“We love you little babies,” Cam cooed, touching the glass barrier.
“Do we have names yet?” the nurse inquired.
Brandon shook his head. They had discussed a million names and had narrowed it down to several, but they knew they couldn’t assign names until they saw these little cherubs in person.
“That’s OK. Sometimes it takes a few days.”
When the nurse opened one side of the incubator, Brandon realized what she was doing and gasped. “We can hold them?”
“Of course.”
“But they’re so tiny.” Brandon was terrified. His big meaty paws were clumsy, and the babies looked so fragile.
“Have a seat if you’re nervous. You too, Mr. Douglas.” As soon as the nurse picked up Baby Girl A from the incubator, she let out a loud wail that startled everyone in the room.
“She has your lungs,” Cam said, possibly smiling wider than Brandon.
They hadn’t talked about paternity yet and had no idea which one of them was the biological father of these two angels. It really didn’t matter. All Brandon cared about was that the babies were healthy.
The nurse placed the baby in Brandon’s arms, and he stared down at the cherub resting blissfully in his embrace. His heart ballooned so fast he thought it was going to burst through his chest wall. Her initial outburst forgotten, she slept peacefully, and it calmed his shaking hands.
Sitting next to Brandon in the double glider, Cam leaned over and kissed the top of the baby’s head, then kissed Brandon’s cheek. “You look so beautiful holding her.”
Emotion stole Brandon’s voice, and he couldn’t reply. Never had he felt so much love in his heart as he did at this moment.
The nurse placed Baby Girl B in Cam’s waiting arms, who wasn’t happy about being removed from her sleeping place. She kicked her legs, balled her tiny fists, and flailed her arms in defiant protest. A half sob/half laugh erupted from Cam’s throat at her feistiness. “I think she’s going to be a drummer.”
Brandon smiled down at the tiniest little girl he’d ever seen. “I think you’re right.”
The nurse explained that as soon as they got breast milk from Lisa, they could feed Baby Girl A.
“What about this one?” Cam asked, inquiring about the tiny infant in his arms.
The nurse frowned slightly. “She’s on a feeding tube because of the ventilator.”
Brandon immediately burst into tears. He somehow looked past all the tubes that were attached to his smallest baby girl and only saw perfection. Now that he was forced to confront her condition, he felt gutted.
“It will be fine,” the nurse assured. “I’m sure she’ll be able to breathe on her own soon and all this will be gone. She’ll be up to speed with her sister in no time.”
The tears streamed down Brandon’s face as he watched Cam cuddle their tiny baby daughter. He looked at Cam, who was trying to be strong, but the tears were seconds away from falling.
“Let me hold her?” Brandon asked.
The nurse helped them switch babies, and Brandon cradled the tiny baby who wasn’t much bigger than his hands. Tubes were everywhere. She fidgeted. She wasn’t happy. She was a fighter. She wanted all these tubes out of her body, and she wanted everyone to know it.
She couldn’t cry because the tube blocked her voice, so Brandon cried for her. “I wish I could give you my lungs, little baby,” Brandon blubbered. “I wish I could breathe for you.” He didn’t know what to do or how to help her. His job was to protect her, and he already failed.
He sniffled as he watched his two babies – one uncomfortable and squirming in his arms, the other sleeping peacefully in Cam’s. He leaned his head on Cam’s shoulder and snuggled against him, which made the babies’ feet touch. Baby Girl B settled down as soon as she felt her sister’s presence and quickly fell back to sleep, comforted by the bond the twins shared. It made Brandon’s insides melt, and he shared a quivering smile with his husband. Love bounced between them as they reveled in their new little family, and their lips gravitated together to share a kiss.
They sat together and watched both babies sleeping quietly for over an hour. The nurse remained nearby, periodically checking the monitors, and checking on Brandon and Cam. “I think you have an audience,” she said, motioning to the window. “Grandparents?”
It wasn’t only Brandon’s mother and father with their noses up to the glass. His brothers and older sister were there, as well.
“I haven’t even called my mother yet,” Cam said, a little despondent. “She has no idea that she’s a grandmother.”
