CJ felt the baby leave her and was amazed at the immediate sense of loss. The intimacy only she could share with her child was over. Everything was silent for a second or two and she didn’t even realise that Ethan had let go of her hand to quickly assist Donna—and then it came. The most glorious sound in the entire world—the cry of a newborn babe.
Donna placed the child into CJ’s waiting arms. ‘You have a daughter.’
The loss she’d just felt vanished into thin air as she held her little girl for the very first time, kissing the soft, downy head.
‘Oh, baby.’ Her eyes filled with tears that spilled over. ‘Baby, you’re here.’
‘What are you going to call her?’ The question came from Ethan, his voice not quite so steady. CJ looked up to see his own eyes glistening with tears. She reached out a hand to him, which he took, drawing him closer.
‘Ethan...’ Her throat was scratchy and sore and with the swell of emotion she felt, it was no wonder it was hard to speak.
‘Really? I think you can think of a prettier name than that,’ he whispered with a soft chuckle.
She laughed and swallowed. ‘Will you help me?’
‘Name her?’ When she nodded, he smiled. ‘I’d be delighted and honoured.’
The child in her arms slept, their gazes held and slowly but surely he moved in closer. The kiss he pressed on her lips was the most natural thing he’d ever done. The feeling of coming home was the most natural feeling he’d ever felt.
And he was at a loss to explain why neither terrified him.
* * *
‘Have you come up with any more names?’ Donna asked as she came around to check on CJ. CJ was sitting in bed, propped up by pillows, feeding her beautiful daughter. ‘Everyone’s on tenterhooks to find out what you’ll call her, and discover who has won the competition.’
‘Who picked the right date?’
‘Idris at the supermarket. Robert chose the correct time of birth so now we’re just waiting on the name.’
CJ chuckled. ‘I love the way they all get involved.’
‘I can’t believe she’s two days old and you still haven’t even thought of a name.’
‘I want to find one that suits her. I liked Susan yesterday but...’ She trailed off and shook her head.
‘Has Ethan been in this morning?’
‘Not yet but we’re expecting him soon.’ The baby had finished feeding and CJ sat her up to burp her. ‘Aren’t we a beautiful girl. We’re expecting Ethan really soon. Yes, we are. Oh, you’re so precious.’ CJ kissed her daughter’s head, breathing in the scent and filing the memory away for later. Once the baby had released her wind, CJ re-wrapped the gorgeous girl in a blanket. ‘I like the name Joy. Are you a Joy?’ She smiled. ‘Yes. Yes you are a joy, an absolute joy.’
‘Joy?’ Ethan queried as he strode into the room. ‘Joy Nicholls. Has a ring to it. I gather you’ve given up Susan?’
‘Yes. I don’t think she looks like a Susan any more.’
‘What about... Elizabeth?’
CJ watched as he scooped the baby up into his arms as though it were the most natural thing in the world. He kissed her head and rubbed his cheek against her softness, breathing that gorgeous baby scent in the same way CJ had.
‘Elizabeth. Elizabeth Nicholls.’ She mulled it over. ‘I quite like it. Elizabeth. Does she look like an Elizabeth, Ethan?’
He studied the little girl who was going to sleep in his arms. ‘You know, I think she does. And also I like Lizzie, for when she’s cheeky and mischievous.’
‘Where did you get Elizabeth from?’ Donna asked.
‘It was my great-grandmother’s name,’ Ethan stated.
‘It’s very pretty.’
‘We need something that goes with Elizabeth,’ Ethan continued, rocking the baby gently from side to side. CJ liked watching him hold the baby, liked the way he looked with the little girl in his arms, liked the way he’d just loved her so unconditionally. She’d been worried that being at the birth, helping her, holding the baby—all of it would have brought back horrible memories for him but, in fact, it was the opposite. It was as though Elizabeth’s birth had helped him to heal. Still, CJ was cautious. There were still too many questions in the air surrounding Ethan, herself and the baby, but for now, naming the gorgeous girl was enough to deal with.
They all thought. ‘What about Janice?’ Donna asked.
CJ pondered, then shook her head.
‘What about Jean?’ Ethan suggested. ‘After you, Claudia-Jean. You could hyphenate her name, too.’
‘EJ and CJ? Well, the Jean part of my name was after my mother so that way Elizabeth would be named after both of us.’ She laughed.
‘And she deserves to carry the family name—your name,’ he continued. ‘You did an amazing job, bringing her into this world.’ He looked at the baby. ‘Elizabeth-Jean Nicholls.’
‘It’s pretty,’ Donna remarked. She looked from one to the other. ‘Decided?’
CJ smiled at Ethan. ‘Decided. Elizabeth-Jean she is.’
‘This calls for a celebration,’ Donna said, and headed off to tell the rest of the staff. After Donna had left the room, CJ peered at her daughter.
‘Is she asleep?’
‘Yes.’
‘Do you want to put her down?’
‘No.’ He smiled sheepishly and sat down on the bed next to CJ. ‘I like holding her.’
‘Me too. I was supposed to put her in her cot last night but I just didn’t want to let her go so I slept with her in my arms all night long. Snuggled together.’ Her smile was bright and she sighed with happiness.
‘So how are you feeling today?’
‘Better.’
Ethan angled Elizabeth up in his arms so they could both look at the baby’s sleeping face. ‘She’s beautiful, CJ. Simply beautiful.’
‘She is, isn’t she,’ CJ whispered rhetorically, brushing her finger lightly over Elizabeth’s cheek. ‘I can’t believe how perfectly I love her. I didn’t know she was missing from my life until she was here.’ She chuckled and looked at him. ‘I don’t know if that
