesn't know yet, but we are going to be watching her for a bit. Her name is Lauryn".
"Watching her for how long?"
"Through the weekend at least. The rest of it depends on Jonathan".
"Got it".
He disappeared into the kitchen again. Jennifer stared at Lauryn for a few minutes.
"You sure are a cute baby. I don't exactly know what to do with you, but you are very cute".
Jennifer set Lauryn in her car seat and began to look through her bag.
Bottles, diapers, wipes, outfits, toys. She handed her a toy and she seemed to reach for it.
There was a note in the pocket of the diaper bag.
I love her so much, I'm just not what or who she needs. Whomever gets her, thank you. Her birthday is October 4. She eats every 4 hours and likes to sleep on her back. Her favorite song is Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, and she loves to be held on your chest or shoulder. Please, no matter what, make sure she knows that in spite of my choices, I did love her more than the moon.
Jennifer's heart broke to read that.
She found another note that had her schedule on it, and a list of her current sizes.
Lauryn began to cry, so Jennifer picked her up and tried to get her to stop crying.
As soon as she began to sing Twinkle, Twinkle, she settled down some.
Jonathan came in and found them in the living room.
"Hi! I didn't know you were babysitting James and Laura's baby today".
He leaned down to kiss her.
"Hey there Annabeth".
"Darling, sit down".
He sat next to her.
"This isn't Annabeth. Susan called. A patient of hers brought a baby in and then abandoned her, so she called me to see if you and I wanted to be foster parents. And she said we would have to do a home study, and if all goes well, we could begin to adopt the baby in 45 days. Her name is Lauryn Olivia Jones right now, but we can change it if we want to."
She waited for him to say something.
When he hadn't spoken for a minute, she bit the bullet.
"Surprise, darling".
He scratched his head. That was her cue that he was really thinking about it.
"Well, you know I'm all for adoption. But I don't want us to get into a situation where the mom comes back and takes her back and we are heartbroken".
"We can talk to Susan about it, I guess. She's coming by in a little while. Are you ok with us watching her for a little bit, at least?"
"Sure".
"Want to hold her so I can make a bottle?"
"Absolutely".
She gently handed Lauryn to Jonathan and got the bottle ingredients together.
"She loves 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star' apparently, if you have to sing to her".
"I can handle that".
"We are going to have to order a ton of stuff."
"We will get her whatever she needs".
Jennifer went and made her a bottle and then came back.
Jonathan was talking to her and singing to her.
He noticed she was mad.
"What's the matter?"
"It's just….I feel absolutely horrible about our conversation this morning. And I spent all morning trying to come up with some way to make it up to you. And then I see you with her and you are so good with her. And I'm not saying I don't want you to be good with her, because I do. It's just...it makes me mad at myself that I can't give you that".
"Jennifer-we've been all through this. We don't know that you can't give me this, and it very well could be that it's me that can't give you this. But it isn't the end of the world. And you don't have to make anything up to me. You're entitled to want to be pregnant and to be upset when you find out you aren't".
"We could go get tested and find out who's issue it is".
"My feelings on that are the same. I don't see how knowing that information can be helpful".
"Maybe we need to think some more about pursuing an IUI or an IVF procedure".
"Jennifer, I don't think that's the answer".
"I thought you and I were on the same page. Don't you want to have a baby?"
"Yes, a baby. And I want to make you happy. What I don't want is to put us in a situation where we take on more than we can reasonably handle. If we have the doctors do procedures to help us have a baby, that means you will have to bear the brunt of the pain and discomfort and I don't want to put you through that. And those procedures have a higher risk of ending with a multiple pregnancy".
"I still think we should get tested to see what's wrong".
"Why are you so fixated on that part?"
"Because Jonathan, if we know what the issue is, we will know if we can fix it. And maybe, just maybe, I can stop giving myself shots every day and taking my temperature at night and planning when you and I are going to make love."
"I just think it will be a negative experience and not a positive one. We might find out information that we don't want to know".
He played with the baby for a few more minutes till she began to cry and then handed her to Jennifer so she could give her a bottle.
"Where's Max?"
"At the track. I had him pick up some more Bok Choy and asparagus and kale and mushrooms. I'll make you a green smoothie after dinner, darling".
"Why do I have to keep drinking those?"
"Because you don't like to eat leafy greens, Jonathan. I did my research-leafy greens boost virility and if you have a nutrient deficiency, that can cause birth defects in the baby at the time of conception, before you even know you are pregnant. And if I have to give myself shots, you have to drink your veggies. This is something we are doing, not something I'm doing alone".