With the nurse’s help, they returned the babies to the incubator with little fuss. While Cam went to call his mom, Brandon greeted his family. “How’s Lisa?” he asked, as his mother hugged him.
“She’s fine. A little exhausted, but she’s comfortable. She wanted to come see the babies, but I told her to rest.” She turned to the window and pressed her palm against the glass, worry lines marring her forehead. “How are my grandbabies?”
Brandon needed a second to answer. “They’re beautiful. And they’re both going to be fine,” he said, firmly.
His dad, a tall man with a hefty build, hugged him so tightly he could barely breathe. “Congratulations, son. You’re going to make a wonderful father.”
He patted his father’s back. “Thanks, Dad.” He chatted briefly with his brothers and sister until Cam returned, then the two of them went to see Lisa.
She was asleep, with the covers up to her chin. A long, relieved sigh left Brandon’s lungs at the sight of his little sister. He’d been so worried about her and didn’t care that she was sleeping. He needed to speak to her. “Lisa.”
Her eyelashes fluttered and she stirred. “Brandon? Are the babies OK? Did you see them?”
“Yes.” He looked at his hands, remembering how the infants fit perfectly in his palms. “They’re so tiny. But they’re OK.”
“Oh, thank God.” A tear fell from the corner of her eye, and she wiped it away.
Cam took her hand. “We were worried about you. It’s been a rough couple of hours, but I think we can all breathe a little easier now.”
She nodded, and another tear fell down her cheek
Brandon kissed his sister on top of the head. “Don’t cry. How are you feeling? Are you in pain?”
She let out a small laugh. “I’m hopped up on tramadol. I don’t feel anything.”
“There they are! The proud papas!” It was Derek, leading the way with the guys and Felix following behind him. Alan and Jeremy each had a giant pink bunny in their arms, Travis carried a huge floral display, and Felix looked as if he were carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. After bear hugs were exchanged, Derek held up a box of cigars. He opened the lid, stuck one in his mouth, and handed them out.
Brandon clamped the Cubano between his teeth and slung his arm around Derek’s shoulder. Although his mind was still frantic with worry about the health of the twins, he finally allowed himself to feel the elation associated with the birth of his daughters. “Thanks, bruh. These are perfect.” He brought the cigar under his nose and inhaled the rich tobacco, then held it up is if making a toast. “I’m a daddy!”
Derek exhaled and shook his head, as if he couldn’t believe it, and displayed a broad smile. “Look at us. We’re married. You’re a father. This adulting thing ain’t so bad after all.”
“No. It’s not.” Aside from the setback of the premature birth, everything in Brandon’s life was absolutely perfect. “It’s actually pretty fucking fantastic.”
They slept on the glider in the NICU, only a few feet away from the babies. Well, Brandon slept, Cameron spent most of the night watching the twins’ little chests rise and fall and listening to the monitors beeping in the background. He was tired, but still riding a wave of adrenaline. Right now, he was having skin-to-skin with the two babies, and his heart was racing with joy. He still couldn’t believe these little miracles were real. He looked down at his two preci
ous daughters nestled on his chest, sure they felt his heart beating against their rosy cheeks, telling them how much he loved them.
The poorly timed tattoo remained covered on the left side of his chest under a cloth, but it was OK because his tiny daughters both fit on the right side. They had names now. Baby Girl A was Hannah, and Baby Girl B was Carina. Cameron sighed happily. They had been in his life for less than a day, and he couldn’t remember life without them.
Hannah suddenly started to cry and fuss, which filled Cameron with a small bout of anxiety at what to do. The noise woke Carina, who wiggled and squirmed. Her little eyes opened wide and darted toward the sound of her twin’s distress. In an attempt to console her sister, Carina rested her tiny fingers on Hannah’s cheek. Hannah huddled closer to Carina, then settled and fell back to sleep. The tender moment the babies shared caused a huge lump in Cameron’s throat, and he wanted to cry from how sweet the two babies were with one another. “Did you see that?” he asked Brandon, who was sitting in the double glider with them.
