I stared at the clock on the Emergency Room wall, counting down each second that passed. After thirty minutes with no news on Mia, my mind was entering a territory full of darkness and desperation. I wasn’t sure what was taking so long or why Chris hadn’t responded to the text Shane sent after we arrived.

Scanning the waiting area, I thought back to the last time I sat inside the ER on one of the hard chairs. I had been waiting for word on Izzy’s baby. The news we received was grim. I prayed the same news wouldn’t reach my ears a second time. It would be different than the last time because Mia was further along than Izzy. If the baby didn’t survive, it wouldn’t be a miscarriage. It would be a stillbirth.

My gut twisted. I swallowed back the acid churning up my throat and focused on the floor. I couldn’t take much more of the unknown. My life hung in the balance, teetering between everything I ever wanted and the harsh reality life sometimes dealt.

Unlike the night Izzy was brought here, the waiting room was filled with Music Haven employees and guests. Many people cared about Mia and our baby. They were there to offer their support and to wait for word on her condition.

Consumed by my thoughts, I didn’t realize anyone was speaking to me until I glanced toward Shane. His mouth was moving, but his words fell on deaf ears. I struggled to focus on anything but the pain twisting through me.

“Ayden, Chris is here.”

When his words sank in, I glanced to my side. Chris stood beside me waiting for me to acknowledge him. As soon as he had my attention, he lowered himself onto the chair beside me.

“Mia’s awake.”

The words gave me a smidgen of hope. “How is she? And what about the baby?”

“One thing at a time. First, Mia is in a lot of pain. Second, the test we did showed the bullet didn’t hit the baby. As of now, the fetus is okay. Mia isn’t.”

The little hope I held on to began to fade. “What’s going on?”

Chris grimaced. “The bullet passed through the amniotic sac. Now Mia is losing amniotic fluid. To top it off, the bullet hit the main vein in her body. It’s lodged in tissue behind the baby. If we don’t operate soon and remove it, she could bleed to death.”

“What about the baby? How can you do surgery when she’s pregnant?”

“Mia is far enough along to deliver the baby. Once your child is born, we’ll begin the operation to remove the bullet. If all goes well, she will be in a room before the night is over.”

The news wasn’t the best, but it was better than I expected. The baby had survived, as well as Mia, but if she didn’t have surgery soon, there was no guarantee she would make it.

I didn’t want to lose her.

“When are you delivering the baby?”

“Mia is being transported to the maternity floor as we speak. I came to get you so you could be with her, but we have to get you prepped.”

“Prepped?”

“Due to the delicate situation with the bullet, Mia is undergoing a c-section. If she labors and tries to push, it could rupture the vein and kill her, as well as the baby.”

Jumping up from my chair, I raked my hands through my hair and drew in a deep breath. “Why are we still here? I’m ready.”

Nodding at my response, Chris stood from the chair and motioned me to follow him. He assured Shane, Andi, and Bentley that he would update them every chance he could. Then we disappeared into the elevator. As he pushed the button for the maternity floor, I held on to what little hope I had. Nothing was guaranteed.

I fell into a haze of confusion as Chris led me through the maternity ward. When we got to the end of the hall, we passed through a set of double doors then went into a room a few doors down.

“Here you go.” He handed me what looked like a scrub brush. “There’s antibacterial soap inside the brush. Wash your hands and nails with it after you change. You’ll find a pair of scrubs, a cap, a pair of booties, and a face mask on the counter. When you’re finished, I’ll take you to the operating room.”

“Wait.” His words caused my heart to slam against my chest. “I thought you said Mia was having the operation after the baby was born.”

“That’s correct. As soon as the baby is out, one of the nurses will take the child to the neonatal unit for its first bath. Once the baby is cleaned up, you can spend time with your son or daughter while you wait for Mia to wake.”

“Thanks, Chris. I appreciate all of this.”

He waved off my comment. “No worries, Ayden. I’ll meet you in the hall in a few.”

Once he closed the door, I did as he asked and changed into the scrubs. After I slipped the booties over my shoes and tucked my hair under the cap, I tied the mask at the back of my head and covered my mouth. As soon as I finished scrubbing my hands and fingernails, I released a deep breath.

