Tubes. So many tubes everywhere. But it didn’t matter because those tubes were helping her little girl. Her daughter. Saying the words to herself brought a thrill of excitement. She could barely believe what had happened since the previous day. Kinga’s wedding and Cash’s proposal were like memories seen through a veil, but the memories of how this precious gift had arrived were crystal clear.

She clutched Cash’s hand. She wanted to look at him but couldn’t tear her eyes away from the tiny person inside the incubator. The nurse showed them both how they could touch her, and as soon as Tally caressed her baby’s soft skin, tears trailed down her face.

“Look what we did, ace.”

“What you did,” he said with an unmistakeable tone of pride in his voice. His arm was comforting around her shoulders, and an innate peace settled over her.

“She’s perfect,” Tally said turning towards him. “A tiny replica of you.”

“But she has your eyes, sweetness,” he said, his gaze locked on his daughter. “I never could take my eyes off you, and now I can’t take them off her either. I’m in love with two girls. You and her.”

“Do we have a name yet?” Shelley, the NICU nurse who was looking after their baby, asked.

Tally glanced at Cash. “I haven’t even thought about it.”

“I have,” he said.

“Really? What were you thinking?”

“Darcey.”

Tally cocked her head to the side. “Darcey Gallagher. I like it.” She stroked the baby’s cheek with her finger. “What do you think, little one?”

“It means descended from the dark one in Irish.”

Tally’s finger stilled. Her eyes locked onto his. “How long have you been thinking of that?” she said, feeling a tinge of sadness.

He held his hand up. “Hear me out. I was in such a dark place before I met you. From the outside, I had everything, but in reality, I had nothing that mattered. When I had the accident, I almost went back there and lost everything. Yet now look at us.”

He held out his index finger. The baby instantly curled her tiny hand around it, and a rarely seen peace settled over his face.

“She is descended from the dark one. But you and her, you help me choose the light.”

A wave of emotion washed through Tally as she rested her head on his shoulder. “Then Darcey it is.”

* * *

“So what do you think?” Tally pressed her nose against the glass, behind which her daughter was fast asleep, oblivious to the three pairs of eyes staring at her.

Em squeezed her arm. “She’s totally awesome.”

Pete looked as though he might burst with pride. “She’s beautiful, Tal. Just like her mum. How are you doing?”

Tally grinned. “I’m sore as hell.” She turned back to face her daughter again. “But I’d do that every day if it meant she was my reward.”

“I’ll call in to Toys R Us later and buy you a rubber ring to sit on,” Emmalee said with a giggle.

Tally dug her in the ribs. “Supportive.”

“Have you thought of a name?”

She nodded. “Darcey. Cash chose it.”

Em squinted through the glass. “It suits her. Where is Cash anyway?”

“Gone to call Rachael. She’ll be gutted she wasn’t here. We should have asked you to call her, but it was all a bit fraught.”

Em hugged her. “I was so worried about you.”

“We hadn’t noticed,” drawled Pete. “Your constant pacing, chewing of nails, and jumping every time the door opened hid your feelings pretty well.”

“You can let some of them go, Dozer,” Em said.

Pete laughed. “And where’s the fun in that?”

Tally watched two of the most important people in her world banter, and let happiness soak into her bones. She closed her eyes, savouring the moment. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so euphoric, so ecstatic with life. Tears pricked the back of her eyes, and when she opened them, they spilled over. A sob broke from her throat, causing both Em and Pete to jerk their heads in her direction.

“Babes, what’s the matter?” Em was by her side in an instant.

“I’m so happy.” Tally licked the salty tears from her lips and brushed her hand across her face to wipe away the rest. “I never thought I could feel like this.”

Two sets of arms wrapped around her, and the three of them huddled together. They were all crying and laughing so hard, they didn’t hear Cash come back until he spoke.

“Room for a fourth?” he said, his warm hands wrapping around Tally’s waist.

Em and Pete stepped away, allowing Tally to fall into Cash’s arms. “Hey, now,” he said, drying her eyes with a torn tissue. “I hope to fuck they’re happy tears.”

“They are,” she said, sniffling. “Is Rachael coming?”

Cash nodded. “I’ve sent Isaac to fetch her. I could barely get a word in with all the questions she hit me with as soon as I told her you’d had the baby. She’ll be here first thing tomorrow.”

Tally laughed. “I can’t wait to see her.”

Cash glanced over his shoulder at Em and Pete. “Do you mind giving us a bit of space?”

“Oh, sure.” Em and Pete left the NICU, and as soon as they’d disappeared through the door at the end of the corridor, Tally looked up at Cash and frowned.

“Something wrong?”

“No,” he said, taking hold of her hand. He pushed open the door to the intensive care unit. “I just want us to be alone with our daughter.”