Summary: Max and Helen talk about potential baby names; Max takes Helen and Luna to the beach for his birthday weekend, and reminisces about his childhood

Saturday, July 29th, 7:45 p.m., 20 weeks and 4 days pregnant

Today was particularly grueling. With Max at work, Helen was the sole parent, which she normally doesn't mind, but the summer heat has been making everyone a little cranky. Luna whined to go to the playground, followed by a meltdown when Helen wouldn't let her get something from the ice cream truck (to which she eventually caved in and bought her a popsicle because, hey, it's summer), and stubbornness at nap time. On top of that, Helen felt sweaty all day and her internal organs are being squished by her expanding uterus, making breathing more difficult.

Finally having some time to herself, Helen is soaking in a bath of lavender Epsom salts that Max drew up for her as he puts Luna to bed. Her back has been achy and sore, and the ligaments in her stomach feel tight from carrying the weight of their growing baby girl. The doctor suggested warm baths to ease her pain, but it's not doing much to help.

Helen hears Luna's bedroom door close and footsteps creaking along the hallway floorboards. "Max?" Helen says as loudly as she can without waking Luna, a few decibels above a whisper. The footsteps pause, most likely Max listening for what he would accurately guess to be someone calling him, so she tries again. "Max?"

The bathroom door slowly opens and Max pops his head in, taking in the scene of Helen submerged in the water in the dimly lit bathroom. "Hey, are you okay?" Max looks worried, something that's been happening more frequently whenever Helen shows any signs of pain or discomfort.

"I, erm… I'm fine, for the most part. But my back is killing me. Could you come over here and give me a massage please?"

Max gulps, eyes drifting from Helen's face to her breasts poking out of the water, then back up to her face again.

"Just a massage," she clarifies.

"O…kay." Max shuts the bathroom door behind him and sits on the edge of the tub.

"You can come in with me," Helen says, sitting up and scooting forward to make room. "You won't be able to do it properly otherwise."

Standing back up, Max rids himself of his shirt and pants, then steps into the tub.

"Why not take off your knickers too?"

"Helen, trust me," Max says lowly, "it's better for both our sakes if I leave them on." He can't be that close to Helen, both of them completely naked, without wanting to do more than give her a massage. Just turn on the doctor side of your brain! Max tells himself.

Helen nods, understanding his implication, so Max settles in the water, legs on either side of her.

The moment Max's fingers begin digging into her lower back, Helen takes a sharp inhale in pain, but she knows the only way out is through. The scent of lavender and the warm water soothed her weary body a bit, but the knots at the base of her spine are putting up a fight. Clenching her fists, Helen droops her head forward, steadily breathing in and out. "Talk to me about something, Max. I need a distraction."

"Okay. Lemme think, umm… oh! I got something. Now that we know we're having a girl and you're halfway through the pregnancy, how about we talk about baby names?"

"Yes, that's probably a good idea. Do you have anything in mind?"

"Actually, I was wondering, do you still like the name 'Zurrah'?"

Helen peeks over her shoulder at Max in adoration. "You remember?"

"Of course I remember!" Nearly four years ago, Max watched from afar as Helen rocked Baby Doe, the baby born addicted to drugs, while she performed skin-to-skin. He couldn't help but join her in the room. It was such an intimate moment between the two of them that, with only a gentle nudge from Max, Helen confided in him her fondness of the name, granted she ever had a girl. Zurrah, meaning "brightness." Everything Luna, Helen, and their new baby bring to Max's life. In retrospect, Max recalls feeling inexplicably drawn to Helen even then, not realizing he was getting a glimpse into their future.

"Hmm, I don't know. As much as I still love the name, it would feel odd after bestowing it upon Baby Doe. And I chose that name during a different part of my life, a time when I was resigned to doing motherhood alone. Perhaps we should choose a name together, something new."

"Okay, well, what about…" Max hesitates, wondering if she'll think the name is dumb, "Maxine... after me?"

Helen jolts in unpleasant surprise, making a quiet splash as she sits up straight. "Absolutely not!"

"Why? I think it'd be cute! We could call her Max for short!"

"That would be far too confusing! 'Junior' names are so cliche! Even if we were having a boy, I wouldn't name our child after you!"

"Damn! Tough crowd!"

Helen tries to relax a bit as Max resumes kneading her back. "And no names from family members, dead or alive," she adds, hoping he wouldn't be so stupid as to suggest Georgia or Serwa. "I love Luna, but there's only room for one of our children to be named after a relative."

"Okay, fine! How about you come up with something then?" Max quips back, hoping he doesn't sound too irritated.

Helen struggles to think of any other names off the top of her head that she'd be okay with. For the longest time, she didn't think this was in the cards for her, so she hasn't really put much thought into other name ideas up until now. She sifts through all the meaningful moments across her and Max's relationship, hoping to draw inspiration from them. "I dunno. 'Hope' or 'Joy' are lovely, but still a bit too cliche and overused for my taste." Pulling Max's hands around front to rest under her bump, Helen leans back into his chest. "I want our daughter's name to mean something."

