Two more chapters of Words Left Unsaid on the wall! To more chapters to go! If one of those chapters should happen to fall, it'll take forever to reassemble it and return it to the wall!

So it doesn't quite work. Who asked for your opinion, anyway? XP

Chapter Forty-Seven

Max

I couldn't believe that this was my baby. That it had been inside of me for nine (well, eight and a half) months and now it was finally out in the world. Fang sat down next to me on the edge of the bed and watched me stare at my baby.

It was at that point that my mom and Dr. Nicholson walked back in the room.

"Ah, Max. You're awake," Dr. Nicholson noted. "Excellent. How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay," I told her. "Just a little sore."

My mom glanced around the room. "What happened to Nudge?" she asked.

"She went to go check on the other kids," Fang said. Dr. Nicholson shot him a look. What was her problem? Why did she hate Fang so much?

"Max, Stephanie and I were talking, and I realized that we never talked about what you wanted to name him," my mom said.

"Oh," I said, sort of confused. "You have to name them?"

"Yes, of course you do!" Dr. Nicholson said. "Why on earth wouldn't you name him?"

"Well, I guess I sort of just figured he could name himself when he was older," I confessed, feeling stupid all of a sudden. "You know, just like we did."

"Oh," Dr. Nicholson said. Now she was confused.

"That's a very good idea," Mom said before Dr. Nicholson could shoot it down. "Very…unique!"

"But what are you going to call him until he names himself?" Dr. Nicholson said. I shrugged.

"I don't know, Baby?" I suggested.

"That's it?" she asked. "Baby?"

"Fine, The Baby?"

I guessed the flock had totally weirded Dr. Nicholson out beyond repair. If I were her, I would have just stopped questioning us and letting us do things our way. Idly, I wondered how long she'd had that stupid pole shoved up her butt.

"Or what about Little One?" I added quietly. Fang smiled. Like, actually, genuinely smiled.

"I think that's a good name."

Just then, Nudge popped her head through the door.

"Sorry to interrupt," she said, "but the rest of the flock, and Ella, were wondering if they could see the baby, too.

"You may send them in a few at a time," Dr. Nicholson agreed. "We wouldn't want to over stimulate Max or the baby."

"You mean Max or The Baby," I corrected, if only for the purpose of annoying her further.

"Okay, I get them," Nudge said as she retreated to the hallway. Shortly thereafter, Ella, Angel, and Gazzy entered.

"Girl or boy?" Ella asked immediately. Her eyes were sparkling.

"Boy," I said. Gazzy made a triumphant gesture. "Don't get any ideas," I told him. "I'm not letting him go all corrupted like you did."

"What's his name?" Ella asked.

"Little One, for the time being."

"Then he'll name himself?" Angel said. I nodded.

"That's the plan."

"Cool!" Angel said. Then she turned all shy and said, "Could I hold him?"

I smiled. "Of course." I patted the bed next to me and she sat down. Then I carefully (for both Little One's sake and mine) handed him to Angel. She held him like if she made she slightest movement, he would crumble into dust.

"He's really little," she said.

"Yep," I said.

Angel finished holding him and he was moved into Ella's eager arms shortly thereafter. When she finished her turn, and Gazzy finished "Just looking," they returned to…wherever it was that they'd been and sent the next group in.

The next group consisted solely of Nudge and Iggy. Nudge immediately wanted to hold Little One. I handed him to her and realized then how many people were in this family now.

In case you're curious, it's nine, if you counted my mom and Ella.

"He's just the sweetest thing," Nudge cooed, breaking my concentration.

"He's only a couple of hours old," I reminded her. "He isn't exactly exploding with personality."

After Nudge cooed and coddled Little One, Iggy finally, very slowly, stepped forward.

"Do you want to hold him?" I asked gently. Iggy pressed his lips together nervously.

"No," he said. He shifted his weight awkwardly, then hurried out of the room. I furrowed my brow as the door slammed shut behind him.

"Well," I said, breaking the silence that was left. "That was…really weird."

"Iggy's really weird," Fang said.

"He has been," I agreed. I decided to let it go and went back to stroking Little One's head.