It was a Friday. The sun was making its final moments on this day known. Laura was fixing one of Isabella's old baby gowns. It was a nice cream colored one that Laura intended to give to Ronsel. Amanda Leigh and Isabella were playing with their dolls together on the floor. The banging of wood can be heard from the shed where Henry worked.

Laura sings a soft hymn to herself. "Sweet hour of prayer..Sweet Hour of prayer..that calls me from a world of ca-"

"Uncle Jamie! Uncle Jamie!" Isabella cheered loudly.

Laura pricked herself with the needle. Her head flew up to the window. Walking up the driveway dressed in a nice tailored navy blue suit and a pair of aviator sunglasses was Jamie. He had a small suitcase with him and looked better than the day he returned from war. His hair was neatly styled and the old drunken sly in his step was nothing but a memory. 

The girls beat Laura to him. Jamie sets the suitcase down in an instance and scoops the running girls up in his arms. He spun them around with a hearty laugh.

"I missed you two so much!" He smiled. Laura leaned against the porch railings and smiled. Jamie saw her and laughed again. "My darling sister in law. Missed you too."

"Hey Jaime!" She greeted.

"Jaime." a voice from behind calls. Henry stood behind a few feet from the shed.

Jaime lets the girls down to face his brother. "Brother."

Henry looked his brother up and down. He approached closer. "Look like the West has done you well, Brother." A smile cracked on his face.

Both men engulfed each other in a bone crushing hug. Brothers reunited again. A special sight to see. 

"You plannin' on staying with us?" Henry asked. 

"Was lookin at a place in town but if you will have me I will."

"You will always have room here." Henry smiled.

The sound of a car pulling up directs the group's attention. Pappy climbed out of Orris' car. His set ugly look not leaving his face upon seeing his youngest son.

"Well, the prodigal son returns." He said. 

"Oh dear Pappy. How could I have missed you." Jamie replied.

"Got tired of running away from your problems." Pappy spat.

"Indeed I have. Ready to face them head on." 

Pappy eyed sternly before walking past him. "We'll see…" 

The family soon found themselves sitting around the dinner table. Jamie wanted to slip away after the initial greeting to see Ronsel. But, his brother wanted to show him the new equipment he got and the progress on the farm. Then there were the girls not wanting to let their dear uncle out of their sights. Luckily, Jamie was seated next to Laura.

"How is he?" He questioned.

Laura cuts her piece of chicken. "Doing fine. Any day now."

Jamie hid his smile. "Gonna see him first thing in the morning."

"He will love that."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sky was tinted a lovely shade of orange. Today had been a warmer day than the rest but it will be missed all the same. Ronsel leaned against the fence watching as Lilly May herds the chickens into their coop for the night. He liked the sky like this. The wind was cool and there was just enough light to see the large expanse of land. Ronsel moved to pick up the discarded basket of feed when a sharp pain wrapped around him. He gripped the fence harshly. It felt much stronger than any he has experienced before. Ronsel felt a small pop from the inside and warm liquid wetting his 0veralls.

"Ronsel…"Lilly May's voice was small. "You okay?"

"Call Momma."

Lilly May dashed across the yard and into the house. Florence, who was getting started on dinner, nearly jumped by the speed Lilly opened the front door. Florence turned around.

"Baby what's the matter?"

"Ronsel…He…pain…" 

Florence's eyes grew wide. "Honey, fill the pitchers with water and put a pot on to boil."

"Momma, what's wrong with Ronsel?"

Florence looked at her frightened daughter. "The baby is making its way into the world." She says.  "Tell the others while you are out there." 

Lily May nods and sprints into action. Florence rushed over to the chicken pen to find Ronsel still holding the fence. She gripped his forearm and began leading him inside.

"Momma.."

"Shh..I know..Let's get inside first." She said firmly.

Florence sets Ronsel up on the main cot as it had the most room. She made quick work discarding the soiled overalls and placing a blanket over him for his dignity. The wet stains confirmed her beliefs.

"Baby, had you been feeling any pain before this?"

Ronsel nods. "Some.  Every few minutes. Thought they were false." 

Florence dappens a cloth in a bowl of water she was going to use for cooking. She draped it over his forehead. She goes down lower between his legs.

"I'm just going to check you, okay baby?"

Ronsel nods.

Florence dips below the blanket and checks. Once found she blows off some air. "Halfway there. With your waters broken, shouldn't be no time." She rubbed his knee. "You can do this."