"Yeah." Max and Georgia didn't have a list of potential baby names either. When they found out they were having a girl, Georgia suggested the name "Luna" after Max's sister, and it just fit. Maybe the name of his and Helen's baby will just come to them, that they'll know it when they hear it.

Helen rapidly sits up, her body a little tense. Max watches her back expand in short, shallow breaths as her hands go to her stomach. "Helen? What's wrong?"

"I could have sworn… is that– Oh my god!"

"Babe, you're scaring me!"

Helen grabs Max's hands and pulls them to her stomach below her belly button. "It's been happening off and on all week. At first, I thought it was just gas, but this seems different! I think I can feel the baby moving!"

"What?! Where?!"

"Here, you idiot!"

Max keeps his palm pressed flat underneath Helen's. He waits a good ten seconds, but so far, nothing.

"There! Right there! Did you feel that?"

"No!"

"Your hand is right over it!"

"Well, sometimes, it takes a few more weeks to feel it from the outside." Max rests his chin on Helen's shoulder, watching her wonderstruck face stare down at their conjoined hands. "What's it feel like?"

"It feels… well, as I said, I thought is was gas bubbles, but it keeps going back and forth. Occasionally, there's a quick jab. It's more intentional and repetitive. It almost feels like… butterflies. It's a bit odd, but completely wonderful! I'm sorry you can't feel it yet."

"Hey, don't worry about it. I didn't feel Luna move until 24 weeks, so hopefully, not too much longer." Although that was just two days before Georgia kicked him out for taking the job at New Amsterdam, and Max doesn't think any good would come of bringing up that fact.

Helen relaxes back into Max's arms, savoring another magical moment of many firsts to come. Out of curiosity, she experimentally pokes her stomach and feels some sort of movement in reply. The baby can't hear anything in the outside world yet, only things like Helen's heartbeat and stomach gurgling, but this is just the beginning of communicating with their daughter. She feels as though there's an invisible string tying her heart to the tiny life inside her. Well, medically speaking, there is: the umbilical cord. But it feels like so much more than that.

Helen remains locked in Max's embrace for a few minutes in sweet, comfortable silence, their fingers laced together on her stomach, his lips pressed to her neck. The baby tumbles around a bit more, but as if she can sense her mother feeling for movement, stops after a bit with what Helen assumes is pettiness.

After a while, Helen involuntarily shivers, as her top half is exposed to the air and the water is rapidly cooling down with two people in the tub. She uses Max's legs on either side of her as leverage to sit herself up.

Max tenses up behind her as his breathing becomes ragged. "Um, Helen? Do you, uh… do you want me to keep massaging you?"

"No, I'm alright now. I was just getting out."

As she stands to drip dry, Max grips Helen's hips and places a firm, breathy kiss on her butt. Max isn't in the habit of comparing the two women, but Georgia didn't have much of an ass, which worked out fine for her career since that's not the ideal body type of a ballerina. Obviously, Max loves Helen's boobs, because, come on! He's a guy! But a good ass, specifically Helen's, is something Max has come to appreciate, love, even crave. He loves every inch of her body!

Helen goes a little weak in the knees feeling Max's nose dig into her flesh. Not wanting to torture him with the view, she pushes his hands away and steps out of the tub to reach for the towel. She looks back as Max splashes some water on his face and through his hair. "Are you coming out, luv?"

When Max speaks, his voice comes out strained. "Y– yeah, just give me a few minutes." His eyes drift to Helen, hopeful. "Unless… you wanted to… you know?"

Helen offers Max a sympathetic smile as she wraps the towel around herself. "I'm sorry. I don't have the energy tonight." She feels a little guilty. After all, she's the one who dragged him into the tub. Bending down, Helen cups Max's chin and kisses his forehead, feeling him relax just a bit at her touch. "Sorry." Grabbing her lotion from the cabinet, Helen leaves the bathroom so Max can deescalate in private.

Saturday, August 19th, 10 a.m., Cape May, New Jersey; 23 weeks and 4 days pregnant

The weeks fly by, and Helen is getting bigger every day. Her belly has finally popped out, and it's obvious to the general public that she's pregnant. While she's not experiencing many symptoms, the ones she has are hitting her with full force. Hot flashes come at random times, finding a comfortable sleeping position is becoming increasingly difficult, her feet and back hurt more frequently, and she has to pee all the damn time! So when Max brought up the idea of a beach weekend for his birthday, Helen jumped at the chance, hoping some relaxation will do her some good. Plus her body's buoyancy in the water will temporarily take some pressure off her joints and muscles.

After a nearly three-hour ride involving packing more than necessary in the car trunk, breakfast on the road, a bathroom pitstop for Helen, and Luna's incessant inquiries of when they will arrive, Max pulls the car into the beach parking lot. "Aaaaand we're here!"

"Oh, thank god!" Helen unbuckles herself as soon as the car is parked and pushes herself out of the seat. She feels as though her bladder is going to burst! That tea at breakfast ran right through her!

"Do you want us to wait for you here?" Max calls out.

