All familiar characters and events belong to Janet. The rest and any mistakes are mine.

My wife started fanning her eyes in response to her father calling her pregnancy and our baby a moment to savor. "Darn it! The hormones are kicking in early."

"Or you're just happy," I suggested.

"I am. If someone had told me this would be my life, I would've bought them seven self-hugging jackets, one for each day of the week."

"Only you, Babe."

I was in the process of dropping a kiss on the top of her head when I felt my cell buzz in my pocket. Aside from Julie, who'll be visiting us during her Spring break vacation, our immediate family is all in this room, so I was slower in checking the text.

"You may get a preview of what's coming with a new baby sooner than expected," I said to Frank, before sharing the news I was just told with my wife. "That was Cal. Kenzie went into labor, and her contractions are coming in hard and fast. They're already at the hospital."

"Why are we here then?" She asked.

"This could take all night. You know that better than anyone."

"So? We can just hang out there."

"In a hospital full of sick people while you're pregnant when there's still a pandemic sticking around?"

She mouthed the word 'fuck' instead of saying it out loud, but I still heard her frustration. "We need to be there to support both of them. Can't you wave a magic wallet and make that happen? You know, maybe buy the place a new wing so we can all camp out in it until we have a new kid on the team?"

Arguing will be pointless. Ever since Harper, Aubrey, and Kenzie joined estrogen forces with Steph and Ella … and now Aideen, Mabyn, Amari, and Simone being 'recruited', they've become a powerful support system for each other as well as for the people they love here.

Telling Stephanie to stand down until Cal and Kenzie's son is born will be torture for more than just her.

"Let me make a few calls and see what I can do."

"Work your magic, Batman. Is it alright if Olive stays here with you guys for a little while?" Steph asked her grandmother and father, one hundred percent sure we'll be leaving shortly. "I can call Tank or Ella to watch her if you prefer."

"Do that and I'll teach her everything I taught you," Edna warned. "We got this. Don't we, Frank?"

Even as I was speaking to a hospital higher-up, I could see that my father-in-law is less sure about watching his granddaughter for an unspecified length of time. He has two kids and almost half a dozen grandchildren and he still has zero experience with how to care for children.

"It'll be okay, Frankie," Aideen told him. "There's three of us adults for one baby girl. The odds are in our favor."

Stephanie barely held in a snort. "Her Daddy once held off an entire street gang determined to 'neutralize' him. Three adults who love Olive will be toast in a matter of seconds. So, I should call Tank?"

"No," was Frank's answer. "We can handle this. I'd like the extra time so I can get to know my granddaughter even better."

"Are you sure? She'll need a nap and something more to eat than what we packed in the backpack I dumped in the living room on our way by. Supper will be …"

"It's alright, Steph. Tank already said he'll hang back and keep an eye on things here," I assured her. "And Ella knows where our daughter is, so supper and countless snacks won't be a problem."

"Don't trouble Ella," Aideen said. "All the food I serve at the café are from recipes I came up with. I can throw together a dinner even a toddler will eat."

"And I can help her," Edna added.

"Alright, but cake does not count as dinner, Edna," I said to her before addressing Frank. "If Gunny and Mo get to be too much, tell Tank or bring them to the fifth floor. There are always men ready to take a break and a walk with them."

Steph shook her head. "I still remember the first time I met Tank. I never would have believed he'd be my go-to guy, after you, for everything from babysitting to a taco run. Though he did save me from a rocket in the Pine Barrens, so I shouldn't be surprised he'd become a trusted ally and close friend."

"Still waters run deep, Babe."

"Rocket?" Frank asked her, years-late worry causing lines to appear around his eyes and mouth.

"Just a little misunderstanding. Ranger pulled me out of a cranberry bog there too. It's an interesting place to walk around."

"I want details," Edna told her.

"Maybe someday I'll write a book about it, and you'll have all the details you want ... and more."

"No leaving the building with Olivia unless you have Tank plus a backup Uncle with you," I told the babysitting trio.

"Gotcha," Edna told me. "Does that include your penthouse?"

I didn't have to think about it. "Yes. You're not ransacking our nightstands while we're out."

"You're no fun."

"You're right. Ranger is no fun," Steph told her grandmother. "All that's in his nightstand are gifts from his daughters or whatever book or report he's currently reading. Our apartment is a waste of good snooping time. Though, there are plenty of dog and toddler toys to play with if you get bored enough."

"Never mind, we'll just teach Olive-Pie some card games while we got her."

Steph cut her eyes to me. "Maybe Tank and Hector will be needed for check-ins."

"I'm on it."

Seven minutes later, Ella arrived with a Bento box lunch for Olivia featuring a turkey and cheese sandwich and various fruit all cut into flower shapes, along with a steamed broccoli mini-forest. Tank appeared before I closed the door after Ella.

"Godank!" Olivia yelled, holding up a daisy-shaped slice of pineapple. "I gotz fowers!"

