The next day...
Evie is still in the hospital. She will be discharged tomorrow, considering that both she and Asher is fine. Nikki doesn't leave them anymore, watching them non-stop to make sure they're okay and that if Evie needs something. The brunette is overwhelmed by Nikki's care for her.
Right now she is lying on the bed, with little Asher in her arms. The little one has barely eaten, and is now sleeping carelessly. Nikki is next to them and looks at them both lovingly.
"Babe," he says approaching her and the newborn. "I'll take him to his crib so he can sleep better."
She smiles at him, nods and stretches out her arms. Nikki takes his son in his arms and carefully places him in his crib, caressing his little head.
In a short time, there is a knock on the door. Evie says yes and the door opens. Inside, Tommy enters with Heather and little Laura. With them are Evie's father and her stepmother and her brother Anthony. Both children hold blue balloons in their hands and make sounds of happiness.
"Oh, no," Nikki whispers and looks at Evie with the same worried look like her.
Nikki walks over to them and looks at the children and gestures:
"Okay, kids. I know you're happy to see Asher for the first time, but he's barely asleep. Keep quiet, please."
The children nod and go to the crib and look at little Asher, who is sleeping so peacefully.
"How cute, he is", Heather says approaching the crib. "Congratulations! How are you, Evie? Are you ok?" She asks, looking at the brunette.
"Thank you, Heather. I'm fine," Evie smiles.
Everyone goes and melt at the sight of the baby still sleeping. Evie's father goes to his daughter and hugs and congratulates her. Her step-mother doing the same.
"I feel so old now that you made me a grandfather," Jack jokes.
"Oh, Dad," Evie chuckles. "You will never be old."
"I feel old too now because I'm an uncle," says Anthony.
Everyone there starts laughing lightly, because they don't want to wake little Asher.
"Little Asher is so cute," says Li Mei. "I hope he will brings you joy. To make you proud."
"Thank you," Evie and Nikki say in unison.
"From now on, goodbye sleep," Tommy is joking with Nikki.
"I don't think so," Nikki grins. "Asher is already sleeping very well."
"That's right," Evie says. "He is a good baby."
"Wait a few more weeks when he has colic," Tommy tenses Nikki again.
"Oh, babe shut up," Heather says to her husband and rolls her eyes. "Even if Asher has colic, they will both survive."
Everyone starts laughing again. Laura and Anthony look at the sleeping baby for another minute.
"I told you he was a boy," Anthony grins at Laura.
The little girl frowns, crosses her hands, and goes to Evie's bed, where the other adults are.
"Auntie Evie!" Says the little girl. You have to have a girl now. Please! I want a girl friend to play with."
"Laura!" Heather raises her voice, scolding her daughter.
All this while the others grows up laugh, especially Tommy, who is out of breath.
"Laura seems to inherit you with each passing day," Nikki tells his bandmate.
Everyone laughs. The brunette has red cheeks, taken by surprise by her granddaughter but says:
"We have Asher for now, my dear. But maybe," she is looking at her husband who smiles lovingly at her," one day we will have a daughter. I hope she will be as pretty as you."
"Hooray!" The little girl smiles broadly and jumps clapping her hands.
"Maybe you should tell your parents to give you a sister," Nikki says with a sly grin at Tommy.
If until then Tommy laughed the most, now he is silent instantly, the expression on his face changes. Everyone look at him amused. Heather blushes and giggles.
The little girl turns to her parents with twinkling eyes and says:
"Mommy. Daddy. Can you give me a sister? Please!"
"I'll kill you for that later," Tommy whispers to Nikki, who can't help but laugh.
The next day...
Nikki holds his son in his arms as he leaves the hospital with his wife. They smile at each other and get to their car. He prepares to put Asher in the car, but he hears a voice.
Both he and Evie are confused, looking confounded and turn around and see Deana. The woman smiles and hurries towards them.
Nikki doesn't seem too happy about his mother's presence here, but he tries to stay as calm as possible. Evie notices this, and places a hand on his shoulder, smiling warmly at him, making him feel less stressed.
"Are you going home now?" Deana asks. "Oh, look at him!" She says softly, looking at the baby in Nikki's arms. "How adorable he sleeps."
"Yes, we go home," her son answers, with a serious face.
"I know it can seem spontaneous," Deana says slightly anxiously. "But I wish you would both agree... to be able come and spend time with Asher... I know I wasn't a good mother," she smiles sadly. "I'm so sorry about that. But I would like to be a good grandmother. That's only if you want to... son..." The woman says the last words with a pained look.
Nikki doesn't know what to say. He doesn't even know how to feel now that his mother says that to him after so many years. He looks at his wife who smiles warmly at him. Evie whispers:
"It's your choice..."
And she's right. But at this moment he doesn't really know what choice he might make. He looks at his mother again and then looks at his son who is sleeping carelessly in his arms.
"I... I really don't know..." He says nervously.
"It's ok..." His mother smiles.
"No... I mean... I need time..."
"Okay. I'm glad you're saying that," Deana smiles. "If you give me a chance, I will not disappoint you. Neither you nor this little one," she says, looking again fondly at her grandson.
"Okay... We have to go now," says Nikki.
"Okay. Call me if you need anything. I would even be a wonderful nanny for your little one."
"We will remember this," this time Evie speaks and smiles slightly.
The three say goodbye. Deana leaves and Nikki carefully put Asher in his car seat. Evie sits down next to her son. Before Nikki buckles his son's seat belts, he asks his wife:
"Do you think I should give her a chance?"
"Well..." Evie doesn't seem surprised by his question. "It's all up to you, Nikki. If you really want that, why not? I can give you some advice, but in the end you will make the decision. I imagine how painful it was the way your mother treated you when you were a child. But she seems to regret what she did and wants a chance for you. I say you should give her a chance. Maybe she has changed and wants to be at least a good grandmother to our son. But again... only if you want to... You decide."
He stays and thinks about what she said, trying to process all the information and find a solution. Maybe Evie is right? Does his mother deserve a chance? She seems to want to be so much in his life and that of their son.
Nikki smiles at his wife and finally buckles Asher's seat belts. He leans over to his wife and kisses her briefly on the lips and says:
"I think you're right, honey."
"I'm glad you think that," she smiles at him.
Soon Nikki turns on the car, starting the road to home. Now it's not just him and Evie. Now they have a bundle of joy with them that will change their lives from now on. They are no longer alone. He can't wait to get home and spend time with his family and try to be the best father for his son. And probably in a while, Evie will give birth to more children. That would be so wonderful. He hopes this will really happen.