"Get Ready...Tonight...Gonna make this a night [love] to remember" by Shalamar


My Kinda Guy
A Love To Remember
Chapter 24
by Nicole Brown (Some Elements by JT Poole )


April 4, 2005 -- Orlando, FL -- Florida Hospital -- Nikki's ICU Room

Howie's POV

Nikki's been awake for almost a week now, but the doctor's want to keep her on bed rest for a few more weeks because she can't seem to get out of bed without having contractions. The doctors are also concerned that our baby is running out of room in there, which I think is bullshit. I mean, yeah Nikki's getting really big, but that's just because she's eating for two now. Luckily she seems to be taking this in stride, since I know she would rather be home in our bed. Hell so would I for that matter. I miss having her in bed beside me, and I really miss feeling the lump doing her Jane Fonda workouts at three o'clock in the morning.

"Mee-Mee, I tee you!" CJ yelled, breaking free of Joe and climbing up on the bed with Nikki with Joshy and Briahna hot on his heels.

"You guys are acting like you haven't seen Mommy in years," Joe said with a grin as he leaned over Bri to kiss Nikki. "You were just here to see her last night."

"Tony, they're two and a half--they have short memories," Nikki quipped, kissing the boys and Bri in turn as she settled them around her on the bed, careful not to let any of them kick the Lump. "They're just happy to see me. And I'm probably happier to see them. Where's Nicky?"

"He's coming--and he has someone he wants you to meet," Joe said cryptically, smirking at me when I grinned. Nikki looked confused for a moment, but then she shrugged and went back to playing with the kids.

"So he finally decided to bring her, huh?" I asked, amused as all hell at Nick's reticence to bring Arabella to meet Nikki. His excuse was he didn't want to shock her, but methinks he's afraid of what she might say about having another child in the house.

Obviously he doesn't know my wife very well, I thought with a smile as she brushed Briahna's hair and put it into a ponytail. I think she'd love to have a dozen babies... especially if they're all little girls.

"Hey everybody," Nick said, pushing the door open and leading Bella into the room. She stood watching everybody, finally relaxing when she spotted Bri. The two of them have become fast friends over the past few weeks, thanks in part to their Mommy grief. "Hey Nikki, how are you feelin' today?"

"I'm feeling fine--and who is this little lady?" Nikki asked smiling at Bella as Bri climbed down off of the bed to go to her friend and bring her closer to the bed. "Hi sweetie... my name is Nikki... what's your name?"

"Arabella--but Mommy and everybody call me Bella," the little girl replied, smiling which caused Nikki to give Nick what the three of us--and JC--call the evil side eye from Hell. "Daddy says that's your howse we live in... are you CJ's Momma?"

"I sure am--and Joshua's too," Nikki replied, patting a space on the bed for the girls to sit. "How old are you Bella--and that's a very pretty name by the way. Did your Mommy give you that name?"

"Uh huh," Bella replied, scampering up on the bed with the rest of the kids. "My mommy said she picked a pwidy name `cause I was a pwidy baby."

"Well you certainly are a beautiful little girl," Nikki said, smiling at the little girl. Nick breathed a sigh of relief, believing that he was out of the woods, but as soon as Nikki heard it, she turned that glare on him again. She looked at me and Joe, who was fighting a loosing battle to stifle his laughter, with a sweet smile. "Could you guys take the kids down to the cafeteria to get some ice cream? Mommy needs to talk to Uncle Nick."

"Try not to hurt him too badly," I said with a cheeky grin as I gathered the troops, bending down to kiss my wife on the cheek. "We still need him for concerts and tours... you know, stuff that keeps us in that beautiful house?"

"I'll try--but no promises," she replied with an angelic grin. I could feel Nick's eyes on me, begging me not to leave him alone with the wifey, but I know better than to try to get in her way. Besides, I'm hoping she'll be getting out of here soon and I'd still like to be able to get some sexual healing from her.

