Chapter 210: Lionel and Liana Davis

Liam had never been this nervous in his entire life.

Sitting beside the delivery bed, he held Lydia’s hand while watching the doctors prepare to welcome their children into the world.

"Honey..."

Liam turned toward Lydia.

"Yes?"

"Stop squeezing my hand so hard."

He looked down and realized he was gripping her hand so tightly that her fingers had turned white.

"I’m sorry!"

Lydia let out a small laugh, although she immediately grimaced in pain.

"Relax. You’re the one who looks like you’re about to give birth."

"I’m not nervous!"

She stared at him silently.

Liam looked away.

"Fine. I’m a little nervous."

"A little?"

Lydia smiled and squeezed his hand again.

"So am I."

Those words made Liam look at her again. His wife was exhausted, her hair stuck to her forehead, and she was breathing heavily between contractions. Yet even under those circumstances, she was still trying to reassure him.

Liam felt a pang in his chest.

Over the past few months, he’d done everything he could to make sure she had everything she needed. He’d prepared the nursery, bought all the essentials, and reorganized their home to give the babies enough space.

But now that the moment had arrived, he understood that no amount of money could erase the fear he felt.

All he could do was stay by her side.

"I’m here, Lydia," he murmured.

She gave him a tired smile.

"I know."

One of the doctors approached to check that everything was ready.

"We’re almost there. We need you to follow our instructions and try to stay calm."

Liam nodded so seriously that the doctor gave him a strange look.

Lydia, on the other hand, couldn’t help laughing.

"I think he needs those instructions more than I do."

"Lydia!"

"What? It’s true."

Liam opened his mouth to respond, but another contraction made his wife squeeze his hand tightly.

This time, he didn’t complain.

◇◆◇

Time seemed to stand still.

Liam lost track of the minutes as he listened to the medical staff’s instructions and tried to help Lydia however he could.

She was making an enormous effort.

Every time he saw her close her eyes and take a deep breath to keep going, he felt his heart tighten a little more.

He wanted to ease her pain, share her burden, or do anything that might help her.

But he couldn’t.

All he could do was stay with her and remind her that she wasn’t alone.

"Come on, honey. You’re doing great."

Lydia gritted her teeth.

"When this is over, I’m going to sleep for an entire week."

"You can sleep as much as you want."

"And you’re taking care of the babies."

"Of course."

"You’re changing their diapers, too."

"Yes."

"And getting up with them at night."

"Yes."

Lydia opened one eye to look at him.

"Why are you agreeing to everything so easily?"

Liam gently stroked her hand.

"Because I love you."

She fell silent for a moment. Then, despite her exhaustion, she smiled.

"I love you too."

Shortly afterward, one of the doctors announced that the first baby was about to arrive.

Liam held his breath.

Then he heard a cry.

It was a small, high-pitched, trembling sound, but to him, it was as though the entire world had fallen silent just to listen to it.

His first child had been born.

"It’s a boy," the doctor announced.

Liam froze.

’A boy...’

A few seconds later, the doctor approached to show them their newborn. The little one was wrapped in a blanket, his face red and his eyes closed as he continued to cry.

Liam felt something inside him crumble.

Not from sadness or fear, but from an emotion so intense that he could barely breathe.

"Can I... can I hold him?"

"Of course. I’ll show you how."

The doctor explained how to position his arms and properly support the baby’s head.

Liam followed the instructions with a level of concentration he’d never devoted to any mission.

When he finally held his son in his arms, he barely heard anything happening around him.

The baby was tiny.

Much smaller than he’d imagined.

His fingers were minuscule, and his face looked incredibly fragile. Liam was afraid to move too much, as though any sudden movement might wake him or make him uncomfortable.

"Hello..." he whispered.

The little one continued crying.

Liam swallowed.

"I’m your dad."

Those words made him understand it in a way that no amount of preparation ever could.

He was a father.

It was no longer a distant idea or something that would happen in the future.