Ronsel nods. "Fought in a war and got shot. This…ain't too bad."

Florence gave him a look before she walked off humming a hymn.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was 2…maybe 3 in the morning. Ronsel has been in labor for the majority of the night. The young tanker was beyond exhausted. His skin was slick with sweat. Everything ached. Each contraction felt like it built up on the next. But still, the baby wasn't ready. Florence checked his opening again to the same result. As she changed the cloth on his forehead her heart panged with overwhelming worry. She could see how tired he was becoming. How he tensed up with every contraction. Careful not to make a sound.

Lilly May dropped  a bowl of water the first time he screamed with pain. The look on her face did something to Ronsel. 

"Baby, look at me." Florence whispered.

Ronsel moved his head. She tipped a glass of water to his lips which he drank gladly.

"It's okay to scream. It hurts more to hold it in than to let it out." 

Ronsel's eyes fall over to the main door. His brothers and father sat just out there. 

"Don't worry about them…worry about that baby trying desperately to make it into this world." 

"Momma-" His voice strained into a grunt. Florence holds his hands. 

"Let it out."

Ronsel threw his head back in pain and let the emotion flow. The scream, the tears and the heartache.

The sun began to peak over the horizon. To bring a start to a new day. Ronsel, finally ready, had his legs opened wide. He was too busy to focus on how embarrassing it felt having his sister see all this. His left leg was held open by her while the other stayed bent. 

"That's it Ronsel. Give me another." Florence encouraged. Her hand begins to cup. "Heads almost there."

Ronsel took back his words prior. This was worse than the war. Head to chest just like his momma told him. He bore down heavily. He used his arms to leverage his body more from the mound of fabric. It burned terribly and a sharp scream escaped his lips. Lilly May rubbed his leg.

"Keep going! I can see his ears."

Ronsel slumped back to the fabric. He wanted many things at that moment. For the pain to be over, his baby in his arms and Jaime to be with him so he could kick his ass. The pain built up again and Ronsel's body moved on instinct. He bore forward again with strength. His shoulder quaking at the force he pushed in.

"Ha!" He gasped feeling a shift. 

Florence smiled. "I got his head. Just a few more baby. A few more."

Ronsel squeezed his eyes shut. A few more is all he has left to give. Mustering all of his strength, he pushed forward. Shoulders turning and slipping out one after the other. With one more push, the baby slipped out and into the new morning rays of sunshine. Ronsel lets his body fall back onto the fabric. The sound of wails fill the small shack. A new life being brought forth into the world.

Florence clamped the cord and began to check the newborn baby. Her years of being a midwife came back to her as she made sure her grandchild was truly healthy. She instructs Lilly May to expose Ronsel's chest before she laid the new life in the arms of his father.

A boy.

Ronsel held the boy with a look of amazement on his face. He couldn't see his face through the blur of tears in his eyes but knowing that he was here in his arms was the best feeling.  The little boy's chest heaved slowly and steadily against his chest. Soft  tiny breaths made the tears flow down more.

At around seven o'clock, Ronsel finally got some rest. He had been reluctant to allow his baby out of his sight. Despite him knowing his family wouldn't let anything befall his son, he still held fear that something or someone might try and hurt him.

"You sure that's Ronsel's baby?", Ruel questioned.

"Of course it is! I saw him come out myself." Lilly May argued with a small yawn. She needed sleep but the excitement of it all was keeping her buzzing.

"Then why is he so…light?" Marlon asked. 

Lilly May rolled her eyes at her brothers. "Because he got a white daddy that's why!"

"Hey!" Hap interrupted. "Don't yell at your brother."

Lilly May bowed her head and shifted her feet on the step.

A truck pulled in front of their home. The young siblings' eyes tracked as Jamie exited the truck and approached the group.

"How you do Hap…everyone.." Jamie began. He was dressed in a more casual button up shirt and slacks but he still looked put together. "Is Ronsel here?"

Hap sends a look to his children that ushered them inside. Hap stood up. "He is inside. Getting some rest. Been a long time Mister Jamie."

"I.." Jaime bowed his head slightly. "I know that. Wanted everything to be just right for Ronsel and the baby. Missed them something awful."

Hap took in the information. "I saw him tear up once. When your letter got delayed. Thought you had given up on him." Hap slowly approached Jaime. The white man looked at the man with the respect he deserved. "I'm glad to see he was wrong."

Jaime released a breath. "Can I see him?"

"It's more than him that has been waiting to see you." Hap added.