"Bet those kind actually taste good," he told her.

Steph got nose-to-nose with our baby. "GodTank is a really big boy, but he does have his own food. You can share yours with him, but you need to eat as much as this little tummy can hold so you can grow to be just as big as he is."

She then tickled the baby tummy, causing Olivia to squeal and try to get her Mama back.

"Uncle!" Steph cried as she pretended to forfeit the fight.

Olivia's 'Uncle' Hector chose that moment to show up and scoop Olivia up and off Stephanie.

"You know, she's never going to learn that the word 'Uncle' is another way of saying 'I give up' or 'you win' if you guys keep magically appearing and doing that," my wife pointed out.

"We'll stop when you aren't acting as a mobile home for baby number two," Tank told her so Hector wouldn't have to.

"Yeah, like you'll stop even then. Who's coming with us?" My wife asked.

"Brown, Santos, Hal, and Junior for the first wave. They'll switch out with the guys currently on duty as the day progresses," I told her.

My wife looked back at the group. "One or both of us will be back for bath and bedtime. I wonder if I can sneak in to see Kenzie and convince her to work with us on the timing of her little guy's birth."

"Steph."

"I'm kidding," she assured me. "But I know I won't want to leave if her labor is reaching the delivery stage. And I know you won't leave me alone to run back here."

"We'll figure it out once we know more."

"I know what that means, we'll be leaving by six even if mini-Cal is being stubborn."

"You need to take it easy as well," I reminded her.

"I was tracking down a skip for the guys when my water broke with Olive. I'm fine."

"You were working when you went into labor?" Frank asked.

"Umm, yeah. Well, umm gotta go. Give Mama and Daddy a big hug and kiss, Olive. We've got to go keep Uncle Cal from passing out."

Tank came as close to a laugh as he gets. "He's never gonna live that down."

"Isn't it great?" Steph said, nudging him while Hector managed to dodge Olive's fingers which were trying to pull the teardrop tattoo off his face.

"No cry," our baby was ordering him.

"I don't have many ways to level the playing field with you guys," my wife continued. "I need any help or embarrassing moment I can get. Olive, stop trying to pinch Tío Hector and come say goodbye to Mama and Daddy."

"No goed byed."

"Let's not make 'no' your new favorite word. We won't be gone for very long," Steph promised her. "We want to be there to meet Uncle Cal's son. Aunt Kenzie is having a baby right now … just like Mama will in a few months."

"Me baby."

"Yep, you're still our baby," Steph said. This has become a daily question since we told her she's going to have a sibling. "And you'll meet Uncle Cal's as soon as he's able to come home. You're gonna watch Grandpa Plum and 'May May' for us for a little while. Do you think you, Gunny, and Mo can do that with 'May Bean', GodTank, Tío Hector, and Ella's help?"

"Ida botch dem."

"Good girl," I told her. "We'll be back soon. You should tell Grandpa Plum all about that Baby Shark you like singing about."

Stephanie waited until we had closed Frank's door before she elbowed me. "That was mean. Ten rounds of the 'Baby Shark' song and my Dad will decide to move out after all."

"Give Frank some credit. I think he can take it … or just tune it out. He lived with your mother for decades. He must have a master's degree in blocking out irritating sounds."

"I hope so. He just made a huge decision to stay here for our babies. I'd hate to drive him out via a kid song. Do you think he was considering finding a place with Aideen? And that's why he was thinking of leaving?"

"It's possible, but I don't think so. I believe he wants to prove to himself that he can live on his own outside the safety of this building."

"Of course, he can."

"We know he's stronger than he believes, but he needs to reach that point himself. Living by himself and still not missing Helen will likely be the last test he puts himself through before finally accepting that he's a new man now."

"I wish telling him that I hardly recognize him as the guy I grew up around would help."

"I'd suggest rewording that one first, Babe."

She narrowed her eyes at me. I couldn't resist wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close to kiss the frown off her lips.

"Jeez, Dude! She's already pregnant! You can lay off the PDAs now!" Santos called out.

"The day I stop kissing my wife will be the day they have to bury me."

"That's nice but also really disturbing to hear," Steph told me. "Maybe you can do some rewording yourself."

"Are we talking or are we heading out?" Santos asked. "We got a little RangeMan coming."

"Since when are you interested in babies?" I asked him.

"It gets me a day off. Besides, Olive has made kids seem less sticky and annoying to me. I think I can tolerate another one running around here."

"Are you talking about ours or Cal's?" Steph asked.

"Yours. Like I said, you keep Olive's hands clean. Don't know yet if Cal and Kenzie will be that thorough with their kid."

"Don't let him bullshit you," Brown said, coming out of the stairwell. "He was rushing around trying to get us to hurry up, like he was the one having a baby."

"Steph was calmer when her water broke," Hal added.

"Thank you," my wife said. "I thought I could fake it until I made it."

"I'm ready," Junior told us, appearing behind Bobby. "We leaving?"

