The Life Of Michael Afton

{2} Sealed

This might just be the happiest day of Kathy's life.

No, it is the happiest day of her life. It's surpassed her college graduation, her family training graduation, and even her wedding. Because her children have been born. Kathy is a mother now. She gazes down at the bundles in her arms and savors this moment.

"They're beautiful," William whispers, looking awed. And he's right, they are. Their children—their children— are perfect in every way. Twins, just as Kathy and her mother and everyone in her family dating back to Great-Great-Grandma Avari has been. She hasn't told William about the blessing of her family, but she'd told him she suspected it was twins a few weeks after they discovered her pregnancy. She'd left out how it would be impossible for her to carry any other number of children. After all, husbands were not usually introduced to her family's particularly... interesting history.

"Have you been thinking about names?" William's question snaps her out of her thoughts, and she looks up. "Oh! Yes, names. Well, I've been thinking...Imira, for our little girl."

William smiles at her, eyes red. "Imira sounds perfect. May I name...our son?" He looks so happy and surprised to say those words, our son. Kathy thinks he may be the most happy man in the world right now.

"Yes," and she passes him into William's arms. William is nervous but carefully supports the small bundle of cloth and child, looking fondly down into his newborn son's face. "Michael. A good, strong name for the good, strong man he'll be."

He nudges his chair closer to the hospital bed and holds Michael next to her, the two children between the couple. And Kathy's life has never felt lacking, but now that their family is four, she feels perfectly and immeasurably complete.

306 words
3/26/23