I was in a daze, staring at the ceiling. Beads of sweat dripped down my forehead. My chest heaved with the effort of breathing. I blinked before craning my head down to look between my legs. I could hear Franklin trying to tell me something; I just couldn’t comprehend his words. It was like I was hearing him from underneath five feet of water. Still, there was a hint of excitement in his voice that motivated me to look.

In a state of amazement, I watched the doctor lift my baby into the world. The nurse worked quickly and efficiently to get him cleaned up and swaddled as Franklin did the honors of snipping the umbilical cord.

I yearned to hold my baby in my arms. It was an instinct so powerful that it was almost as painful as childbirth itself. Soon enough, however, that desire was satisfied. I smiled down at the rosy-cheeked cherub, feeling like my life finally meant something. Now that I was a mother, everything clicked into place.

“He’s beautiful…” Franklin hovered above us.

I just nodded, unable to find the words that would do justice to this moment. As a lawyer, I was used to being quick-witted. I usually had a remark for just about everything, but this was different. This was a moment of awed silence.

We just stood there, admiring the baby, for a long, long time. I felt like I could stare at him forever.

“Do you know what you want to name him?” Franklin whispered.

I thought about it for a moment. I had written down a list of potential names in my notebook. But those no longer mattered. I already knew what I wanted.

“Franklin.”

His eyes widened in surprise. “Do you really mean that?”

“You saved my life. You took me in when you had no obligation to do so. And even though I was rude and inconsiderate, you never once threatened to kick me out. You’ve been nothing but kind to me, and I feel terrible for what I’ve put you through this past month, but I hope that this can be our fresh start. Will you let me name him after you? Will you sign your name on the birth certificate?”

“Of course I will,” he answered without an ounce of hesitation. He leaned down and kissed the top of my head.

I looked up, and our eyes locked. Naturally, our lips started to gravitate together like a couple of magnets. My heart started to beat faster and faster, the sound echoing through the heart monitor that beeped rapid-fire between us. Franklin Jr. gurgled.

We were forehead to forehead, still peering into each other’s eyes. I held my breath in anticipation. His lips twitched into a soft smile before he finally closed the distance between us.

The kiss was sweeter than I’d expected. Our lips locked together like two puzzle pieces coming together to complete a masterpiece. I savored it, clinging to him even as he tried to pull away. I needed him. He was the glue keeping the broken pieces of my soul together.

Just then, the nurse walked in. Her footsteps startled us, causing an abrupt break in the kiss. My lips burned with a deep longing.

She held out a bottle. It was already warmed to perfection.

“Thank you.” Gently, I pressed the nipple to the baby’s mouth. Immediately, he latched onto it. It was unfortunate that I couldn’t breastfeed – that my body couldn’t produce the needed nutrients, but as long as he was healthy and happy, I would be happy too.

“Hungry little fellow, isn’t he?” Franklin chuckled, watching as his son gulped down the milk. “I’m so glad he’s okay.”

“Yeah, me too. I think he’s going to take after you. Look at his head of dark hair.” Affectionately, I ran my fingers along the soft, thin wisps of black that swirled around his tiny head.

“I hope so. I’ve always wanted a son…” He sat on the edge of the bed, playing with the baby’s feet. “He’s so precious…”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“What happened to Gina’s mother?”

A darkness swept over his features. I instantly regretted my question. It wasn’t my place to ask, and this definitely wasn’t the ideal time to ask it. “I’m sorry… that was rude of me…”

“No, it’s alright. I would have to tell you sooner or later.” He took a deep breath. “When Gina was born, there were a few complications. My wife didn’t make it.” His answer was brief, but even by those few words, I could tell that the wound created by losing his wife had not yet fully healed. This was a very painful topic for him to talk about.

I took his hand and squeezed it tightly. “I’m sorry…”

“It’s not your fault.”

We fell into silence as Franklin Jr. continued to drink his bottle. When he was done, I gently burped him. He felt so small and fragile. I was afraid of hurting him.

“Would you like to hold him now?” I asked.

Franklin nodded, gently scooping the bundle into his arms. He did so with such care and tenderness. I smiled to myself, knowing deep down that Franklin was going to be a great father.

Still, a hint of doubt clouded my mind. I tried to figure out what was going to happen now. Could we hope to start a normal family even though we weren’t romantically involved? Would our romance start from this moment forward? Or would we grow apart the second we left the delivery room?

As I watched Franklin walk around the room with the baby in his arms, I knew that I couldn’t let him go. I had come knocking on his door hoping for temporary support, but now, things were different.

I wanted to stay.