The house had never felt cozier. Sunlight spilled through the curtains in soft waves, warming the hardwood floors and wrapping the room in golden calm. Elena was curled up on their bed, a cup of peppermint tea in her hand, her belly round and visible through the fabric of her dress.
Zayden sat beside her with a laptop on his lap, scrolling through dozens of baby name websites like it was a high-stakes business deal.
"We can't name them Baby A and Baby B forever, Elena," he muttered, eyes narrowing at the screen. "They deserve royalty."
She laughed softly. "And you think the internet will crown them that?"
"I'll crown them," he said proudly, placing a hand gently over her stomach. "But first, they need names worthy of who they already are."
One of the twins kicked. Elena winced, then smiled, curling her fingers around Zayden's wrist. "They agree. Or at least one of them does."
Zayden looked up, his eyes sparkling with mock seriousness. "Okay, hear me out. For the boy—Elio."
"Elio?" she repeated, testing it on her tongue. "That's actually… beautiful."
"It means sun." Zayden looked at her belly, soft and serious now. "And he's going to be just that. Bright. Bold. The center of our little universe."
Her heart clenched at the tenderness in his voice. "You really like it?"
"I love it. And I was thinking maybe his middle name could be… Zayden."
Elena looked up at him, wide-eyed.
"I'm not trying to brand him," Zayden added quickly, scratching the back of his neck, "but just… something that ties us. Not in a prideful way. Just in a… dad way."
Her heart swelled. "Elio Zayden Wolfe." She smiled. "It sounds like sunlight wrapped in strength."
Zayden looked victorious. "Okay. That's one done. Now your turn."
She leaned back on the pillows, thinking. The soft kicks hadn't stopped—like the little girl inside her wanted to be named too.
"What about… Liora Elena?"
Zayden tilted his head. "Liora Elena?"
"It means light." Elena looked down at her belly. "And she already is. She glows. I don't know how, but I feel her. Gentle but powerful. And her middle name… well, if he gets yours, she gets mine."
Zayden's eyes softened. He reached forward and cradled her belly with both hands, pressing a kiss to the curve.
"Elio and Liora," he whispered. "Sun and light. How the hell did we get so lucky?"
Elena brushed his hair back with trembling fingers. "Because we found each other."
The mood shifted as the twins kicked again—both of them this time—and Elena gasped, grabbing his hand.
"They're kicking together," she whispered.
Zayden's mouth parted in awe. "They're already in sync. God, I need to install cameras. Baby-proof the entire estate. I should hire a security guard. Maybe two."
Elena chuckled. "They're not even born and you want surveillance?"
"You're carrying two actual angels, Elena. I've seen crime documentaries. I'm not taking any risks."
She leaned over and kissed him softly. "Relax, Zay. We'll do this together."
Later that evening, they curled up with his laptop again—this time shopping for baby clothes.
Zayden gasped. "Elena. Look. Mini leather jackets. I'm buying two."
"Zayden, they're newborns."
"So? They'll be cool newborns."
She shook her head with a fond smile, then paused, squinting at the screen. "Okay, this onesie with the sun on it? That's Elio. And the one with stars? Definitely Liora."
"Ordered," Zayden said instantly, clicking the buttons with the decisiveness of a CEO.
As they lay in bed later, gel already applied from another soft heartbeat listening session, Zayden whispered between her stomach and the sheets:
"Elio Zayden Wolfe and Liora Elena Wolfe… we can't wait to meet you."