Brandon nodded, with tears in his eyes. He kissed each baby on top of the head, then kissed Cameron lightly on the lips. His long hair tickled Carina, and she swatted it away with annoyance. He laughed at her feisty attitude. “She’s a firecracker!”
“She sure is.” Cameron had been holding the babies for a long time and could stay like that forever, but he knew Brandon was patiently waiting his turn. “Do you want to hold them now?”
It was heartwarming to see how gently Brandon picked up Hannah and held her. He was more relaxed now and confident, when only a few hours ago he was unsure and awkward.
Cameron placed Carina next to her sister, and Brandon cradled both girls against his massive bare chest. They looked like tiny dolls under his protective hands, flanked by his broad biceps.
Carina fussed at being disturbed and wiggled uncomfortably, which made Brandon momentarily panic. He had two babies in his arms and really couldn’t do much, so he hummed softly as he rocked the glider back and forth. After a moment, he began to quietly sing to the girls. Not his booming heavy metal voice, but a soft and soothing lullaby, something Cameron never heard before.
At the sound of his voice, Hannah opened her eyes and looked directly at Brandon with wonder. Carina settled and stopped fidgeting, comforted by the beautiful melody, and fell peacefully back to sleep.
Watching this tattooed, muscled, long-haired rock star coddle and sing to two tiny babies was the most heartfelt thing Cameron had ever seen, and never had he been filled with so much love. It pulled at his heartstrings. He loved them all so much. He draped one arm over the back of the glider behind Brandon’s neck and the other across the babies. As he held his entire family in his arms, he rested his head on his husband’s shoulder, and they just sat like that. Together.
After a long while, the nurse appeared with a manila envelope wearing a broad smile. “I have the results of paternity.”
With all the commotion going on, they’d forgotten about it, and both Cameron and Brandon looked at one another with anticipation.
The nurse opened the folder and read the results directly to the babies. “Hannah, your biological father is Cameron Douglas.”
Cameron almost fell off the glider. He was sure both of these babies, with their rosy cheeks, fair hair and deep blue eyes, bore Brandon’s genes. He wasn’t expecting to have paternity, and it sent a wave of emotion through him. Before he could say anything, the nurse continued.
“Carina, your biological father is Brandon Bullet.”
Tears rolled down Brandon’s cheeks. His hands trembled as he cuddled the babies closer and kissed them each on the top of the head. Then he nuzzled Cameron’s cheek. “We each have one.”
“No.” Cameron’s voice was a shaky mess. “We both have two. I never expected to be the biological father. I knew Carina had your tenacity. She’s a warrior, just like you. And Hannah has those beautiful dark blue eyes. I thought she got that from you.”
“Most babies are born with blue eyes,” the nurse commented. “Their features darken as they grow. Her light brown hair may very well turn as black as yours, Mr. Douglas.” The nurse stood there for a moment, obviously with more to say. “Congratulations. And not just on the birth of your beautiful girls. Hannah and Carina were delivered at 2:28 and 2:29 a.m., making them the first babies of the new year delivered at this hospital. That’s kind of a big deal. With your permission, we’d like to display their photos in the lobby as our New Year’s babies this year.”
“New Year’s babies!” Cameron exclaimed, but quietly so he didn’t wake the girls.
Brandon’s beautiful blue eyes glowed with pride and his smile radiated across his face. He nodded. “I think that’s a wonderful idea,” he told the nurse, then turned to look at Cameron. His beaming expression lost some of its sparkle and he turned serious. “At first, I thought the premature birth was a horrible way to start the new year, but now I realize it was a gift. We were given new life. And that’s the best way to bring in the new year.”
Six days later, Carina had her breathing tube removed without complication. The tremendous war cry she let out the moment it left her lungs proved how strong she was and that she was, indeed, Brandon Bullet’s biological daughter. It caused a cheer to rise up through the NICU and a round of applause at her independence from machines and tubes. She was so much happier now, and the relief that she was as healthy as her sister felt as if a huge weight had been lifted.
After five weeks in the NICU, both babies were finally ready to go home.