No sex in five weeks makes D a very horny boy, I thought sardonically as Joe and I led the kids down the halls of the hospital.

"You don't think she's really gonna do anything, do you?" Joe asked, looking only a tiny bit concerned for Nick's welfare. Mostly he just looked like he wanted to be somewhere laughing his ass off. I cocked an eyebrow, side eyeing him in amusement.

"Joe, you know my wife as well as I do--what do you think?" I asked as the elevator doors closed and we left Nick to face his fate.

Nikki's POV

"So, when were you planning to tell me you had a daughter Nickolas?" I asked as soon as the door had closed behind Howie, Tony and the kids.

"I--I wanted to wait `til you were better," Nick stammered, looking around like he was trying to plan his escape route. "I only found out the day you woke up about Bella and well... I was kind of embarrassed that I never knew about her before now. I'm sorry Nikki--I wasn't trying to keep it from you, honest."

"I believe you," I told him with a wicked grin. "And I'm not upset you didn't tell me, since D already had. I'm just surprised you ain't got a whole passel of babies and baby's mommas running around here since D also told me you were quite the lil man ho during the Millennium and the Black & Blue tours."

"I'm gonna kill him," Nick said with a sheepish grin. He looked at me his eyes becoming somber. "You know I'm gonna need a lot of help with her since I don't really know very much about little girls."

"You know I'll help you kid," I stated, grinning mischievously. "Now I have another little diva in training to follow in my footsteps. The world just ain't ready for us!"

"Good grief," Nick said, laughing as the men folk and little people came back into the room, all talking at one time and laughing as we waited for the doctor to come grant me my final parole papers and I could go home.

"Alright Mrs. Dorough," Dr. Feinberg says as he enters the room, smiling briefly at D and company. "I know I've told you this already, but I want you to stay off your feet for the next couple of weeks. Don't look at me like that young lady... this is for your and your baby's good, so deal with it!"

"Yes, Dr. Feinberg," I said with as good grace as possible. D squeezed my hand, smiling patiently, but that steely glint in his eyes told me to keep a civil tongue in my head or there'd be hell to pay.

Fuck ya! I thought as I gave him a sickeningly sweet smile before tuning back into what the good doctor was saying.

"Nicole, I want you to know, your recovery has been amazing up to this point--and while I'd like to think I had something to do with that, I know how much you hate being cooped up in here. Now that being said, if you have any pain or pressure I want you to get yourself back to the hospital as fast as you can. I don't expect any complications, but just be careful... capeesh?"

"Am I free to go?" I asked, tossing back the covers and sitting on the side of the bed. I stood slowly, my legs almost buckling before Tony caught me and helped me to sit down again. "I--I guess I'm not as strong as I look, huh?"

"Nicole, it's going to take time for you to get your strength back," Dr Feinberg stated, standing in front of me as Tony rubbed my back. "I want you to take it easy as much as possible. You can get up and take short walks, but no running of marathons until after the baby comes. I'll leave you to get dressed. See you in a week."

"Yes sir," I said as D handed me clean clothes to wear.

I dressed as quickly as I could with three extra sets of hands and four little people helping me out. When I was done, the aide came with a wheelchair and I sat my happy ass down, smiling ear to ear as she pushed me down the hallway towards the elevators and freedom.

"Yes!" I screamed as I was rolled out the front door of the hospital, making everybody laugh as I did a quick shimmy shake before I was whisked away home.

April 19, 2005 -- Fair Haven Compound -- Howie & Nicole's Bedroom

Nikki's POV

Damn, I never thought I would be this happy to be home, but man, I am one happy camper. Three weeks in the hospital is enough to make anybody go insane, so when they finally paroled me, I ran up out that bitch vowing never to be put on lockdown like that again. I've even gone so far as to hire a nurse midwife to come work with me and the guys on a home birthing plan, cause damn it, I'm not trying to go back to that hospital even to have this baby--not even if the idea of me having this baby at home did make D turn a rather unhealthy shade of gray.

