The Fighter

Chapter 17

|Andy|

Labor was not pleasant. At all. Too much pain and screaming, but now our little girl was here. They'd carted her off to clean her up, leaving Simon and me alone.

"How's my queen?"

"I'm not 'Princess'?"

"She's Princess which promotes you to Queen, Andy."

"Well, our little princess needs a name."

"And what does my queen want to name her?"

"No, you're going to laugh at me."

"I promise I won't."

"But..."

"Andy, just tell me."

"Bellamy."

"Bellamy?"

"Yeah. It was stupid. I--"

"I like it."

"You do?"

"Yeah, it has a ring to it. Bellamy Minter."

"Bellamy Minter."

"Whose mum will soon be a Minter."

"I'm sorry. I didn't want a baby bump in my wedding dress."

"I know, but now you don't have that excuse."

"Simon, they're bringing her back." That shut him up. He watched wide-eyed as the nurse rested little Bellamy in your arms. She was so tiny, wrapped in the little pink blanket. Her eyes were open, and they were a startling blue like Simon's, mine were paler. "Simon, she's looking at you."

He leaned over my shoulder and concentrated on the tiny girl in my arms. They were both staring at each other. Bellamy more in a "What's that thing" kind of way, and Simon in complete awe.

"You can hold her, Simon."

"I don't want to hurt her."

"You won't. Just do what I tell you." I handed him our little girl, and he seemed in shock, awe, and terror. It was clear he thought he was going to hurt her. "You're not going to hurt her. She's a fighter. Just like her dad."

"Speaking of fighting, you're not going on Tuesday. You're staying home with Bellamy."

"I'll have to start going again soon. What will we do then?"

"I have a plan."

"You had better tell me this plan, or I am not letting her out of my sight." Before he could answer me, there was a light knock on the door.

"Simon, mate? A baby? A girl you've settled down for? I thought they were pulling me."

"Nick, this is my fiancee, Andy, and our daughter, Bellamy. Andy, love, this is my brother, Nick. Actually perfect timing, I was about to tell her about our plan>"

"Um?"

"I'm supposed to be watching little Bellamy whilst you two are out. Oh wow, she go the Minter eyes, didn't she?" Nick seemed a lot more at ease with Bellamy than Simon. He'd taken her and was walking her around the room. "Uncle Nick is going to take the perfect care of you, princess. You're not going to want for anything when you're with Uncle Nick."

"He's already wrapped around her finger, Simon."

"I didn't doubt it. So, does the mum approve?"

"Oh, he'll take perfect care of her. He'll spoil her to death, but he'll make sure everything goes perfectly." Nick put little Bellamy back in my arms and rejoined his brother.

"Well, these only seemed appropriate." From his pocket, Nick produced a tiny pair of pink boxing gloves.

"Told you."

"No one asked you, Andy."

"Oi, she just pushed your child out of her body. You be nice to her."

"I am."

"Stop lying." I heard Bellamy let out a tiny yawn and her eyes were closed when I looked down. She was everything I could have hoped for. "So, when am I getting a nephew?"

"Nick!"

"Simon, if you wake Bellamy up, your brother's jokes will be the least of your worries."