Jaime's eyes widened. "Did he?"

Hap smiled. "Go see for yourself."

Jaime moved to walk into the house. He paused and turned around to Hap. He held out his hand. "Thank you, Mr. Jackson."

Hap never thought he would hear a white man say those words to him. Nevertheless offer to shake his hand. Hap takes it and gives a firm shake. Jaime smiled before he continued into the home.

The room was bright. The morning light captured every corner of the small home. He doesn't have to walk too far to spot Ronsel. He looked just like how Jaime remembered him - smooth skin and thick limbs. But, the soft mound on his abdomen laid covered by the blanket. Much too small for a baby at this stage to be. Ronsel was asleep. The gentle rise and fall of his chest stilled. The subtle flair of his nostrils caught Jamie's attention. He stalked closer to the sleeping man. The alpha's hand went up to his hat and slipped it off his head. He kneeled next to the side of the rousing omega. 

Ronsel's eyes opened. A smile followed suit.

"Jamie…"

The ex-pilot captain didn't have the words. He leaned in. Lips capturing each other like a lost song. Neither had the willpower to resist the attraction. Only the lack of air separated the two.

Jaime's hand cups Ronsel's face. "Thank you for waiting."

Someone cleared their throat. Florence, holding a bundle in her arms, stood at the foot of the cot. Both men looked at the older lady as she brought the bundle towards them. Eager arms reach to once again hold his son.

"Think someone has waited a long time too." Florence smiled.

Ronsel leveled his son down in the crook of his arm. He brought him low enough for Jaime to see. Jaime must say, he didn't look like how he expected. A head full of curly glossy deep brown hair laid like a crown. His dark brown eyes were barely open and he had the sweetest red cherub lips. His skin pale like any white baby, even after gaining some warmth.

"Ain't she something." Jaime mouthed. 

"Ain't he something." Ronsel corrected.

Jaime laughed. "Guess I lost…" He looked at Ronsel. "Maybe next time."

If Ronsel's hands weren't busy holding his son, he would hit this man. "Next Time? Be happy with the first."

The two men shared another laugh with each other.

"Thought of a name yet?" Jamie asked.

Ronsel pursed his lips and looked down at his baby. "A few came to mind. None seem right though. Thought of naming him after my pops but, he doesn't look like a Hawthorne does he?" 

Jamie shook his head. "Nah…not quite. How about Kenneth?" Ronsel gave him a look. "Alright ... .how about… Dennis?"

"Dennis?" Ronsel looked at Jaime and then back to the bundle in his arms. "Dennis…" he rolled the name on his tongue. "Ain't too bad." Ronself finally admitted.

Jamie smiled. "Dennis it is. Dennis McAllan."

Ronsel looked like he was about to argue but bit his tongue. The action did not go lost on the alpha however.

"He could be a Jackson too." Jaime tried.

Ronsel sighed. "It's better this way. Less questions asked the better." 

Depending on who Dennis took after, determined a lot in life. He could live his life just like Ronsel and his family did or could surrender himself to mystery like Dr. Patterman. Either way, having his alpha father's last name will serve him far better than his own. He had to swallow that.

It seemed that Jaime's appearance had gathered a small crowd around the couple. Jaime wouldn't call them a young couple. He knew Ronsel was young. The young man was barely twenty three. He himself was going on thirty three coming next spring. Lilly May came down low on her knees, once again taking time to look at her new nephew. 

"So, when do you two plan on heading west?" Hap asked. He decided to ask the question that everyone in the room was thinking.

"In about two weeks." Jaime answered.

"I'm sorry Mr. McAllan but that is too soon." Florence protested. Ronsel hasn't even attempted coming out of bed. "At least a month to make sure everything is healed up properly."

Jaime sighed. "We ain't got that kind of time. Sooner or later my brother is going to be snooping around here. Laura can't distract him forever." 

The older woman had to admit defeat to that. What the alpha was saying was the truth. "Then we will try to get some movement in 'im" She said. 

"That it? We never gonna see Ronsel again?" Lilly May balked. Marlon and Ruel seemed to be in similar agreement to their sister. Heads bowed and drawn looks on their faces. "It like he gone war again."

Hap etched to chastise the girl but Ronsel acted first. He eased a hand to touch his little sister's arm. "Hey…I'll be back. I'll write. Vist when I can. 'm not gonna be gone for another four years."

The young girl eased into her brother's touch. Despite the gloomy expression on her face, she nods in understanding.