"Yes, please!" Helen replies as rushes toward the bathroom, holding her bump so it doesn't jostle around too much. "But start unpacking!"

Max opens Luna's door and gets her out of her car seat, then starts unloading the trunk.

"Why does Mummy have to go pee-pee a lot and lot of times?"

"Because the baby is getting bigger, and it's pushing on Mummy's bladder. That's an organ in your body that holds your pee."

"Is that where the baby is gonna be born?"

"Um, not exactly. Pee comes out of a hole called the urethra. But most women and girls have another hole called a vagina. That's where the baby will come out."

"Do you have a 'bagina?'"

Max tries to contain a snicker at her mispronunciation of the word. He never wants Luna to feel ashamed for asking questions. "No, men's and boys' bodies are a little different. We don't carry babies in our belly, so we have a penis instead." Since they're both doctors, Max and Helen decided to stick to anatomical names for genitalia and other body parts instead of weird nicknames. But Luna shouldn't be blurting them out in public, plus they want to teach her about consent early. "But those are private parts, and we only talk about them at home. And no one should see them except me and Mummy at bathtime, if you need help wiping after the potty, or your doctor at a checkup. If someone asks to see or touch your private parts, it's really important that you tell us, okay?"

"Why?"

Max pauses and contemplates as he closes the car trunk. He knows Luna's question deserves an answer, but they're not in the right environment to get into it right now. Plus he wants to strategize with Helen how best to explain the concepts of stranger danger and body autonomy. "We'll talk about it another time."

While they wait for Helen, Max slathers Luna in sunscreen. She squirms quite a bit, and he has to remind her that it's to protect her skin from the sun.

Helen returns from the bathroom relieved. "Much better! You two all set?"

"Yup! But I might have to make two trips."

Max hands Helen the large insulated lunch bag, gives Luna her bag of beach toys, and manages to sling another beach bag around his shoulder as he carries the chairs and umbrella in both arms. They make their way onto the beach and quickly find a spot. There are a lot of families, but spread out every fifty feet or so. As Max sets up the blanket, chairs, and umbrella, Helen rubs sunscreen all over herself, working around the nooks and crannies of her swimsuit. (With her expanding belly, Helen was afraid that her bikini bottoms would slip off, so she bought high-waisted black bottoms and an emerald green halter bikini top with golden embroidery along the border.) She has Max help with her back half, and returns the favor, enjoying the excuse to feel up her husband.

Finally able to relax, Helen watches from one of the chairs under the umbrella as Max guides Luna to the water. The waves are small, but Luna is bouncing on her toes and squealing in equal amounts of excitement and terror, running back a bit as one crashes over her feet. With Helen in London last summer, Max never got the chance to take Luna to the beach, and there aren't any real beaches where Gwen and Calvin live, so this is all new to her.

"Come on, Lu! Let's go in deeper! The water's great!"

"It's big and scary!"

"The waves aren't that big! And your arm floaties will keep you above the water. How 'bout I carry you in? I'll hold you the whole time!"

As Max picks her up and walks them in deeper, Luna clings to his neck, hoping he'll keep her safe. The water tickles her toes, then crashes into her legs as Max passes the line where the waves break until she's submerged up to her stomach. It's a little chilly, but not as scary as Luna thought it would be.

"What do you think, Luna bug?" The only response Max gets is Luna giggling and splashing the water with her arms, soaking his face in the process.

A few minutes later, Max takes Luna back to the shore. She skips back up the sand toward Helen. "I did it, Mummy! I went in the waves!"

"You did? That's marvelous, Munchkin!"

"Come in with me!" she begs, tugging on Helen's hand.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming." Helen struggles to hoist herself out of the chair since the seat reclines at an angle, but eventually makes it up, although she swears she pees a bit. Bloody growing uterus! Luna drags her to the shoreline, holding Helen's hand as she jumps and splashes. Helen catches sight of Max breaking through the water's surface. He wipes his face off and runs both hands through his hair. With more hip-swaying than Helen thinks is necessary, Max saunters out of the water. Helen's eyes are trained just above Max's dark gray swim trunks, appreciating how they sit below the dips of his hips. While Helen's desperation to feel Max inside her isn't as intense as it was a few weeks ago, it's still frequently present. They've both enjoyed taking every opportunity to satiate that desire before Helen's bump gets too big to fully enjoy sex or until her libido inevitably drops again.

"Taking in the view, I see," Max hints as he reaches his ladies, giving Helen a once-over. "You coming in?"

"I'm working on it," she says, unashamedly watching beads of water drip down his abdomen.

"It's not scary, Mum! Trust me! You can do it!"

"It's chilly!" Helen protests, wrapping her arms around herself.

"Come on! You said it would be good for your sore joints!" When she doesn't move, Max sweeps Helen off her feet and starts walking back into the water.

"Oh my god, Max!" As Max walks them out and submerges them both into the water, Helen feels as if they're on their honeymoon again, skinny dipping by the secluded waterfall. "You're utterly ridiculous!" she teases when she resurfaces, shoving water in Max's face.

