Felicia Hardy, looking a bit tired but beaming with happiness, held her newborn son with Peter Parker.
Hawke and Gwen stood by the bed, looking at the baby.
The little one was tiny, but his eyes were very much like Felicia's, perfectly inheriting her characteristic hazy, grey-blue eyes.
His head was covered with a layer of fine, soft, silky platinum-blonde fuzz.
Without a doubt.
This was also inherited from Felicia.
The reason being, Peter's hair color was black, he didn't have that golden gene, while Felicia's hair color was pure gold.
Gwen stared unblinkingly at the tiny baby quietly nestled in Felicia's arms: "Wow, he's so cute."
Felicia smiled at Gwen.
"Do you have a plan?"
"Yes, I do."
Gwen looked at Felicia and said with a smile, "Two sons and one daughter, that's the family I plan to have."
Just like her mom and dad, who also had two sons and one daughter.
Gwen was very happy.
So… she wanted to continue this happiness.
Hawke then looked at Peter, who was standing across from the bed, carefully reaching out to touch his son's tiny head: "Have you named him?"
Peter nodded.
"Ben!"
"…"
Hawke raised an eyebrow: "Your Uncle Ben's name?"
Peter nodded: "Yes, Uncle Ben taught me a lesson when I was lost, so my son is named Ben."
If this were in East Country, if someone used an elder's name for their son, it would only mean they were treating the elder as their son.
But in the U.S.
Let's put it this way.
If Hawke's future son were named George, George would not only not be angry but would be very happy.
Because to George, Hawke using his name wasn't an insult; rather, it was a sign of great respect.
But… George couldn't be George.
Hawke thought to himself, then looked at the child in Felicia's arms and said to Peter: "So, Ben Parker?"
Peter was about to speak.
Felicia, lying on the bed holding little Parker, looked at Hawke and said, "His full name is Ben Hawke Parker."
Hawke was slightly stunned after hearing this and looked at Felicia.
Felicia smiled and said, "Peter wants you to be little Ben's godfather."
Hawke heard this and looked at Peter.
Peter had a simple, honest smile on his face.
Hawke smiled and said, "Of course, it's my honor."
He really hadn't expected Peter to use his name as his son's middle name.
Again.
In the U.S., using an elder's or friend's name as your son's first or middle name is not treating them as your son; rather, it's a sign of respect for elders and the importance of friendship.
Not to mention, Peter not only used his name as his son's middle name but also wanted him to be little Ben's godfather.
Godfather and adoptive father are not the same.
An adoptive father is just a title.
But a godfather is formally appointed during the baby's baptism ceremony, and the chosen godfather is usually a friend whom the baby's parents trust and respect greatly.
Typically, a godfather should also have been baptized, as the godfather's primary responsibility is to guide his godchild in their religious faith.
Hawke had been baptized.
He had been left at the church door when he was still an infant, so even if he didn't want to, he couldn't change that fact.
But again.
Believing in God does not conflict with his desire to break into Heaven.
In short.
Breaking into Heaven doesn't mean he doesn't believe in God; it just means it's God's turn, and soon it will be his.
In any case… a godfather is not only a guide for the godchild's faith but also a witness and guarantor of the ceremony.
Simply put.
The baptism ceremony isn't something you can just do whenever you want; it requires someone who has already been baptized to act as a guarantor.
So… Hawke thought for a moment and looked at Peter: "Later, I'll go back and find the priest at St. Mark's Church to check the baptism schedule."
Churches for baptism also have different levels.
And St. Mark's Church, with its long history, might not be called the best baptism church, but it is definitely one of the top-ranked churches in Manhattan.
The most important point.
Hawke then smiled at Felicia and said, "Wow, my godson! Then I'll have to seriously think about what kind of gift to give my godson at the baptism."
Felicia smiled: "Yes, you really should think hard, Hawke, after all, that's what I'm here for."
Peter, hearing this, looked at Hawke.
"Hawke, she's just kidding…"
"Peter…"
Hawke, seeing Peter hastily explain, quickly interrupted him and smiled at Peter: "Please, relax. Today is your good day. You have a son, and I have a godson. Congratulations, Peter."
Peter, hearing this, looked at Felicia and his son still in swaddling clothes, smiling shyly.
Hawke and Gwen then stayed at the hospital for a while longer, and after Ben Hawke Parker yawned and fell asleep, they hugged Peter and Felicia again before leaving.
After leaving the hospital.