You might as well man up nicca, cause what Mama wants, Mama gets, I thought with a grin as I sat on the edge of the bed to slip my feet into my slippers.

I got out of bed, stretching and yawning as I walked over to look out the back window. The kids were out there playing with Nick and Tony, their laughter floating up to me on the warm afternoon breeze. One good thing about living in Florida--the weather never sucks! I watched as the boys chased Bella and Bri, who were running slowly so the boys could keep up. I couldn't help smiling as I watched them all collapse into a heap of arms and legs. Arms slipped around me from behind, pulling me back into a warm chest, while hands covered my eyes.

"Guess who?" a voice whispered, lips caressing my ear. I knew as soon as I felt them there that it was Josh and I turned into his embrace.

"Hey baby," was all I managed to get out before those lips were on mine. I relaxed into the kiss, sighing as he explored my mouth.

When we had our fill of each other, we pulled apart and looked into each other's eyes, enjoying the comfortable silence. My mind still boggles when I think of the open warfare that was about to be waged between the two of us not more than six months ago--all because of his feelings for me. I still had moments when I doubted that Josh's feelings for me were real, but those moments were becoming fewer and farther between since he and Tony had moved into the house...but days like today were enough to bring the old ghosts back.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked, smoothing my hair as we moved to lie in bed. Howie must have told him I was supposed to be on bed rest, the rat!

"Just remembering when you and I were fighting--back before we made love the first time," I replied, settling into my nest of pillows while Josh tossed my slippers aside and stretched out beside me, one hand resting on my tummy.

"What about it?" he asked, grinning when the baby wiggled against his hand. "She's just like you already: sassy and bold. Calm down in there, lil bit. Momma and Uncle Josh are talking."

"Just wondering if you really felt that way about me--or if you did it to please Tony," I stated, moving around in the nest to find a comfortable position that supported my belly and relieved the stress on my spine. "I mean, I want to believe that you do feel that way about me, but I can't help having these flashes of guilty conscious I guess. I know how much you love Tony, and I know that his love for me is in the way of you guys being together completely... I just... I guess I don't wanna feel like I'm hurting you again."

"Hush," he whispered, resting my head on his shoulder. "Nikki, what I feel for you is real. I tried for months to hide it because I never thought you would want me too, but then that night after your birthday party, I knew. I had to have you--no matter what. When I knew you wanted me too, I knew then that I loved you more than I could say. You made me feel like you not only could love me, but that I was worthy of love."

"I did all that?" I asked, blushing as I ducked my head. I felt him laugh as he held me, his fingers playing in my hair. "You deserved Tony's love... and mine too if you still want it."

"Oh, I still want it--more than you know," he said softly as he captured my lips again.

When the kiss ended this time, I was feeling horny as all hell. I have been sex free for over a month and contrary to what D says sex is good for me and the baby too. I relaxed against JC, trying to calm my hormones, but they were having no parts of being calmed down.

Damn I need him inside me, NOW! I thought irritably, regretting my promise to keep the sexing of the guys to a minimum even more as I shifted positions and drifted off to sleep again.

I woke up a little while later still in the same position, resting in Josh's arms with my legs tangled in his. I squirmed a bit, trying in vain to find some way to lie without waking him, but it was no use. I untangled myself from Josh, uncomfortable now in this position since the mini-me was now using my bladder for her own private kicky bag.

I got up and walked over to the mirror, pulling my shirt up and looking at myself in disgust. I was nowhere near as pretty as I normally was, and I'm so big that I feel like a beached whale most of the time. D tries his best to convince me that I'm still beautiful, but I know he's full of shit--after all, he is my husband. I hear the bed creak and knew Josh was awake, so the arms around my waist didn't surprise me.