It was time.

Pushing the door open, I walked into the hallway and found Chris. He was putting some notes in a chart. When he finished, he led me down the hall until we came to a room on the right.

As soon as we stepped inside, my eyes landed on Mia. I wasn’t sure if she was still awake until she met my gaze. Then the rest of the room disappeared. Tears filled her eyes as she reached for me.

Chris motioned me forward. “You can sit in the chair by Mia’s head while we do the c-section.”

I said nothing else as I advanced toward the chair and eased into it. I grabbed Mia’s hand, kissed the back, and then placed my other hand atop it.

“I’ve been worried sick.”

“I’m sorry.” Her lips trembled as tears fell down her cheeks.

“Don’t apologize. This isn’t your fault.”

She sobbed harder. “I know, but . . .”

Leaning toward her, I pressed my lips to hers in a tender kiss. When I pulled away, she forced a smile onto her face. “Are you ready to meet our child?”

When she nodded at me, I wiped the tears from her face. Then I laced my fingers with hers. She squeezed my hand once the doctors began the incision. A curtain was placed over Mia’s chest, blocking her view of the surgery. The instant I saw the first splatter of blood, I was glad she couldn’t see what was happening. It looked like a murder scene.

A nurse standing on the other side of Mia checked her IV. “How are you doing, Mrs. McAllister?”

“I feel nauseous.”

“It’s okay. I have something that will help with that.” The nurse turned to a tray behind her and lifted a giant needle in her hands. She broke open an alcohol swab, cleaned a section of the tube attached to Mia’s IV, then she shot the liquid inside it.

Once she disposed of the needle, she wrote some notes in what I assumed was Mia’s chart, then she approached us again. “Better now?”

“Yes. Much better.”

Mia faced me again. The fear in her eyes remained, but I knew she was trying to be strong for me. She didn’t have to be. I was supposed to be her rock, the person she could lean on. It was my turn to take care of her, not the other way around.

As the doctors continued to cut her open, Mia’s body jostled. She pressed her lips together and focused on my face. When she winced, I worried.

“You’re not in pain, are you?”

“No. I just feel a lot of pressure.”

I swept the damp hair from her face and kissed her forehead. Then I whispered in her ear. “I love you so much. You’re a strong woman, Mia. You can do this. It will all be over soon.”

“I can’t wait to see our beautiful creation.”

Laughing, I nodded. “Me too.”

We stared at each other for what seemed like forever before a loud wail broke the silence. Another wail followed as the sound of our baby crying filled the air.

“Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. McAllister. It’s a girl.” Mia’s obstetrician, Dr. Vance, made the announcement before he passed the baby to one of the nurses.

Nothing could stop the tears forming in my eyes. Mia glanced up at me, beaming with pride, more tears spilling over.

“You were right. We have a daughter.”

“I can’t believe it.”

Tears streamed down my face as I watched a nurse take the baby from the doctor and walk over to another counter. After a few minutes, she called out some stats. Some of the terminology I didn’t recognize, and I wasn’t sure if my little girl was okay, but she was wailing like no tomorrow.

“Weight, five pounds, ten ounces. Length, eighteen inches.” She grabbed a blanket from the end of the counter and covered my daughter. Then she walked over to my chair.

“Here she is.” The nurse laid the baby on Mia’s chest. Her little cries broke my heart, but as soon as Mia placed her hand on our daughter’s back, her cries faded.

It was love at first touch.

My eyes fell on the dark curls atop the tiny head laying against Mia’s chest. I couldn’t believe how much hair she had. It was beautiful, but then, so was she.

Mia kissed her tiny face as a new batch of tears sprung from her eyes. “I’m so happy you’re here and your safe, baby girl. Mommy loves you so much. So does Daddy.” Her eyes shifted to me, and she smiled.

As I placed my hand atop hers, I stared at our daughter, relieved that she and Mia were okay. It was nothing short of a miracle. Despite what Izzy had done, she hadn’t succeeded in taking away the most important people in my life.