He admitted that it was kind of hard to argue with that logic.
"Why don't we give the shots and the smoothies a break for a bit? Just enjoy little miss Lauryn here, and then re-evaluate".
"I have two shots left that are going to expire. And if we don't put the bok choy into a smoothie, we will put it on our dinner plates".
"After your two shots, let's take a break".
"Fine".
Lauryn went to sleep on Jennifer's chest, so she laid back on the couch and just held her close.
Jonathan went and got Jennifer's laptop and they began to order the baby supplies.
Susan showed up just before dinner, and had brought them some diapers and formula and a big box.
"Oh thank you!"
"Susan, we've been talking. And we are more than willing to foster her for a little bit. We are a little hesitant to jump head first into adopting her, simply because we don't want to be devastated if her mom comes back and takes her back".
"Ok, you two. We have to have a talk. I found out this afternoon that Lauryn's mother took her life. Father has never been in the picture. The mom wasn't my patient before today and Lauryn wasn't my patient before today. It's possible that the mom gave us fake contact information for her emergency contact. She gave us a valid birth certificate, so we know that Lauryn's name is in fact, Lauryn Olivia. And her mom's name was the name she gave us. But nothing else is checking out. So if you want her, I think you will be able to start the adoption process in 45 days". .
Jennifer nodded.
Jonathan nodded.
"I think we can do this. We are certainly able to give her a good home".
Jennifer handed Susan the notes.
"I found these in her diaper bag. I don't know if that schedule is a good one or not. She ate about 30 minutes before you got here".
"Yes, that's a good schedule. The more she grows, the more you can adjust the times. And I want you to remember to listen to her-she will tell you what she needs. Trust your instincts. If she's screaming and won't stop, try a bottle. If that doesn't work, check her diaper. Sometimes a change of scenery will help, or just going and turning the shower on and letting her hear that. She's old enough that you can safely take her on walks, and wear her if you want, or push her in a stroller. Babies usually just need distractions. And the good news is, they won't cry forever".
"Would jogging be ok?"
"In a stroller it should be fine as long as it's not too bumpy".
Susan taught them how to swaddle her, and how to do a few other baby-related things.
"Ok you two, I'm going to leave you with her. The caseworker from DCS is coming by tomorrow at 4, and you both have to be here. Might be a good idea to tell Max the cigar smoking section is outside from now on, but especially right before she gets here".
"Got it".
"Susan, what's in that box?"
"It's a Mama-roo. It's kind of like a swing, but it's supposed to mimic the movement she felt in the womb as her mom walked around with her".
"Good. Jonathan can get it all set up".
"Susan, if you want, you can take some Bok Choy home with you".
"Ha ha! I can always get more, darling".
Jennifer looked at Susan.
"We went to that fertility specialist that you referred us to. And he gave us some tips and ideas. He prescribed me some shots to take each day to boost my levels. And I started researching our diet and what to eat to get pregnant, and I figured since I have to give myself some shots, he can add veggies to his diet. He's not a fan of eating cooked veggies, or salads. So I've been making him smoothies with bok choy, asparagus, spinach, mushrooms, and lemon, blended with pea milk".
"My condolences, Jonathan".
Jonathan turned to Jennifer.
"Pea milk?! I never agreed to pea milk".
"It's healthier than regular milk, darling. And you haven't tasted it yet".
"Look, in my professional opinion, there isn't anything you can eat that will guarantee that you get pregnant. Just like standing on your head after sex doesn't really do anything either. The best thing you can do is eat a healthy diet that includes all of the food groups, and try to conceive with some regularity and stop stressing about it. Sometimes it's healthy to take a break from the medicines and just make love when you are in the mood. Kind of like how they say you find your soulmate when you aren't looking. Some people conceive when they stop trying to conceive".
"Thank you, Susan."
"Yes, thank you."
"How do you manage to get the smoothies down?"
"By the hardest. I've found that chugging them, like a shot, is the best method".
"I don't know that I could do that. Jennifer, add some green apples to his smoothie. Trust me, it will help".
Jennifer nodded.
Jonathan mouthed the words "thank you" to Susan.
"Ok, well I'm going to get out of your hair. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call, day or night. I mean that. From a friend standpoint and a medical standpoint".
"I'm sure you'll be hearing from us. We have no clue what we are doing".
Jennifer held Lauryn while Jonathan put the Mamaroo together, and then they put her in that and went to have dinner.
Just as they finished dinner, the phone rang.
Jonathan answered it and talked for a few minutes.
