As Howie waited to get his luggage from baggage claim so he could return home to his pregnant wife and his oldest son, he got a three page text from Brian. He opened it just as he saw his bags. He grabbed his bags before he started reading it.

When Howie started walking toward the airport doors, he started reading the text. He got halfway through it when he dropped his bag and almost tripped over them. Several people ran into him and cursed.

“Sorry,” he said to the people around him, putting his phone back into his pocket, picked his bags pack up, and started back towards the doors.

Howie didn’t take out his phone again until he flagged down a taxi and was on his way home. He reread Brian’s text again. He couldn’t believe what he was reading. Nick had confided in Brian that he and Rochelle had been talking behind AJ’s back and had developed feelings for each other. Nick had also told Brian that today he had had some strong, weird feelings for AJ.

And Brian wants me to not tell anyone? Howie thought to himself. Well, for Nick, I guess I can keep my mouth shut.

It didn’t take long for him to get home. When he got his stuff out of the cab, Howie looked at his house and sighed with happiness. As he started up the walkway, the front door opened and James came sprinting out. Howie dropped his bags and caught his son midflight.

“Dada.” James said, hugging his dad’s neck and giving him a big kiss on the cheek.

Howie hugged James close to him and said, “I’ve missed you baby boy.”

Leigh came waddling down the walkway to great him as well. Howie let James down and rushed to her so she didn’t have to walk far. As he took her into his arms, he asked lovingly,

“How are you baby girl? I’ve missed you so much.”

 Before she could answer, he planted a passionate kiss on her lips. She responded gratefully, putting all her love and passion into it. Howie pulled back breathlessly, smiled, and said,

“Calm down baby girl. You’ve got a baby Dorough in your tummy, remember?”

Leigh smiled up at him and said in her sweet, honey tainted voice, “Let’s go inside before me, baby James, and the new baby don’t freeze to death.”

Howie smiled at her and said, “You guys go on ahead as I get my stuff.”

Leigh took James’ hand and led him back into the house. Howie picked up his luggage and headed after them. As he stepped inside and closed the door, he sighed as the warmth spread over him. It felt good to be inside of his warm house and not outside, shooting that dreaded commercial. I’m glad it’s over. Howie thought to himself as he started to bring his stuff to the master bedroom.

James came running in behind him and jumped onto the king sized bed as Howie put his suitcases on it. James held up his arms and said, “Daddy, play.”

Howie picked up his son and said, “Not now James boy. Daddy’s tired. Let’s go see what momma’s making for dinner.”

He carried his son downstairs and into the kitchen. As he put James on the counter, he turned to Leigh and asked, “What’s for dinner, sweetheart?”

Leigh turned away from the stove to face her husband and said, “Simple tacos.”

James cheered and clapped. Howie smiled and swept his son into his arms and kissed his forehead. He turned back to his wife and said, “Tacos sound good.” He put his son down and watched him run into his playroom.

As she went to the fridge for the taco toppings, Leigh asked, “Are you okay, Howard? You seem concerned about something.”

Howie shook his head to clear it. He was thinking about Nick’s situation and what AJ would do to him if he found out about Nick and Rochelle. Or what he would do if he found out that Nick had some funny, confused feelings for him as well.

“Howie?”

He shook his head and said, “Yeah, sorry. I was just thinking about the boys.”

“Is everything okay with them?” Leigh asked as she started dicing up tomatoes, peppers, and onions.

Howie thought about what to tell Leigh. He didn’t want to betray Nick any more than already has been done. As much as he annoyed Howie, he still loved Nick like a brother and didn’t want to cause him anymore trouble.

“Howie, is everything okay with the boys?” Leigh asked again, coming over and wrapping her around his waist. He saw the concern in her eyes. She cared about the boys just as much as he did. He closed his eyes, sighed, and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

“Nick isn’t and I’m not sure AJ is going to be either.” Howie finally answered, his eyes still closed.

“What’s wrong with Nick and AJ?” Leigh asked softly, with her head on his chest. “Other than the obvious because of the breakups?”

Howie sighed and opened his eyes. “I’m not sure I’m at liberty to tell, Leigh, but I’m sure they can figure it out. I’m just hoping it’s sooner rather than later.”

“Well, Howard,” Leigh said, looking hurt by the lack of information. “if you’re sure they can figure it out, don’t beat yourself up over it, okay?”

Howie nodded, his heart giving a little squeeze. He hated it when Leigh looked hurt by something he did, or didn’t, say. Sometimes, he thought she did it on purpose, to get him to tell her things.

Well, Howie thought to himself. It’s not going to work this time. I will keep the boys’ secrets until the day I die.

He went to go play with James as Leigh finished making dinner. He couldn’t believe how fast his little boy was growing. James was three now and he was going to be a big brother in about a week. Howie couldn’t believe how fast his little family was growing and he couldn’t be happier. They planned on naming this boy after Howie.  When Leigh agreed to the name, he was ecstatic. At first, it looked like she wasn’t going to for it.

He picked James up and carried him to the dining room when Leigh called them for dinner. As Howie set him in his chair, James asked, “Brother?”

“Not yet baby.” Leigh said, putting a little taco on his plate. “Brother isn’t ready yet.”

“Your brother will be here soon, baby boy.” Howie said, getting himself two tacos.

