Bestfriend or Best Lover

FORTY ONE: NICE MEETING YOU

Arden's POV

It was a grueling four hours. That's how long it took, start to finish. The nurses said it's rare for it to be this short of time for our first child. I thought it was too damn long to see Belle in so much pain and then push with all her strength. She did it though and delivered a handsome baby boy and a beautiful baby girl. I'm grinning like a loon inside the hospital room with Belle. Our baby girl is the spitting image of me with her mothers button nose & pouty lips and our baby boy too is exactly a mini me version, I am completely and totally fucked. Thank god we have Adi to help protect Blair. God help me with the guys who set their sights on Blair. With Caleb, Caden, and our friends watching out for Blair, whoever tries would have some formidable men to get through first.

It took us a bit of thinking, but we both agreed to include in their names 'Lance & Joey' in them as our mother's wishes or should I say persistence.

The way Belle held them in her arms, and how they quieted down as soon as they was in her arms, caused tears to hit my cheeks and I didn't bother removing them.

Belle, Adi and Blair are my whole world, and I'm the lucky one to have them both.

"Daddy, do you want to hold him?" Belle asks, and god do I love that name slipping off her tongue.

"You okay with letting him go?" I joke.

"He's done nursing for now," she says with a wink. She saw me watch her the entire time. I couldn't keep my eyes off of them.

"Yeah, I'll take my boy. We have man stuff to talk about," I reply. She rolls her eyes but settles down in bed with Blair in her arms next as I take a seat in the chair.

I unwrap his blanket, wanting to count all of his fingers and toes. To see his eyes open, only to flutter shut. If this is what fatherhood is about, I'm thankful as fuck I get to share it with her and our two child, that means the most. I wrap him back up and hold him to my chest.

My mother and my in laws will be here in a little bit ,and I know as much as I want to hoard my children to just me and Belle, I'll have to share them.

I lean back in the chair and close my eyes and soak in the day.

I must have dozed off for a while. I hear hushed tones and Belle's voice. "He just fell asleep a little bit ago."

"I don't blame him. You both got absolutely zero rest." Her mother said.

Her mother was right about that. The nurses barge in and out day and night in our private room at the hospital. I scold the nurse one time when they work up Belle and told them to be more courteous of their patients.

That still didn't stop them though, and it took everything in me not to yell and deal with them on another level. Belle had to calm me down. Needless to say, we were released the next day and I was more than thankful.

"Look how adorable they are." My mom's voice commented.

"Can someone find my phone so I can take a picture?" Belle asks in a whisper. "Can you hold Blair for a second, Mom?"

"Is she done nursing?" Belle nods and promptly handed her to her mother.

I hear the snapping of the camera and slowly  I open my eyes, trying not to jostle Adi. The way Belle is looking at me with warmth in her eyes, it melts me.

"Morning, sleepy head," she whispers out with a sparkle in her eye. She doesn't look like she just gave birth. No, she looks happy and as if it's just a normal day. Then my eyes looks at the group surrounding Blair, all of them were staring and taking in Blair's features and murmuring all kinds of questions.