"Yup," Steph said.

"We'll take separate vehicles in case we need to rush back for Olivia."

"Cool," Raphael said from the front door. "I can tag along then. I want to get a feel for what's coming."

"You won't be experiencing all the gory details up close," Steph reminded him. "My advice to all of you is when your time comes to be daddies, you stay near your wife or girlfriend's head and focus on telling her how amazing she is and DO NOT let your eyes stray from hers or you'll see life in a completely different way … or at least the beginning of one."

She let her words hang in the air as I escorted her out into the garage and straight into my Cayenne. The men will likely take her words to heart, whereas I would've heard a challenge in them if I hadn't already been set on doing the opposite of what she'd advised. If my wife is in pain, I'm not turning away from any source of it.

Our group, which also included Ram and Woody by the time we'd made it out of the Rangeman lot, got to the hospital with little drama or traffic. I kept my arm around my wife as we made our way to the suite I'd arranged for our waiting party.

Checking in with Tank, while Steph periodically called Edna, to see how Olivia is doing took up a surprising amount of the time we were waiting for news or another update. Lester was starting to ask about a dinner run when Cal came in, looking as pale as Stephanie does whenever she's sick.

"Kenze did it! I'm a Dad!"

Steph jumped to her feet too quickly after sitting still longer than normal, and she swayed. I wrapped my fingers firmly around her arm and held on.

"I'm okay," she told me. "Just forgot that I'm not cut out for sitting still anymore. How's Kenzie, Cal? And how are you feeling about being a Daddy?"

"She was amazing, and that's the way I'm feelin' right now. She knew what to do when it came to breathing and when to push. I didn't even need to be there."

"Yes you did, Cal," I told him. "Your presence there, supporting her, made her that much stronger."

"Listen to the Boss," Steph added. "I speak from experience that my body had to do all the work, but the rest of me was relying on Ranger to get me through it."

His grin turned into a full-on smile. "I have a son."

"You do," I told him. "Congratulations."

"Yeah, man," Lester told him. "Congrats. You did good."

"Thanks. When Kenzie heard that you're here, Steph, she said she wants to see you. I think she wants to show off our baby a little."

"Good," my wife said. "I came here just so you both could brag about being the parents of the smartest, cutest, most well-behaved baby boy on the planet."

"You're saying that because Olive and Julie were girls," Woody accused.

"Yep. My girls are the best, with Angel and my nieces coming in close behind them. Since we only have one Rangeboy … at the moment … Cal's baby can be the best of everything too."

"That's some logic you got going there, Steph," Bobby told her.

"It is. And if you disagree with it, Ranger will punch you. Now … when can we see Mama and baby?"

"Now for a few minutes if you want. We know you need to get back to Olive soon."

"Plus, Harper and Aubrey will be here any second and will be hogging your wife and baby until visiting hours are up."

"Yeah. Kenze already talked to both of them. I thought she'd be exhausted, but she's a fucking warrior. I did hear that Raphael left to go get Aubrey."

"And Kane will carry Harper here if that's what she wants. Lead the way," I told him.

If it's possible for baby brainwaves to be shared between mothers, the way Steph's eyes widened and then her mouth smiled at seeing the little bundle of boy in Kenzie's arms would guarantee we'll also be having a boy.

"Oh, Kenzie," Steph said, leaning over the bed to see the newest Rangeguy's face. "As Grandma Mazur would say, he's a cutie patootie."

"Thanks. I was half expecting him to come out with at least one tattoo, but it looks like he has an eighteen-year wait ahead of him now."

It sounds ridiculous, but Kenzie never seemed to notice Cal's tattoos, specifically the flaming skull covering a large portion of his head. She saw straight to the man who was using them as a barrier between himself and an unpleasant world he was too familiar with before he joined my company.

"Did you guys decide on a name?" Steph asked. "I know Cal said you were down to three frontrunners."

"We did. Stephanie, Ranger, meet Remy Callum Jefferson. I wanted to be able to call them 'My Cals', but Daddy Cal was against a junior since he partners with one most of the day."

Remy's hair is so fine and blond where it's sticking out of the hat they put on every baby to conserve heat, he almost appears as bald as his father is. One by choice, the other by genetics.

"Do you want to hold him?" Kenzie asked Steph. "I think I can let him go for a few seconds before I snatch him back."

"I don't blame you for being protective and instantly in love. I forgot how tiny they are when they come out."

"He didn't feel all that tiny coming out."

"I hear you," my wife agreed, leaning forward to pick up the newcomer. "I'm relying on amnesia when it's my time to pop again."

I stood close to her and looked down into the sleepy blue eyes of Cal's son, thinking this is what my company is all about … giving men who believe they're damaged beyond repair a new perception of themselves, leading to a life they deserve.

Steph pressed a kiss to the pale blue hat covering the newborn's head. "Welcome to the world and the cool chaos that is our Rangefamily, Remy … aka baby Cal."