Max can't help but pull Helen close to him, smothering her in kisses. "But you love me!"

Since she's already soaked, Helen decides to stay in the water for a bit, alternating between floating on her back and helping Luna learn to swim. Once she's got the hang of it, Luna doggy-paddles back and forth between Max and Helen a few times until she tired herself out. Max swims around with Luna on his back as he watches Helen do the backstroke, also thrown back to a memory of their honeymoon. "Hey Luna, did you know that when Mum and I were in Hawaii, she rode a surfboard on the waves?"

"Like in Lilo and Stitch?!"

"Not quite that big, but she was a natural! You know, if these waves were bigger, renting a board would be pretty fun right about now."

"Yes, except due to the risk of falling, I probably shouldn't surf while carrying this little one," Helen says, rubbing her stomach. "And if I recall, your skills were practically nonexistent," she adds, rolling over to face Max.

"Mummy, you're so pretty, you look like a mermaid!" Luna gushes, watching Helen gracefully glide through the water. "You look like Ariel!"

"Why, thank you, Munchkin!" Last month, Max, Helen, and Luna rented the new live-action The Little Mermaid. Although they skipped through the parts that seemed too scary for Luna, Helen appreciated seeing black representation on the screen.

"Maybe you can make your hair red like her!"

The only time Helen ever did anything crazy with her hair was during university. She was going through her rebellious stage and had recently pierced her cartilage. After an argument with her mother about acting and looking professional to keep her scholarships, Helen bit the bullet. She went to a salon and had them shave a small portion of hair on the right of her scalp and dye a few locs bold red, blue, and purple. Helen doesn't think she'd do anything that wild again, but a few red strands might be fun. "Perhaps. But not until after the baby is born."

Helen's had enough of the water for now, so she takes Luna back to the beach so Max can swim by himself for a while. She reads a book on childbirth while keeping a loose eye on Luna digging in the sand with her beach toys. Her current chapter is weighing the pros and cons of a natural birth. Even though she's grateful for modern medicine, it's something Helen is considering, granted she and the baby remain healthy. She wants to be able to walk around freely, move into whatever position feels best, and listen to her body's cues, which might not be possible under the effects of an epidural. Plus a natural birth decreases the risk of unnecessary medical intervention due to prolonged labor, which, as a black woman, is still a genuine concern of hers. "What do you think, little nugget?" Helen asks, caressing her belly. "If your mum decided to go all-natural, would you cooperate and not cause any complications?"

"Mummy! Mummy! Look what I found!" Luna dashes over to Helen and holds out her hands, revealing a sand crab squirming around.

"Oh, how very interesting!" Helen isn't necessarily a fan of the tiny crustacean, but she loves that Luna is curious about the world around her. "That's a sand crab. That shell is their home."

"Can I keep him?" she asks, squeezing it to her chest. "He's so cute!"

"Unfortunately not. It needs to stay here."

"Does he have to go back to his mommy?"

Honestly, Helen isn't sure. She's not an expert in how big a fully-grown sand crab is. "Probably. But if you find some shells without an animal inside, maybe you can keep a few."

The rest of the morning and part of the afternoon pass by in a haze. When Max comes back to the beach blanket, Helen takes another bathroom break (refusing Max's insistence that it's okay to pee in the ocean), they eat the packed lunch, and take a warm nap under the umbrella.

With Helen still sleeping, Max helps Luna build a sandcastle while thinking about this very weekend 33 years ago. His parents brought him and his sister to this beach. Most summers were spent going to Cold Spring in New York, but this beach town is also littered with memories of Luna. It's only fitting that nearly 32 years after her death, Max is bringing his sister's namesake here.

"Hey Lu, you know how you're getting a baby brother or sister soon? I used to have a sister when I was a kid."

Luna gasps in amazement. "You did?!"

"Yeah. She would have been your aunt. We came here for our birthday once! Her name was Luna too."

"Hey, that's my name!"

"That's because you're named after her!"

"Where is she?"

"Well, she, uh… she died a long time ago when we were still kids." Max focuses his attention on tightly packing the sand into the castle wall mold.

"Like Mommy Georgia?" Luna has a loose understanding of the concept of death but is still trying to wrap her head around it.

"Yeah, like Mommy Georgia." Max offers Luna a halfhearted smile.

"Do you miss them?"

Max is taken aback. He doesn't talk much about Georgia and his sister except with Helen, but he's surprised at his daughter's perceptiveness. "Yeah, I do sometimes. But they live on in you."

Luna scoots closer to Max and wraps her arms around his torso."It's okay, you can be sad, Daddy."

Max is in awe of his daughter. She must learn by example, having heard from both him and Helen on numerous occasions that it's okay to feel your feelings. "Love you, Lu."

Luna pulls back and pats Max's cheek. "Love you."

"Mommy and Auntie Luna would have loved you so much!" For a brief moment, Max considers telling Luna that Helen had a brother who died too, but that would open up a whole other slew of questions about her family issues he doesn't think he has the right to answer. Plus that information is heavier than Max thinks Luna is ready for. So instead, they resume building their sandcastle together.

