Amanda held up a clean towel and after Efraim had cleared the baby's mouth, he wrapped the towel around his son and laid him on Francine's chest. Tears blurred his eyes and he realized he was crying. Francine had tears running down her face as she cooed at the baby who let the world know he was there with loud, indignant cries. Amanda hugged them both, her own face wet as well.

"I need something to tie off the cord in two places, any clamps in there?" Efraim asked Amanda, pointing to the mini bar in the limo.

"No, but how about some string?" She held up some string from one of the drawers and handed it to Efraim. He tied the cord off in two places, waiting until he saw it flatten, then cut it with his Swiss Army Knife scissors after Amanda had poured some vodka over them.

He moved to take Francine and the baby in his arms, kissing his wife and smiling as the baby looked at him, his one eye open, the other closed. "He looks like Popeye!" Efraim said.

"He does not! He's perfect!" His wife responded, her tone indignant at her husband's pronouncement, all the while never taking her eyes off of her son's face. "Efraim? We made a baby. A perfect baby." Her voice was full of awe at the new life that lay in her arms.

"We did, we made a baby. I love you, Francine. Thank you. Thank you for our son." He held them in his arms, in awe of the fact that he had delivered their child.

The limo came to a stop and the doors opened on both sides. Hospital emergency employees were on one side, Dr. Smyth and Dave Geiger on the other.

"You had the baby?" Dr. Smyth asked as he peered into the interior. "You had the baby in my limo?"

Amanda started to giggle, then broke into laughter. "Oh Dr. Smyth, if you could only see your face!" Amanda took Dave's hand and climbed out of the limo as the emergency room staff climbed in to help move Francine and the baby.

One efficient nurse tried to take the baby away from Francine, only to come away empty handed. Francine wasn't giving that baby up to anyone. They finally got her onto a gurney and wheeled her inside, Efraim holding her hand. Francine's doctor had met them at the limo and was shaking his head. He looked the baby over quickly, nodding his satisfaction and then told Francine he needed to take care of a few things with her and that she would get a bed and some rest for the night.

Efraim, true to form, refused to leave Francine, donning hospital greens and staying with her the entire time. Pediatric nurses came in and helped Efraim weigh and measure the baby, then he was able to give his son his first sponge bath. The baby seemed surprised by all the commotion, but was quiet, watching the lights in the ceiling and his fathers face as Efraim talked to him.

"He's just like his Daddy!" Francine said, watching her husband and their son. "He sees answers in the stars too."

The nurses had helped Francine into a hospital gown, and she was sitting up against the raised back of the gurney. She watched as Efraim put a diaper on the baby as well as a tiny knit shirt and cap for his head. The nurse showed him how to swaddle the baby in a blanket and let him bring the baby over to Francine.

Laying their son in Francine's arms, he leaned over and kissed his wife. "I love you. I can't believe you did this. He's, he's perfect!" His throat thickened with tears and with emotions that had no words to express them.

"Efraim, I want you to meet your son, John Efraim Beaman the third. John, this is your daddy, the most wonderful man in the world. He'll teach you all sorts of wonderful things and take you places you never dreamed existed. Just like he has me."

Efraim wiped away the tears from Francine's cheeks, both of them laughing as the baby yawned loudly and closed his eyes, having experienced enough for the day.

An orderly came to move Francine and the baby into a room. As they went down the hall, they saw Amanda, Dr. Smyth, Dave Geiger waiting for them. The orderly asked that they let him get the new family settled before the visited.

Lifting Francine in his arms, Efraim gently laid her on the bed, pulling the sheet over her legs. The baby slept peacefully in her arms, his face scrunching and relaxing. Efraim put his finger inside his son's hand, smiling as the baby softly curled his fingers around his.

"May we come in and see the new family?" Amanda asked from the doorway.

"Amanda! Come see!" Francine called out, wonder and excitement in her voice.

Amanda, Dr. Smyth and Dave Geiger all crowded around the bed, looking at the baby asleep in his mother's arms.

"I'd say introductions are due here, Beaman. Don't you agree?" Smyth demanded of Efraim, smiling at the baby before him.

"You are correct, sir. Amanda, Dr. Smyth, Dave, please meet our son, John Efraim Beaman, III. John, these are the some of the most important people in your Mommy and Daddy's life."

"What is this Dr. Smyth nonsense? I'm his Uncle Austin. Let me see him." Austin Smyth, Director of The Agency, lifted the small bundle from his mother's arms and held him like a pro. Sitting in the chair, he admired the baby. "I see his has his father's penchant for bright lights," he said as the baby preferred the lights to the man holding him.

Francine laughed. "He was bound to be like Efraim, wasn't he?"

"He's a very handsome baby." Dr. Smyth pronounced. "Mrs. Stetson? Would you like to hold him?" Smyth stood and offering the seat to Amanda, he handed her the baby when she sat down.

