[His voice is equally hoarse. She'd judged, but she'd not walked away or rejected. It's as much as he can hope for, and on that day it had seemed beyond hope until she'd reached out.]

Nate's going to be jealous. He's only got a nephew, and now I've got a niece. I think I win that one.

[Sure, being married means they share nephew and niece, but that's not as fun to say and it doesn't deflect enough from the emotions he's feeling right now.]

Should I... shall I come over now? As soon as I've put the blanket where Purrelden won't fuzz it up.