After another round of swimming, Max, Helen, and Luna pack up mid-afternoon so they can do some exploring. Luna insists on visiting the nature center to see all the sea creatures. It hasn't changed much since 1990, in Max's opinion. Next, they walk around some of the shops and get dinner out, complete with a birthday chocolate lava cake for Max. To close out the night, they ride a horse-drawn carriage (reminding Max and Helen of their first Valentine's Day together) for a history tour of the town. Luna even gets to pet the horse's nose, giggling when it tickles her face with its whiskers.

It's been a fun-filled but long and exhausting day, so Max and Helen are glad to finally arrive at their Airbnb for the evening. It's a small two-bedroom cottage near the beach, nautical-themed, but light and airy. There are lots of windows, letting in the remnants of the sunset. If he wakes up early enough tomorrow, Max might like to watch the sunrise from the shore.

Under direct orders to relax, Max lounges with a mug of tea on the couch, scrolling through and responding to some birthday texts from friends as Helen bathes Luna. The most recent is from Lauren since she probably just got off work.

Lauren: Happy birthday, old man! The big 4-0! Have a drink for me! Hope you get some awesome birthday sex tonight!

Max nearly drops his mug! From what Helen has told him, Lauren's never been one to beat around the bush when it comes to salacious gossip. But he didn't expect her to be that blunt with him. He figured she'd reserve that kind of girl talk for Helen.

Max: 😳 You do know I'm still technically your boss, right? But thanks! 😂

Lauren: Yeah, whatever. I just call it like it is! 😉 And besides, you can't report me to HR. It's after hours, so I'm speaking as your friend, not your employee.

He reads through the remaining texts.

Floyd: Happy birthday, man! Thanks for always having my back! Can't wait to see you and Helen next weekend!

Iggy: Duuudddeee! Happy birthday! Welcome to the 40s! It sucks! You're gonna love it!

Elizabeth: Heyo! Hope you're having an awesome birthday! We should all go out to Benihana's or clubbing again before the baby comes! Or karaoke! We could do a duet!

Max chuckles and shakes his head.

Max: Clubbing? You do know that I'm 40 now, right? I've passed the age where that's socially acceptable!

The second-to-last message is from Ben.

Ben: Hey! Hope you have a great birthday! You've always made Elizabeth and I feel so welcome and part of the New Amsterdam team! In the six years we've been working together, no medical director, let alone coworker, has learned much ASL beyond basic greetings and small talk. I know she really appreciates yours and Helen's initiative to communicate in her language!

Max feels a tiny pang of guilt. He doesn't know Ben as well as he should, considering they've been working together for almost a year. Since he's Elizabeth's voice at New Amsterdam, they haven't had much time to get to know each other on a deep, personal level. With Floyd now living in San Francisco with Evie, it wouldn't hurt to have more guy friends.

Max: Thanks! Love having you two around! We should hang out one-on-one sometime soon!

The last (well, technically first) message, he's surprised to see.

Charlotte Goodwin: My dear Max, first of all, happy birthday! A mother never forgets that special day. I hope you are enjoying life with your new wife. How is Luna? I might like to meet both of them at some point. I'm sorry for not reaching out sooner. It's been weighing on my mind recently. But I've been reading in the news about everything you're doing at New Amsterdam. Your sister would be proud.

Sending you my love, Mother

It's been ten months since Max has spoken on the phone with his mother, seven since she sent him and Helen a wedding card and money in the mail. They've been distant most of his adult life. He never blamed her for it, but even as a child, he felt as though his parents loved Luna better. With the grief of her death, he got pushed to the wayside even more.

"Daddy! Daddy!" Luna comes barreling out of the bathroom in her Ariel pajamas, hair in two wet braids, Helen trudging up the hallway behind her.

"Luna bug! Come here, baby!"

Luna jumps into Max's open arms, eyes ablaze with excitement. "I felt the baby move in Mum's tummy!"

"Wait, what?!" Max looks over at Helen, still directing his response to Luna. "You did?!"

"Yeah! It kicked her tummy!"

"Sh— they're getting stronger," Helen says, bearing a bashful smile with her hand on her bump.

"Can I feel?!" Max has been waiting for this since the moment he and Helen found out she was pregnant, maybe even before.

Helen sits on the couch next to Max and places his hand where she felt movement. Recently, the baby is most active either right after Helen has eaten or in the evening and early morning, since walking around can rock babies-in-utero to sleep. Taking some relaxing, intentional time to feel her move has been a nice routine between mother and daughter.

Blip!

"Oh my god! I just felt it! Helen, I felt our baby move!" Blip! "There it is again! That's incredible!" Max gazes up at Helen, so happy he could cry! "I love you so much!" He gives Helen a few quick kisses, then leans down to speak to her belly. "Hey, little nugget! Thanks for the best birthday gift ever!" Something that feels like an elbow rolling around breaks through the surface again. Even though Max felt Luna move around while Georgia was pregnant, it was mostly after he had his official cancer diagnosis, so almost every interaction was tinged with the worry that he wouldn't make it to see her birth.