“So beautiful,” Mia whispered the words against our daughter’s head as her eyes grew heavy. She blinked them a few more times, then closed them.

It wasn’t until the smile faded from her lips and our daughter started to cry that I realized something wasn’t right.

“Mia?”

She didn’t respond.

“Mia, can you hear me?”

Just as I shook her shoulder, an alarm buzzed from one of the machines. I glanced at Chris and Dr. Vance. As soon as they checked the devices, Dr. Vance began barking orders. The nurses inside the room rushed about as the one who brought the baby to Mia placed her in my arms.

“Follow me into the hallway. We need to clear the room.”

I didn’t ask questions. All the commotion around us had my heart racing. I held my daughter close, joining the nurse near the door. She took the baby from me, placed her inside a portable crib, and then ushered me out the door.

“What’s going on with my wife?”

“It’s the bullet, Mr. McAllister. Your wife’s blood pressure is dropping. It’s imperative that the doctors remove the bullet as soon as possible.”

“Is she going to be okay?”

The fact that the nurse avoided my question left me in a state of panic. My fear overcame me, preventing me from walking away. As I stared into the room, I prayed everything would be okay. It had to be. I couldn’t fathom raising our daughter alone.

I observed the nurse giving my baby girl her first bath, removing the blood and fluid that covered her skin when she was born. Her wails had me fidgeting with the id bracelet that matched the one on her ankle. The nurse assured me that the baby was fine, but no one had word on Mia.

As soon as the nurse dried off the baby, put on a diaper, and swaddled her inside a blanket, she motioned for me to meet her in the adjoining room. After I entered, she approached me with a smile.

“Would you like to hold your daughter?”

The nurse placed her in my arms then wrote more notes in a chart. The phone inside the room rang twice before she answered it. After a brief moment of conversing with the person on the other end, she hung up and walked back to me.

“Your wife is out of surgery, Mr. McAllister. They’re about to move her to her room. I can take you and the baby there.”

“Was the surgery successful?”

She nodded. “They were able to remove the bullet and stop the bleeding.”

“Thank God. I can’t wait to see her.”

As the nurse placed the baby inside the portable crib, I followed her down the hallway. I kept an eye on my little girl as we made our way to Mia’s room. It was private with a view of the courtyard and water fountain.

Once the nurse finished prepping Mia’s bed, she placed the portable crib on the other side, lifting the baby out of it. Then she eased her into my arms. “It shouldn’t be long before they bring your wife in. She’s still unconscious from the anesthesia they gave her, but she should wake in a few hours. Enjoy your time with your daughter until then. I’m sure Momma will be ready to hold her when she wakes.”

“Thank you. I appreciate your help.”

“My pleasure, Mr. McAllister. If you need anything, just buzz the nurses’ station.”

Sitting in the rocking chair beside the bed, I cradled my daughter in my arms and stared at her tiny face. Her dark hair contrasted against her peachy skin. Between her long lashes and puckered lips, I was in complete awe. She was perfect. I felt as though I were holding my heart in my hands.

“I can’t believe you’re really here.” I couldn’t help but smile when she whimpered. It was the sweetest sound. My heart was melting by the second.

Opening her blanket, I counted ten fingers and ten toes. She was curled in a little ball and was tiny enough to fit between my palm and my elbow. I was amazed by how small she was.

Time seemed to stand still as I adored the child Mia and I created. I always knew I wanted to be a father. Looking back, I believe it was the time I spent with Toni that prepared me for this role. All I had to do was find someone to share my life with. Now I had, and we had this beautiful child to show for it.

She was far more precious than I imagined.

Time slipped away from me as I studied my daughter from head to toe. When I noticed someone walk inside the room, relief spun through me. The guys from the transport department guided a bed into the room. My heart raced faster when I realized it was Mia.

After the transport team moved her to the other bed, one informed me that the doctor would be in shortly to talk about the surgery. At this point, I didn’t care. All that mattered was Mia was in the room. I would wait patiently at her side until she opened her gorgeous eyes and met mine.

