Baby Longmire makes his debut

When they tagged the baby with his little plastic ankle band, in front of Walt and Vic, Walt smiled and tried not to laugh.

Vic shot him a look, "What?!"

"Read his band."

The nurse brought Cole closer and turned so Vic could see the band in question: Baby Longmire was printed in black ink and nearly filled the entire space.

Vic gave him a look that accused 'you did that'.

Walt laughed out loud at that and threw his hands up in mock defense as he shook his head, "Wasn't me."

She laughed back at him, "Only because you didn't think of it first."

"Yep." He grinned down at her. In that moment he marveled at how well Vic really understood him and accepted him; strengths, faults, moodiness, and off center sense of humor. She got it all and wanted it all. Overcome with emotion brought on by her love for him, the beauty of witnessing his son's birth, and an overwhelming desire for her to know his inner most thoughts at that moment Walt leaned down, stroked the hair from her face, and gently kissed the mother of his child as if his life depended on it; for that brief moment it felt as though it did.

When he released her mouth he didn't look away. He kept his eyes on hers and let her see past the moisture collecting in them into the depth of his heart.

Vic stroked his face, gave him a tender kiss and said, "I love you too, cowboy."

One of the nurses apologized but asked Walt to step back while they got Vic ready to return to her room. Walt stepped over to the adjoining room and watched as they bathed Cole and prepared him to meet the world or at least the people who would be a big part of his little world. Another of the nurses passed by and Walt recognized her as Stacey, the nurse who had placed the band on Cole's ankle; he stopped her to ask a favor.

Not long after they got Vic settled back in her room, Stacey wheeled Cole in in the hospital bassinet. She pushed the little cart up alongside Vic's bed, "Mrs. Longmire, you husband asked that I do something special for you."

Vic watched as Stacey carefully cut the Baby Longmire band from Cole's ankle and placed a new one on him. Walt quietly thanked her but did not elaborate, giving Vic no further hint as to what was going on. When she finished, Stacey bundled the baby up in the blankets and handed him to his mother. She explained she would be back in a little while and that they should use the call button if they needed anything before then. She smiled, told Walt he was welcome and then quietly excused herself.

Vic gently fished her son's little foot out from the layers of fabric and read his new band: D.N. 'Cole' Longmire.

She chuckled at Walt, "You're funny."

"Nope, just practical. You can have that one for his baby book." Walt reached over and snatched the other band up from the bassinet, "This one's mine." Walt winked at her as he tucked the little band into his shirt pocket and made sure it was safely buttoned shut.

The next day

Walt took the little band to a friend of his who was a leathercrafter. The man made a frame to Walt's specifications. The edges were to be tooled with boots and hats, the top would have 'Cole' tooled into it and the bottom would have the baby band securely embedded so Baby Longmire was clearly on display.
Walt made sure that the name 'Cole' was in single quotes. Vic had said they weren't giving their son the name Cole, it was just what they were calling him, and Walt wanted to acknowledge and honor that.

A week later

When Walt gave Vic the neatly wrapped gift he explained that is wasn't an anniversary gift. They had agreed; actually Vic had insisted, they would not exchange gifts because they did little things for each other quite often anyway. They did agree that no matter what was happening on their anniversary they would have at least one meal together. Vic had said 'Even if it was soggy sandwiches under a leafless tree', or the two of them each eating while on the phone together. That last one was in concession to the possibility of one of them being out of town for work. The additional caveat was they made the phone call meal up with a real meal together the first day they we in the same town. Walt smiled as he thought back over the conversation; it really was one sided but he thought Vic's ideas were all really good so all he had to do was agree. He could live with that; a happy wife made for a happy life.

Vic smiled at Walt's sweet sentimental frame and that he had preserved the Baby Longmire band his own way.

"I picked out the frame, you pick the picture."

"Deal." She hugged him as they watched Cole sleep in the crib Walt and Henry had built for him. Vic said she absolutely loved the frame, would pick out, and regularly change the picture; but she wanted Walt to keep it on his desk.

They stood watching their son sleeping in the crib Henry had help to make. When Vic said, "You know I have the most considerate men I my life."

Walt hugged her loosely with one arm, "You mean Henry?" He asked as he rubbed one hand over the smooth burl wood top rail of the crib.

"Well him too, but I was think of you and Cole."

"I get me, I think. But Cole?"

"He's probably the most considerate. He made sure he was born a week early so that we could be home in time for our first anniversary." She couldn't resist laughing at her own joke.

Walt hugged her tighter with both if his arms and chuckled at her, "You're right. That was very considerate of him." The baby made a well-timed little sigh and Walt added, "He says you're welcome."

Okay folks, I know this one was a bit short, but that's just how the chapters broke. To make up for it I have written an Epilogue with some added goodies that will be posted Friday. Some of you already knew this would likely go until Wednesday, so I wanted you to be aware there will be a little extra added on.