"Daddy, can I feel again?"

"Sure, kiddo!" Max places Luna in between him and Helen.

Luna puts her hand and ear up to Helen's stomach. "Knock knock, baby!" Even though she doesn't remember being in Georgia's belly, Luna loves talking to the baby. "Can baby hear me?"

"Not yet, sweetheart. Maybe in another week or two. But you can still speak to them."

"Or sing!" Max chimes in, draping his arm around Helen's shoulder. "🎵Baby, baby, sweet baaaa-by!🎵"

Helen is so blissfully happy right now! She wants to commit this moment to memory, the first moment of bonding as a family of four.

The baby gives a few more kicks, showing off for Luna and Max. When it's clear she's done moving for now, Max grabs a book from Luna's backpack and brings it to the couch for her bedtime routine. It's a story about a little girl who is about to become a big sister. As Max reads, Luna looks at the pictures, fixating on the images of the family. The little girl has a mom and a dad, and both of them have parents as well, the little girl's grandparents. For a while, Luna thought Gwen and Calvin were Max's parents, but over time and with more revelations about her birth mother, she's come to understand that they are/were Georgia's parents.

"Daddy? Do you have a mommy and daddy?"

Max pauses his narration of the book, not exactly sure how to answer. He knew Luna would ask this eventually. But given the birthday message from his mother, he's a little thrown. "Um, yeah," he simply states, deciding to keep the answer short unless Luna asks for more information.

"Why don't I play with them like Grammy and Grampy?"

No avoiding it now. Max is comforted by the feeling of Helen's nails grazing his neck in silent support. "Well, my dad is… not a very nice person. He didn't treat me and my mom the way he should have. And my mom… she lives far away."

"Why is she far away?"

"Be— because she got married to someone else."

"Your mommy and daddy don't love each other anymore?"

"No. No, they don't."

Luna nervously looks back and forth between her parents. "Are you and Mum not gonna love each other someday?" A few of her friends at school only have one parent, but she thought maybe it was because the other parent died like hers. It didn't occur to Luna that people could stop loving each other.

"Aww, no, Lu, of course not!" Max pulls Luna onto his lap. "Look. Some people, my parents included, love each other when they get married, and it feels all exciting and new. But eventually, the excitement of being in love goes away, and maybe the people realize they aren't good for each other. But Mum and I," he glances at Helen, reassured by her serene smile, "yeah, we're in love, but our relationship started out as friendship, so we make a really good team. We make goals and decisions about our family together. We support each other through the good times and bad. Love isn't just a feeling, it's a choice too. Sometimes, other people give up when things get tough. But long before we got married, Mum and I promised to love each other, no matter how we change and even when we fight. So we're never gonna give up."

Hearing Max talk about his belief in the strength of their relationship gives Helen goosebumps. She's reminded all over again of why she said yes when he proposed. "Luna, choosing who to marry, if you want to get married at all, is a very big decision. Love is important, but so is compromise and learning how to solve your disagreements in a healthy manner. So even though your father and I argue sometimes, we work things through together as best we can."

"Believe me, we're not perfect, but no relationship is. What matters is that you try your hardest to be the best person and partner you can be." Max caresses the side of Helen's face, brushing her cheek with his thumb, "And Mum inspires me to do that."

Pressing a kiss to his palm, Helen's heart flutters just staring into Max's sea-blue eyes swimming in adoration. "That goes both ways."

Luna nuzzles into Max's side. "I wanna marry someone like you someday."

"As you should, my love," Helen says, ruffling the girl's hair, "as you should."

8:45 p.m.

With Luna soundly asleep for the night in one of the rooms, Max and Helen take turns showering off the sand and saltwater from their bodies. Helen makes herself a mug of tea and relaxes on the couch while Max finishes in the bathroom. When he enters, Helen pats the seat next to her, beaconing him over. "Come sit! She's moving again!"

Max's hair is still damp, he's wearing a light gray t-shirt that hugs his muscles in all the right places, and he smells like sea salt ocean breeze body wash, all of which Helen can't get enough of!

When Max sits on the couch, Helen places his hand on her stomach where she feels possibly an elbow or foot making quick jabs. "It appears our girl loves tea!"

"A proper Brit." Max gives Helen a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes. Rubbing her stomach, he starts quietly singing. "🎵You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You'll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away🎵"

Even though Max is singing, he sounds melancholy, and Helen senses something is off. "You alright, luv?"

Max simply shrugs, not taking his eyes off her stomach.

"Are you thinking about your parents?" Helen figured Luna asking about them might have triggered some unpleasant memories. "Or your sister?" When he still doesn't respond, Helen places her mug on the coffee table and climbs to sit on Max's lap, knees on either side of his legs. "Max," Helen guides his chin up, forcing him to look at her, "burden me."

Heaving a long, weary sigh, Max furrows his brows, anchoring his hands on Helen's thighs. "My mom texted me earlier. Well, technically, she texted this morning, but I didn't see it 'til you were giving Luna a bath."

Helen gently caresses the hair at the nape of Max's neck, hoping to help him relax under her touch. "What did she say?"

