The Name Game

It was a good thing there was four months left in Aimee's pregnancy. She was still trying to decide the name she liked most for the baby boy she carried. The name Austin was high on her list. Austin Matthew Caine sounded nice too. Her husband now thought it was a nice idea for the unborn child to share his middle name.

Horatio Matthew Caine.

Austin Matthew Caine.

Both had a nice ring to it.

Cheyenna Caine was fascinated at how "iny" newborn clothes were, she was even more fascinated that she once worn clothes that small. The parents had plenty of some neutral onesies and sleepers but the majority of the baby items they already had were pink, or if not pink, girl-themed. The neutral items could be used again but shopping was in order for the wardrobe for the new baby. Aimee hadn't had to do as much shopping for baby clothing wise during her second pregnancy because they already had so many things. The mother-to-be was enjoying picking out blue clothes with car, trucks and trains and "daddy's little man" printed on them. She had a feeling that Austin or Jesse would certainly be "daddy's little man."

Eighteen-month-old Cheyenna Hope Caine was sound asleep in the umbrella stroller. Shopping with mommy was tiring. There was so much to see and point at. Before she had fallen asleep mommy had said they would go to McDonald's soon. Cheyenna loved to eat mommy's fries. If she wanted more than five or six fries for herself Aimee had to super-size.

"It's a boy, huh?" Aimee heard from behind her while shopping in the baby section at Walmart.

She turned around to see Sophie Myers.

"Sophie. Hey!"

Aimee gave the other woman a hug. She knew Sophie through her biological mother, Gail. Sophie barely associated with Gail now. The woman had no regard for the feelings of others, even the two children she gave birth to.

"Long time, no see. You look great," Sophie said. "She's adorable," she said looking at a sleeping Cheyenna. "She's looks like Horatio."

"This is Cheyenna. We just dropped Rachel off at school."

The two woman sat down at the McDonald's in the store to chat. Aimee made sure to remember get Rachel a happy meal to go. Cheyenna woke up after a few moments and wanted fries, her mom's of course. Aimee had ordered a plain cheeseburger and fries. She happily munched away while Aimee showed Sophie photos of three-year-old Rachel.

Rachel went to preschool three half days a week. That was where she was now.

"How far along are you?" Sophie asked.

"Five months on Wednesday," Aimee said.

The last time Sophie had seen Aimee and Horatio, Aimee was just four months pregnant with Rachel. Sophie knew many others who were close to the couple and knew all about the ordeals the couple had been through in the past few years. The attack on Horatio's life; having to live at the safe house when an escaped convict was after them and how Aimee had survived near strangulation in the hospital bed by this man and Horatio shooting him. She was glad those times were over and they were able to have the family life both deserved.

"And how old are you?" Sophie asked Cheyenna.

Cheyenna held up one finger.

"And add six months," Aimee put in.

"Looks like two daddy's girls," Sophie said.

You have no idea, Aimee thought.

Sophie also saw a few wallet size photos from the couple's second wedding. She thought that it was sweet how the couple had included Rachel in some of the pictures. She thought the most adorable one of the couple, their daughter sitting on their laps between them. Rachel had a big grin on her face as each parent kissed her on each cheek. Sophie could imagine what a doting daddy Horatio was just by the adoring way he looked at a pregnant Aimee three years ago.

"You should come over for dinner sometime. I know Horatio would love to see you, too," Aimee told Sophie. The other woman readily accepted the invite for that Sunday evening, the thought of getting to see Horatio Caine in the role of daddy was too much to resist. Aimee's parents Lacy and Trey were coming over as well. Technically they were cooking. They wanted to give their pregnant daughter a chance to rest and enjoy a day with her family. Horatio had to work over-time on that Saturday.