Gwen looked at Hawke with some curiosity: "Weren't you going to tell Peter that I got my Dr. degree to make him jealous?"
Hawke started the car and headed in the direction of Palm Street.
"Not today!"
"Today should be a happy day for Peter."
"He deserves this day too."
Hawke glanced at Gwen.
Today was also his happy day.
Not because Peter asked him to be Ben Hawke Parker's godfather, but because he changed Spider-Woman's life, which was originally full of tragedy.
This gave him a great sense of accomplishment.
It wasn't the kind of accomplishment from his own strength increasing, but a strange sense of satisfaction from deep within his heart.
Gwen smiled, listening to Hawke's words, and thinking of Peter, whose parents and Uncle Ben had passed away, she thought Hawke was referring to this and nodded in agreement.
"Hawke."
"Hmm."
"You are actually a very kind person."
"I know."
Hawke heard this, glanced at Gwen, who was watching him with a smile, and replied with a smile.
He also consistently believed he was a kind person.
Honestly, since Hawke debuted, although he had killed many people, he could confidently say that he had never killed an innocent bystander.
Little Black doesn't count.
Because Little Black is not human.
And putting Little Black aside, in every one of his battles, he almost always tried his best to avoid cities and crowds.
Without exception.
Unlike those superheroes, who seem to go wherever there are many people.
Hawke was different.
This might be because he had once been caught in the rain, so he chose to hold an umbrella for those who came after him.
So!
Hmm.
He was very kind.
After Hawke and Gwen returned to Palm Street, they didn't go home immediately. Instead, when they passed St. Mark's Church, they got out of the car, found the priest of St. Mark's Church, and inquired about the baptism schedule.
Large churches like St. Mark's almost always have a baptism every day, and some parents even start booking when they are pregnant.
Because baptism also has a time limit.
Usually, infants should be baptized within a few weeks or three months after birth, as the earlier the baptism, the more the newborn's original sin can be forgiven by God.
After the priest looked through the baptism appointment roster, because Hawke was also considered a major client of the church, he found April 25th of next month as the baptism date.
After Hawke donated a fee to St. Mark's, he walked out of the church and called Peter to inform him.
As the baby's parents, Peter and Felicia needed to attend a pre-baptism preparation course first.
Hawke didn't need to.
He was a member of the St. Paul's Church choir; let alone baptism, even for preaching or something, he could go directly to work without training.
No choice.
An orphan with a younger sister, making a living in the church, the only thing he could do was try his best to appear very devout.
Just like Samael, before he became Lucifer Morningstar, he was the most devout one before God.
After hanging up the phone, Hawke raised an eyebrow, as if he had thought of something, and looked at Gwen beside him: "You think Peter is out of money, that's why he asked me to be his son's godfather, so I would pay for my godson's baptism fees?"
The sacrament is actually free; it doesn't require any fees.
After all, baptism is sacred.
But churches need operating costs, and supporting the church cannot be called a fee, only a donation.
The operating cost for a sacrament at St. Mark's Church is approximately two thousand.
Gwen heard this and chuckled. After opening the car door, she looked at Hawke, who was walking to the driver's seat, and said as she got in: "It's the godfather's responsibility to baptize his godchild. You can choose not to be Ben Hawke Parker's godfather."
After Hawke closed the car door, he smiled slightly and looked at Gwen: "No, that won't do. The Hawke in Ben Hawke Parker is my Hawke, and only I can be his godfather. No one else has that qualification."
The main reason was still Peter.
Just as he had always said, among the three versions of Spider-Man, his favorite was the original Spider-Woman.
So… Hawke restarted the car and looked at Gwen: "What kind of gift do you think I should give my godson?"
Gwen glanced at Hawke's expression and smiled.
"You already have an idea, don't you?"
"Yes."
Hawke nodded. After Peter said he wanted him to be his son's godfather, Hawke already had a general idea for the gift.
Gwen was a bit curious.
"What gift?"
"It's…"
Just as Hawke was about to speak, Gwen's phone suddenly rang.
Gwen said "one moment," took out her phone, and looked at it: "It's Mom's call."
Hawke raised an eyebrow: "She's probably asking about your Dr. degree."
Gwen hummed, answered the phone, and was about to tell her mother Helen the good news that she had received her Dr. degree.
The next second.
Helen's tearful voice came through.
"Gwen, come to the hospital quickly."
"Your dad was shot and is being rescued."
"Hurry!"
"…"
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