Chapter 12: A surprise

(A.N: The next chapter will be the last.)

Three months after their honeymoon, Daniel was worried. Since about a month, Betty was sick every morning. She kept telling him it was nothing but he could not help but worry. He did not want to lose Betty as he has lost Molly. So he decided to bring her to the doctor. Betty hoped she was pregnant but decided not to tell him anything so she could not create false hopes.

"Mr and Mrs Meade. I have the results and they are very clear."

"What does it say?" asked Daniel gripping Betty's hand anxiously.

"That you are going to be parents."

"What?"

"I knew it." Betty softly said.

"What? You knew it? And you didn't tell me?"

"I didn't want to create false hopes."

"Since when?" he asked the doctor.

"She is two months along."

"Two months? That means that during the honeymoon…"

"Very likely." Replied Betty smilingly.

"I am going to be a father.» A wide smile began to form on Daniel's face. He put a hand on the flat stomach of his wife. "Betty, can you believe it? I am going to be a father."

Betty laughed: "Of course, I can believe it. I am the one carrying it." She loved to see the happiness on her husband's face. She knew that Daniel has wanted a family for a long time. She felt happy and ready to be a mother with such a wonderful man at her side.

"Is there anything she has to avoid?" Daniel asked the doctor.

Betty rolled her eyes. He was beginning to take on the role of "overprotective father to be." She was not an invalid.

"If she does not overtire herself, she will be fine. The fetus is developing fine."

Finally, came the day were Betty and Daniel were to know the sex of their baby. They were holding hands and waiting impatiently for the picture on the monitor to show.

"And there we are. Do you want to know the sex?"

"Yes!" they both said at the same time.

"It's a little girl."

"A girl!" repeated Daniel with a big smile. "Wow! A girl! Is she all right?"

"She is completely fine."

"A little girl, wow!" He looked at Betty who was radiant. "I love you so much, Betty."

"I love you too." They kissed.

When they came back home, they were discussing girls names. They finally agreed on honoring their respective mothers by calling her Rosa Claire. Daniel loved putting his hands on Betty's pregnant belly and talk to his little girl to feel her kicking. Betty was often moved to tears by the devotion he showed to his unborn child. On her fifth month, they decided to move to another apartment so they could have enough space to welcome their baby.

Needless to say, the whole family was thrilled when they told them the news. Claire was even more delighted when they told her that her name will be the baby's second name and sent tons of baby's things. Alexis sent tons of baby accessories, toys and designer baby clothes from France. Hilda, who has recently given birth to a girl called Lily, with the help of Justin also sent tons of baby things. Ignacio was moved by the name they picked. Claire and the Suarez family said they will come visit two weeks after the baby's birth to give time to themselves as new parents.

Daniel decided to delegate most of his work as the birth approached. Betty has taken her maternity leave when she was six months pregnant. The day of the birth ,10th of December, was not pleasant for Daniel and Betty. Betty had to wait for 12 hours and was not in a very good mood because of it.

"It is time, Mrs Meade. Your baby is ready to be born."

"Oh thank god!" said Betty through clenched teeth as she was hit by another painful contraction. She gripped Daniel's hands "Don't leave me!"

"I am not going anywhere."

The midwife told Betty: "Now Betty, I need you to push as hard as you can."

Betty pushed and screamed. "I am sorry, baby. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Repeated Daniel who hated to see Betty suffer.

"Damnit Daniel! If you say "I'm sorry" one more time…" threatened Betty while panting.

"I'm…" he wisely stopped when he saw the glare on his wife's face. "Push, baby, push!"

"The baby is almost out. One more big push, Betty."

"There she is." Said the midwife. Daniel and Betty with enormous emotion heard the cries of their daughter. The midwife lifted Rosa so that the parents could take their first look at her. Betty and Daniel were crying tears of joy.

"She is so beautiful." Said Daniel.

"And so tiny." Added Daniel.

"Would you like to cut the cord, Daddy?"

"Yes, of course." He cut the cord.

"Where are they taking her?" fretted Betty.

"Do not worry. They are just cleaning her a bit."

"Ok. Careful with her. She is really tiny."

Betty then gazed at Daniel and he gazed back at her.

"I love you."

"I love you too." And they gently kissed.

"There you go, Mr and Mrs Meade, your newborn daughter, Rosa Claire Meade." The midwife put Rosa into Betty's arms.

Their daughter had Daniel's blue eyes. Rosa gazed at her parents who were looking at her with the adoring look shared by all parents word wide. Daniel trailed a finger to caress her cheek and his smile widened when one of her tiny hands gripped his finger. Then she yawned and fell asleep. Soon after, Betty did the same exhausted by the birth.

