Things progressed to the point it was time to move to the delivery room. I had walked with her until she couldn’t walk anymore, fed her ice chips, rubbed her back and shoulders, and reassured her even as worry ate its way into my stomach. I blinked away tears when I saw the amount of pain she was experiencing. I let her hold my hand, not caring that she might break it with her death grip, as the contractions became stronger and closer together. She did change her mind about the epidural, and although I was grateful it took away the pain, I lost it when I saw the size of the needle they used. I had wanted to be involved, and they showed me how to hold Katy’s shoulders to help with the procedure. I stepped forward to do so, caught sight of the needle, and froze. They had to push me out of the way, and the same nurse who had been at the front desk, stood in my place, all the while chuckling about “men and pain.” I had a feeling I would never live it down.
I would also never live down leaving Graham behind. Apparently, after I ran out of the restaurant, he explained to our client he was certain the call I took was about my pregnant wife. He tried to chase down my car, but I didn’t notice him. The client drove him back to the office, and once he spoke to Laura, he and Jenna made their way to the hospital. I gave them regular updates, and Katy and I walked down to see them. During one visit, Graham handed me my car keys and said it now was parked safely across the street. He leaned close when he muttered four hundred dollars was a bit excessive as a thank you for valet service, but I only grinned. It got me to Katy faster, and the kid probably needed it much more than I did, so I was more than okay with it. Laura came and went from the room, her quiet manner keeping us both composed. Her aura of calmness was exactly what we needed.
I bent over Katy, praising her strength and bravery. Murmuring words of encouragement. Holding her hand, stroking her forehead with cool cloths. When instructed, I moved behind her, supporting her shoulders, encouraging her to push.
When our daughter came into the world with a loud wail, I swore I had never heard a sound so beautiful. My hand was shaking as they let me cut the umbilical cord. My chest constricted, tightening to an almost painful level. My entire body vibrated as they allowed me to hold our daughter for the first time. Red-faced, wrinkled, and wet, she was the loveliest thing I’d ever seen in my life. Tufts of dark hair stuck up all around, and her eyes blinked open as she yawned, exhausted from the work of being born. For a moment, there were only the two of us in the world. I stroked her tiny cheek with my finger in wonder. Bending, I kissed Katy, who was watching us with tired, happy eyes.
“Look what we made,” I whispered. “She’s perfect.” Carefully, I laid her back on Katy’s chest, where she nuzzled contentedly. “You were incredible, sweetheart,” I praised her gently. “Remarkable.”
She looked down at our daughter. “We did good.”
I placed one hand on our daughter’s back and laid my head beside Katy’s on the pillow.
“Yes, we did.”
I glanced at the clock, surprised how late it was. Katy was asleep, one hand curled under her cheek as she slumbered, completely exhausted. Graham, Laura, and Jenna left a few hours ago. Graham insisted I had to eat, and dragged me from the room, while Laura and Jenna stayed with Katy. I brought her back some cheese, crackers, and fruit, which she nibbled at while we all talked. Once I satisfied him, having eaten something, he took his girls home, leaving me alone with mine.
My family.
Katy tried to convince me to go home and sleep, but I didn’t want to leave either of them. I couldn’t. I wanted to be here with them and make sure they were both okay.
My daughter slept in my arms. She was a tiny, fragile being, who I already loved more than I thought was humanly possible. I couldn’t put her down. I watched as she squirmed, swaddled in a soft, pink blanket. Her rosebud mouth was pursed, her small fists fighting to escape the material. Katy had explained the whole swaddling thing to me, but I couldn’t resist loosening the cloth and letting out one of her hands. She gripped my finger with a strength that surprised and delighted me. My baby girl was strong. Her sleepy blue eyes, already so much like Katy’s, peeked up at me, then drifted shut, her grip never loosening.
“She’s perfect,” Katy whispered.
I looked up with a grin.
“She is, Mommy.”
Katy’s smile was wide and beautiful. “We have to name her, Richard.”
“I know. None of the ones I liked suit her now that she’s here, and I can see her sweet face.” I ran my finger down a plump little cheek. “Are you sure you don’t want to name her after Penny?”
My wife grimaced as she pulled herself up into a sitting position. “No. She didn’t like her name.”
“Was there a name she did like?”
Katy pursed her lips, the expression much like our daughter’s. “She liked her middle name, Grace. I like it, too,” she added.
“Grace,” I repeated, liking how that sounded. I looked down at my daughter. “Grace VanRyan.”
“Anne is Laura’s middle name,” Katy offered. “Grace Anne VanRyan.”
It was right. The names went well together, and they honored two women we both loved. “I love it. Laura will be thrilled, and Penny would have been so happy and proud.”
Lowering my head, I kissed my baby girl. “Hello, Gracie.”
“I thought you didn’t like nicknames.”
Standing, I slid Gracie into Katy’s arms. “I thought a lot of stupid things. She looks like a Gracie.” I nuzzled Katy’s cheek and brushed the hair back from her face. “You, sweetheart, are supposed to be asleep.”
“You should go home and get some sleep yourself.”
“Nope. I paid a lot of money for this private room. I’ll go home when you do.”
“So stubborn.”
I chuckled and took Gracie back. Katy had her long enough. “Yep. So you go to sleep. I’ll just sit here with Gracie and tell her all about her crazy, adopted family and her perfect, wonderful mommy.”
“What about her wonderful daddy?”
