“Whenever you’re ready. Do they need to take him to the nursery?”
“After we breast-feed, they’ll take him for a bath and an examination. I’ll move to the maternity ward then.”
“You want me to tell Mom to wait?”
“Oh, no. She can come in and see him before they take him.” Annie smiled. “We can’t keep saying ‘him,’ you know.”
“Have you decided on a name?”
“I liked the one you picked,” Annie said.
Jordan smiled. “I picked a new favorite every week. Which one?”
“Jacob Matthew Thomas Sims.”
Jordan grinned. “Jake. I picked that name last week.”
“Yes. I love it. Do you think your mother will?”
Jordan nodded. “Yes. She’ll be thrilled.”
Annie’s gaze was locked on the baby. “Your mother said that both you and Matt were born with hair like this,” she said. She brushed her fingers gently through it. “I love that he’s so much like you.”
“Annie…I’m sorry that your mother is not here.”
Annie looked at her quickly, then turned her gaze back to Jacob. “I know. I thought that she…well, I thought that she might come by. Maybe she’ll wait until we get back to Rockport.”
“Honey, give her time. She’ll come around.”
“You keep saying that. But so far—”
“How can she not? Look at him? He’s so beautiful. She’ll fall in love with him.”
“I hope so.” Annie drew her down for a kiss. “Why don’t you go get your parents? I think I’m ready.” She pulled a sleeping Jacob from her breast. “I think he’s ready.”
* * *
Annie woke slowly, rolling her head to the side. When she opened her eyes, Jordan was there, watching her.
“Where’s Jacob?”
“Sleeping,” Jordan said quietly, motioning to the crib beside her. “He’s adorable.”
Annie smiled. “You’re adorable.” She sat up. “How long did I sleep?”
“A couple of hours.”
“He’ll be ready to eat soon.”
“Yes. Are we supposed to wake him to eat?”
“If he doesn’t wake on his own, yes,” she said, trying to remember everything she’d learned. “For the first couple of weeks, he should feed every two to three hours.”
Jordan took her hand. “How do you feel?”
“Better.” She raised an eyebrow. “Have you eaten?”
Jordan shook her head. “No. I didn’t want to leave you. Are you hungry?”
“Not really. But you should go get something. I’ll be fine.”
Jordan stood up, then leaned down and kissed her. “I love you. I’ll be right back.”
Annie smiled as she watched Jordan leave, then her gaze drifted over to a sleeping Jacob. He was wrapped up tight in his blanket, his dark hair covered with a cap. She reached out and pulled the crib closer to her bed. She would let him sleep another half hour before she woke him. She leaned back on her pillows, still smiling as she stared at him. He really was beautiful. She’d told everyone she didn’t have a preference—boy or girl—but secretly, she’d hoped it would be a boy. She also knew Loraine wished for a boy. Not that Jacob could ever take Matt’s place, but he would at least be a tiny replica of his father.
She turned to the door when she heard a light knocking on it.
“Come in,” she called. She was surprised to see her mother open the door.
Her smile faltered a little as her mother came into the room. She wasn’t sure what to say to her. Their relationship had deteriorated even further, and Annie hadn’t seen or talked to her in over a month. Christmas had come and gone without so much as a greeting. Even with all of that, she still expected—hoped—that her mother would show up for the birth.
“Are you okay?”
Annie nodded. “I’m fine.”
Her mother’s gaze slid to Jacob. “A boy?”
“Yes.”
Her mother came closer. “What did you name him?”
“Jacob Matthew,” she said.
“He looks beautiful.”
“Yes. I’ll wake him soon. He needs to eat.” She smiled. “My breasts are huge. They’re going to show me how to use a breast pump.”
Her mother finally looked at her, meeting her eyes. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here.”
Annie shrugged. “Loraine was here. And Jordan, of course.”
She noticed her mother’s expression harden at the mention of Jordan’s name. She had yet to tell her mother the extent of their relationship. She could only imagine her reaction. She feared it would drive a permanent wedge between them and she wasn’t ready for that. She hoped that the baby could bring them closer together again.
“Are you going to continue to live there? With her?”
“Yes.”
“You’re going to need help, Annie. You could come home with us,” her mother offered.
Annie tilted her head. “Mom? During my whole pregnancy, you’ve been ashamed of me. I know at the beginning, it was a shock to you. But after all this time, you’ve still remained distant. Why is that?”
“I think maybe it is you who has been distant.”
Annie shook her head. “No.” She paused. “Is all of this really because I’m living with Jordan?”
“You know how I feel about her.”
“Yes, you’ve made that perfectly clear. The problem is, you don’t even know anything about her. She’s…she’s so kind and caring. She’s…she’s solid. No matter what, she’s been there for me. Through all of this, from the first day I met her, she’s been my rock. I don’t think I could have made it through this without her.”
“You don’t have to try to sell her to me, Annie. I simply don’t approve of her lifestyle.” She pointed at Jacob. “And now you’re going to expose an innocent baby to all that. God only knows how he’s going to turn out.”
Annie bit her lower lip, trying so hard to keep her retort inside. She failed, however.
“Turn out?” she asked loudly. “Children of gay parents turn out perfectly fine, thank you. He will have a very loving home. And he will have grandparents who love him and spoil him.” She paused. “Well, at least one set, anyway.”
“You act like I don’t want to have anything to do with him.”
“Do you? You don’t want to have anything to do with me.”
“Nonsense. If that was the case, I wouldn’t have offered for you to move back with us.” She took a step closer. “Please consider it, Annie. If not for you, then for the baby. He needs a normal home. You don’t know what she might do to him.”
“Oh, God, I can’t believe you just said that.”
“It’s the truth. You don’t know. She could—”
“Stop it,” she said. “Please don’t say something you’re going to regret.”
“Regret?”
“Yes. Because Jordan and I are—”
She stopped when the door opened, relieved to see Jordan there. Jordan paused when she saw her mother, but Annie waved her in.
“Hello, Mrs. Thomas,” Jordan said with a smile. “Glad you could make it by.” If Jordan noticed the tension between them, she didn’t acknowledge it. Instead, she handed Annie a plastic wrapper. “Cookie,” she said.
“Thank you.” Annie looked up at her mother, seeing the scorn on her face as she avoided looking at Jordan. Annie had had enough. She took Jordan’s hand and smiled as Jordan’s eyebrows shot up. “As I was saying, Mom…Jordan and I are more than friends.” Her mother looked at her sharply. “I love her.”
Her mother gasped and held a hand to her chest. Her eyes went between them, landing on their clasped hands. Annie was shocked by the rage she saw on her face. Her mother turned to Jordan.
“What have you done to her?”
Jordan’s expression softened, and she smiled slightly. “I fell in love with her. That’s all.”
Her mother shook her head violently. “No! No. This is outrageous.” She turned to Annie. “You will come home with me. I won’t have you—”
“Mom, stop.” Annie held her hand up. “I’m happy. For the first time in my life, I’m happy with someone. This is who I am.”