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Chapter Thirty Six: Mommy, Daddy and Daughter

Marty had become unusually quiet as John pushed her in the wheel chair toward the hallway that would take them to the nursery. Michael had brought the wheel chair into the room a few seconds after saying he would and both he and John had helped Marty ease into the chair.

John had noticed her quiet demeanor as soon as she sat down. She had engaged both him and Mike in eager chatter and excitement about seeing their little girl and now she would barely acknowledge his attempts at small talk.

Stopping the chair a few feet from the nursery he moved to crouch in front of her demanding softly, "Hey Lady you wanna tell me what's wrong? Why you clammed up on me all of the sudden?"

"This is so stupid." Marty confessed. "I'm nervous. I'm actually nervous about seeing my own daughter."

John smiled and shook his head. "If this is what you look like when you're nervous. You should have seen me when I went in there for the first time. I was a wreck. I was nervous about seeing her too."

"This should be a piece of cake for you though. You're the pro." He quipped lightening the mood. Marty just giggled saying, "I wish having one child prepared you for another but I don't think it does. We're both going to be new at this."

"Then we'll figure it out together."

"I'd like that." She whispered as they shared a sweet kiss before John wheeled her into the nursery.

As John wheeled Marty in, they were greeted by a young female nurse who seemed to be familiar with John. "John, it's good to see you again. This must be the lovely Marty we've all heard so much about down here." She said smiling. "He talks about you to your little girl all the time. It's so cute."

Marty glanced up at John who shyly looked down at his feet and was blushing profusely. Offering the young nurse a polite smile she mused, "I'm sure it's very cute."

"Well I'll leave you two to your little girl. We're all very anxious on hearing the name you've picked out for such a beautiful baby. We heard you get to do the honors Mommy."

"I do. And we'll let you know as soon as we've decided. Thank you for keeping John and the baby company when I couldn't . . . " Marty stopped realizing she didn't know the pretty chestnut haired woman's name. "It's Sarah." She supplied smiling. "My name is Sarah and believe me it's been a pleasure. John's so quiet you don't notice he's here half the time unless he's talking about you. When he's talking about you or your son to the baby, he just can't stop."

"Really?" Marty questioned intrigued as she looked up at John with an arched brow.

"Don't worry lady. Everything I've told our little girl all the good stuff. When she's older, we'll get into the other stuff." John mused as his charming smile graced his face.

Sarah the nurse excused herself as John wheeled Marty over to the incubator which was still marked Baby Girl McBain. Inside that incubator was the most beautiful little girl Marty ever laid eyes on. Peeking out from her standard soft pink cap was a mop of full dark brown hair that curled on the edges and now staring into Marty's big chocolate eyes were a pair of beautiful aquamarine eyes as wide as saucers.

"My God John she's even more beautiful than I thought. Even in the pictures she's not this pretty." Marty gasped her fingers gingerly covering her mouth.

"Yeah, I know. That's what everybody tells me whenever I'm down here. But you know for as beautiful as she is she still needs a name. And there's already a Molly, a Tess and a Beth in here," John says. "And they're giving our little one a hard time since she doesn't have a name. So whaddya say we give her one Mom?"

Marty nodded as she gingerly placed her fingers in the incubator, touching her daughter's tiny hand whose skin was only as soft as a baby's could be. Her aquamarine eyes stared up at Marty in wonderment and she spoke so softly John wasn't sure he heard her. "Ella. Ella Sofia."

"Ella? Is that what you want to name her?" John questioned. Marty nodded her head eagerly and spoke louder this time. "Ella Sofia McBain."

"It's perfect; perfect for our little girl."