"Francine, his hair reminds me of the color of yours in Romania! Such a pale strawberry blond!" Amanda said, gently stroking the tufts of hair on John's head.

"Please, don't remind her of that, will you?" Efraim and Geiger said at the same time, laughing.

The evening had passed quickly with the visits of friends and family all coming to see the newest addition to the Beaman family. Efraim had watched until Francine yawned, exhausted at the events of the day, and he had sent their guests home.

He sat in the chair, holding his son and watching him make faces in his sleep. Rather in awe of the small life in his hands, he carefully settled the baby in his arms and rested his head on the back of the chair.

"Are you asleep, Beaman?"

Efraim sighed and shook his head. "How long have you been outside the door?"

Lee quietly walked into the room, careful not to wake Francine or the sleeping baby. "On and off all evening. I just wanted to say congratulations." He stuffed his hands into his pockets and shrugged, not knowing what else to say.

"Thanks. Wanna hold him?" Efraim made to move, but Lee held up his hand.

"I will, not tonight though, let him sleep. How's Francine?"

Looking at his wife peacefully sleeping before he answered, he smiled. "Fine, she's fine. Tired, but she's great."

Lee nodded. "You know, Beaman. I really am sorry about all of this. The last thing I would want is for anything to happen to Francine and the baby. Or you for that matter."

"I know."

"Look, we'll talk about it another time. I just wanted to come in and, well, see if everyone was alright."

"Thanks." Both men looked at the baby as he stretched and gave a little cry. One eye opened followed by the other and little fists waved in the air. Efraim looked concerned. "He doesn't have very good coordination. He opens one eye at a time, he looks like Popeye. Do you think he'll stay like that?"

Lee chuckled. "He's fine, Efraim. Babies do that. It's nothing to worry about."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, give him a few days, he'll be blinking in Morse Code." Both men grinned. Lee slapped Efraim on the shoulder, touched the baby's cheek and headed toward the door. "Tell Francine I stopped by to say congratulations."

"I will, thanks again."

Lee nodded and walked out into the hall. Amanda was waiting and he smiled at her.

"Better?" She linked her arm with his as they walked down the corridor.

"Yeah, better. Amanda?"

"Yeah?"

"Was I that naïve when the kids were born? I mean, Beaman is worried that the baby will look like Popeye. I never did that stuff, did I?"

Amanda laughed and pressed the call button for the elevator. Stepping in, Lee pressed the main lobby and the doors closed.

"Well, was I?"

"You were worse. But it's okay, you learned. So will Efraim, this is all new."

Lee shrugged. "You think Francine will be okay?"

"I think Francine will be just fine. She'll surprise everyone with how good a mother she will be. Especially herself. You just watch and see."

Lee helped his wife into their car and started the engine. "Thanks Amanda."

"For what?" Amanda looked at Lee in the dim light of the car interior. She could tell he had a lot on his mind, and he was feeling guilty about Francine. He would have to work that out with Francine and Efraim. But she'd be there to help.

"Well, for everything. You know."

"Yeah, I know. Let's go home."

The baby continued to fuss and Francine woke up, yawning. "He sounds hungry."

Efraim stood up and handed their son to Francine. "I think he's always hungry."

Francine softly laughed as she nursed the baby. Efraim sat on the edge of the bed and watched.

"I didn't think this would ever happen to me. I can't believe I'm sitting here watching you feed our son. I'm, I'm almost speechless."

"That's a first," Francine mocked as she slipped her finger into John's little fist. She smiled and closed her eyes, letting the moment seep into her.

They sat quietly while the baby nursed. A nurse came in to take the baby to weigh him before bringing him back for the night.

"Lee stopped by earlier."

"I know. I heard him."

"Avoiding him?"

"No, the two of you needed to talk first, even if it was just about how our son looks like Popeye. It's a start."

"Yeah, I guess."

"It'll work out. Trust me."

Efraim laughed and wrapped his arms around Francine. "Trust you? Always have. Always will."

"Smart man. Efraim? I'm hungry."

He sighed, knowing he'd go get his wife whatever she wanted. "What do you want?"

She shrugged and gave him a little grin. "I don't know. Surprise me."

Efraim just stared. "Surprise you? You want me to surprise you?"

"Yeah, just like you do everyday. Surprise me."

He dropped a kiss on her forehead and climbed off the hospital bed. "Okay, but just remember you're the one who wanted to be surprised!" He gave her a wave and headed out the door, a mission to complete for his wife.

Francine watched him go, then settled herself back down on the pillows. She quickly re-ran the events of the day, none of them really making much impression next to the birth of her son. She knew she was smiling, and she knew in the future she and Efraim would laugh over the delivery of their first born in the back of a limo. Somehow it seemed perfect.

"Are you sure you want me to surprise you?" Efraim asked again from the door?

Francine just laughed.

The End.