Epilogue
Gorgeous steel-blue eyes looked up from the tiny head Carly cradled in her arms. She smoothed back the tiny wisps of hair, marveling at how her life had gotten to this point. She and Gage had quietly married in his parent’s backyard a month after he proposed. And here she was, a few months later, holding their precious little girl, waiting for her daddy to take them home. She tore her eyes away from the pink bundle as the door opened.
“Are my girls ready to go home?” Gage asked, striding across the room, first planting a kiss on her head then one to Amy’s forehead.
Carly nodded and lifted their daughter up. Cradling their daughter in one giant arm, Gage then helped her up from the hospital chair. Carly gingerly walked over to the wheelchair the nurse had brought in behind Gage and eased down carefully, grateful her mom and dad had decided to stay with them for a couple weeks. She could already tell she was going to need the help. The doctor said her stitches should heal up in a week or so and hopefully, by then she’d be getting around much easier. Carly hadn’t realized how much being pregnant and giving birth could wipe you out. But, she wouldn’t trade places with anyone.
“Back to Mama, precious. Daddy has to get everything to the truck,” Gage cooed as he handed their daughter back. Carly smiled up at his adoring eyes, more in love with him than ever before.
“Do I look all right?” Carly asked, smoothing down her hair and straightening her shirt where it had slipped down.
“You look gorgeous. You worry too much. I only saw a few reporters by the front doors when I pulled up,” Gage answered as he picked up the bags while an orderly came in to wheel out the cart full of flowers sent by well-wishers. Walking in front, Gage opened the door for the nurse to push her out while the orderly followed behind.
As their little parade made its way down the hall, into the elevator, and then to the front door of the hospital, Carly was only slightly worried about the paparazzi waiting outside. She’d gotten somewhat used to cameras popping up at events they attended or on dates they went out on. She just wasn’t thrilled that pictures were going to be taken of her so soon after giving birth. Taking a deep breath, Carly held Amy close as the orderly pushed her through the doors as the clicks of several cameras punctuated the air.
“Carly! Can we see her face?”
“What’s her name?”
“Was it a difficult birth?”
Carly gasped and looked up at Gage standing next to her, a little shocked at the last question. Bending down, he whispered in her ear, “It’s up to you if you want to let them see her, and you can ignore all the questions. Remember, we promised Charlie he could interview us for one of his special episodes next week.”
Carly nodded then smiled. She could give a little peek since all five reporters were keeping their distance and trying to be respectful. Angling her arms up, she removed the blanket over their daughter’s head so that they could get a clear shot of her face. After a volley of rapid-fire clicks, Carly smiled then put the blanket back down.
“All right guys, that’s enough. I’ve got to get these two beauties home,” Gage said as he walked over to the truck and opened back passenger door, the car seat they’d picked out was buckled into the middle of the back seat. After lifting Amy out of her arms, Gage expertly buckled her into the pink-lined seat then helped Carly up into the seat beside her. Once the flowers were loading into a couple of boxes in the bed of the truck and waving goodbye to the nurse, orderly, and reporters still clicking away, Gage pulled away from the hospital slowly and carefully.
Carly giggled from the backseat as he crept along the road, barely reaching twenty miles an hour. “We won’t break, and I would like to get home before the sun sets, if you don’t mind.”
Gage barked out a laugh. “Sorry, I figured you’re a little sore, so I was trying to take it easy. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes, now speed up. Our moms are probably chomping at the bit to get their hands on our little princess. Plus, I’d like to take a nap and then a nice long, hot shower,” Carly answered as she reached over to run a finger down Amy’s sleeping face.
“Yes, ma’am,” Gage replied, saluting her through the rearview mirror.
Although they didn’t reach the house in record time, Gage did speed up a tad, and they got home without incident, much to Carly’s relief.
Pulling into the driveway and around to the back of the house, Gage parked the truck right outside one of the open garage doors. After helping Carly out, he reached back in and unlatched Amy’s car seat. Holding the car seat with the precious pink bundle still sleeping aloft with one arm and extending the other for Carly, Gage carefully guided them through the garage and into the house.
Happy voices floated in the air from the kitchen as Carly walked beside Gage through the small hallway to the kitchen. Reaching the doorway, Carly let go of his arm as her mom and his rushed over from where they had been talking to Rachel and Sophie.
While everyone oohed and awed over Amy still sleeping in her car seat on top of the breakfast bar, Carly leaned back as Gage wrapped his arms around her from behind. She smiled as he kissed the top of her head her heart full of love.