"Ok, so keep it all there and we will come get it".
He hung up and then called Drew, Bill, and James.
"Hey, bring your trucks and your wives and come over".
The ladies all sat around chatting and taking turns holding Lauryn, while the men went to get their baby store delivery. Laura had brought Annabeth and she and Lauryn had their first official playdate, which they both slept through. Susan and Laura gave Jennifer tons of tips and helpful advice and told her which baby items she would need more than the others.
The men arrived with the items and all helped Jonathan get the crib and changing table set up in the room across from theirs, and the furniture all rearranged to fit everything.
"Only thing that they didn't have was the crib mattress, but it's being delivered in a few days".
"That's ok. She can sleep in the cradle till then".
While the men put together the furniture upstairs, the ladies and the babies hung out and chatted downstairs.
"Jennifer, you are so good with her. You're a natural".
"I appreciate that, because I certainly don't feel like a natural at all".
"What are you worried about?"
"Well, for starters, everything. But the one thing that's bugging me right now is how I'm going to take care of her needs in the middle of the night without waking everyone else up".
"She's a baby. She takes priority because she can't fend for herself. And what works for me is to make a pitcher of formula, and keep it in the fridge. It makes pouring bottles so much easier. You can also make her bottle before you go to bed, stick it in the fridge, and then shake it up and heat it up when you grab it."
"That's a good idea".
"You can also leave her upstairs while you run and get her bottle. That way, you won't wake up Max when you come downstairs."
"I like that too".
The men came back downstairs.
"Ok, it's not totally done. But for tonight, she's set. We have the changing table put together, and in place. The crib is put together and in place. One of the swings is put together, one is not. And the cradle is put together as well. We left the closet organizing for you, since we figured you would want to hang up her clothes in a certain way. And there's a bed cradle that you attach to our bed to put her in. It's put together, and it's in our room, but it's not attached to the bed because i didn't know if you wanted to do that".
"Thank you, darling. And thank you too, guys. And to you ladies, for keeping me company and helping".
"It was our pleasure. This was a fun evening. And she's such a sweet baby. You guys lucked out on getting a quiet baby".
"Yeah, I hope she's a quiet baby. I hope she's a good sleeper, too".
Laura showed Jennifer how to give her a bath, and how to wear her in a baby wrap. Jennifer was so grateful for the actual advice.
Everyone headed out, and promised they were all just a phone call away, and would be over in a couple days to see the baby again.
"Thanks, we can't wait".
Jonathan and Jennifer stayed up with her a little bit longer and then got her settled down.
"Ok, so do you want her in the cradle or do you want her in the bed thing?"
"Let's go with the cradle for now. I need to research the bed thing a little more".
They got her settled in the cradle and then tiptoed to their room.
As they crawled into bed, Jennifer snuggled up to his chest.
"I can't believe we are parents".
"Same here".
"Tell me what you are thinking".
"Well, it's easier, so far, than I thought it would be. And moving forward, if we do get to adopt her, I think we should keep the name Lauryn. That's all she has left of her mom, and based on that note I found in her bag, her mom did love her. I just feel like her name is part of who she is, her identity. I don't think we should take that from her".
"I agree."
4 Months Later
"It is hereby ordered by this court that from this day forward, Lauryn Olivia Jones will now be the physical and legal daughter of Jonathan and Jennifer Hart, and will henceforth be known as Lauryn Olivia Michelle Hart. Congratulations".
The judge banged his gavel and signed the paperwork.
Jennifer gave Lauryn lots of kisses and they took a few pictures and then headed home.
They had settled into a nice routine, where Jonathan gave Lauryn her morning bottle while Jennifer took a shower, and then Jennifer took care of her all day, and then they took a family walk when Jonathan got home. After dinner, they would play with her and then Jennifer would give her a bath and a nighttime bottle and put her to bed. She loved both of them, but really smiled big when Jennifer or Max came into the room. She would always clap her hands when Jonathan got home.
They had a nice evening with their family and friends, and then after everyone went home, Jennifer went upstairs with Lauryn to start the nighttime routine.
Jonathan came upstairs with the bottle and found Jennifer in the rocking chair with Lauryn.
"Darling, I don't feel so well. I think I'm going to be sick. Can you take her?"
"Sure."
Jennifer bolted to the bathroom, and stayed in there a while, and then emerged.
"I can't believe this".
"What, is it food poisoning? I can call the caterer and see if anyone else has gotten sick".
"I don't think so".
"What is it?"
