But that’s not right, is it? Because all I ever did was love him with my whole heart. I would do anything for Otter. I tell him as much, and he laughs wetly. “I know, Papa Bear. And I know you don’t see it like I do, but that’s how I feel.”

“You don’t need to repay me for anything. We did this together.”

“Yeah,” he says. “Okay. Together. We’re gonna be dads, huh?”

“Looks like. Probably a little late to back out now.”

“And we’re gonna be good dads?”

“Yeah. At least better than Creed.”

“JJ hasn’t electrocuted himself, so I don’t know that that’s true.”

“It’s like he has eyes in the back of his head. I don’t know how he does it.”

Otter laughs at me.

“I’m serious!”

“Hi, Serious. I’m—”

“Oh my god. You are not allowed to do this now. Not at the goddamn hospital. Someone might hear you!”

“I love you,” he says suddenly, fiercely. “No matter what happens. No matter where this road takes us. I’m gonna love you forever, Bear.”

I roll my eyes. “I know that. I’ve trapped you with kids now. You aren’t ever leaving.”

His shoulders shake as he holds me closer.

Megan waves at us from down the hall.

We wave back as we watch them. For a time.

“I love you too,” I eventually tell Otter.

“It’s pretty great, right?”

And it is. I remember being scared. For a long time, I was scared. Of being alone. Of failing the Kid. Of everyone else leaving us too.

But I’m not scared of that anymore.

Bad things can happen.

Then there are times like this. Times when I have Otter at my side and a hippie holding up his girlfriend that I impregnated in front of us.

Mrs. Paquinn would be laughing her ass off right now.

“We should get some flowers,” I tell Otter. “When we get a chance. Take them to Mrs. P. We can—”

Megan’s knees buckle.

Marty catches her before she falls.

She’s groaning, clutching her stomach.

Otter and I are on our feet and running.

Her skin is slick with sweat, eyes scrunched closed, breathing in deeply through her nose and out through her mouth.

I’m scared again.

I’m fucking terrified.

But Marty’s smiling, and he says, “I think it’s almost time.”

THE LEAD-UP felt like it went on for days.

We did nothing but wait and wait and wait.

And then it happens quickly. So fucking quickly.

There are people rushing around us, shoving us into scrubs, telling us that we need to stand back, keep out of the way. I’m too stunned to remind them that I don’t even want to be in here, but Otter’s got a solid grip on my hand, and I can’t even get my feet to work.

Megan’s on the bed, sitting up and hunched over her stomach, and she’s grunting, tears on her face. Marty’s at her side, whispering in her ear, throwing us a wink every now and then.