My due date arrived all too soon.

I was enjoying living in paradise, with Saul catering to my every need. We got our routine back, for the most part. We had to cut down on the trips outside, especially as my belly got bigger and my feet began to swell. But we still had meals by the lake, we still lounged on the deck naked after breakfast, and I still slept in Saul’s arms.

After the first month, I was finally able to eat without vomiting. I actually developed a really big appetite, and it gave Saul the opportunity to spoil me with his cooking. We spent every waking hour together, thinking up baby names and planning on how we were going to raise our child.

By default, planning for the wedding had taken a back seat. Saul insisted on doing it anyway, so we could have out big ceremony soon after we had the baby. Interestingly, neither of us had wanted a big wedding, but we suddenly found that our positions on weddings had changed. I joked that I wanted to go full diva, and Saul told me he was right there with me. I wanted it all. I wanted the ridiculous destination wedding, possibly somewhere offshore, presided over by Ellen DeGeneres. I wanted a reception by the beach, and a honeymoon in Greece, and an extended trip around the world afterwards.

But we agreed to focus first on the baby. It was a lot of fun, converting one of the bedrooms into a nursery. Because we had elected to keep the sex of the baby a secret, we put in both male and female themed items and colors. Saul filled the room with more toys than I’d ever seen in a single room. Clearly, he was going to be one of those parents who spoiled their kids.

There had been some back and forth about whether we would have to move back to L.A. I worried that it might not be good to bring up a child in a secluded place such as this, but Saul insisted we would find a way to make it work. I think he liked the idea of us having our own little corner of the world where we could do as we pleased.

Though I had been anticipating it for weeks, the start of the birth of our baby took me by surprise. One morning, I was struggling to get out of bed when I felt the wet patch around my rear that meant it was time.

I was surrounded by family and friends as I went into the hospital. All our plans had revolved around us flying to L.A. when the baby came, but we ended up driving to a neat little private hospital in Redvale. Jess showed up with a tall, gangly guy I assumed was her new boyfriend. Rance and Phoebe made it down too, both looking incredibly proud and excited. But I only had eyes for one man. Saul was visibly nervous, but also excited. He kept throwing me reassuring looks and squeezing my hand, and I suspected it was more to calm his nerves than mine.

Right before I went into the operating room, Rance pulled Saul aside and whispered something in his ear. He came back beaming, and told me that Rance had decided to let him have the money from the trust fund anyway.

Saul was standing beside me while I was on the operating table. He had a mask on along with the scrubs, so all I could see were his eyes, but that was all I needed. I closed my eyes and imagined our child having those eyes. The operation was quicker than I had expected. It was a quick C-section that only required localized anesthesia.

A few minutes after the incision was made, a shrill wail filled the room, and the surgeon lifted a plump baby girl and handed her to Saul.

The look on Saul’s face alone was worth it. He was beaming as he took our daughter into his arms and held her, rocking her gently until she stopped crying. He then brought her over to me, and gently lowered her into my arms. She was beautiful. It was true that everyone said that about newborns, but she was. She looked like her father, with the strong jaw and proud face, but she had my eyes; large marbles of seaweed green.

We named her Kadia Grace, after much squabbling and polite refusals. Kadia meant ‘pure’, which we felt best described what she meant to us. Kadia Grace McCormick. Still, I assured Saul that she would always be Beyoncé to me, and that I would call her that when he was away.

Finally, I had a clear path I wanted my life to take. I had a family, and I decided I would dedicate myself to making sure our daughter was brought up surrounded by love and care.

I had somehow got my happy ending, and it was even better than I had imagined it would be.