Accidental Surrogate for Alpha

#Chapter 481– A New Family

It takes a little over two hours, but finally the last of the doctors leaves, the door clicking shut behind them.

“Finally,” Roger sighs, falling back into the linens of the freshly-changed bed. “Now we just have to get our stupid family to leave and we’ll get some sleep – ”

“Excuse me,” I say, glaring over at him. “If you think you’re tired -”

“Fine fine,” he sighs, turning his head to grin at me. “You’re right. What can I get you, my love? Do you want anything?”

The doctor officially gave me and Jesse a clean bill of health after I delivered the placenta and Jesse had his first feeding and full check-up. It was, of course, a relief to have everything turn out right and relatively easy -especially in comparison to Ella’s experiences – but now that they’re all gone?

Honestly, it all feels very real.

Like now I have to be a mom, and Roger has to be a dadall by ourselves.

“I don’t know,” I say, laughing a little and looking between Roger and our little baby. “Honestly, it’s all kind of weird, isn’t it? All of this fuss and then they just…leave you alone with a baby. To do what you will.”

“I know,” he says, looking at me with wide eyes. “I’m glad you know what to do. I’m totally lost.”

“I don’t know what to do!” I protest, laughing and shaking my head.

“What!?” he breaths, sitting up sharply.

“I’m just a doctor, Roger!” I say, laughing harder now and feeling a little hysterical as well as exhausted. “People come to me pregnant, but then I send the babies home with them! I don’t know what to do with a kid – that’s Ella’s department.”

“Well then,” he says, looking anxiously towards the door. “I take back my previous words. Ella has to stay – for like, ever.”

“Or at least until this kid is six -”

“Can we push to seven?” Roger asks, looking at me with real anxiety that just makes me laugh harder.

There’s a little knock on the door but suddenly Roger and I are laughing too hard to answer it. It cracks open anyway and Ella again peeks her head in.

new parents,” she says, shaking her head at us and smiling as she comes into the

says, wiping a tear of mirth from his eyes. “What are we supposed to like…do with him?” he asks, gesturing to the baby as Sinclair comes in after Ella, shutting the door and grinning at us. Rafe fusses, starting

and reaching for the baby, which I gladly hand off to

sighs as Ella folds her legs beneath her on the bed and Sinclair pulls a chair up to the bedside, completing our little

confused. “They sleep a lot their first couple of weeks. And then, after that,

says, looking dubiously

considering the idea but I just laugh and shake my head. “You can’t take my baby, Ella,”

I didn’t like him,” Roger murmurs, sighing

a surprised little screech all of a sudden and all of our eyes turn to him as his own gaze fastens on his cousin, his eyes going wide like

mean, he honestly probably

coos, leaning forward so that Rafe can

forward to see Jesse, his face very curious. Rafe lets out another little squeak, more

with a fascinated and pleased expression. “He really does want to

own baby. ” He’s your new cousin! And I

be,” Roger murmurs.” Because they’re going to be together a lot. It’s going to be very inconvenient if they don’t

scold, giving him a light smack on the chest. “They will. Besides, shut

the two of us lean forward as Sinclair sits Rafe on the bed, letting him

down,” Ella says softly, her voice a

“What?” Sinclair asks.

Ella says, almost beyond herself, as if she’s speaking from instinct. “Let’s just…try

I just shrug, fine with it if Ella is. I don’t see Roger’s response, but I don’t hear a protest, so

flips Rafe on his back and lays him out on the blankets, and Ella very gently, very

for a moment as he stares at his cousin. And then

fingers brush against Jesse’s cheek, and Jesse’s little

parents take a sharp

– each and every one of

second and then all of our eyes dart back to our kids, who are still touching, just barely, skin

hello to his new cousin, who just

mouth for a split second before

turn my head to see him staring wide-eyed at Ella. “Yeah, I think it’s fair to say we