Chapter 7

Dan began to read as Wendy and Karen held hands, “Congratulations, Wendy, Karen, and Dan, on the birth of your babies. I hope the delivery went well with no complications. I was so happy to discover the new technique that allows the parentage of a child to be determined with a simple blood test besides doing a DNA test.”

“As you know, we at the Quinte Fertility Centre pride ourselves on 100 percent accuracy with our paternity testing. Not only did we triple check the results along with a double confirmation of the DNA sample provided by you three.”

“As you know by now, Wendy gave birth to a boy and a girl. It would have been much more difficult to tell you who owned which baby had she birthed two boys or two girls.”

“It is my extreme pleasure to announce that you, Dan and Karen, are the parents of the baby boy, and Wendy and Dan, you are the parents of the baby girl.”

“I always wanted to have a little girl!” Wendy announced, looking at her in her tiny bed.

“We have a boy!” Karen cried, tears pooling in her eyes.

“And Brad will be happy he’s not the only boy now,” Dan joked.

Dan and Karen watched as the nurse printed out the name tags for their new babies, placing them in the slot.

“Can we hold our babies?” Dan asked.

“Of course you can!” Jean smiled, and the nurse brought them Matthew and then Laura.

Karen took him from the nurse, and tears pooled in her eyes as she went to her love. “Dan, I never thought I’d ever get to say these words to you; this baby boy is our son, Matthew Daniel Hayward.”

He wiped the stray tear from her cheek, then kissed her. “Thank you, my love.” He returned her kiss, then she cuddled with him as Dan held his newborn son.

The nurse then handed him his new baby daughter. His cheeks ached as he smiled from ear to ear. Karen held her phone, taking several pictures of them. He looked into their eyes, trying to judge their colour.

“What colour will their eyes be?”

The nurse looked at each baby and said, “That will depend on genetics. The mixture of Dan’s genes with Wendy and Karen’s will determine their colour. Being Caucasian babies, they’ll have very little of a pigment called melanin in their iris that gives our eyes their colour. Melanin also gives us our hair and skin colour.”

“You’ll notice the biggest changes in the eye colour between six and nine months of age. Most babies, by the age of one year, will have their permanent eye colour. I notice that you all have hazel-green eyes, but that doesn’t mean both your children will have the same. The genetics of your parents and grandparents can also have an effect on their eye colour.”

“It feels weird to be looking at two new babies and seeing myself in each one,” he remarked.

“Dan and Karen, you can go and tell your family members the good news while we finish with Wendy. Which room will she be in?” Jean asked the nurse.

“Room 312.”

“Can we show everyone the babies?”

“Yes, there is a viewing area where you can see them. Congratulations, and happy parenting! The hospital will be releasing a statement about the birth of your babies. I know that Janet Dunn mentioned that you are making medical history.”

Dan and Karen entered the waiting room and mobbed with so many questions. “Dan and I have a beautiful baby boy whose name is Matthew Daniel,” Karen announced.

“And Brian and Barbra, you are the grandparents of a beautiful baby girl. I hope you don’t mind, but Wendy changed her name to Laura, Laura Catherine,” Dan smiled.