INSIDE THEIR MINDS

Nora Elizabeth Smiles

KATE

As she lie safely in my arms I couldn't bring myself to hand her over to anyone, including Phil.

I could feel his happiness, though, as he sat on the edge of the hospital bed beside me, then he puts his arm around my shoulders and snuggles up next to me, next to us, beneath the thin hopsital "blanket".

We were a family now. A true living, breathing family.

"Have you decided on a name?" The nurse asks as she walked into the room, a clipboard in her hands.

"Nora Elizabeth." I say with a smile as I look to Phil having already agreed on it a few weeks ago.

"It really suits her." The nurse says peeking over at the blanket, "And the last name?"

We hadn't talked about it. Come to think of it I'm not really sure what I want to do.

I look to Phil and he has a similar questioning expression as I do.

"I can leave and let you discuss what you need to." She says seemingly not phased by the silence.

Guess it was a common occurrence for her.

"I'm okay with whatever you want." Phil says not taking his eyes off of Nora.

"Well if we are going to be married soon." I say looking at first Phil then Nora then the obviously expensive engagement ring.

"Sweetie I love you and I love her." he says slightly squeezing me, an attempt at a side hug.

"Well how about we get married in six months or so and give her your last name now. I would hyphen it with mine but I know it can be a lot of work to change a name, I wouldn't want to do that if in a very short time mine will change too." I say feeling slightly tired.

"I will tell the nurse." He says as he stands from the bed.

He smiles at me and waves at Nora even though she couldn't obviously see him and then he quickly leaves the room.

Did I really just tell him that? Do I really want my baby to have a completely different last name than mine for the first six months of her life. She is my baby.

But I have lived the life of different last names and divorces, I truly know the trickiness that is name changing.

But then she smiled and with her smile all my worries went away, at least for now.