"Well, I did get sick. But it wasn't like it normally is. And I realized that I'm just not feeling like myself. So, I took a test, for peace of mind and it's positive".
"Ok. Do you have another test?"
"Yes, I have a whole box".
"Drink some water and in 30 minutes or so, take another one".
Jonathan got Lauryn to sleep and in her crib and then came to find Jennifer.
"She's asleep. How are you feeling?"
"Second test said positive".
"Let's call Susan".
"Great idea".
Jennifer dialed the number and waited for her to pick up.
"Hello?"
"Hey, it's me. I have a question. So, I was rocking Lauryn, and all of a sudden, I got to feeling so sick to my stomach. So, Jonathan took her and I ran to the bathroom and got sick, and then I was feeling a little off, and I took a test. And it said positive. So I showed it to Jonathan and he said I should take another to be sure. So I did, and it said positive. So my question is, it's night time, so that means it's not a true positive, right?"
"No, it's not like that at all. It is 100% normal to get morning sickness at night. If two tests are saying pregnant, then all I can say is congratulations, you're more than likely going to have a baby".
"Oh. Wow."
"Come by the office tomorrow. I'll work you in and do a complete blood panel and sonogram to confirm it."
"Ok, sounds good. Tomorrow is Lauryn's checkup anyways, so we'll be seeing you at 11".
"Perfect. I'll extend the appointment. And when you get to 10 weeks, I'll give you a complimentary blood test where you can see if there are any genetic problems and even tell the gender".
"I would love that".
"Ok, see you tomorrow".
"Thank you, I appreciate it".
She hung up.
"She thinks I'm really pregnant and says she'll check me out tomorrow at Lauryn's appointment".
Jonathan came over and picked her up and spun her around gently.
"I love you, and I am so excited! And I know deep down that this happened because you stopped making me those nasty smoothies".
She chuckled and kissed him.
"We are crazy, having two kids under two."
"The two luckiest kids in the world to have you as a mom".
"And you as a dad".
8 Months Later
"Ok Jennifer, push! That's it….a little more…. And stop".
She was panting and breathing heavy and sweating profusely.
Jonathan was wiping her forehead with a damp cloth and giving her sips of water.
"Ok, 1 more. Here we go, push!"
About 15 minutes later, their child was born.
Jonathan got to cut the umbilical cord, and the nurse wrapped the baby up and brought it to Jennifer.
"We did it baby, we have a beautiful baby girl!"
Jennifer was crying and couldn't wait to hold her.
"Hi princess. Mommy and Daddy are so happy to meet you and your big sister is too".
She gave her a few kisses and then they took her so they could get her cleaned up.
Jonathan kissed Jennifer and then headed to the lobby.
Max and Stephen were sitting in the waiting room.
"It's a girl!"
"Wonderful!"
"Everyone is healthy. Jennifer did really, really, well. As soon as they get us in a room, I'll come get you both".
"Wonderful. Mr. H., Laura called the house just before I left. She said Lauryn is absolutely fine and they can keep her as long as you need them too".
"Thanks, Max".
Jonathan went and found Jennifer holding the baby.
"Hey".
"Hi. Daddy's here, princess. Yes, he is".
"We need to come up with a name".
"Well, we had Morgan and Addison on the list. But I don't really think either of those are the ones".
"Back to square one".
"What about the other ones that we talked about? Lylah, or Ava?"
"Ehhh".
Jennifer thought for a moment.
"Darling…go with me on this. Susan is the one we turned to when we thought we couldn't get pregnant. She was helpful and reassuring and she is responsible for Lauryn coming into our lives. She's the one who reassured me it was ok to stop trying for a baby, and then we got pregnant. So, what if we named her Kendall?"
"I love that."
"Kendall Paige, Kendall Brooke, Kendall Nicole, Kendall Alexandria, Kendall Suzanne, Kendall Grace, Kendall Sloane...like any of those?"
"I like all those, but I like Kendall Suzanne the best. That way we are carrying on your name and your mom's name".
"What about Kendall Sloane Suzanne?"
"I like that. It goes well with Lauryn's name, too".
Jonathan held Kendall while the nurses took Jennifer to her room.
Once they were all settled, he gave Kendall back to Jennifer and headed to get Max and Stephen.
They came in a few minutes later.
"Hi Max. Hi Pa!"
"Who do we have here?"
"This is Miss Kendall Sloane Suzanne Hart".
"She's gorgeous, Mrs. H."
"She has your mother's lips. And her father's eyes".
"I can't wait to see if she is going to have red hair or dark hair".
