Page 64 of Four Simple Rules

"All right," the nurse says, grinning at the two of us. "Who is ready to meet this sweet boy?"

Jesse's breath catches in his throat. Those glossy eyes meet mine.

"Ready, Tulip?" he murmurs, leaning over to kiss my lips.

"I think I am," I croak, brushing my fingers through his blond locks. "We're going to be parents."

"Together," he quips, waggling his brows. "Just you and me and this little guy." His hand moves over my stomach, stopping when it tightens again. "You got this, Blake. I'm here for you for every push. The mess. The good. The bad. Everything."

"I love you so much," I wheeze through the pain of the contraction splitting me apart.

"All right, kids. Let's get this show on the road." Looking up, we find Doctor Chris walking into the room with a grin. "I heard it's about time."

"I think so," I say, setting my back against the bed as the nurse pulls out the stirrups and drops the bed.

"All right then, how about during the next contraction you give me a big push?"

And so, I do. Over the next hour, the contractions become more and more intense. With every painful tightening, our little boy gets closer and closer to coming into the world.

"Oh my God, keep going, Tulip. He has so much hair. Fuck," Jesse cries, peeking between my legs as another contraction takes hold, and I push one last time, welcoming our baby into the world.

Loud, desperate cries fill the room, and my body relaxes. It's like every ounce of pain has been drained from me the moment he shot out.

"He's beautiful," Jesse rasps, clinging to my hand, and kisses it. Gently, he snips the cord, only turning slightly green for a second.

"Follow him," I say, laying my sweaty head back. "Make sure he's okay." Jesse nods, walking near the nurses huddled around the baby, cleaning and weighing him.

"He's so beautiful," Jesse mumbles, carrying our little bundle. "Seven pounds, seven ounces. He's just…" Without another word, he hands our baby to me with tears streaming down his cheeks.

My heart pounds when he's laid on my chest. Those big, blue eyes look up at me in wonder.

"He has your nose," Jesse rasps, lightly tracing the curve of the baby's nose and then mine. "A perfect blend of us both." His lips press against my temple. "Thanks for the greatest gift of all, Tulip. Behind marrying you, this is the best day of my life."

My fingers run through the soft dark hair on his head. "Welcome home, Gavin Jesse Rutherford."

"Perfect," Jesse sniffles. "You think he'd make fun of us for naming our baby after him?" He chuckles softly, falling into the memories of our best friend, my brother, who we lost too soon.

"Most definitely. I think he'd be proud, too. He'd be happy that we got here finally." I swallow the lump in my throat, thinking back to my years with Gavin, my brother, and praying that my future with Gavin, my son, holds nothing but joy.

"I think he would be, too," Jesse whispers, kissing my temple again, unable to keep his eyes off our little boy lying on my chest.