Fiona
Outtake scene from Sweet Home Alienn Arkansas
Cam Grey looked upon his firstborn child in the hospital’s nursery. The warmth, relief and pride in his chest at seeing his healthy baby boy was truly the most profound feeling he’d ever experienced.
Ria had been a trooper and the birth had gone very well, at least from his perspective. Seeing his wife in so much pain was difficult for him, but the result was so wonderful. So perfect.
He kissed Ria’s brow and went to hold his child. His firstborn. His boy. It wouldn’t have mattered to him whether it was a boy or girl. He just wanted a healthy baby.
So far, so good on that score.
Baby Grey had dark hair, his mother’s cute nose and, for better or worse, the Grey family chin. Cam thought he was…well, perfect.
They had picked out names for both a boy and a girl, but wanted to discover if the names they’d chosen felt right once they’d met their little bundle of joy.
Baby Boy Grey looked at Cam with seemingly wondering eyes, as if to say, “I’m not sure what’s going on here. Will you help me figure it out?”
“I will always help you figure things out, little one,” Cam vowed.
When his sister, Valene, had her twins almost two years ago, both Ria and Cam had been fascinated by her babies.
Valene was such a great mom and taught by example how little ones should be loved, cared for and bundled around town when the occasion warranted.
After meeting Valene’s twins, Cam knew that was exactly what Ria wanted: A baby of their own.
She likely wanted it even more than the amazing lake view they’d enjoyed from their cabin since they’d been together.
And Cam had wanted that baby, too. A family had always been in his life plan.
After he’d married Ria, they waited a bit, wanting to hang together, just the two of them, for a year or two.
Once they decided to start their family officially, it took longer than anticipated. In fact, it had been an exercise in futility for months before Ria had gotten pregnant and then, too soon, the pregnancy didn’t work out.
Cam couldn’t even convey in thoughts or words how upset and useless he’d felt after the results of that first go around. Ria had been inconsolable for weeks. He did his best to comfort her, though he was heartbroken over the loss.
Luckily, the second try worked like a charm. They didn’t even tell anyone until Ria was nearly four months along and they were certain everything was going according to plan.
Cam held the evidence of that joyful effort in his arms.
Baby Boy Grey. Cam kissed his little soft forehead and went back to Ria’s side. The joy in her expression at seeing them together was beautiful.
“Isn’t he perfect?” she asked.
“Yes. He is absolutely perfect.”
“Now that we’ve met him, I’m not certain the name we picked out is right for him. And I feel the need to add here that I’m grateful you don’t want to continue your parents’ tradition of truck stop-related names. Not that I don’t love your name, Cam. I do.”
“No worries. Besides, Valene didn’t carry on that tradition, so we don’t have to, either. That said, I’d rather not name him after my father. It’s enough that me and all my brothers got saddled with Zebulon as a middle name. Let’s think of something that makes us happy, okay?”
She smiled, seemingly relieved. “Okay.”
“What do you want to name him?”
She looked down at their sweet baby boy. “Maybe we should name him after my father.”
“Robert?”
“No. I want to use my father’s middle name. Theo. I’ve always loved that name.”
Cam looked down at Baby Boy Grey and thought he looked exactly like a Theo. Perfect.
“Theo it is.”
“Theo Cam Grey,” Ria said with a grin. “Okay?”
“Okay,” he said with a smile.
Cam soon went out to the waiting room to let his family know about the new addition to the Grey family. Namely Theo Cam Grey.
Check out my new spinoff series, Alienn, Underground.
The first book is An Alien to Remember.