“Do you have names picked out?” Osana asked as she squirted that weird-looking ultrasound goop on Nate’s belly.

“Well, we have one if she’s a girl,” Nate told her.

“Rose,” I said with a smile. Osana understood and smiled. “And if it’s a boy?”

“Then we find a baby book and pick one!” I laughed.

“No!” Nate scolded me, poking me in the side. “We’ll figure something out.”

Osana pulled the little ultrasound scope thing and pressed it against Nate’s belly.

“I have to say, this is pretty late in the pregnancy to be figuring out the sex of the baby,” she told us as she started to rub it around on his skin. “I mean – he’s about to pop! I wouldn’t be surprised if he went into labor right now!”

The machine made some strange sounds as I smiled down at my mate. We were both looking at the fuzzy image on the screen.

“That’s definitely a baby!” I laughed. I could make out the shape but that was about it.

“And….” Osana muttered, looking at the image. “I’ve got some good news for you! It’s a girl!”

“Really!?” Nate gasped.

“Seriously?” I asked her.

“Well, I don’t see a little pee-pee,” she replied. “So, yes, I’m pretty sure!”

I leaned down and kissed Nate right on the lips. I was filled with happiness at the news. If it was a boy I’m sure I would have been just as excited, but just seeing the image on the ultrasound, knowing we had a healthy baby girl on the way, was enough to bring tears to my eyes.

“Rose,” Nate said gently as I stroked his hair.

“It’s a beautiful name,” Osana said, setting the ultrasound wand back on the machine and wiping Nate’s belly clean. “I’m sure she’ll be beautiful.”

“Will she have my eyes?” Nate asked her.

“Well, your son does,” she replied. “So I’d bet yes.”

Nate smiled up at me as he propped himself up on the bed. He was beautiful. The father of my child. I loved Mira completely and unconditionally, but Rose would be a child we created, and I couldn’t wait to meet her.

“Well, I’ll be staying at the camp for the next few days,” Osana said as she packed up the ultrasound. “So you just send Tyler to come and get me when you start having your first contractions.”

Grabbing the ultrasound by the handle, Osana gave Nate a pat on the head and started for the door.

“Uhm, Osana?” he said with concern.

“Yes?” She asked, turning back.

“I think – I think that’s now,” Nate told her.

“What’s now!?” I asked him, already knowing the answer. “Did you just have a contraction?”

“Oh, yes!” Nate replied.

“Oh, boy,” Osana smiled, setting the ultrasound in the corner. “Okay, I’m gonna get some water and towels and I’ll be right back, okay!?”

Nate just nodded. His eyes were wide, not really looking at anything as he focused on whatever it was he was feeling. Osana quickly pulled the door open and raced toward the cabin where she’d been staying while she was here.

“What is it?” I asked him. “What are you feeling?”

Nate groaned and dropped his head back on the pillow. “Ah, nothing good!”

“It hurts?” I asked him, feeling suddenly useless.

“Yes!” he roared as another contraction hit him and caused him to sit up and brace himself against the mattress. He was already sweating. “Ah, it hurts!”

“Okay, uhm….just breathe? Breathe, baby.”

But Nate was already breathing. His lips pursed, he was sucking and blowing air like an Olympic sprinter, with one hand on his belly.

“It must have been that good sex,” I joked, trying to add some humor to the situation. “My dick put you into labor.”

Nate shot me a scolding glance out of the corner of his eye, but I could see he was smiling too. The door opened and Osana spilled back into the room.

“You know, you’d think after delivering I don’t know how many babies I would be more calm in these situations,” she said as she tugged Nate’s pants down to his ankles. “How strong are they, Nate?”

“Strong,” he replied. Another one hit him and he gasped, yelping with pain. From the crib, Mira started to cry. “Oh, no! I woke Mira!”

“It’s okay, babe,” I told him, scooping our little boy from his bed and holding him in my arms. “You’re okay, Mira. Right, baby boy?”

I cooed at him and stroked his head, letting him know everything was going to be all right. “Don’t worry, baby. Daddy’s okay.”

“Ah!” Nate howled again. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Mira, baby!”

“Okay, your water’s broken,” Osana said, pressing a towel underneath him. “Wow, this is going fast. I need you to start pushing. This little girl’s eager to get out into the world!”

Mira was crying, so I held him closer to Nate, who was fighting not to scream in pain as the contractions hit him, one after the other. I leaned down and kissed him on the temple, using my hand to brush a sweat-soaked strand of hair out of his face.

“Ugh, I forgot how much this sucks,” he laugh-moaned, looking at me for reassurance.

“Come on,” I joked. “It can’t be as bad as the first time you had to try and take my dick!”

“Tyler!” Nate gasped, looking aghast at Osana. She just smiled.

“Oh, don’t worry,” she chuckled. “You can’t offend me. But I do need you to keep pushing for me, Nate. Come on.”

Nate closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He was focusing. I rocked Mira back and forth in my arms as he started to calm down. He was a warm bundle of joy and we were about to have another one in our lives.

“You’re about to meet your sister,” I whispered in his ear. He cooed gently and wrapped his hand around my thumb. “You’re going to have a sister!”

“Push, Nate!” Osana urged him. “Push!”

Nate summoned all his strength, tilted his head back and I watched as his entire body flexed as he pushed. “Ahhh!”

“Here she comes!” Osana shouted. “Push, Nate!”