"Max, what's your grandpa name?"
"I'm Papa Max".
"I love it!"
"What about you, Pa?"
"I'm Poppy".
"I love that too".
Jonathan called Laura and they brought Lauryn to the hospital.
She was so excited to see her daddy and ran to him in the hallway.
"Here's Mommy and your new sister Kendall".
He set Lauryn down on Jennifer's bed, and she crawled to Jennifer's lap.
"Hi sweetheart. Mommy missed you".
She gave her some kisses.
"This is your sister Kendall. Can you say hi?"
Lauryn waved to Kendall.
"How sweet".
They spent some time together as a family and Lauryn was very excited to see Poppy. She was sitting in Poppy's lap, and holding Papa Max's hand.
"Ok, we are going to take her home. We will come see you two tomorrow".
"Pa, Max knows where Lauryn's pajamas are and she has some baby food and bottles in the fridge. Take the baby monitor from our room into yours".
"We'll be fine. We love you".
"Love you too".
Jennifer nursed Kendall and then got her changed and swaddled.
"Can I get you anything?"
"I would love something to eat."
"How about a pizza?"
"Yes, please".
He called and placed their order and then got something out of the bags they had brought to the hospital.
"We need to set up a newborn photo shoot and start a baby book for Kendall".
"That's a good idea".
"I have no clue how i'm going to remember everything about two kids. I have a hard enough time remembering everything about Lauryn."
"Well, maybe this will help".
He handed her a thin wrapped box.
"What's this?"
"Open it and find out".
She opened the box and found a silver and diamond charm bracelet.
"Oh Jonathan, it's absolutely beautiful!"
"See, this way you can wear a visual reminder of the girls' milestones. We can get a charm with each of their birthdates, and one for the day we adopted Lauryn, and then things like a spoon for when they started eating real food, and a pencil for when they start school and a bike for when they learn to ride a bike".
"I love it! Thank you".
She leaned over and kissed him and then let him help her put the bracelet on.
Kendall started to whimper, so Jonathan picked her up and handed to Jennifer.
They snuggled up and just stared at their daughter.
"I certainly don't love Lauryn any less, but I just cannot believe you and I created this baby".
"I know. I keep thinking she looks like Lauryn".
"She kind of does, yeah."
After they got her quieted down, they were able to put her in the isolete while they ate.
Jennifer was absolutely exhausted.
She tried for about an hour to sleep, but couldn't fall asleep.
"Darling….what if I tell you a story?"
"Worth a shot".
"Five years ago this weekend, there was this boy who went to hangout with some friends. And while he was hanging out with his friends, he met a girl. And he was totally taken by her. We are talking totally attracted to her, couldn't stop thinking about her, the works. And they had some nice conversations, and they even played a few card games that weekend. He was such a gentleman that he decided to give her the upper hand in the games, so as not to destroy her soul, because he knew that she was going to have a hard enough time not seeing him every minute of the day after that weekend. So, even though he was momentarily distracted by other people, he and the girl hung out again, and again, and they finally decided they wanted to be the only distraction for each other. And then some boring stuff happened, that caused them to spend some time apart. And that is really important, because after they spent time apart, the girl realized that no matter what, she couldn't stay mad at him and she would jump into a fire for him every day if she had to. She realized that waiting on him hand and foot was her only purpose in life, and she wore him down until he finally agreed to marry her. And they were happy, and then, one day, without warning, they became parents. And then before they could blink, they had two precious children to drive them crazy and put them in a nursing home when they got older and they were terrified but they didn't know what to do, so they decided to be nice to the children so they might end up with a mediocre nursing home at best and not a horrible one. And he loved her very, very much".
Jennifer was laughing and crying.
"That is a horrible story! For one thing, you got it all wrong. You didn't give me the upper hand. I beat the pants off you, thank you very much. And yes, I would do anything for you, but jumping into fire-not exactly. I mean you're cute, but it's fire. And waiting on you hand and foot? Please. Only when you aren't expecting it, darling. And you are the one who brought up marriage first, and it was when you proposed to me, mister, not the other way around. And finally, our girls won't put us in a nursing home…we will see to that".
"But you admit, it was an entertaining story".
"You are my favorite storyteller, Mr. Hart".
She leaned over and kissed him.
He put Kendall in the isolette and then snuggled up with Jennifer.
"I love you, baby".
"I love you too".
"Think you can sleep now?"
"I sure hope so".
He turned out the lights and she curled up on his chest as much as she could. A few minutes later, she was fast asleep.
And They Lived Happily Ever After