It was a few minutes before Chris and Dr. Vance strolled into the room with another doctor. Dr. Vance checked on Mia while Chris and the other doctor approached me.

“Dr. Sparks, this is Ayden McAllister, Mia’s husband. Ayden, this is Dr. Sparks. He is the surgeon that removed the bullet.”

Both Dr. Sparks and I shook hands. “Mr. McAllister, it’s good to meet you. I wanted to stop in and see if you had any questions about your wife’s surgery.”

“Everything went okay, right?”

“Oh yes. You have a fighter on your hands. I’m confident that Mrs. McAllister will make a full recovery.”

“That’s the best news I’ve heard all day, aside from hearing this little girl arrive safely into the world.” I held the baby close as Dr. Vance joined us.

“Do you have any other questions for Dr. Sparks or me?”

“No, sir, but thank you both for saving their lives.”

“It’s our job, Mr. McAllister,” Dr. Sparks reminded me. “But we do love it when we get a happy ending like yours.”

Dr. Vance nodded. “I’ll be by in the morning to check on your wife and daughter. If you need anything before then, let the nurses know.”

“Thanks again.”

Chris waved at me. “I’m heading out too. You have my number. If you have any questions, no matter how big or small they seem, don’t hesitate to call me.”

“I appreciate it, Chris. Enjoy the rest of your evening.

On their way out, I spotted Bentley and Andi standing in the hall. They waited until I motioned them inside before they entered. Once they did, both walked straight to me. Andi regarded Mia a moment. She rubbed her hand over the blanket where Mia’s foot was. I knew she was worried about her friend.

“Chris texted me after the surgery to say Mia was okay. When I found out you were in the room waiting with the baby, I almost broke Bentley’s arms dragging him to the elevator.”

Both Bentley and I chuckled. When he and Andi glanced at the tiny bundle in my arms and smiled, I baited him. “You two are next.”

“You never know,” Bentley teased. “Okay. Let’s see her. Andi is dying to know who she favors.”

“I think she’s a good mix of both of us.”

When I moved the blanket away from my daughter’s face, I heard Andi’s breath hitch. “Oh. My. God. Look at all that hair.”

“She has a headful.”

“Ayden, she’s beautiful. I can’t wait to hold her.”

“Do you want to now?”

“Not yet.” Andi waved off my comment. “She needs time with her daddy. Bentley and I will be back tomorrow. It’s getting late, and I know you’re probably tired. Will you call us if anything changes?”

“Of course.”

Andi smiled at me then leaned in to kiss my daughter’s head. “You guys did amazing, Ayden. If Mia wakes before I get back, tell her I love her and I’ll see her soon.”

“You two be careful on your way back to Music Haven.”

“We will.” Andi hugged me before she checked on Mia once more. After she joined Bentley in the middle of the room, she smiled at me. “See you tomorrow.”

They waved goodbye as they made their way to the door. Just before they disappeared down the hallway, Bentley grinned and gave me a thumbs-up. It was his way of telling me that everything would be okay.

I wouldn’t believe it until Mia opened her eyes.

It was late. The clock on the wall showed it was one a.m. I did my best to be quiet after I put the baby in the portable crib and sat back in the chair beside Mia’s bed.

My phone chimed against the nightstand, signaling the text that I just received. It had to be my mom. After I called earlier and told her what had happened, she’d been texting me on the hour. Come tomorrow, she, my father, my aunt, and my uncle would be here. Shane assured me he’d send the jet to get them first thing in the morning.

Mom’s message wasn’t much different than the last one she sent. She inquired about Mia’s condition, asking if anything had changed. I wanted nothing more than to text her that everything was perfect and Mia had opened her eyes, but it wasn’t the truth.

Nothing has changed, but everything is okay. Get some sleep. You have to get up in a few hours. See you soon.

I set the phone back on the nightstand and placed my face in my hands. I rubbed at the tiredness in my eyes. As much as I needed sleep, I was too anxious. My luck, I’d fall asleep and Mia would wake within minutes of me doing so. Part of me feared I’d have nightmares about what happened.

Clasping her hand, I held it between mine, brought it to my lips, and kissed her soft skin. Then I laid my chest on the mattress with my head near her side.

