Goodbye for now || n.h

Chapter 19

I kissed Dakota's sweaty forehead, stroking away hair from her face. She looked so tired, yet she was smiling like never before.

"You did it." I told her, giving her a bright smile.

"No." She breathed out, reaching up to stroke my face as well. "We did it."

"Well, all I did was telling you to breathe and push." I chuckled.

Then the nurse approached the bed, with our little baby boy in her arms. He was now wrapped up in a blanket and Dakota didn't hesitate for a second to take him into her embrace, no matter how exhausted she was. She'd been waiting for this moment for so long.

"Hi handsome." She quietly said, gently stroking her finger against his cheek.

I smiled to myself, leaning down to press a kiss upon Dakota's head.

"We're parents." She told me.

"I know." I smiled, and I prayed to God that she wouldn't notice how close I was to crying. Deep down I knew she wouldn't judge me if I cried right now, but I wanted to be the strong one.

After a few minutes Dakota asked me if I wanted to hold him. My heart was beating hard; just knowing it would be my first time holding my first child. I carefully took him into my arms, looking down at the beautiful little human being I held. He was peaceful. So long he's been quite calm and quiet, but I knew it wouldn't be like this for a longer period of time.

"He has your nose." I told Dakota, glancing at her.

She smiled and leaned back against the pillow.

"So this is Logan, huh?" I asked, carefully sitting down in the chair behind me, not looking away from my son once.

"I don't know. He doesn't look like a Logan."

"What about Alexander?" I asked hopefully.

She lightly shrugged, almost closing her eyes again.

"We don't have to decide right now. Get some sleep." I said.

"Thank you." She smiled again. "I love you."

"I love you more."

Just a few minutes later, she was in a deep slumber.

***
"I can't believe you actually got a kid." Sebastian said, staring down into the little crib.

"Me neither." I chuckled from my seat in the couch. Dakota was sitting in my lap, resting against my shoulder.

It's been two weeks since we got back from the hospital. Let me tell you, the first couple of days were a real challenge. The whole changing process and getting used to having a baby in the room. I'm not saying I'm used to the fatherhood just yet, because I have a lot to learn.

"So what's his name?" Erin eventually asked.

Dakota and I exchanged looks.

"You tell them." I said.

"We've been going back and forth for a while now, before I came up with the idea of having a unisex name. That way he won't be in some kind of category. Hopefully he'll thank us for it in the future."

"Typical you, Dakota." Bella laughed. "So what unisex name did you go for?"

"Jamie." Dakota proudly said. "Jamie Horan."

"All of our future kids will have unisex names." I filled in.

Then I remembered something.

"I should have asked earlier, and probably more in private, but Erin and Sebastian, would you like to be Jamie's godparents?" I asked out loud in the living room.