"How can you guys be so attracted to me?" I asked, frowning as I stared down at my lump. "I look like a big ass Oompa Loompa!"

"No you don't babe," D stated, coming into the room followed by Tony. He stood next to Josh, facing me as he caressed my cheek. "You look beautiful and you're glowing... and you know I want you all the time because that's my little girl you're carrying. You've always been beautiful to me though... always."

I rested against Josh still, feeling a familiar tingle begin in my kitty at the thought of being alone with the three of them. D's smile became mischievous as he and Tony came over to the bed. I was ready for whatever the three of them tried to throw at me, but baby Dorough was in a funky mood. As soon as D touched my breast, this lil heffa balled up tight in me and kicked so hard I almost pissed my pants. I jumped up, running as fast as I could to the bathroom. When I came out, the guys were all sitting on the bed waiting for me.

"I guess no nookie for me," I said with a sour grin. Howie came to me, kissing me on my cheek and nuzzling the side of my neck until I moaned. "Uhhhhh, you might not wanna do that darlin'. Mommy is horny as hell and your daughter is making it impossible for me to get some sex... my mood is shot to hell."

"How about we all go swimming in the pool?" Josh suggested, running his hands over my tummy. What was my reward? Solid shot in the kidneys. "Damn! She is a freakin' power kicker."

"Ya think?" I asked, slipping away from them to change into my maternity swimsuit. I turned around to watch the three of them talking softly, snickering when they seemed reluctant to move. "You guys go get the kids ready... and let Nick know so he can get Arabella ready too. See you downstairs in about twenty!"

An Hour Later -- The Back Yard

Nicole's POV

I gotta admit this was just what the doctor ordered. I'm stretched out on a lounge chair with a frozen drink--sans alcohol, of course--and the kids are having a blast in the pool. D and Tony decided to make it a real barbecue and are manning the brick pit, while Josh and Nick keep the little ones entertained in the shallow end of the pool. I smile and wave at them, relaxed for the first time since I got home and laughing when Bri and Bella double team Nick. I have missed this so much--just being a happy family spending the last days of the spring having fun around the pool while everybody enjoys the weather.

When the doorbell rang, I looked around in shock since I know we're not expecting anyone to be coming here today. If one of the guys was coming over they would've called first to let us know. Lord knows it better not be Justin again. I done told his punk ass not to be coming `round here messing with Nick, but that simple bastard just won't listen. Sometimes I wonder about him. I think the peroxide leaked through to his brain and fucked his reasoning skills all up.

When the ringing became insistent--and it became apparent I was the only one close enough to hear it--I got up and waddled my fat ass into the house to find out where the person is ringing the bell at. Checking the monitor for the three gates we have, I see that there's a strange looking box or something at the side gate that shouldn't be there. Leaning back to look at D and the guys, I shake my head and smile at their crazy horse-playing. Opening the front door, I held on to the door quickly as the lump gave me a swift kick in the kidney. This little heathen kicking like she's taking kickboxing lessons. Taking a breath, I trek on down to the side gate and press the button to open the gate.

"What in the world could this be? Who in the world would drop off a damn refrigerator box and leave it in my damn yard? This must be some trash from those ghetto ass people down the street. They must have fallen and bumped their heads if they think they can leave their trash in my yard and not come back down here to pick this shit up!" I exclaimed kicking the box until it falls over, knocking the gate open and spilling its contents in the yard. "Ohhh shit! What the hell?"

I studied the object, which was roughly the length of a tree limb. It looks like a damn arm or something? What the hell have these people brought into my yard? This must be some kind of trick or something. Kicking the box again, the box opened up more and it was clearly a damn arm not connected to a body.

"D!" I scream out, moving away from the box as I screamed for him. "D! Tony!"

I can't take this! What the hell is going on here? That's a damn arm! That's a damn arm damnit!