The stress of the day got the best of me. I closed my eyes, fighting against the tears burning them. Maybe I had been in shock this entire time because now that I was alone, everything was hitting me hard. Reality punched me in the gut.

I almost lost my wife and child today.

Unable to control my emotions, my shoulders shook as I sobbed into the mattress. I didn’t keep my word to protect the people I loved. Failure didn’t begin to describe what I felt.

As my body continued to shake, a soft voice broke through my tormented mind. I raised my head and checked the doorway to see if Mia’s nurse had walked inside. When I found no one, I chalked it up to my tired brain. I was hearing things. The baby was sleeping inside her crib so I knew the sound didn’t come from her.

When I turned to check Mia, my heart stuttered. She was looking back at me, wearing a beautiful smile. I blinked my eyes a few times, unsure if I imagined it, but the view in front of me didn’t change.

“Oh, my God.” My breath hitched. I stood from the chair and leaned closer. Once I cupped her face, she pressed her cheek against my palm. “You’re awake.”

“How long have I been out?”

“A few hours.” I watched as she processed the news I’d given her. After a few seconds of staring at me with a lazy smile, her eyes widened.

“The baby. Where is she?”

“It’s okay. She’s right beside you.” Easing away from the bed, I walked to the other side and lifted our daughter out of the crib. Anticipation lit up Mia’s face. The moment I laid our daughter in her arms, she held her close.

“Has she eaten?”

“She had a little bit of formula half an hour ago just before I put her in the crib. ”

“Once all of this pain medication is out of me, I want to breastfeed her.”

“You’ll get the chance, but give yourself time to heal, Mia. You’ve just given birth and had surgery. You’ll need pain medication for a little while. Just talk to your doctor in the morning.”

She nodded, seemingly satisfied by my suggestion. After a moment of silence, she gazed at me again. Her expression turned somber as her eyes fell toward the bed.

“Have you heard anything about my sister?”

“Your father messaged me a couple hours ago. He left to meet Gary once he knew you were out of surgery. Gary needed him to fill out a report. Izzy is in the county jail and will be arraigned in the morning.” As Mia chewed on her bottom lip, I tried to ease her fears. “Your father spoke with your family lawyer. He is going to do his best to make sure Izzy doesn’t get bail. If that’s the case, we won’t have to see her until the trial, and that’s only if she pleads not guilty.”

“I hope I never lay eyes on her again.”

“That makes two of us.” Easing onto the edge of the bed, I cupped the back of our daughter’s head. “Let’s discuss something more positive. I’ve been anxious for you to wake. It’s time we give this beautiful little girl a name. What do you think?”

Her smile made my heart soar. She gave me a nod then gazed at our daughter. “Your mother told me that she combined the last part of her name and your father’s name to create your name.”

“Yeah, Kay and Holden. How the hell she saw Ayden in those two names is beyond me.”

Mia playfully smacked my arm and shook her head. “I thought it was a great idea, so I sorta thought of doing the same thing just a little different.”

I frowned at her. “What do you mean?”

“Instead of combining parts of our names, I thought about combining our middle names. Since mine is Shae and yours is Lee, what do you think about Shaelee?”

Repeating the name in my head, I liked the way it sounded. Knowing our daughter would be named after both her parents filled me with pride. “I like it, but what about a middle name?”

“That’s optional. Is there something in particular you like?”

As I gazed at both Mia and our daughter, I couldn’t help but feel giddy. For once in my life, something good was happening. I was making smart choices and living out my dreams. I had Mia to thank for every bit of it. It was my time to honor her.

“Actually, there is a name I like, and I think it will be perfect.”

“What is it?”

Leaning in to kiss our daughter’s head, I stared at her a moment before I answered Mia. “What do you think of Shaelee Morgan McAllister?”

Mia covered her mouth. Tears welled in her eyes just as she began nodding her head. I had her approval, but I didn’t doubt I would get it. Our baby girl was named after us and Mia’s mother. It was perfect just like the tiny bundle of joy that Mia and I created.

Life couldn’t get any better.