Page 61 of Jack of All Trades

Jack, the man who had come into his life to fix a hole in the roof, had also fixed the one in his heart and in his life. Maltin was overcome with emotion, but he refused to let Jack see any weakness in him. Jack needed his mate to be strong and stand beside him, and that was the only place he wanted to be.

Once Rodney came with a group of nurses and orderlies, Jack was whisked into the hospital, up an elevator, and to the end of the hall where the labor and delivery rooms were located.

It was in that room for the next four hours that Maltin had to watch the love of his life in excruciating pain.

He held Jack’s hand and talked him through the breathing, the contractions making him scream. He washed his face with cool cloths, gave him ice chips, and waited.

Rodney poked his head in now and then, but seeing Jack in pain was hard on him as well. Jack had grown on them all, bringing new light into the dark lives of the old family—love. Jack had brought love.

Yes, their family had loved one another, but it took Jack to remind him of how good it could feel to be a family.

When the babies started coming, Maltin watched with his heart bursting wide open, seeing his children’s faces as they came into the world.

Maltin clipped each umbilical cord and watched as the nurses took each of them to the tables to clean and weigh them. Jack was laughing, tears streaming down his beautiful face, as he held Maltin’s hand tightly. “Maltin, did you see? Did you see?”

“They’re so beautiful, Jack. Just like you.”

The kiss they shared the second before the two of them were being handed the babies was a vow that Maltin gave his new family. He’d do anything for them. He’d protect them, love them, and always be there, no matter what.

He was given the little girl while Jack was holding both of their sons. Maltin gazed into his daughter's bright gray eyes anddripped tears all over her face. “You are the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen,” he whispered. “Daddy loves you dearly.”

“Maltin, look at our sons.”

Maltin looked over the head of his daughter to the two boys, one lying in each of Jack’s arms. One looked red, getting ready to start wailing, while the other gazed peacefully at Jack. “I see the one that’s going to be trouble.”

Jack laughed as the little boy screamed his tiny lungs off. “We’ll call him Rodney.”

“Oh, that is perfect.”

Rodney and his mother soon came into the room, and Trudy kissed the faces of all three before she took the little girl from Maltin and walked off with her. “Grandmother will buy you lace and silks, ribbons for your hair, ponies, kittens, and whatever you want, my darling.”

Jack laughed at Maltin’s frustration. “Maltin, she’s waited for two hundred years for this. Leave her alone.”

“They’re going to be spoiled rotten, Jack.”

“Yes, they are.”

Chapter Seventeen

Jack was so tiredhe could barely keep his eyes open, but he did regardless. He didn’t want to miss a second of his children’s new lives.

“Rest, Jack. I’m right here with them,” Maltin urged.

“What if…what if you fall asleep?”

“We’re surrounded by nurses and doctors, not to mention a doting grandmother and uncle.”

“Where are they?”

Maltin sighed, “The gift shop, where else?”

“Ugh, they’re relentless. It’s sweet.”

“Wait until you’re cleaning up all that mess.”

“With your help,” Jack countered.

“I’ll hire someone. Maybe from Hands-E-Men.”

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