"Oh God, oh God, oh God!" I scream, covering my mouth now as I start stepping back, but slipped forward on the gravel and fell into the box and come face to face with what looks like a woman's torso. "Fuck!!! Help me! Help me!"

Is this some kind of nightmare or something? What the hell is going on? That's a fucking breast and that's an arm! I don't know what the hell is going on but I have got to get the hell away from this box! I start kicking my feet, hoping that maybe I can get up enough momentum to propel myself up and out, but I can't seem to get up. I'm struggling with the box and the more I struggle, the more I seem to go down into the box. Where the hell is D? I've fallen and I can't get up!

"'Licia, what's going on?" I hear D ask as I kept trying to grab the sides of the box to pull myself up as he reached down to me, finally freeing me from that fuckin' box and its gruesome contents.

"Don't you fuckin' see that? That's an arm and that's a breast! What the hell going on around here?" I ask as he looked at me funny.

"This must be some kind of joke baby," he says, bending over to look into the box as he started moving the material around in it as he screamed and moved away from it quickly.

"What?" I say, looking at him.

"There's some crazy shit in there baby," he says, breathing hard now.

"What else besides a boob and an arm?" I ask him as he looked at me and kicked the box as a leg and the other arm fell out of the box.

"What the hell is going on? Is this some damned gag gone bad?" I ask, looking at him now.

"Baby, I don't know what the hell this is," he says as Tony walked around the house. "But I seriously think we need to call the po--"

"What's going on you two?" Tony asks, walking up behind me and then looking at D funny.

"Someone's playing a big joke," D says, turning to look at Tony now.

"A joke? What kind of joke?" He asks as D points at the box and shrugs his shoulders.

"What's in the box?" Tony asks, walking past D to look at the box as he kicked at the arm and then bent down and touched the breast.

"Man this feels so real," Tony says; pushing the material around in the box like D was a few moments earlier. "If I didn't know any better I would say this stuff was real."

"It looks real man but I don't think it is," D says, walking back over to the box next to Tony and moving the other stuff out of the way as the both of them jump back. "What the fuck!"

"Hell no... oh hell no... no... fuck!" Tony shouts, covering his mouth now as he points.

"Oh God!" I scream out as Tony and D backed up towards me just as a head rolled out of the box that looked just like Kelly Baldwin. "What the hell is going on here? Is... is that Kelly?!?!"

"She's supposed to be dead! Dead!" Tony screamed out, moving past me now as I started feeling what felt like a huge contraction.

"Oh shit... not now!" I hissed as D turned around to look at me. I felt water running down my legs, and D's eyes were gigantic as the bloody stuff pooled at my feet and quickly soaked into the grass. "D... I--I think my water just broke!"

"Nikki... what's happening out there?" I heard Josh yelling. I heard rather than saw him coming closer, since my mind was firmly on the fact that this fuckin' baby is trying to rip me a new one and Tony is screaming like a girl--and damn it! These fuckin' contractions hurt like a sonofabitch!

"Honey, are you okay?" Josh asked, his arms around my waist the only thing keeping me from dropping to the ground like a ton of bricks. "Nikki, what's wrong with you? What's in the box?"

"You...don't...want...to...know--oh shit!" I gasped, panting like a dehydrated dog. OK, if I don't sit down, I'm gonna fall the fuck out like those Southern style voguers on that Youtube© clip JT sent me. Contraction eased up, and I could finally talk. "Josh, go in the house and tell Nick not to let the kids come out here. Give me your cell--I... I think somebody might have just delivered Kelly Baldwin's body to the house."

"Holy hell," Josh muttered, kissing me quickly before handing me his cell. He ran into the house, looking back once then disappearing inside.

I dialed JT's house, giving him as much information as I could while battling the contractions from hell with D and Tony in attendance. He promised to get there to investigate as soon as possible, laughing as I cursed D out in the middle of a contraction. My midwife tells me to keep my mind off the pain, but how does she expect me to accomplish that with this baby trying to claw her way out of me? Tony was as silent as a ghost, sitting on the big couch in the living room I will always be eternally grateful since pain was whoopin' my ass like a runaway slave and comforting people wasn't really high up on my list of things to do. JC sat next to him, silent also but holding Tony as close as he could.