Hearing that word made me blink. Then I blinked again.
Daddy. A title I never thought would belong to me. A swell of sentiment made my throat thick. I reached out and grasped Katy’s hand, needing her touch.
“I’ll be the best daddy I can be.”
“I know you will be. You’re already the best husband.”
Leaning down, I captured her mouth with mine, feeling a thousand emotions. Ones only Katy, and now Gracie, could make me feel. Feelings I didn’t know existed—happiness and elation so poignant it made my chest ache. Contentment and peace that permeated my life simply from their presence. I had found a group of people I considered my family now, but Katy and Gracie belonged to me. They were my world, and I knew I was theirs. “Thank you, my Katy. For my daughter. For you.”
She cupped my cheek. “Are you all right, Richard?”
I swallowed, turning my head, kissing her palm. I knew if I told her, she would understand. She always understood me. “It’s just all . . .”
“Overwhelming? Scary?”
“Yes.”
“We’ll handle it together.”
She was right. We handled everything together now. My wife was my rock. Still, I was worried.
I leaned closer. “I don’t want to fuck her up.”
She arched an eyebrow. We’d already had the “stop swearing so much” conversation—many times.
“Sorry. Mess her up the way my parents did me.”
“You won’t. I won’t let you.” She grinned mischievously. “Jenna and Laura would kick your ass, too.”
I arched my eyebrow, pretending to cover Gracie’s ears. “Now who’s swearing?”
“Ass is different.”
“I’ll remind you of that when she shouts it out in daycare.” I huffed. “Unless she’s telling some boy to keep his hands to himself. Then she can use the word ass as much as she wants.”
Katy rolled her eyes. “Let’s get her eating solid food and walking before we start thinking about boys and dating, okay?”
“Good idea. Walking I can handle. She can’t date until she’s thirty.”
“Good luck with that, Daddy.”
I sat down, cooing at Gracie who was watching us, her wide, blue eyes blinking and drowsy. “You’re Daddy’s girl, right? No icky boys for you.”
Katy muttered a mild curse, making me chuckle.
“I think Mommy is a little grumpy.” I pressed a kiss to Gracie’s forehead. “I think someone wore her out today.”
“You wear me out.”
“I like wearing you out.”
“I’m aware—hence the baby you’re holding.”
I smirked, settling Gracie into the crook of my arm. She fit perfectly there. I reclined in my seat, staring at my wife. The rounder she grew while carrying Gracie, the sexier I had found her, and the more I wanted her. The new curves and the way her body responded had been like aphrodisiacs to me—not that I needed much incentive when it came to Katy. Whereas she thought she was fat, I found her sexy and alluring. I proved it to her—many times.
Katy smiled lovingly at me, her voice gentle.
“You’re going to hold her all night, aren’t you?”
“Probably.”
“I guess it puts your theory of not loving a child to rest.”
I frowned, looking down at Gracie. How I could have ever believed such a ridiculous idea now seemed so foreign to me. So wrong. I had fallen in love with her before I ever saw her on that ultrasound screen all those months ago. Then the first time I held her, I was encompassed with a love I never dreamed existed. As usual, Katy had been right.
“It was an inane theory.”
“It was how you coped.”
I stood, laying Gracie in her bassinet. I focused on my wife, stroking back her hair, gliding my finger down her cheek. I lifted her chin, kissing her soft lips. “That was all I did before I found you. I coped. Now I live.”
She beamed up at me. “You live well.”
“I do. I have a great job, a bunch of crazy friends who are like family, and the most amazing wife in the world—who today, gave me the best gift I’ve ever received.” I kissed her again. “I’m very lucky.”
“We’re the lucky ones. Gracie and me. We have you.”
“We have each other.” I winked at her cheekily. “I think I may want a few more just like her.”
Her eyes grew wide. “Um, maybe we can discuss that at a later date.”
“Sure. You’re young. We have time.”
Katy laughed. I always teased her about being younger than I was. In truth, although chronologically I had seven years on top of her twenty-six, she was far wiser than I would ever be.
I dropped another kiss on her mouth. “Now, go to sleep. We can go home tomorrow, and I want you to get some rest.”
“What about you?”
“I’ll doze in the chair.”
“The bed is pretty sturdy.”
“Oh, yeah?”
She shifted over. “Lots of room for you and Gracie.”
I paused, pursing my lips in thought. “I might get into trouble. If Shelly returns, she’ll order me out. She already thinks I’m trouble.”
“You are trouble. I doubt finding you beside me will shock her too much.” Her tone changed and became serious. “I would rest better with you holding me.”
That was all I needed. I scooped up Gracie and slid in beside Katy. I lifted my arm, letting her curl into my side with her head on my chest. I tucked Gracie against me and sighed in contentment. Once again, I had my family wrapped in my arms. Katy’s body grew heavy with sleep and soon her even breathing let me know she was resting. Gracie snuffled and squirmed, barely waking despite all the jostling. I was certain she’d be wide-awake soon enough.
I was too wired to sleep. I lay, thinking of the past months. All the love, joy, and laughter my life now contained. All the great moments.
I looked up toward the ceiling and winked.
“You seeing this, Penny? I got your girls—just as I promised.”
I knew, if she were here, she would smirk warmly at me and tell me she knew it all along. She’d say she wasn’t surprised it took me longer to figure it out since Katy was the smarter of the two of us.
With a grin, I tucked my family closer.
She’d be right.