Leigh, who had been on a strict diet for the baby, sat down with nothing but a salad. Howie crinkled his nose at it as he took a bite of his taco. Leigh saw him and stuck her tongue out at him and said, “Oh shut it, Howard. You know it’s only until the baby comes.”

“Whatever you say, sweetheart.” Howie said, laughing at her. Leigh stuck her tongue out at him again as James laughed too.

“Oh, you think that’s funny, do you?” Howie asked his son. James giggled again and this time Leigh joined in, snorting into her salad.

Howie picked up his son and started tickling him, which made him giggle harder. Somewhere in the middle of the tickling/giggling war, Howie heard his wife gasp in pain. He quickly put James down and rushed over to his wife.

“Honey, what’s wrong?” Howie asked; worry in his voice and in his eyes

“The baby.” She gasped. “He’s coming.”

“Okay, okay.” Howie said, getting nervous and helping his wife up. “Come on, the bag is in the car. Come on James, baby brother is on his way.”

James looked at his father with confusion on his face. Howie held out his free hand and his son ran up and grabbed it. He quickly led his son and wife to their sedan. As he strapped James into his car seat, he heard Leigh whimper in pain as she tried to get into the passenger’s seat. Howie rushed around the car to help her in gently.

As he got into the driver’s seat and started the car, Leigh gasped, “Call our parents.”

“I will sweetie, just let me get the car on the road.” Howie reassured her as he pulled out of the driveway and headed toward the hospital. Halfway there, he called his mom and dad and then Leigh’s parents. Both sets of parents, sounded excited and said they’d be on their way. Both sets also lived about two hours away from the hospital, so it would take them awhile to get there.

Howie floored it into the hospital parking lot and was lucky enough to find a parking space right next to the doors. He sprinted out of the car and got a wheelchair for Leigh. After getting Leigh into the wheelchair, he got James out of his car seat.

“Stay close to mommy, okay James.” Leigh gasped, as Howie put James down. He grabbed the wheelchair’s arm as Howie pushed it into the ER.

“My wife’s pregnant! The baby’s about to come!” Howie shouted the whole, desperate for help.

A nurse came surging forward and took control of Leigh’s wheelchair. “Follow me.” She demanded nicely.

Howie picked up James and followed the nurse to an empty room. Howie set James in a chair and then helped the nurse quickly get Leigh changed into a hospital gown.

“The doctor should be here any minute.”  The nurse reassured them as she helped Leigh onto the bed.

“Good.” Leigh gasped. “Because this baby isn’t waiting any longer and it’s coming now.”

The nurse and Howie looked at each other, both with their eyes wider than dimes. The nurse rushed forward and took a position at the end of the bed as Howie went to the side of the bed and grabbed Leigh’s hand. The nurse’s head popped out from under Leigh’s gown, eyes even wider than before.

Just as the nurse said, “I can see the baby’s head.” The doctor came rushing in, putting on gloves. The nurse quickly moved out of the way and let the doctor take over.

“Okay, the baby’s head is halfway out.” The doctor confirmed. “I need you to push on three. One, two, three.”

Leigh pushed, screamed, and almost broke Howie’s hand all at the same time.

“Okay, good. The head is all the way out. Now take a breath.” The doctor instructed. “”Now another push on the count of three. One, two, three.”

Leigh pushed again, this time breaking Howie’s hand for sure.

“Alright, you’re going good sweetheart.” The doctor said. “He’s almost all the way out; he just needs one more big push to help him along.”

Leigh took a few short breaths and gave another tremendous push. The next thing they knew, the doctor was holding a screaming, bloody, but healthy looking baby boy.

“Dad, would you like to cut the cord?” the doctor asked a dazed Howie.

Howie nodded and cut the cord just like he had done for James. When the nurse took the baby to be cleaned, the doctor asked, “Do you have a name for the new baby.”

Leigh told him and he went to make the birth certificate for baby Howie. The older Howie looked at his wife, still dazed and hand still broken, but forgotten. “He’s here.” He croaked at her.

Her face finally broke into a smile as she said, “I know. Our baby boy is here.”

“Brother?” James piped up from his chair.

Howie jumped, banging his broken hand on the rail of the bed. His eyes started to water in pain as he herd Leigh say,

“Yes, brother. He’s finally here James.”

James clapped and giggled before running to sit on Leigh’s hospital bed. Howie leaned down and kissed their foreheads before asking,

“You’ll be alright by yourself for a few minutes right, sweetie? I want to text the boys the good news.”

“James and I will be fine for a few minutes.” Leigh smiled. “Just don’t take too long. I want baby Howie’s whole family here when he comes back.”

“Don’t worry, it won’t take too long.” Howie said, kissing them again. “I’m just going to go out to the lobby, send them the text, and I’ll be right back in.”

James waved at his dad as he went out to the lobby. Howie pulled out his blackberry, typed a new message saying “Leigh just had the baby.” And then clicked on the send to, and selected Kevin, Brian, AJ, and Nick’s numbers and then hit send. When he made sure it sent to them all, he hurried back to the room just in time to see baby Howie arrive, cleaned, dried, and wrapped in a blue blanket along with a pacifier in his mouth.

He was asleep, and even being only two hours old, he slept just like his big brother and his father.

…..