Hannah and Carina were bundled in pink fuzzy blankets and matching beanies, even though it was still relatively warm in California. Security shadowed Cameron and Brandon as they exited the hospital with the babies. Barricades needed to be set up because of the amount of people stationed outside. They’d been there since the babies were born and never left. Shouts from the fans and questions from the paparazzi filled the air. Camera phones were all around. Brandon, the proud father and showboat, stood taller at the attention. He lifted his chin, smiled wide, and put his arm around Cameron’s shoulder, proud to show off his family. “My baby girls are going home!” he shouted. Eventually, Cameron knew that Brandon would make a statement to the press and release a professional set of photos, but, right now, the main priority was getting the babies home safely and away from the crowd.
They slipped into the back of the limo, with Vincent, Brandon’s driver, at the wheel and Rocco, Brandon’s personal bodyguard, riding shotgun. An SUV filled with security led the way and another followed behind them.
Brandon beamed with a wide smile as he held Cameron in his arms and gazed at the babies, fast asleep in their car seats. “We have such a beautiful family. I can’t believe how our lives have turned out.”
Cameron nodded, too overwhelmed to speak. When he vacationed in Rio a few years ago and met a hot-as-fuck rock star disguised as a regular guy, he never imagined that it would change his life so much. They were polar opposites. A wild rock star and a conservative accountant from New York clashed on so many levels, but through compromise, they somehow fit together perfectly. Brandon reined in his out-of-control lifestyle and Cameron loosened up. And their lives were better for it.
Screams suddenly filled the air from outside the car and grew louder as the gates to the mansion came into view. A crowd of fans lined the block wall, all cheering and holding banners welcoming the babies. Stuffed animals, flowers, and wrapped presents were on the lawn. Paparazzi were everywhere.
Brandon opened the sunroof and popped through it. He waved at the fans like the Queen and shouted, “Thank you for welcoming my baby girls home!”
The fans screamed in reply, but Hannah and Carina were too sleepy to appreciate the reception and never stirred.
Security held back the crowd so the limo could safely enter the grounds and proceed up the winding driveway. Then Cameron and Brandon quietly entered the house with their baby girls. As planned, the babies’ room had been transformed
into a fairytale befitting two princesses. Hannah and Carina settled into their beautiful nursery without a sound, happy and content, as if they knew they were home. For now, they slept in the same crib, so they could be near each other.
A pitter-patter of toenails on the marble floor made Cameron lift his eyes from his sleeping daughters, and he watched just as Brandy trotted into the babies’ room. She circled his and Brandon’s legs, thumping her tail, and they both knelt down to pet her and give her hugs. They had read all the books about how to prepare the dog for the babies’ arrival and were ready to introduce her to Hannah and Carina.
“Let’s meet your two baby sisters.” Cameron gave Brandy a healthy pat on the back and pointed to the crib. “This is Hannah and Carina. Your job is to protect them. And play with them. And eat all the food they drop on the floor.”
Brandy wagged her tail furiously as she sniffed at the crib and let out a happy little whine. It woke Hannah, who looked startled at seeing a big black dog. Then she opened her mouth and displayed a wide toothless grin.
Brandon boomed with laughter and patted the dog on her head. “I think Hannah likes you, girl.” Then he gazed at Cameron with a contented sigh. “It’s February, and we barely had 15 minutes to celebrate the new year before everything went haywire. I think we should pick up right now as if the clock just struck midnight and forget the hospital and the tubes, the needles, and the bright lights of the NICU.”
Although the time at the hospital contained the vital first few weeks of the babies’ lives, it was bittersweet. Cameron would obviously never forget that time of their lives, but he was happy to gloss over it, for now, and start anew with his baby girls in their home, perfectly healthy and filled with love. He nodded. “I like that idea.”
Brandon tugged their bodies close together. Happy New Year, Cam.”
“Happy New Year, rock star.”
The End
If you’d like to read more about Brandon, Cam, Travis, Alan, and Jeremy, and Brandy the black Lab, pick up the international bestselling Bulletproof series on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/thebulletproofseries
A Bulletproof New Year (The Holiday Collection Book 2) Page 14
