CHAPTER 29
Gentry
A insleigh and the baby were both cleared by the doctor and pediatrician to leave the hospital the next day. We’d planned to stay at the hospital for at least four days, but since Ainsleigh didn’t have to have a cesarean, she was able to leave.
It took a few minutes, but I finally got her buckled in the car seat and ready to leave. The air was freezing outside, so when we got to the automatic doors I placed a blanket over top of the car seat to block her from the air before we headed out into the cold.
The ride home was slow because I was scared of sliding on any ice, but we finally pulled into the driveway. Based on the number of cars and balloons on the porch, I figured everyone was already inside awaiting our arrival.
“You ready to go inside and greet everyone?”
“Yeah. I knew they’d be here. It’s a good welcome home.”
I helped Ainsleigh out of the Jeep and grabbed the car seat from the backseat before I helped her walk up the sidewalk and into the house.
Her parents, Aspen and Dylan, Brooks, and Leo were all sitting on the couches in the living room when we walked inside.
“Welcome home,” everyone whispered so the baby didn’t get frightened.
Ainsleigh giggled at their antics as she put down the diaper bag she’d grabbed from the Jeep.
“Thank you for being here. I’m going to go to her room and get her out of the car seat and see if she needs to be changed. We’ll be back in a minute,” Ainsleigh said before she started to walk down the hallway.
She pushed the door that was slightly ajar open to the nursery to be greeted by Holden standing in front of the crib. He didn’t hear the door open and was looking down into the empty bed, lost in thought.
“There you are,” Ainsleigh said as she walked inside.
I placed the car seat on top of the changing table and unbuckled the latches before I picked Olivia up.
Ainsleigh had found a sleeper that was covered in sleeping sheep to bring her home from the hospital. A little blue headband was placed around her head. She stretched in my arms causing her pacifier to fall out, and she let out a wail in protest. Holden rushed over at the sound to check on his niece.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. Uncle Holden’s right here,” he said as he picked up the pacifier and placed it into her mouth. Her head went back and forth as she got it situated and settled right back into a peaceful sleep.
“You’re not to spoil her rotten, Holden,” Ainsleigh warned, and he turned his head toward giving her what I was sure was a look in protest.
We both knew that he wouldn’t comply.
“Why were you in here all by yourself?” Ainsleigh asked as she took the baby from me and checked to see if she needed a fresh diaper.
“I was just imagining it. Her being in here.”
“Now you don’t have to imagine. She’s right here.”
“I’m glad. You both deserve this happiness. She’s perfect,” he said as he ran his finger down her nose.
“Thank you. How about we go back out there and let everyone enjoy her for a bit?” Ainsleigh suggested.
“Do we have to? I don’t share very well,” Holden admitted.
“You’ll get your time with her too. Don’t worry,” she said as she held Olivia close to her and walked toward the door.
“Wait. Before you both go out there I wanted to show you something.” Holden had a funny look on his face, like he was hiding something.
“What’s up?” I asked.
“I was told by someone that you wanted something for her and I made sure you got it. Go check out your room. Consider it her welcome home present before you yell at me,” he said with a sly grin. He was already using the baby to his advantage.
Ainsleigh’s eyebrows furrowed together as she walked across the hall and opened the door to our room. She let out a gasp when she saw what was inside.
There, sitting beside our bed, was the cradle she’d admired from afar.
She walked over and placed the hand that didn’t hold Olivia on the side of the wood.
“When did you get this?”
“About a month and a half ago. I knew I wanted her to have what you wanted her to be in and that you didn’t like that she wouldn’t be sleeping in here with you for the first few months. I went and asked the sales associate what I needed to put inside and got the mattress and some sheets for it along with the thing in there to keep her from rolling over. I forget what’s it’s called. Then I got the same mobile that she has in her room and clipped it to the side. I kept it for when she arrived.”
“You are something else,” Ainsleigh said as she walked over and hugged Holden and told him how much she appreciated the gesture.
