I glance at the clock and sigh. It’s past seven already, and I was supposed to be heading home two hours ago, but I haven’t been able to step away from work.

Sometimes, I wonder why the heck I brought this on myself. But even in the worst low moments, I still wouldn’t change anything for the world.

I finish up the report I’m typing and send it off before leaning back in my chair. The clients aren’t going to be happy that I’m emailing them so late, but at least it’s finished. They’ll be too busy going over the data to care about anything else, hopefully.

I stand up and stretch. My belly pokes against the edge of the desk and I can’t help but laugh. No matter how hard I try, I just can’t get used to being so pregnant. I’m pushing month seven now, and I feel like I’m ready to burst.

I head around the desk and start to pack my bag, but before I can finish, there’s a knock at my office door. I’m surprised, because I didn’t think anyone else was still working. Here at the Fisher Consortium, which is a branch of the Numbers Group, we try and make sure all of our employees get out the door by five or six at the latest. Griffin and I both understand the importance of spending time with the family. Well, for everyone except for the boss, of course. I get to work long, hard hours, but I like it. I want to do it.

Then again, I can’t wait for maternity leave. Mostly I just can’t wait to be done with being pregnant and start being a mother.

“Yes?” I call out.

The door opens and a little hurricane flies at me. I laugh as Lacey knocks into my legs. Three and a half years old and still a bundle of energy. “What are you doing here, little girl?” I ask her.

“Daddy brought me!”

Griffin follows her into the room, grinning. He’s wearing his work clothes still, but I can tell he’s been home, since Lacey is with him.

“Hey, you.” He walks over and gives me a soft kiss.

“What are you two doing here?” I ask.

“Just came to check on you. Working late?”

“Just finished,” I say. “How’s my little booger doing?”

Lacey laughs and squirms as I tickle her, and Griffin watches, smiling the whole time.

We never divorced. We just never wanted to. It made more sense to both of us if we stayed married. Maybe we got married at first for the wrong reasons, but quickly we saw that there was something very real between us, and neither of us could deny it.

And so I become Griffin’s wife for real, and Lacey’s mother. A year after Griffin acquired my father’s company, he came to me about running it, which I thought I wasn’t qualified for. Griffin talked me into it, and so far running the Consortium has been one of the best parts of my life.

Of course, I have an even better part coming up. I’m a mother to Lacey, and soon I’ll be mother to a new little baby boy or girl. I like to be surprised, and so I refused to let Griffin find out, much to his chagrin.

“Come on, wife,” he says, pulling me into a hug. “Let’s get you home, shall we?

“We shall,” I say.

“Home!” Lacey zooms around the office, making me laugh.

She reminds me so much of myself when I was her age. I know I’m not her real mother, but I can’t help but see parts of me in her. She’s so sweet and kind and turning out to be so smart. Plus, my own family isn’t so great.

My mother divorced my father and moved to Europe. Right now, I think she’s dating some actor and living in Belgium, at least the last I heard. She took half my father’s money and now lives like royalty.

As for my father, he’s still out in the world somewhere. He did a very short stay in prison, only a few months, but as soon as he was out he ran away and I haven’t heard from him since. My brother is working for an investment firm somewhere, and probably doing well for himself, but I’m not interested in keeping up with him.

As far as I’m concerned, my father is a wrecked man, and I’m done with him. My brother is an asshole, and I’m happy if he just stays far away.

I’m happy with my life. I love what I have. My job is amazing, my husband is gorgeous and smart, my adopted daughter is lovely, and I have a baby on the way. When all this started, I never imagined this is where my life would lead me. I always saw myself struggling to fit in with my family and to win their affection, but that isn’t the case anymore.

With a real family, I don’t have to try to fit in. I just fit in. Griffin accepts me for who I am and I love everything that I have.

I kiss my gorgeous husband one more time then follow him out the door with our crazy little daughter in tow. I can’t wait to add to our little family. Things have been good, but they’re going to be even better.

I can’t stop smiling and I don’t see any reason to.