Unexpected Inheritance

26

Ms. Maude chuckled. "Then you're in for a handful either way."

At the diner, Mr. Langley, the now retired postman, pointed at Miranda's hands as she reached for her tea "Your hands are looking a little dry. That means a boy."

Miranda blinked. "Or it means I wash my hands all day because I run a clinic."

Back at home, even Rosalind got in on it, watching as Miranda rubbed her belly while Meadow played with her toys.

"Look at that bump and those boobs," Rosalind said. "You're having a boy."

Miranda groaned, leaning against the couch. "Roz not you too,"

"It's fun," She chuckled

"Yeah mom let the people have their fun," Tuck joined in

"Not like I have a choice," She replied

So the guessing game continued, the town buzzing with theories, while Miranda just kept working and waiting.

The day they found out what they were having, it wasn't through old wives' tales or town gossip—it was right there on the ultrasound screen.

Miranda lay back on the exam table, the gel cool on her belly as Chloe moved the probe across her skin. Ben sat beside her, holding her hand, while Meadow sat on his lap, swinging her little legs and watching the screen curiously. Tuck came too.

Chloe smiled. "Well, you two... looks like you're having a boy."

Ben grinned instantly, squeezing Miranda's hand. "A boy?"

Miranda exhaled, a slow smile creeping across her face. "A boy."

Tuck smirked. "Sweet a little brother."

Meadow gasped dramatically. "A brudder?"

Ben laughed, still staring at the screen. "A little man." He leaned over, pressing a kiss to Miranda's temple. "Guess I'll have to start teaching him all my tricks."

Miranda side-eyed him. "Not all of them."

Chloe chuckled, wiping off the ultrasound wand. "Well, congratulations. The Warren family's getting a baby boy."

Meadow clapped her hands excitedly. "Brudder. Me—ow love brudder"

"Meadow," Miranda corrected. It wasn't that Meadow couldn't pronounce her D's. She just couldn't say her own name no matter how much they corrected her.

Ben grinned, rubbing Miranda's belly. "Looks like the old ladies were half right this time."

Miranda just shook her head, laughing softly. "They'll have a field day with this one."

Ben had been sitting at the front desk of the clinic, sorting through a mountain of paperwork, when he heard it—Miranda's voice, firm and exasperated.

"Benjamin Warren."

He immediately stopped what he was doing, quickly running through a mental list of things he might have done wrong. He got up, hands raised in surrender. "Okay, what did I do?"

But when he saw her, she wasn't looking at him. She was leaning back slightly in her chair, eyes closed, one hand rubbing slow circles over her belly.

Ben lowered his hands and nodded in understanding. "Ohhh, I did that."

She cracked an eye open just enough to glare at him. "Damn right you did this"

"But hey you know you love this little guy," 

Miranda rolled her eyes, but when she looked at him, there was a softness there, a quiet appreciation in the way her hand settled over his.

Weeks later, it happened. Baby Warren was on his way.