Page 124 of Samuel

“A bug?!”

“She’s currently a candy… so?”

“Candy is so much sweeter than a bug. Honestly.” Evie laughed and placed her hand between the two monitors hooked up to her belly. They’d been going back and forth with baby names since they arrived, waiting for Dr. Hayes to say whether the contractions were the real deal or just a false alarm. She had to admit, it was a good distraction. And after having an IV placed, the contractions were still coming, just farther and farther apart. “I won’t let you be named after a bug, sweetheart. I promise.”

“Okay, well what about Remi? That’s a strong name.”

She thought it over for a second. It was a strong name. Not too feminine, but also still cute. It seemed like a name she could shout across the fields at the ranch when it was time for supper. “I like Remi. Where did you get it from?”

His eyes darted over her shoulder towards the monitors. “Does it have to be from anywhere?”

“Where, Sam?”

“Ratatouille,” he mumbled.

She crossed her arms over her chest and sighed.

“Ratatouille?”

“That animated movie. You’ve never seen it?”

No. He couldn’t possibly be suggesting what she thought he was.

“The one where the rat likes to cook?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“You want to name our daughter after a rat? You think I won’t let you name her after a bug, but a rat is fair game? You want us to have a rat named baby?!” Her hysterics were just for show, though part of her couldn’t help but delight in the panicked look on his face.

Sam held up his hands innocently. “Before you get upset, you should know that the movie holds a very special place in my heart. After I came home from the hospital, John and Abby started inviting me over for movie nights. Katy made me watch Ratatouille about fifty times, and right in the middle of the scene where he’s cooking up the soup, she told me I was her favorite uncle. And I can assure you that it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that she then, in the very next breath, asked me for a horse of her own to keep at the ranch.”

Evie laughed. “She’s one smart girl.”

“She’s pure trouble, just like my sister.” Sam sighed, sitting back in the chair as he folded his arms across his chest. “You know, that lady chef in the movie’s name is Colette.”

“Oh, I love that name. She could have Coco as a nickname.”

“No.” Sam’s grumble shocked her.

“No?”

“She already has the perfect nickname.”

“I don’t think she’s going to want… " Evie shifted in the bed, her hips starting to ache as she tried to get comfortable. “I think she’ll want a new nickname as she grows up.”

“Too bad. That was her name when I fell in love with her. That’s what she’ll always be to me.”

Evie’s heart melted at his words. Her joy was all too short lived as another contraction started to build, first in her back as a deep, warm ache, then moving around to her belly, wrapping it’s terrible pain-filled tendrils deep within her muscles.

She groaned, laying her head back as she reached for Sam’s hand.

“Christ. I was hoping they’d stopped. It’s been almost ten minutes since the last one.”

“Ow. Ow…” Evie focused on her breathing. It was over a few seconds later, easing the worry from her chest. “That one wasn’t as bad. I think they’re getting better.”

The worry in Sam’s eyes said he wasn’t as optimistic.

“Keep suggesting names, Cowboy. I think we’re close to finding the right one.”

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