"Why don't you go on into the living room and relax until Melanie gets here," D stated, smiling as he massaged my spine. It felt like heaven considering how much I was hurting.

"N-no, I'm fine," I told him, smiling weakly as I walked in the entrance alcove holding on to his arm. "I just wish she would hurry up and come out!"

"She'll be here soon, mija," D said in his ultra patient and soothing voice, which I now knew masked the fact that he's on the edge of a nervous breakdown. He stopped walking, turning me toward him. "I love you `Licia... thank you."

"I... love... you... too!" I panted, resting my back against the doorframe as I waited for this contraction to end. Hands soothe as voices soft and gentle hold and caress me as I prepare to bring this baby into the world. "I... I think... we'd... better call... your parents."

"I got it D," Nick said, pulling out his cell and dialing Howie's family to let them know that it was time for this dolphin to come out of me and meet the rest of the family.

My nurse-midwife arrived and she, Tony and Josh went to set up in the living room, filling the birthing tub with warm water while D and I continued to walk around the house with the kids. Can I just say now that I am regretting not being able to have some drugs? Pain is whippin' me across my back like a slave in the cotton fields of Georgia, but I'm still trying to be strong for D, who is looking like he's the one having the contractions.

No such luck! I think when it feels like this baby is between my knees. I turned to Melanie, who sat talking softly to Josh.

"Okay, I really... really need to... be in the tub... right... now!" I panted, stripping out of my until-now forgotten swimsuit. When D reached out to touch me, I smacked the shit out of his hands. "You little... midget... bastard, you're the... reason I'm... in this... fuckin' pain! I... hate... you... don't you... fuckin'... touch... me!"

"O...okay" D stammered, his face clearly showing his shock at my outburst. He tried to walk away from me, but I wasn't having that! I grabbed him in his collar, holding on for dear life.

"Oh no... the fuck... you ain't... walkin'... away... from me!" I shrieked, almost bringing both of us down as Tony and JC laughed as they pried my fingers away from D's collar. "No! Let... me at... him--Oh God, baby I'm sorry... please don't... leave me!"

"I'm not leaving babe," D stated, eyes wide with a combination of fear and amusement. He held me, lying me down on the portable table Melanie had set up so she could examine me, one hand up inside my vagina and the other pressing down on the baby.

"Nicole, I think it's time for you to start pushing," she said calmly, eyes crinkling at the corners when she smiled. "Would you prefer the table or the tub?"

"The tub... please," I cried, panting through another pain. This was a lot worse than the pain I remember from having the boys. It's like these contractions are coming right on top of each other. "Put... me... in the... water!"

Tony and Nick helped me into the birthing tub, supporting me on both sides as I knelt facing the side of the pool. The boys and Bri stood near JC, fascinated but frightened witnesses as I labored. D knelt beside the pool, kissing me and talking to me as I lay there and tried to let the water relax me. CJ came over to me, rubbing my face.

"Mommy huwt?" he asked, looking like he might burst into tears. I smiled at him, kissing him gently.

"Mommy hurts `cause the baby... is... coming--oh!" I told him, struggling not to scream because this contraction felt like it was ripping my poor lady parts to shreds. CJ walked back to JC, latching onto his leg and watching as Melanie knelt to check my progress. "I can feel... her... head... coming."

"Nikki, give me your hand," Mel said softly, her voice calming me down somewhat. I did as requested, crying when she guided my hand down to touch the baby's head. "She's almost here... you need to push now. Howie, I want you to come down here with me. Joey, you stay up there and hold on to her. JC, I'm gonna need you to come help Nick hold her, because this is it."

