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"Five-count," the doctor says

We all start counting Once we reach five, Myla collapses back onto the bed, breathing heavily as a loud cry fills the roo the skin above her ear as our son is placed on her chest

"He’s really here," she whispers, running her hand over his still-wet hair "He is so beautiful" Her eyes lift to meet mine, and the wonder I see there takes ainst her lips, "He is beautiful"

His skin is lighter than mine but darker than Myla’s His hair is black, and it already has a little wave to it His nose is wide--like mine and the rest of the men in my family

"We need a name," she says

I look at her then at our son Since thehim, I have said that I wanted to wait until wenaood man, a man of honor, would have

"What do you think of Maxim?" I ask her

Tears fill her eyes as she looks down at hiain and whispers, "Maxi to take hiet him cleaned up," a nurse says softly

I look at her then my son and want to say no, but I know she has a job to do

"I’ll bring him back," she assures me

I nod, and Myla kisses his head once more before the nurse takes him from her arms

"I can’t believe he’s here," she says as atch the nurses clean hi to change my life I just had no idea to what extreme it would be Not only did she make me a husband and father, but she made me want to be better, someone she would be proud to call hers

"Love you, makamae," I tell her

She shakes her head and lifts her hand to run down my jaw "Love you too," she whispers

One year later

Myla

"Kai!" I yell as s

I woke up with Kai behindover the top of ers slid in and out of ers, he turned ainst s, and I finally have the ability to touch hi me what I want