Daniel sat himself in the seat near Betty's bed holding his daughter. He began to talk to her with all the love and tenderness he had for her: "Good afternoon, Rosa. Welcome to the world, my darling. You are so beautiful, my lovely princess. I love you so much, you and your mommy." He gently kissed her on the forehead.

He stayed contemplating his daughter's slumber. When Betty woke up, she smiled to witness the loving and worshipping expression on Daniel's face as he tenderly and gently rocked Rosa.

"You will be a great father, Daniel."

Daniel raised his head to stare at Betty. "How long have you been awake?"

"Not long."

"How are you feeling?"

"I am still tired but I feel much better. I love seeing you with Rosa."

"She is perfect, isn't she?"

Rosa soon woke up crying to claim her meal. The midwife instructed Betty how to correctly breastfeed Rosa. Daniel was fascinated not only by the sounds Rosa made when she fed but also by the expression of pure bliss on Betty's face as she gazed at their daughter. Afterwards, Rosa fell asleep once again.

"You need to tell our families. I am going to rest awhile."

"All right."

Daniel called Alexis first since France was so close clockwise from England. Alexis was delighted and spent quite a lot of time congratulating him and insisted that he sent her pictures as soon as possible. DJ joined his congratulations in French.

Then Daniel called Ignacio. At New York, it was 10 in the morning.

"Daniel, your mother is visiting us now. What news?"

"Rosa was born an hour ago!" he almost shouted with joy.

Ignacio shouted with joy and he heard him announce it to the whole room.

"Daniel, that's wonderful! How is Betty and how is Rosa?"

"Betty is very well, only very tired. She is sleeping now. Rosa is also resting after being fed."

"Let me talk to him." He heard his mother's voice. Ignacio gave her the phone.

"Daniel, I am so happy for you! What does Rosa look like?"

"She has my blue eyes. She has Betty's skin tone. She is so beautiful!"

"Is Betty all right?"

"She is very well."

"I want pictures as soon as you can take it. I can't wait to meet my new grandchild in two weeks."

"I can't wait for you to meet her! I am so happy, mom! I want to be the best father for her."

"You will be. Congratulations son!"

Hilda, Justin, and Bobby added their congratulations.

The next day, the nurse came to take some photos. She took a lot of them. Daniel selected a few of them that he sent to their families.

Then they left the hospital to come back to their apartment. The press has heard of the Meade heir birth and flocked to the apartment to be the first to have a picture. Betty and Daniel discussed before deciding to place a birth announcement into a major newspaper with a picture.

Rosa was a beautiful and calm baby and was doted upon by her parents, her grandparents, her aunts and uncles, her cousins. After her first birthday, Daniel and Betty decided to move back to New York. Mr Dunne was very sad to lose Betty but understood the reason of her move. She appointed one of her colleagues as new editor in chief. She had worked with her and felt Helen Cody would be perfect to take over her. Daniel handed the reigns of his sponsoring agency to one of his of his most trusted employee who he felt confident will continue the work Daniel has done brilliantly. Betty and Daniel wanted to be near their families. They moved into a house in Manhattan.

They both agreed that they wanted more children so two years after Rosa, Natasha Molly was born on March 17th, followed three years later by Justin Ignacio on May 18th and finally two years later, William Bradford was born on September 22th.

Daniel recreated in New York his sponsoring agency and Betty created the magazine that she had pitched at the YETI application interview, B Magazine. It became as famous, successful, and renowned in its own field as Mode was.

Ignacio Suarez married Elena while Hilda had another girl called Anna. Justin had gone out for 6 years with Austin before separating and meeting Samuel, his current companion. He had become a renowned Broadway artist before becoming a sought after screen writer.

Marc St James went steady with Troy and Amanda had married Tyler and had two children the twins Nathan Spencer and Marc Scott. Marc became the co editor in chief of Mode with DJ after Wilhemina's retirement.

Looking back on his life, Daniel could honestly say that the only one who has brought so much people happiness was his Betty. She has allowed him to grow, and loved him for who he was almost from the first moments of their acquaintance. She has made him feel loved and wanted and allowed him to become a loving and concerned father who was sometimes a bit overprotective, especially with his two daughters. He didn't want them to suffer from the likes of his former self. Never would he have thought that a simple, modest girl from Queens would allow him to unlock his good, kind, generous heart and discover the joys of married life and paternity. Thank you Betty!