“Finn?” she whispered, and he leaned in close to hear. “I’m nervous. I’ve never had surgery.”
He shrugged. “It could be worse.”
“How?”
“Instead of getting cut open, you could be boarding a plane.”
A smile fought its way onto her face. “I love you, Finn Anderson. You always know what I need to hear.”
“I love you more, Laurie Anderson. You’re beautiful, caring, and smart. You’re an amazing mother and wife. And your parole officer says you’ve almost got that temper problem under control.”
She giggled as he bent to kiss her lips.
The nurse stuck her head in the room. “We’re almost ready.”
Finn fought a sudden urge to grab Laurie and escape the hospital. He pictured himself running, pushing her bed, careening down the hallways, yelling, “No one’s going to cut my wife open!”
Though his heart clattered like a machine gun, he kept his exterior calm. She needed him.
“I’m so proud of you,” he murmured in her ear, while squeezing her hand. “I could never have made it through that pain without drugs. You’re amazing.”
When she started to protest, he silenced her with another firm kiss. “And I can’t wait to raise all our kids and grandkids together.”
Tears glistened in her eyes. Her mouth moved, but no words came out. At last, she whispered, “Those are the sweetest words you could ever say. I can handle anything, as long as you’re with me.”
As Finn stepped into the waiting room, armed with a slew of pictures on his cell phone, his family and friends crowded against him from every angle. His mouth already hurt from smiling so big.
“What is it? Is it a boy or a girl? Do you have pictures? How’s Laurie?”
“Hang on,” he said. “Laurie wants a video so she can see your faces when I tell you. Jarrett, would you record it for me?”
“I’m on it.” Jarrett moved beside Finn and aimed his cell phone at the crowd.
“Ready?” Finn held the phone high and turned it around, revealing the first image. “It’s a boy!”
The room erupted with shouts and clapping. Everyone crowded around to see the photo of Laurie, lying in the recovery room bed with a small bundle in the crook of her arm. The baby’s face was barely visible, but the blue cap was obvious.
Finn said, “His name is Henley Joseph Anderson. We named him after you, Dad.”
Finn wasn’t surprised when his father teared up and gave him a hug. “I’m honored. Thank you, son.”
“Show us more pictures,” Susan demanded, trying to grab his phone.
“Are you still recording?” Finn asked Jarrett.
“Still rolling,” Jarrett confirmed.
“Let me show you another shot.” Finn flipped quickly through the pictures, until he found the one he wanted. He turned the phone around to face his waiting friends and family. In the short silence that followed, he enjoyed their confused expressions.
Then Stephanie shouted, “Twins! They had twins! I knew it! I knew it! I thought she got too big, too fast.”
“That’s Henley on the right,” Finn said. “And on the left is Oliver Tyrone Anderson. They’re fraternal twins.”
So many people spoke at once, he didn’t know who said what. That is, until his mother shook her finger in his face.
“Finnian Lee Anderson. We’re not ready for twins. You’re going to need two of everything. How could you keep this a secret?”
Finn felt someone tap his shoulder. As he turned, Tyrone Shields pulled him into a bone-crushing bear hug that rivaled his mother’s.