Ty sees us first. He’s up and running, and his arms are around me, holding me tight. He’s breathing heavily, and he says, “Yeah? Okay? Is it—”

“Okay,” I tell him quietly. “It’s all okay.”

He sags in my arms, sighing in relief. “They told us you were still back there and—”

“Oh my god,” Izzie says, startling me with how much she sounds like us. “Can you please just tell us what they are?”

“Babies,” Otter says seriously.

Everyone groans, because why.

I try to open my mouth and tell them, but I have to swallow around the lump in my throat. The Kid backs away, hands on my shoulders, looking a little worried.

“What’s wrong?” he asks, looking a little fearful.

I shake my head.

“Bear’s a little overwhelmed,” Otter says, sounding smug.

All the fathers in the room nod knowingly. All the mothers roll their eyes.

God, I love them.

“You want me to tell them?” Otter asks me, lips scraping against my cheek.

“Yeah,” I manage to say.

They all look at him expectantly.

He smiles that crooked smile, the gold-green in his eyes shining. “A boy,” he says. “And a girl. Both are good. And strong. And tiny.”

There are tears then from most everyone as they explode in noise.

All except for JJ.

JJ is slumped on the chair, fast asleep, mouth open and drooling on his shoulder.

He’s such a weird kid.

THEY’RE ALL lined up in front of the nursery, cooing through the glass, telling us that they look exactly like me, which I’m not quite sure if is an insult or not, given that the last time I checked, I was not a hairless pug.

Otter and I, of course, are standing next to them, chests puffed out, preening because we’re goddamn fathers and this is our moment.

“You guys did a good job, Papa Bear,” Creed says, knocking his shoulder against mine.

“We did, didn’t we?” Otter says, that smile never leaving his face.

“Very good,” Anna agrees. “Though I’m a little jealous that you have a girl now, whereas I have none.”

“I am a boy!” JJ says, doing a dance that makes him look like he’s either possessed or has had his spine removed.

“Yah-guh,” AJ shouts.

“We could try again,” Creed says, waggling his eyebrows. “All of this has made me want to put another baby in you.”

“You come near me with that thing with the intention of getting me pregnant again,” Anna says sweetly, “and you’ll probably lose it.”

“I give it six months before she folds,” Creed whispers loudly to me.

“We want more,” Stephanie says, staring at her daughter. “This isn’t enough.”

“Oh boy,” Anna mutters.

“If you think about it,” Alice says, “this is a first for all of us. Having a girl.”