"She was wishing me a happy birthday, which she hasn't done since the year Georgia and I got married." Even then, it was a brief voicemail on her way home from a charity event, making him feel like an afterthought. "She… might want to meet you and Luna at some point soon."

"That sounds lovely, but you're saying that as if it's a bad thing."

"It's just… it's weird. I've always wanted to keep the door open for her in case she ever wanted to reach out or reconnect, but now that she has… I don't know, what if I get burned again?"

Helen rubs Max's shoulders, willing him to keep talking by using his tactic of holding silent eye contact.

"I know she's always loved me, but not enough. She spent most of my childhood making excuses for Dad's terrible behavior. I've told you how verbally abusive and manipulative he became after my sister died. He'd yell at me and Mom a lot, but then pretend we were the perfect family in public. When I left for college… things got worse since I wasn't around. Mom finally decided she couldn't take it anymore." Max hates what he had to go through, but is grateful it brought him and Helen together. She is first and foremost his best friend, partner, and confidant, and Max knows he can tell her anything without fear of judgment. "Dad made me feel so small and worthless, like nothing I did was enough to earn his love. There's no hope for reconciliation for him in my books, but I wish Mom had defended and protected me more, you know? I was a kid, her kid. It was only after I left she finally decided to put up a fight." For a long time, Max felt guilty about leaving his mother to fend for herself, but he's since made peace with it. He saved the only person he could: himself.

Sliding her hands up and down Max's arms, Helen takes a quiet moment to figure out the best way to word her response while still validating his experiences. "Listen, Max, I completely agree with your decision to cut your father out of your life. No one should make their child feel that way. You have Luna's and my love, always. There's nothing you need to do to earn it. It's unconditional."

Max's lips upturn into a tiny smile as he gives Helen a nod. "I know."

"But it sounds to me like your mother was trapped playing the good wife in a loveless marriage and simply trying to survive. I'm not excusing her absenteeism as a parent, but I'm sure she carries a lot of guilt about it. Maybe she's changed after all these years. My relationship with Mum is far from perfect, but we've finally healed some of our old wounds. I'll support you either way, but if you don't at least try with her, you may come to regret it, especially with the baby on the way and our future move to London."

"Yeah, you're probably right," Max begrudgingly mumbles. Even though he hates discussing his parents, it feels like a weight is lifted off his shoulders. That's what burdening each other is for, right? "Okay, enough of that talk. I want my birthday present now!"

A tiny wave of panic courses through Helen. "Oh, erm, I don't… have it here. It's being delivered to the apartment."

Max slips his hands under Helen's shirt and up her waist, excited to discover she's already taken her bra off for the night. "I meant you," he hums seductively, dragging his lips along her jawline.

Electricity courses through Helen's veins at his words. "Oh, well then, by all means, proceed."

They make out on the couch for a few minutes like two teenagers, Max getting handsy under Helen's shirt as she runs her fingers through his hair and rocks against him. Before long, Max carries Helen into one of the bedrooms and places her on the mattress. As he locks the door, Helen discards her pajama shorts and scoots back on the bed, eager to get started. Max does the same before climbing onto the bed on all fours, hovering over Helen. She tries to pull Max's hips down, but he pins her hands on either side of her head, interlocking their fingers. Staring down at Helen squirming and panting beneath him, Max can't believe how lucky he is to have her in his life. "I really won the lottery marrying you!"

"Yes, yes, you love me," Helen says impatiently. "Now get on with it!"

Doing as he's told, Max kisses all over Helen's face and neck as he grinds between her legs, being careful not to put his weight on her bump.

Helen arches her hips for more friction. The thin fabric of their underwear does nothing to conceal Max's desire, already half-hard against her center. She's breathless, but more than usual. Panic courses through Helen as she gets lightheaded. "Wait, Max, I—" she begins, trying to wriggle free.

Max rolls off Helen as she bolts up, hand on her chest as she catches her breath. "Is it the baby? Do we need to go get you checked out?"

"No, it's…" Helen takes a few more deep breaths, feeling the oxygen flowing through her body again. "She's getting bigger. I don't think I can lay on my back anymore. She's compressing my vena cava and it's slowing down my blood circulation."

"Are you sure? There's a hospital a few miles away," Max says, concern still evident on his face.

"Max, I'm fine, really," she assures him, then swings her leg over to straddle Max. "We should just avoid that position for the remainder of my pregnancy, that's all."

Relaxing a bit, Max pulls Helen's shirt off, then wraps his hands around her waist as he presses his lips to the inside of each breast. "Fine by me! I get better access to these babies from down here anyway!"

Helen can't control the laughter that bubbles out, gripping Max's head to keep it in place against her chest as she rocks her hips. "I love it when you're cheeky!"

Half an hour later, Helen returns to bed after a post-coital bathroom trip, settling her back against Max's chest. He drapes his arm over her, hand curiously roaming around her stomach as they enjoy some oxytocin-inducing cuddling. Max had hoped to feel the baby kick again, but no luck. "She's not moving. I thought you said she was more active at night."

