Chapter Ten

As Jenny huffed and puffed her way through a contraction, she couldn’t help thinking if she’d known what labor truly entailed, she might have rethought surrogacy altogether. While she was thankfully pain free at the moment, labor was mentally and physically exhausting. When the baby crowned at last, Jenny felt like the finish line was finally in sight. Three pushes later and she victoriously won the race.

“Here it is!” Dr. Latimer exclaimed.

“What is it?” Jeff demanded.

Dr. Latimer grinned. “A very healthy girl!”

Connor let out a joyous whoop before throwing his arms around Jeff. As the baby was held up in front of Jenny, tears clouded her eyes and blurred her vision. Her emotions exploded like a cannon shot, sending unexpected shockwaves through her. While the sobs overtook her body, she tried desperately to focus on the wailing infant in front of her.

In all the preparation and planning, Jenny had never truly envisioned this moment—the moment she gazed upon the baby she’d helped to bring into the world, the child she’d given life to but who didn’t belong to her. While Jenny wouldn’t be able to look at the baby’s features to see any familial resemblance because her DNA wasn’t part of her makeup, the baby was still a part of her. She’d physically carried her under her heart for nine months, and emotionally, there would always be a place for her in her heart.

“Do you two want to cut the cord?” Dr. Latimer asked.

Nudging Jeff, Connor said, “You do it.”

Jeff’s eyes widened. “Are you sure?”

Connor smiled through his tears. “I’m sure.”

Although his hands were slightly shaking, Jeff took the scissors from the doctor. As he cut the cord, Jenny couldn’t help thinking it was a symbolic act as well as a physical one. The baby was no longer a part of her—she truly belonged to Connor and Jeff.

Once Dr. Latimer had cleaned the baby off, she started to hand her to Jenny, but Jenny shook her head. “She’s theirs, totally and completely.”

“But you carried her. It’s your heartbeat she’s used to hearing,” Connor protested softly.

“But it’s yours she’ll hear now.” Tears continued clouding Jenny’s eyes. “I don’t want to interfere.”

Jeff chuckled as he wiped the tears from his own eyes. “You hold her now while Connor and I fight over who holds her next.”

Jenny laughed. “Okay, but only if you’re sure.”

Connor bobbed his head. “We are.”

The moment the tiny little girl was put into Jenny’s arms, her cries began to wane. Jenny stared down into the diminutive face with its crown of dark, curly hair. “I never imagined you’d be this beautiful, little girl.” Jenny glanced up from the baby to grin at Connor. “It’s crazy, but I think she looks like you!”

Connor and Jeff both peered down at their daughter. “Well, we did pick an embryo from a brunette mother and a blond father. In the end, it’s all a crapshoot with genetics,” Connor said.

“She does look like you,” Brett remarked, and Connor beamed.

“Did you finally decide on a name?” Jenny asked.

After exchanging a glance with Jeff, Connor said, “It’s Lily.”

With a smile, Jenny said, “What a beautiful name for a beautiful girl.”

“Actually, it’s Lily Virginia,” Jeff added.

Jenny gasped. “You’re naming her after me?” Well, they were naming her after her real name—Virginia Elizabeth. After getting her nickname of Jenny in the hospital, she’d only ever been called Virginia when she was really in trouble. She was shocked; after all, they both had mothers whose names they could have used.

“She wouldn’t be here without you, Jenny,” Jeff replied.

For the one millionth time that day, tears pooled in her eyes. “I don’t know what to say.”

Connor winked at her. “Just be glad you had a name we liked.”

Jenny playfully smacked his arm. “Whatever.”

Dr. Latimer cleared her throat at the foot of the bed. “Would you gentlemen like to step out or remain in the room while I do Jenny’s aftercare?”

She’d barely gotten the words out of her mouth before Brett and Jeff headed for the door.

“Sorry babe, but I’ve seen enough to last me a long, long time,” Brett remarked.

“It’s okay. I understand,” Jenny said with a chuckle.

Once the men were out of the room, Dr. Latimer began what Jenny could only imagine was putting her vayjayjay back together. After Dr. Latimer was finished, a nurse took Lily from Jenny and then ushered Connor and Jeff to a private room where they could begin the skin-on-skin bonding.

Overwhelmed by the events of the day, Jenny lay in bed, staring up at the tiled ceiling. She felt emotionally wrung out, not to mention physically run over. The entire labor and delivery experience had been such wonderful chaos.

“Hey,” Brett called from the doorway.

She turned her head on the pillow to look at him. “Hey you.”

“Want some company?”

“Yes, please.”

He brought one of the uncomfortable looking chairs over to the bed. After he sat down, he asked, “How are you doing?”

“Although it’s completely embarrassing to tell you, I’m a little sore.” Jenny wrinkled her nose. “You know, down there.”

“You just pushed a tiny human out—I would be shocked as hell if you weren’t hurting.”

Jenny laughed. “That’s true. Thankfully, I’m not in pain anywhere else.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” He then took her hand in his and squeezed it. “But for the record, I wasn’t asking about the physical part.”

She gave him a wry smile. “I didn’t think you were.”

His blue eyes overflowed with concern. “Do you want to talk about it?” he questioned softly.

Although she didn’t want to, Jenny knew she probably needed to. Her throat constricted as she tried putting her emotions into words. “I don’t think I should have held her.”

“Why?”

“It made the moment too real.” She swallowed hard. “It made her too real, like she could have really been mine.”

Brett bent down to tenderly kiss her cheek. The gesture caused the tears to overflow her cheeks. “I’m so sorry, Jenny.”

“It’s okay, and I know I’ll be okay. It’s just going to take time.” She swiped the tears from her cheeks. “I’m still on hormone overload, for God’s sake.”

“After you just went through all the pain, it’s probably not the best time to say you’ll have more children one day, is it?”

“No, it is. I really needed to hear that.”

Brett dipped his head once again to place a kiss on her lips. “You will be an amazing mother, Jenny.”

“Thank you,” she murmured against his mouth. She cupped his cheeks with her hands. “I want you to know I couldn’t have done this without you.”

“But I didn’t do anything.”

Jenny shook her head. “You’re my rock—my everything. Just when I think I can’t love you any more than I already do, somehow you manage to make my love grow.” She kissed him again. “I love you, Brett.”

“I love you, too, Jenny.” He drew in a ragged breath. “There’s something I need to ask you.”

Jenny creased her brows in worry at the seriousness of his expression. “What?”

With her hand still in his, Brett dropped down beside her hospital bed. She was just about to ask him if he was all right when she realized what he was doing. “Oh, my God,” she murmured.

Brett smiled as he dug something out of his pocket. “I’ve had this for a long time. I’ve kept it in the glove box of my truck because I planned to wait for a perfect moment to give it to you, but there is no perfect time—there’s just the right time.”

As Brett cracked open a ring box, Jenny’s heart started beating so fast she was afraid it might jump out of her chest. She stared down at the glittering diamond. It was everything she would ever want in a ring.

“Jenny O’Malley, will you marry me?”

“Yes! Oh God, yes!” She jerked him toward her. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Jenny pressed her lips against Brett’s. “I love you!” she murmured against his mouth. As they continued to kiss, Jenny silently thanked God for him. She knew the coming days and weeks would be hard as she dealt with the emotions of not having Lily, but she knew Brett’s love and support would see her through.