To have and to Hold

Epilogue

(Just over four months later)

" So, how is our new son doing?" Adam enquired cheerfully as he stepped into the small private hospital room where Rachel was sitting up in bed, looking very serene as she glanced into the hospital crib where their two day old son, Kevin was sleeping soundly

"He is doing great," she replied smiling

Adam had been delighted, and also very moved when she had suggested that they should name him Kevin after his dead brother, when they realised they had a little boy. And now Rachel could barely take her eyes from her son, marvelling at how small and perfect he looked. She could see signs of Adam in his tiny features, even Adam's father had remarked on it, when he had visited the day before.

Lynn, Sandra and Darren were apparently too busy to come and see the new addition to the Maxwell family, not that Rachel cared anyway. But it reminded her Rachel she needed to know something, that took her mind of their son for a few moments.

"Oh what was Lynn and Darren's reaction last night when you and your father told them you were thinking of letting them have a small share in the Hotel company at last.

Adam grinned as he sat on the bed next to Rachel, "Actually Darren was too stunned to say anything with our bolt out of the blue. As for my beloved stepmother, she recovered first, and of course not wanting to seem overly grateful, she remarked it was a nice gesture though not quite as generous as she had hoped for.

"She just can't give in graciously can she? even when you try to meet her halfway" Rachel sighed.

Adam just shrugged, "That's her way, but she can't complain anymore, at least my father won't tolerate it as much because, in the end she has got what she wanted, even if it isn't as much as she hoped for.

He knew it took a lot for me to even relent in them having that. So she will have to watch what she says and does more carefully now, or he just night get fed up with her and she could find herself with nothing.

"I hope so," Rachel replied, "At least you showed you were willing to compromise and I am proud of you"

"Well I wouldn't have done it, if it hadn't been for you. In a way I was trying to prove to you that my priorities have changed, and that you came first," Adam said with a small smile

"You didn't have to do that, I do know it already," she reached out to squeeze his hand reassuringly.

"Yes, but I still wanted to do it," Adam told her, then remembered he had something to tell her, "Oh Jean phoned back, she said she is not too happy that you waited to give birth when she was away, and she said it was terrible that the first time she has went on holiday in over ten years, and she misses out an important event at home" he grinned

Rachel laughed, "She can make up for it when she comes back at the end of the week, I am sorry she wasn't here either. But I am glad she agreed to go with Luke to Spain on a little romantic holiday. It's great  that their friendship is finally blossoming into something deeper"

"Well you did keep throwing hints often enough, little miss cupid" Adam replied teasingly

Just then the baby stirred restlessly making a noise, "Oh dear I think someone will be wanting fed again soon" Rachel realised.

Adam got up and went around to the crib carefully lifting his son up.

Rachel watched him with a smile on her face, recalling how when she had first agreed to this crazy plan of his, she had her concerns about Adam taking to parenthood, especially when his only reason for wanting a child was to keep his business out of his stepfamily's hands

It all seemed like a very long time ago, and now she knew her fears were unfounded as she saw the look of pride and adoration in Adam's expression as he held their son. Making her happily realise,  that he was going to be a very good father after all.

THE END

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I wrote and finished this story shortly before i started on the Mouse one, so it was handy i still had it on my comp to post  it all up here.. hope you enjoyed it