“Blake are you ready to meet your adorable little daughter?” Blake stood wearing an unstoppable grin and in that moment, I could see exactly what Poppy saw in him. His goodness shot out of him and not even his expensive suits and haircuts could overshadow it.

“A daughter?” I nodded. She was beautiful with wispy blond curls like her father and blue-green eyes like her mother. A perfect blend of the two.

“Yep. Come on back so you can count fingers and toes. And they said something about the umbilical cord.” I gave a fake shudder to shake off his nerves. “She’s fine, they both are, and now they’re waiting for you.”

Blake fell into step beside me. “Thank you, Talia. For everything.”

“None necessary, Poppy is like my sister and I would do anything to see her happy.”

“I know,” he sighed as though he were uncomfortable with his own display of emotions. “And I appreciate it more than I can ever say.”

“Good, because you don’t need to say it.” I stopped outside Poppy’s door and gave him a shove. He smiled back at me and then stepped inside, smiling bright enough to render the fluorescent lights unnecessary. I went to the decontamination room next door to remove the scrubs over my clothes and wash my hands before heading next door. To Poppy and her daughter.

It was surreal but I meant what I said to Blake, to see Poppy have everything we ever dreamed off, was almost as satisfying as if it were my own family.

Everyone had made it to the room by the time I stepped inside, staying near the door now that my role was over. Blake leaned on the bed, holding Poppy close and staring at his little girl with so much love it was hard to watch.

“Guys I want you to meet Autumn Arden Sayers.” Poppy glowed as she held the little bundle up, handing her to Maple for the first cuddle.

“You named her after my brother? Should I be offended,” Maple asked in a sweet sing-song voice as she checked out Autumn.

“Well if he hadn’t left me OAA then I never would have met Blake, so we thought it would be a nice gesture. Another family name to carry on.”

“That’s sweet,” Maple said, sniffing the baby’s hair and I had to agree. It was incredibly sweet.

“There’s one more order of business,” Poppy said giddily and I braced myself. “I want you to be Autumn’s godmother.”

I sucked in a breath because even though I should have, I hadn’t been expecting it. I figured she might choose Lacey since she would be married soon and have a stable home if the unthinkable happened. I had two choices, accept it knowing I was planning to leave town or I could decline in front of everyone and hurt my best friend. “I’d love to!” Because why start saying no when I never could before?

She beckoned me forward and I gave her a gentle squeeze. “I know something is wrong and we’re going to talk about it. Soon.”

We wouldn’t but this wasn’t the time or place for that conversation. And based on the loved up look she wore now, Poppy wouldn’t be returning to work anytime soon. Maybe we would be having that conversation sooner rather than later. “We’re going to go and give you guys some family time. Make sure she gets plenty of rest,” I told Blake who gave a grateful nod.

With my work done, I practically ran out of the hospital and made a beeline for my car. I heard Luke’s footsteps well before I reached my car and I braced myself to deal with him. “That was a real shitty thing you did, Talia. Are you so petty you’d let me miss the birth of my niece?”

I unlocked the door and tossed my bag inside before I glared at him. “Contrary to what you all seem to think, Lukas, my life does not revolve around your fucking family!” Slamming the door provided me no satisfaction so I peeled out of the parking lot and I didn’t look back, not even when tears began to burn my eyes. Not even when they began to blur my vision.

I did what I always did. Looked forward, not backwards.