To say Dominic was happy was the understatement of the year. He had just been promoted for the second time within a year and was now a Captain in the City Watch and Day commander of the Southern gate. That was enough to put him or any commoner in high spirits, but moments ago, he had received word his darling wife was in labor. He rushed to the birthing center like a man running for his life. It was only due to the smile on his face and the excellent rumor mill of the ladies in the town that no one thought there was trouble.

Dominic was warned that a woman’s first delivery always took the longest, and he need not rush to the center, but rush he had. His haste turned out to be a wise decision for no sooner than he opened the door to Rosetta’s room than she began wailing at the top of her surprisingly strong lungs.

“It’s coming!” she cried.

Dominic leaped to his wife’s side only to be beaten and swatted away.

“Down there, down there.” Rosetta pointed and panted. “Catch it, catch it.”

Of course, there was no need for him to do anything. Two midwives were between Rosetta’s open legs, but Dominic went as commanded. He watched as the head crowned, and then the baby slid, seeming effortless out.

One midwife did the catching and the other the cutting. Dominic and Rosetta's wrinkled pink offspring was flipped over in one hand and smacked on the ass with the other. He coughed, sputtered fluid out of his tiny mouth, and began to breathe the fresh air. Both women quickly flipped the baby back over, cleaned, and wrapped him in a warm towel. Newly packaged, he was presented to his proud papa.

Dominic gently kissed the wriggling infant in his arms. He had been warned by the midwives not to worry about the crying or the baby’s eyes being closed, but to his surprise, the baby was not crying, and his eyes were wide open. To Dominic, he appeared to be looking right at him, almost like he was judging him.

The two midwives stepped back and looked at each other. They seemed to whisper to each other, but Dominic paid them no mind. He carried his new son up to meet his mother in person.

Rosetta opened her arms, and Dominic placed the silent bundle into them. “Hello, hello, my little kicker. It’s me; it’s your mommy.” She gently parted the baby’s towel. “Oh, that makes sense. You are a strong little man, just like your father.”

“What should we name him?” Dominic stroked the soft brown fuzz on his son’s head. “I was thinking maybe…”

“Paul,” Rosetta interrupted. “Yes, he looks like a Paul to me. My grandfather was named Paul and he kind of looks like him. A quiet grumpy little old man.”

“Okay, Paul, it is.” Dominic leaned over his wife. “Do you like that name? Do you like Paul?” he asked the baby.

The baby’s eyes seemed to turn to him. It blinked twice and then closed his eyes and fell asleep.

“I guess he’s a bit tired from his long journey,” he said and then kissed his wife. “I bet you’re tired too?”

One midwife came and took Paul from his mother and carried him into another room. A second woman gently took Dominic by the elbow. “There are still a few things to do here. You can wait with your son.”

Dominic hesitated just a bit, but after a smile from Rosetta, he walked out. When the door closed behind him, Dominic took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Both he and Rosetta knew what ‘a few things to do’ meant in Valeria. Rosetta had given birth to a male, an heir to his name, and by law, there would be no others. Right then, a third midwife had entered the room. This one would not smile. This one never touched a child. This one was never thanked by a mother or anyone else.

A slight touch on his sleeve brought Dominic out of his gloom.

“We are done with baby Paul. He is awake again. Would you like to hold him? He’ll probably start crying soon until he eats. Sometimes being held soothes them until then.” The midwife took Dominic to another room where Paul lay in a tiny crib on his back. He was not wrapped in a tight cocoon anymore.

Dominic assumed one of the attendants had freed him. He watched as Paul’s arms moved over his face, and his fingers were slowly moving, almost as if he were testing them out. Dominic leaned on the side of the crib and couldn’t resist a prideful smile from spreading across his face. “Hello again, son. Did you have a good nap? Have you found your hands?”

Baby Paul seemed to hear Dominic and attempted to turn his head towards him. After a few grunts of effort, he managed to move his massive head to the side, and his brown eyes focused on Dominic. Paul’s lips moved, and strange sounds came from his mouth.

“Oh, he’s trying to talk. I can’t believe it,” cried the young midwife, who came beside Dominic. “He’s been so quiet we began to worry, but I guess he has just been waiting to talk to his father.”

Dominic took that statement as a compliment. Beaming with new importance, he reached down and took Paul into his huge hands. “I’m here, son. I will listen to all you have to say. We have so much to talk about, but don’t you worry; we have all the time in the world.”