Attached

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Stevie and Lindsey were laying in the bed provided by the birthing center. Stevie had changed into a royal blue maternity nightgown and she still hated the sanitary pads-adult diapers- but she was way to content and comfortable to care. Lindsey had changed his clothes entirely and was wearing a pair of jeans and a black button-down and they were both looking at Ethan much like they did right after Eva was born. Lindsey was enamored. Yes, he loved Eva to death and he played with her all of the time and after she expressed how she hated going to the rec center pool for swimming lessons, Lindsey taught her how to swim in their pool but he was so excited to have a son. A little boy that he could play catch with and wrestle with. He now had a little buddy to watch sports with. Eva nor Stevie would sit and watch football or baseball with him. But at the same time, he could see that Ethan was going to be a momma's boy, just by the way his chunky face would light up when Stevie talked. Even when it wasn't directed at the baby. 

There was a knock at the door and Lindsey crawled out of the bed to peek his head out. A nurse was waiting on the other side. 

"Um sorry to bother you but there's a Barbara Nicks out here and a little girl named Eva Buckingham. Can they come in?" She asks.

Lindsey looks past her shoulder and he can see Barbara and Eva at the desk. 

"Yeah." Lindsey smiles as Eva takes notice of him and runs towards him.

"DADDY!" He drops to a squat and takes her into his arms. 

"Hi, Bear." He engulfs her in a hug. 

Stevie perks up and she leans forward in the bed to try and see her. When Lindsey fully emerges with Eva and Barbara both of the visitors have a look of awe on their faces. 

"Mommy, is this my baby brother?" Eva questions as Lindsey brings her over to the bed. 

"It sure is." Stevie smiles as Eva crawls closer and Stevie opens up her left arm for her to snuggle into.

"Stevie he's huge," Barbara states pulling one of the chairs up to her daughter. 

"I know." Stevie gives her mother a pointed look. 

"Eva, Barbara we'd like you to meet Ethan Christopher Buckingham, born February 4th at 9:05. Get this he's 21 inches long and he weighs nine and a half pounds." Lindsey states as Stevie nods. 

"Did I weigh that much?" Eva questions. 

"No Bear, you weighed six pounds," Stevie replies hugging her daughter to her tightly. 

"He looks like daddy," Eva says eyeing the sleeping baby. 

"You're right, he does look like Daddy. But his eyes are brown." Stevie smiles. 

"Like yours." Eva points-she still has her dad's blue denim eyes-and giggles.

"Yeah, like mine. Do you want to hold him?" Stevie asks.

"Can I?" Eva beams. 

"Sure. Daddy and I will help you." Stevie nods shifting not only herself and the baby but also Eva. 

With the parents helping their daughter hold their son and slightly preoccupied, Barbara starts snapping candid pictures that she knows Stevie will cherish forever. 

***

Ethan was born on a Saturday and on Monday they were sent home. While Barbara was grocery shopping and Lindsey had gone to pick Eva up from school, Stevie was showing Ethan around the house-she did the same with Eva-when she came to the nursery. Lindsey had revealed it to Stevie and Eva on Christmas and Stevie cried with how much she loved it. Lindsey just seemed to understand what she wanted with very little direction. All she even said about the nursery was that she wanted woodland creatures and he went to work and she was thoroughly impressed.  

"Alright Ethan, this is your room, but you won't get to sleep in here for a while." Stevie coos opening the door to it. 

The walls were tan and there was a mahogany crib and dressers. They could've reused Eva's crib but they still would've needed to get new dressers and everything because Eva's crib was interesting. They had kept her sleeping in a crib until she was three so the white paint was dingy and dirty looking and somehow when she was two the little sneak got a black marker in her crib and colored on it during naptime so Stevie chucked it when they switched to a normal bed. They were actively trying for a baby at that point but Stevie and Lindsey had the means to get a new crib so she figured why not. The crib bedding was white with little orange foxes on it. In the crib sat a hedgehog stuffed animal. Ruth made a quilt for Ethan as well it was tan with one square being a fox, one a raccoon, one a bear, and one a hedgehog. The same animals that were on the quilt were hand-drawn onto canvases, by Stevie this time, and they were hanging above the crib. The blanket that was thrown over the rocking chair had raccoons on it and the curtains were dark brown. 

Stevie was lost in her own little world holding her baby in the nursery when two small arms wound around her waist. 

"Hey bear," Stevie used her freeish hand to return the hug.

"I'm glad you're home momma. Can I hold Ethan?" She asks.

"Sure. Why don't we go into mommy and daddy's room." Stevie nods as they make their way out of the nursery. 

Eva was absolutely taken by Ethan and she was thrilled to pieces that her daughter loved her little brother so much they will admit that they were terrified when they first found out Ethan was going to be a baby boy but now looking at her children laying in her bed she knew that her life was complete. Lindsey came in and wrapped his arms around her and she just looked up at him. 

"An arranged marriage. We had an arranged marriage and now look at us." Stevie sighs. 

"I'll admit at first I wasn't happy about it and I only did it because I didn't want to see your reputation tank but I think it worked it out for the best." Lindsey kisses her head. 

"I wasn't happy about it either. I just wanted to pick myself up off of the curb. Jeff was close to dropping me and I would've been absolutely devasted. But I grew attached to you. I love you, Lindsey." Stevie says honestly. 

"I love you too Angel." Lindsey kisses her with a love-filled kiss.