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Every few gifts, somebody complained about the same thing.

“You need to name this baby,” Wren said, holding up a blanket. “I wanted to get his name on this.”

“I know. I still ain’t picked one yet.”

“You need to.”

“I’m working on it.”

Nina looked at my stomach. “He almost here.”

“Don’t say that. I still got time.”

Mama held up another gift. “I would’ve got this monogrammed too.”

“All of y’all would’ve had my baby walking around looking like a luggage set.”

They laughed, but by the end of the night I had heard enough about that damn name to know I probably needed to figure one out.

People started leaving a little after nine. Trevon and a couple of the men began carrying gifts out to cars while Anika tried to organize everything, and I slipped outside for some air.

I found Van near the side of the house stacking empty boxes and walked over to him.

“You tired?” he asked.

“Very, but I had fun.”

He smiled. “Good.”

I stood beside him rubbing my stomach. There was something I had been wanting to ask him since the gender reveal, but every time I thought about it, something else happened. Tonight felt like as good a time as any.

“Can I ask you something?”

“What’s up?”

“You wanna be his goddaddy?”

Van stopped messing with the boxes and looked at me. “For real?”

“No, Van. I ask everybody.”

He laughed. “I’m making sure.”

“Yes, for real.”

He watched me for another second before smiling. “Yeah. I’d love to.”

I smiled back. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yep. Congratulations. You got a godson.”

He laughed, and I pointed at him.

“Your first duty starts right now.”

“Damn, I just got the job.”