Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters created for TRA: JQ or its
mommy show affectionately known here as CJQ. I have no money and i'm not
insured so sueing would be a waste of time.
Date: 2/21/00
Catagories: P, Fam, V
Author: Bryne aka Michelle
Rating: PG
Title:
                       A Boy named Josephine

     “Susan?” he asked hopefully, tired of trying to think of names and
having her shoot them down.
     “Nope,” she replied, continuing to skim through her book without
looking up at him. He sighed.
     “How about Brittany?”
     “Yech!” she cried, her nose crinkling in distaste. “I hate that
name.”
     “All right,” he said, not ready to give up yet, “not Brittany. How
about Abigail?” His wife put down her book and looked him square in the
eye.
     “You want your daughter to be named ABIGAIL?”
     “No, but we’ve got to name her something Rach! We can’t just go
around calling her ‘hey you!’ and expect your parents not to get a
little miffed.”
     “Forget about my parents Benton. This baby isn’t about my parents,”
she reached out to him and he stepped into her waiting embrace, “it’s
about us.” Benton sighed and stroked his wife’s hair.
     “You’re right.”
     “Of course I am, I’m the wife.” Benton rolled his eyes at that
comment.
     “How about we give this another try?” Benton suggested, looking
down into Rachel’s warm blue eyes.
     “I’d love to,” she said, leaning close to him to plant an
affectionate kiss on his mouth, “but I think your daughter has other
plans.”
     “What?” Benton cried in panic, pulling away from his wife’s loving
arms. “NOW?”
     “Yes now.” Rachel’s laugh was like wind chimes as she watched her
husband’s face contort in absolute horror. “Benton!” she scolded while
trying not to collapse in hysterics, “Relax, will you?”
     “Relax? How am I supposed to relax?” He looked around the room.
“Where’s your over night bag?”
     “In the closet at the main entrance.” Benton dashed over to the
closet and grabbed the bag and two coats, never mind that it was
eighty-five degrees outside in the Florida sunshine. “I figured if we
were in a rush it’d be easier to pick it up with our coats.” But he
didn’t hear her after that first part, he was too busy rushing out the
door to notice. Rachel smiled and shook her head as she pushed herself
out of the ‘easy chair’ which was not at ALL easy to get out of when you
were pregnant. “Sheesh, you’d think he was the one who’d have to do all
the pushing.”

~ Several hours later ~
Maternity level at the Hospital

     After Benton finally managed to leave with his wife in the car, the
trip to the hospital was uneventful. Except, that is, for stop sign that
jumped out at him and that was taken care of easily enough.
     “Rach?” Benton whispered, his voice timid as he peeked around the
door to the private room. Rachel Quest smiled tiredly up at her husband.

     “Hey you,” she replied softly, her throat sore. She lifted an arm
in his direction. Taking the invitation, he took the chair and scooted
it closer toward the bed before grabbing her hand and squeezing it
tightly.
     “You okay?” Rachel chuckled.
     “Yeah,” she whispered, “I’m okay. Just a little tired.” Benton’s
face beamed relief.
     “Thank goodness.” His face took on a worried look again. “You need
anything?” Rachel closed her eyes.
     “A hug?” Benton bent down, happy to indulge her request. “You know,
we still don’t have a name for the baby,” she reminded him. Benton
looked at her swollen stomach and gulped. “Any suggestions?” He shrugged
and put his head on her shoulder to think.
     “Hm. Chastity?” Rachel smirked and gave a short laugh.
     “No little girl should be given a name like THAT.” Benton laughed
with her until the laugh turned into a grimace of pain. He pulled back,
afraid he was hurting her. “It’s okay,” she reassured him as she rubbed
her protesting muscles, “just a birth pain.” The worried look didn’t
change. “They don’t call it labor for nothing,” she joked. Her husband
nodded solemnly. His eyes fixed on the place where his baby had slept
for the past nine months, he covered her hand with his own.
     “I love you Rachel Wildey.” She smiled.
     “Rachel Quest,” she corrected him lovingly. Benton leaned over and
gave her a kiss.
     “Karla?” Rachel shook her head. “Lauren?” Another negative sign.
“Josephine?” Rachel   made a face and shook her head vigorously.
     “No way.”
     “Come on. Think of it.” Rachel shook her head in refusal. “ We
could call her Jo.”
     “Jo?” Benton nodded. “I guess that would be all right.” He let out
a sigh of relief.
     “At least that’s done.”
     “One thing down, only one to- oh!” She cried, clutching his shirt.
“I think it’s time.” Getting up and hating himself for leaving her,
Benton ran for the doctor, even as a nurse pushed past him into the
room. Running down the hall, he searched for a white coat among the
throng of staffers present on the floor.
     “You!” Benton cried, grabbing the first man in a lab coat he could
find. “Are you a Doctor?” he demanded, holding tightly to his arm.
     “Yes-”
     “Good!” Benton dragged him down the hall toward his wife’s room.
     “Hey! Wait,” the doctor protested, “you can’t do this!” Benton
ignored him and forced him into the room
     “Well,” the nurse who had hurried in said with her back to him,
“you’re just in time to be late.” She held up a small, kicking bundle of
protesting baby. “Congratulations.” She handed the baby to a very, very
tired looking Rachel. Benton released his death hold on the doctor and
hurried over to his wife’s side.
     “Is that-” his voice trailed off into nothingness.
     “This,” she said proudly, “is our baby. Say hello to your father
sweetie.” Benton’s eyes clouded with tears as Rachel began to croon a
soft melody to the child.
     “Our daughter,” Benton whispered. “Josephine.”
     “Son actually,” the woman corrected as she finished cleaning up.
Benton looked over at her, then quickly back to Rachel.
     “Son?” he asked. She nodded as she sang. Benton let out a little
cry of joy and pressed his head to her chest, wrapping his arms around
her waist. Unknown to either of the joyful new parents, the two hospital
personal exchanged knowing smiles and slipped quietly out of the room.
     “Guess we’re going to have to pick a new name, huh Rach?” Rachel
smiled at her husband.
     “I don’t know, I think having a son named Josephine might be
charming. It could pave the way for-” Her husband cut her off with a
kiss.
     “I don’t think so. I love you with all my heart, but not that
much.” He looked thoughtful. “How about Lawrence?”
     “How about you shut up and let me choose the name?”
     “Yes dear.”

And thus was Jonathan named. (Much to his father's ever-lasting relief.
He most certainly did NOT want a son named Josephine.)