I knew for a fact that cradle cost upwards of three hundred dollars. The woodwork was amazing. There was so much detail in every carving. The horses on the side went perfectly with everything we wanted her to have.
“And don’t worry. That liner is mesh so she’s safe from getting hurt or suffocating. I made sure she got the best.” He thought of everything, and it surprised me that he’d placed that much thought into this gift.
“Thank you. And I’m sure she’ll love it,” Ainsleigh told him while she held her arm out to see if he wanted to hold Olivia.
Like she even had to ask. I was shocked he hadn’t taken her right out of Ainsleigh’s arms.
“Let’s go make everyone mad when they see I got to hold you first,” he spoke softly as he took Olivia out of our room and into the living room where everyone was patiently waiting to see her.
“How did we know you’d get your hands on her first?” Lillian joked.
“Because I’m the favorite uncle,” he retorted.
“I doubt she can tell you that at one day old,” Leo said from across the room.
Brooks stood and let Ainsleigh sit down in his seat, and he took a spot beside her on the floor at her feet.
“She’ll tell me that soon enough,” Holden replied as he took a seat in the recliner that we’d gotten just before the baby was born.
For the next few hours, everyone enjoyed holding Olivia and passing her around. Lillian took the liberty to cook and made a huge pot of spaghetti for dinner. As soon as the kitchen was cleaned up, she took over and shooed everyone out of the house. Holden tried to fight, but she gave him that motherly glare, and he zipped his lips, tucked his tail between his legs, and left. Aspen and Dylan made sure Ainsleigh had everything she needed for the baby before they went to their room to retire for the night.
Ainsleigh went to take a shower after I’d gotten mine, and I laid down in our bed with a sleeping Olivia on my chest. I’d learned in just the last day that she preferred skin on skin contact and listening to mine and Ainsleigh’s heartbeats. I also learned that she didn’t really like to be bundled up unless she was tired. Laying the blanket on her was just fine.
About fifteen minutes later, Ainsleigh came into the room dressed in a nightgown and had a brush in her hand. She finished brushing her hair before she climbed into bed and rested her head on my shoulder.
“She’s so perfect, isn’t she?” she asked as she ran the tips of her fingers across her blonde hair. Now that she was cleaned up, her hair was the color of her mother’s.
“Just like her momma,” I replied as I patted Olivia on the back when she started to stir.
“She’s getting hungry,” Ainsleigh said as she took her from me and unsnapped the strap on her nightgown. The baby nuzzled into her and found what she was looking for almost instantly and latched on.
Seeing the love of my life feeding our daughter was the most beautiful sight in the world. I picked up my phone and snapped a picture of them. Ainsleigh was rubbing her finger down Olivia’s cheek not even paying attention to me. Love shown on her face as she looked down at our daughter. I couldn’t love her any more than I did in this moment. We’d gone through hell and back when we lost Arabella, but now we’d gotten the gift of Olivia and life was perfect. I’d protect them and love them until the day I died.
“I love you, beautiful,” I said to her as I held back tears of happiness.
“I love you too,” she replied immediately.
“And I love you too, Livvy,” I whispered, bending down to kiss her on top of her head.
“Thank you,” I said as I looked up into her eyes.
“For what?”
“For her. For loving me. For being my wife. For spending forever with me. For giving me everything I’ve always wanted,” I told her.
“You’re not allowed to say those things to me and expect me not to cry. I’m still hormonal.” She wiped the tears that fell from her eyes away from her face.
“Thank you for fighting for me. For continuing to love me when I didn’t even love me. For wanting to be my husband. For giving me our daughters,” she replied through more shed tears.
I wiped them all away and kissed the tip of her nose.
All was finally right in our world. We’d miss our little girl for the rest of our lives. But I was thankful that I hadn’t given up on her. Thankful that I fought for the love of my life until she saw reason. Thankful that we’d been given the blessing of our little girl.