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“Fine with me,” he drawled, stealing some Fritos from the sack near her crossed legs. “You have any names in mind, yet?” He saw color rush to her cheeks again, like a kid caught with her fingers in the candy jar.
“Well…,” Sky hedged, “I’ve thought of a few…”
“Like?” he goaded.
“I—just, well,” and Sky sighed. “Do you have any favorite names, Cal?”
“No,” he said blandly. “I was hoping you’d pick one.” He knew how important it was for Sky to do this for herself. For their baby. Cal could live with any name, sensing how important this was for Sky. “What are some you like?”
“The one I really like,” Sky admitted, “is Makayla.” She gave him an anxious look. “What do you think? Do you like it?”
“I like the name a lot,” Cal told her, watching relief come to her expression. Sky could never hide how she felt, and he was glad. She was opening up to him once more, becoming vulnerable and trusting him. Trusting herself. Cal gave her a teasing look. “If it turns out to be a boy, we can call him Mac.”
Sky laughed. It was the first time since coming home that she’d laughed. And it felt so good. It felt freeing to her as she watched Cal’s expression, that wicked look coming to his brown and gold eyes. Something old and hard dissolved deep within her. She felt lighter but was unsure what it meant. Happiness threaded through her heart as Sky held Cal’s amused gaze, that sculpted, strong mouth of his turned up into an unmerciful teasing grin. Her heart flung open, and Sky was drenched with the love she saw in his eyes for her alone. “Okay,” she murmured, picking up another corn chip, “if it is a boy, Mac is a good, strong name. I like it.”
“So,” Cal teased unmercifully, “it’s a done deal? Whatever shows up in the test results this afternoon, the baby is either Makayla or Mac?”
She colored and felt heat flying into her face. Sky couldn’t explain why the name Makayla was so important to her, but it was. “Yes, it’s fine. I’m more than okay with it.”
“Well,” Dr. Simpson said, looking at the blood test result, it’s a little girl! Congratulations! I’ll have the other test results in about four days and will call you with the results.
Sky smiled hugely over at Cal and sat up on the examination table. “See? I told you so.” She watched him grin. He reached out and smoothed several strands of hair from her temple.
“So you did. Okay,” Cal murmured, “Makayla it will be.”
“Pretty name,” Anne murmured, handing her the lab results. “And, you’re the right weight for being two months old.”
“Thank goodness,” Sky whispered. She saw the nurse leave and they were alone in the room with the doctor. She hitched up her elastic waist pants across her expanding waistline. Cal slid his arm behind her shoulders and helped her sit up. “She’s really okay, Anne?”
“Uh huh,” Anne murmured, washing her hands at the sink. “Why wouldn’t she be?”
Sky murmured, “Oh… no reason,” and she glanced up at Cal by her side, his arm around her shoulders. Anne knew nothing about her kidnapping, and she never would. Sky saw Cal’s expression change to one of tenderness as he leaned over, placing a kiss on the top of her head as if to tell her that their baby would not pay the price Sky had for the kidnapping. She felt another load lift, another powerful release flow through her. “It’s just that… well… you know, if I’m upset or stressed or something… will affect my baby, Doctor?”
Turning, Anne dried off her hands and tossed the paper towel into a receptacle. “The last time you were here we discussed how you could bond with your baby. Remember? Singing to her. Using that rocking chair you have at home. Talking with her. Massaging your belly gently.”
Nodding, Sky said, “Yes, I remember.” But she hadn’t felt like singing. Not yet. Maybe soon she would. “Would all those things remove stress from her? Even, maybe, very early stress from before?” She felt Cal’s fingers move to the nape of her neck, gently massaging the area, as if to calm her real fears about the month of stress after being kidnapped.
“Consistent, daily behavior on your part toward the daughter you’re carrying can erase any prior stress, Sky.” Anne patted her hand in a motherly fashion. “You’re a new mommy and you’re going to worry about every little thing.” Anne gave her an understanding smile. “Babies are amazingly resilient. It’s adults who aren’t,” and she chuckled, writing some notes on Sky’s chart. “So, a follow-up appointment in a month and we’ll see how you and little Makayla are getting along. Okay?”
Cal helped Sky off the examination table. “Thank you, Dr. Simpson. We’ll be there for the next appointment.”
Sky walked over and gave the woman a quick hug. “Thank you,” she whispered, suddenly emotional. “For everything.” Sky wanted to cry with relief that her baby daughter wasn’t going to suffer because of her kidnapping. The relief was so deep, that she felt inwardly shaky. Turning, she saw Cal watching her, concern in his eyes. She gave him a wobbly smile and slid her hand into his, letting him know she was alright. All she wanted to do now was go home with Cal. The house was her home, her safety, her support while she got herself well and strong again.
“Cal?”
“Hmm?” He was at the kitchen counter, preparing steaks, scalloped potatoes, and steamed green beans with slivered almonds and baby onions for their dinner after returning home from the doctor’s office.
Sky moved her glass of water between her fingers as she sat on the bar stool at the granite island. She enjoyed watching Cal work. He was so fast with that super sharp knife in his hands. “How do you feel about me giving birth to Makayla here? In our house? Not at the hospital in Alexandria?”
Twisting a look across his shoulder, Cal saw how pensive Sky had become. “I hadn’t really thought of it,” he admitted. “If it’s important to you, I’m fine with it.” He turned, wiping his hands on a towel, ambling toward the island, holding her thoughtful gaze. “Women around the world in third world countries have their babies without a hospital all the time.”
Nodding, Sky said, “I can’t stand the thought of being in a hospital. I want… well… I know I’ll be happy having Makayla here, where our love is. You’ll be here. I’m not sure how Anne will take it, though.”
Shrugging, he leaned his elbows on the island, smiling a little at her. “Doesn’t matter what Dr. Simpson wants. But I would think she’d be all with it so long as there are no complications. Don’t you?”
“Yes,” Sky said, frowning. “I just want harmony from now on. Accord. I want nothing but happiness surrounding Makayla from now on. Hospitals are so stressful. You pick up horrible germs in there, too. I’m afraid of infection.”
Cal rose to his full height and walked around the island. He slid his arm around her shoulders and allowed Sky to lean against him. “I think it’s fine to birth Makayla here, okay? We can get a midwife or doula to assist us through it,” Cal reassured her, because he could see Sky was about to gear up for an argument to get her way. He felt her sag against him in relief, nuzzling his shoulder, pressing a kiss to his chest as her arm slipped around his waist.