I lost track of everybody's movements, but I know I felt hands holding me as I started to push. I felt the baby's head emerge, and God help me but I screamed bloody murder `cause that shit hurt! Melanie pulled down, getting first her left then her right shoulder out. I opened my eyes in time to see Paula, Hoke and Pollyanna come into the room. I could see Polly and Paula hugging each other, crying as they watched as with one last push, this new little person--a beautiful baby girl, just like I'd prayed for--came screaming into the world.

"Oh God... my baby," D said, as Melanie lifted her out of the water to be checked and Tony and Nick helped me out of the tub.

I made myself comfortable on the big couch, putting on loose fitting shorts and a shirt to relax in. He cut her cord with hands shaking, and then carried her over to the table where Melanie's partner Gwen sat waiting and came back to me. Tony kissed me, smiling as he hugged D before steeping aside.

D touched my face, tears flowing as he leaned over to kiss me too. "Baby... she's... we..."

"I know... I know mijo... shhhhhhh," I whispered, smiling as he laid his head on my shoulder. I rested my head against the back of the couch, tired but excited. I watched Gwen examine the baby then placed a hat on her head and began to swaddle her in blankets. "Is she okay?"

"She's perfect," Gwen replied, finishing her swaddling operation and brought the baby to me. I was at a loss for words as I took this little miracle in my arms for the first time. She looked up at me, curiosity in her dark brown eyes, but quietly observant of her new world.

"Hey little girl," I whispered, touching her face. I looked at Howie, smiling through my tears as he watched his daughter in amazement. "You know... she needs a name."

"I--I was thinking we could call her Caroline," D stated, smiling as he watched the baby yawn. "We could make that her middle name... what do you think?"

"I think she has a middle name," I replied, looking at the baby again. "What about her first name though? What should your name be little girl?"

"You can name her Lily," Tony stated, watching us with the barest trace of envy. "Or you could do Lila."

"I was thinking--how about Brennan?" I said, making faces at the baby now. Before anybody could comment, the baby yawned big, sucking on her thumb as she drifted off to sleep. "What do you think baby? Is your name Brennan?"

"You could call her Carrie... or even better Carly!" Polly suggested. The baby's eyes snapped open and she stared at me... almost like she was giving her consent to her new name.

"I think she likes it," D said softly, kissing the baby's head. "Do you like your name Brennan Caroline?"

The baby yawned, batting her eyes at him and I swear I heard him melt into a giant puddle. I almost snorted, but held it in because I was so happy that he was already so much in love with his little girl.

This lil heffa gon' be spoiled rotten, I thought, smirking at Paula. She snickered and I just knew she was laughing for the same reason I was.

"Well I think our girl has a name," I stated, smiling at everybody as I turned Brennan around. "Ladies and gentlemen, meet Brennan Caroline Dorough... where are the boys and Bri?"

"Over here," Hoke replied, bringing the kids over to meet their new little sister. He sat next to me, holding one of the boys on each knee. "That's your new little sister."

CJ seemed fascinated with her, touching and kissing her over and over. Joshy kissed her, but he was more interested in going outside to play again. CJ clamored to be held, so I brought him onto my lap next to Brennan. Of course, that meant Joshy wanted to be held too, but I didn't care. I held all three of them, grateful for all of them... even though I was now officially a mom of three kids under the age of three.

What the hell were we thinking? I wondered as I held them. Brennan cried to be fed shortly after Howie's family left, and as D and I sat together, I fed her for the first time. I looked around at Howie, Tony and JC, a smile playing over my lips. What a family we make... and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.


STORY WARNINGS & DISCLAIMER

I don't know any of the members of «N SYNC, Backstreet Boys or any other celebrities mentioned. I don't know anything about their sexual orientation or the orientation of any other celebrities in this story (even though I wish some of them were gay). This story is fiction and you shouldn't take it for anything else but that. This is for entertainment value only folks.