Because of a Cowboy

Nice to Meet You

I got a good look at the custom shirts that Waldo made everyone. My father wore one saying World's Best Grandparent! My mother, who was next to him, wore one with a hand pointing that said, No, I am! The girls had ones saying, World's Greatest Aunt, the boys, of course, had ones saying World's Best Uncle.

Waldo, being the snarky comic, had one with hands pointing in all directions. The text in the middle read, Better Uncle Than ALL These Guys!

Grandpa Winston, who was at the very front of the group, had one that said Achievement Unlocked: Great Grandpa.

I couldn't help but laugh. Being in a big family was never easy, but somehow we all found a way to get along and be whole. And when you lived on a ranch in the middle of nowhere, family was kind of all you had.

"Quiet down everybody! I don't want to wake up," I whisper-yelled. Their voices all went down to a mutter. My shorter siblings peeked over the shoulders of taller ones, trying to get a better look. "Everyone, I'd like to introduce you to Tobias Winston—"

I paused.

"Oh gee, I finally get a namesake!" Grandpa said, turning to my father. "You only had eight kids. That's eight chances!"

I kept staring at the wall, then looking at Little Toby.

"What's the matter?" Toby asked.

"I...I have no idea what last name I should give him! Because you're going to raise him like a son, but he's technically Holden's, but he could also have mine because I'm not married to either of you!"

My family got even more quiet, looking at each other with puzzled faces. Toby wrapped his arm around me.

"Don't worry about giving him my name. If we get married in the future, I can always legally adopt him," he said.

"I agree with Toby," my father said. "Holden is his father and wants to raise him. He should have his father's name."

I looked over at Toby. "You sure that's okay?"

"Of course!" Toby said.

I held Little Toby up a little higher. "Everyone, this is Tobias Winston Ryder. Who wants to hold him first?"

"Me!" they all yelled in unison.

Little Toby did a round-robin between all my family members, going from one to the next, to the next. My mother heated up some of the leftovers in the kitchen, thankfully. I was so hungry that I ate two containers.

Holden came over soon after. My family members left one by one. Toby and Holden stayed on opposite sides of the house.

Toby was in the kitchen, putting away food and cleaning. Holden was in the living room with me, holding and feeling Little Toby.

"I'm giving him your last name," I said to him.

"I thought that was how this would go, considering he's my biological kid."

I didn't answer, instead turned up the volume on the TV. It was the final round in the show I was watching, and it was between the girl I was rooting for the and one I hated the most.

"Hey, Willa," Toby said, walking into the room. "I need to head back to my house for a change of clothes. Will you be okay here?"

"Yeah. I'm good."

Toby's shifty-eyes gazed at Holden, who was too busy feeding his son to pay any attention. Toby headed out the door, and Little Toby started wailing.

"He wants his momma," I said, holding my arms out.

Holden carefully handed him over. I rocked him in my arms. I'd only known him a few hours, but I loved him more than anything already.

I thought about the future, about all the smiles I'd see on his face while we're going for horseback rides. I thought about lifting him up to the fence so he could feed the horses carrots, like my dad did with me.

"So...do you think you'll ever give me another shot?" Holden asked.

"Are you serious? I literally just gave birth to a full-on baby and now you're asking me to sleep with you again?"

"No, not just to bang," he said, his classic smirk going across his face. "To be with. To be a family. The three of us."

"Holden Ryder, for the millionth time, I love Toby. I want to be with him," I said.

"You know you wouldn't even have him—" He gestured towards his son. "If it weren't for me, right?"

"If it weren't for some cowboy that stumbled onto this ranch, I know."

I looked down at my beautiful baby boy. One little mistake brought out this beautiful life. From day one I regretted what I did with Holden, but holding Little Toby in my arms made all that stress worth it.