Helen quietly chuckles, then rolls over to face Max. "She normally is. But apparently, the rocking motion during sex can soothe fetuses to sleep."

"Oh, that's hilarious! Then she must be out like a light!" He, at least, is blissed out! Max dips his head down to kiss Helen soft and slow while dragging his fingers along her waist.

Helen unintentionally moans into Max's mouth as he squeezes her butt, pulling her naked body flush against his. She can't get enough of Max's touch, how perfectly they fit together. As distracting as it is, on the anniversary of his birth, she wants to learn more about him, wants to know him more intimately. Helen places her hand on Max's chest to put a little space between them, much to his dismay. "Alright, dear. Tell me something good, a happy memory from when you were a child."

"Hmm. What do you want to know?"

"I dunno. Perhaps a memory with your sister, birthday or otherwise."

Max scrolls through the highlights of his childhood. There aren't many to choose from, as he doesn't remember much of life before the age of five. But one memory stands out as one of his favorites. "Okay, I got one. The Christmas Luna and I were six, we each got one of those old-fashioned red wooden sleds with the metal bars. So over Christmas break, we took them to Central Park and found a small hill to ride down. I wanted to go down one of the bigger hills, but our nanny said we were still too little. We made snowmen, snow angels, and had a snowball fight too. Luna's hands and toes were so cold, we got hot chocolate on our way home. Then the nanny let us have grilled cheese and tomato soup while we watched Rudolph under a blanket fort we built. We even tried acting it out. I'm sure it looked pretty funny, both of us running around the living room on all fours like reindeer. Luna was being a bit bossy, trying to direct the scenes, but I think about that every Christmas."

Helen waits a moment, making sure Max is finished before responding. "That sounds like quite a magical day."

"Yeah, it was." Max gets lost in Helen's warm brown eyes, her expression soft and open as she listens. "I guess my way of preserving the few happy moments I had growing up is making new memories. I want to create something better than what you and I had, something better for our girls, something better for all of us." It's not often Max's self-doubt creeps in anymore, assuaged by Helen's assurance he's enough. But it occasionally resurfaces on days he's reminiscing about his past, particularly about his parents. "I just hope I'm making you all happy."

Helen places a long, firm kiss on Max's forehead and whispers, "You are." It's probably for the best Max cut his father out of his life, because if she ever met the infamous Charles Goodwin, Helen would give him a piece of her mind!

They're startled out of their quiet moment by a knock, followed by the doorknob rattling. "Mummy? Daddy? I'm scared! Can I sleep with you?"

Max emits a barely audible groan, nuzzling his face into Helen's chest. "Sure, one second, Lu."

"At least she didn't interrupt us. You got your birthday present," Helen says seductively before giving Max one last open, messy kiss.

Dragging themselves out of bed, Helen slips on her underwear and pajama shorts, unsuccessfully trying to contain a giggle as Max hops and topples over while putting his on. "You alright, luv?"

"Yeah, I just, um… I got distracted," he confesses from the floor, staring at Helen's figure.

Helen shakes her head, but blushes at his implication. "You're hopeless!"

Once they're fully dressed, Helen opens the door for Luna. "Hello, Munchkin. What are you doing awake?"

Luna clings to Helen's legs. "There's lots of noises! I think there's a monster in my room!"

"Oh, sweetheart! Monsters aren't real. This cottage is a little old, and sometimes, old buildings make odd sounds."

"No, I heard it! It was roaring! What if it's Ursula?"

"Ursula isn't real either. Maybe it was the ocean. The waves are pretty loud. But come on. You can have a cuddle." Helen guides Luna into the room, helping her climb into bed before following along.

"Hey, baby!" Max says, kissing Luna's head.

"Daddy, were you scared of monsters when you were a kid?"

"Yeah, sometimes. But they're just in your imagination. You know what that means? It means you're really creative! Maybe you could write a story one day."

Luna lights up at the suggestion. She loves when Max and Helen read her books, but the idea that she could write one too is exciting! "Really?"

"Yeah, if you want. Now back to sleep, okay?" Max slips down under the covers, urging Luna to do the same. Once the lamp is off and everyone's settled in bed again, Max stares at Helen, her silhouette barely discernable in the low light of the crescent moon outside. "Night, love you," he whispers.

Helen reaches overtop Luna to caress Max's beard, getting butterflies when he puts his own hand over it and presses his lips to her palm. "I love you too. Happy birthday, luv."

Author's notes:

1. I've seen a lot of mixed research on when exactly babies can hear anything outside the mother's body. I'm just gonna assume it's not until after 25 weeks.

2. Since this chapter takes place in August of 2023, the new live-action "Little Mermaid" will already be out, so that's the one I'm referencing (super excited about it!)

3. Helen's wild hair during university was basically Freema's hair in Sense8 (I have not seen it though)

4. I had put off naming Max's parents for a while. I wanted to wait and see what the show was going to do. But I have low hopes that we'll ever actually meet them or learn more about Max's childhood in the show. So I wanted to give his parents names that sounded like they come from money.