That little boy was in his arms, and Liam would be responsible for protecting him, caring for him, and being there as he grew up.

Liam lowered his head and gently kissed his forehead.

"I’m going to take care of you. I promise."

◇◆◇

It wasn’t long before the second baby arrived.

Liam had returned to Lydia’s side, still unable to wipe the smile from his face, when he heard another cry.

This time, the doctor announced that it was a girl.

Exhausted, Lydia let out a sigh of relief when she heard that both babies were doing well.

"A girl?" she asked weakly.

"Yes. Both babies are stable," the doctor replied.

Liam closed his eyes for a moment.

They were both okay, and that was all he needed to hear.

When he was allowed to approach his daughter, he once again found himself at a loss for words.

She was just as tiny as her brother, wrapped in a blanket with her hands curled near her face.

Liam held her with the same care, afraid that his arms might be too big for someone so small.

"Hello, little one."

The girl moved her head slightly.

He smiled.

"I’m your dad. And apparently, I’m going to have to learn a lot of things to take care of you."

Lydia let out a little laugh from the bed.

"You’d better."

Liam moved closer so she could see their daughter more clearly.

Lydia’s eyes filled with tears as she gazed at the little girl.

"She’s beautiful..."

"Yes," Liam replied softly.

For a few moments, neither of them said anything.

They’d waited for this moment for months. They’d imagined what their children would look like, how it would feel to hold them for the first time, and how their lives would change once they finally got to meet them.

But none of those imaginings came close to what they were feeling now.

Liam let Lydia hold their daughter while he kept their son in his arms.

"We need to name them," Lydia murmured.

Liam smiled.

"We already have."

She looked up at him.

"Then I want to hear them."

Liam gazed at the little boy in his arms before looking at his daughter.

"His name will be Lionel."

Then he turned his gaze toward the little girl.

"And she’ll be Liana."

Lydia repeated both names softly, as though she wanted to get used to them.

"Lionel and Liana Davis..."

She smiled as she gently stroked her daughter’s cheek.

"I love them."

Liam leaned over and kissed her forehead.

"Then it’s settled."

Lionel and Liana Davis, their children.

◇◆◇

A few hours later, Liam and Lydia were able to rest in a room at the clinic.

The babies were doing well and receiving the necessary care while the medical staff monitored their progress. Lydia lay in bed, exhausted after everything that had happened, but with a happy expression on her face.

He sat beside her, gazing at the two small cribs positioned near the bed.

"What are you thinking about?" Lydia asked.

Liam turned his head.

"That our house is going to feel too small again."

She stared at him for a second before bursting out laughing.

"Liam!"

"What? I’m just making an observation."

"We just had our children, and you’re already thinking about expanding the house!"

"Well, technically, we already expanded it before they were born."

Lydia shook her head, amused.

"Come here."

Liam moved closer, and she took his hand.

"Thank you for everything you’ve done over these past few months. For preparing the nursery, taking care of me, and being here with me today."

He gently stroked her fingers.

"You don’t have to thank me for anything. I wanted to do it."

"I know."

Lydia rested her head against the pillow and closed her eyes for a few seconds.

"I’m happy, Liam."

He looked at his wife and then at their children.

"Me too."

For a long time, he’d believed that a good life meant having enough money, owning a home, and being certain that nothing could take it all away from him.

He’d fought to achieve stability, taken on responsibilities, and risked his life to protect the people he loved.

Now he understood that all of it mattered because he could share it with them.

His wife was by his side.

His children were there, sleeping peacefully.

And for the first time in a long while, he didn’t need to think about the next battle or whatever threat might appear tomorrow.

He just wanted to stay there, watching over them.

Liam leaned over and gently kissed Lydia’s forehead.

Then he looked at Lionel and Liana and smiled.

’For a long time, I thought I was building a life for us. Now I understand that we’re only just beginning to live it.’

Lionel and Liana Davis.

Our children, our family.