Corps Security, The Series (1)(100)

“Thank you, Princess. You’ve made me the luckiest man in the universe.”

We both watch in awe as the nurses weigh and measure our son and bundle him up tight in a blue blanket. His head is covered with a tiny blue hat. They place him into Izzy’s arms. Seeing her there with our son makes my skin break out in chills and my heart speeds up.

“Perfect,” she whispers. I look down into her face and think that she is not wrong.

He has a tiny round and chubby face. His lips are small and form a perfect bow. He makes little mewing sounds and puckers his lips, showing off a dimple in his right cheek. I lift the cap up and see a full head of jet-black hair.

“He looks just like you, Axel.” And he does.

We sit there until the doctor is done cleaning her up and the nurses start leaving to go make another couple as happy as we are.

This moment right here makes every day we were apart worth it.

Complete. I feel complete.

Leaning down, kissing my son softly on his small head, and breathing in his baby scent has me choking on my emotions again.

“We’ve been waiting on you. Just as perfect as we knew you would be. Love you, little man.” I kiss him once more before moving my lips to Izzy’s. I kiss her twice before kissing away each tear that has escaped her eyes. “Love you so much, Princess.”

Izzy

Watching Axel fall in love with his son is the most beautiful moment.

“I love you too, baby. So much.”

Axel has refused to leave our side to go tell everyone that the baby is here. We have just been moved into our private room when they start filing in. I’m impressed they made it that long. I’m starting to get tired, but the desire for our friends to meet our son keeps me from falling asleep.

“Oh my lord! Look at him! He is perfect!” Dee says with an excited whisper.

Congratulations are thrown around, and we enjoy sharing this moment with our family. Each and every one of the most important people in our lives is here. I am watching Axel hold our son close to his chest and thinking that he looks like a little football in Axel’s large arms when I hear someone ask what his name is. Axel looks over at me with a smile and gives a small shake of his head.

I look over and meet each one of our friends’ faces when I announce, “Nathaniel Gregory Reid.” When I reach Greg’s eyes, the tears gathering in the corners shock me for a second.

He walks over and gives me a small kiss on the top of my head. “Thank you, baby girl. That means the world . . . means the world to me.”

I smile at him and wipe my eyes dry.

Axel comes over and hands me Nate before climbing into the bed next to me. We all sit there and enjoy the moment until the baby starts to cry. Axel looks worried, but I lean over and whisper in his ear that it’s time to feed him. With some quick (Maddox, Beck, and Coop) and reluctant (Dee and Greg) goodbyes, our family leaves and Axel comes back over to me. He puts his arm around my shoulders and I lean into his body, settling Nate so that Axel can look down into his angelic face with me.

When I settle Nate on my breast and feel him give the first timid pull, I smile down at him and think to myself that fate finally loves me. Fate is welcoming me into her arms and shining her bright rays of love onto our family.

It doesn’t take me long to drift off to sleep, safe in Axel’s embrace with the gift of our love in my arms.

THE END


Keep reading for some deleted scenes from Axel.





NAMING THE BABY

“Are you happy?”

The question seems so bizarre coming from her lips. Does she really doubt my happiness?

“You must be out of your mind, Princess, if you for one second think I’m not.”

I look up and meet her green eyes from where my head is resting on her lap. My fingers are still caressing her swollen stomach, every few seconds getting a solid kick in return. Almost as if my boy is letting me know that he feels me.

Every time I look at her and see her body changing with our child, I almost lose my mind. It feels like my heart might burst. This is all part of the dream we shared all those years ago, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t terrified that it will all just vanish.

“Seriously, Axel. I can’t help but wonder what life would be like if we hadn’t lost all those years. I almost feel guilty being as happy as I am, knowing how much we lost.”

Without breaking eye contact, I fold myself up and take her face between my hands. “Izzy, no doubt we were dealt a shit hand . . . to start with. But we found each other again. Nothing, and I mean nothing, can take this happiness from us. Me, you, our son, and any other children we have.”

I press my lips against hers briefly, but with just enough strength that she starts pulling me more firmly against her. We both laugh when we feel our son kick. His strong kicks against my stomach feel a hell of a lot different against my hands.