“I can’t do this,” Maddie screamed, shaking her head back and forth. “It’s too much. I’m too tired.”

Running a cold, damp rag over her face and neck, I tried my best to reassure her. “Maddie, listen to me. You can do this.” Running the cloth down her neck and over her chest, I continued, “your body is built for this. Trust me, sugar, you’ve got this.”

“Says the woman who had a C-section!” She snapped, clearly irritated with my pep talk.

Narrowing my eyes, I hissed, “Only after thirty-four hours of labor. Lucca weighed over ten pounds for Christ’s sake!” Maddie never got snippy with me but she sure as heck had been for the last four hours. Not that I blamed her. I mean, she was in labor, trying to push a baby out. Not to mention, she’d also forgone pain meds because she wanted to experience birth naturally.

Yeah, okay. And people say I’m crazy. Righttttt.

If it were me in labor again, I’d be all like, “Give me the epidural now!”

“Okay, Ms. Davis—” The doctor began before being rudely interrupted.

The behemoth has absolutely no manners.

“Cole,” Hendrix barked from the other side of the bed where he stood. “It’s Mrs. Cole.”

The doctor looked at me before glancing back to Maddie. “Okay, Mrs. Cole,” he said, emphasizing her new last name. “On the next contraction, I want you to bear down and give me everything you’ve got. The baby is crowning. We just need—”

Maddie screamed as another contraction hit her. Holding her hand in mine, I helped pull her left leg up and toward her chest. Hendrix did the same on her other side. “Come on, pretty girl… push baby.”

Gritting her teeth, Maddie closed her eyes and pushed until her face, upper arms, and entire chest were blood red. “Remember to breathe, sugar. The last thing we need is for you to pass out.” She dug her nails into my hand, and I had to bite my bottom lip to keep from screaming right along with her.

I was going to kill Clara for suggesting pre-wedding manicures. Maddie’s damn acrylics were like talons as they dug into my skin!

The contraction ebbed, and Maddie dropped her head back to the pillow as she sucked in handfuls of air. “Swear to God, Hendrix,” she huffed, “if your dick gets anywhere near me ever again I’m going to have your sister cut it off.”

Hendrix shuddered, and I smirked.

“Another contraction. Push Mrs. Cole!”

Pressing her chin against her chest, Maddie gave it everything she had. “Come on, sugar!” I cheered. “We’re almost there.”

“Head is out,” the doctor said. “Give me one more big push, Maddie.”

More screaming. More pushing.

Hendrix slid a hand into Maddie’s hair and turned her face to meet his. “You can do this, pretty girl. Push for me!”

With a quick nod, Maddie pushed again. She squeezed my hand so hard I could’ve sworn she was going to crush my bones into a pile of heaping dust. I wouldn’t have cared if she did. It would’ve been worth it.

Almost there!

Eyes wide, Maddie released a long, blood-curdling scream before allowing her entire body to go lax. A look of relief washed over her face.

“Baby is out!”

Blinded by tears, I ducked my head and held onto Maddie’s shaking hand.

After taking a deep breath, I looked up to see the doctor holding the baby in his lap as he worked to clear the sweet little peanut’s airway. I couldn’t tell if the baby was a boy or girl. All I saw was a headful of black hair.

Just like Hendrix and Lucca.

Seconds later, a shrill cry ripped through the air. Then, “Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Cole. You have a beautiful—and from the sound of those lungs—healthy baby girl.”

A girl…

Hendrix and Maddie had a daughter, and I, in turn, had a niece.

Oh. My. God!

The doctor stood with my niece in his arms before lying her on Maddie’s chest. Sob after sob wracked Maddie’s body as she placed both of her hands on her newborn baby’s back. “Hendrix,” she cried, looking up at her husband. “She’s a g-girl.” Struggling to speak through the tears, she stuttered every other word. “We h-have a b-baby girl.”

My eyes bounced to Hendrix.

Seeing Maddie cry was one thing.

Seeing Hendrix cry? Whole different ballgame.

“I know, pretty girl,” he said as he leaned over and pressed a kiss to her head, followed by the baby’s Tears streamed down his face and his entire body trembled as he stared down at the two girls—one big and one little—who were his entire world. “And she’s beautiful just like you.”

With my own tears falling down my cheeks, I ran my finger down the baby’s spine. “What’s her name?”

Maddie looked up at me with so much love in her eyes it was almost paralyzing. Never in my life had I seen someone filled with so much happiness and light. “Melody,” she whispered. “Her name is Melody Ray.”

Melody Ray.

My entire body went still as my heart pounded against my ribcage. “Maddie…” There were no words for what I felt at that moment. Absolutely. No. Words. “M-my name?” It was my turn to become a stuttering fool. “You’re naming her after m-me?”

Melody was Maddie’s late mother’s name, but Ray was all me.

Standing tall, Hendrix reached across the bed and ran a knuckle down the side of my face. “We wanted her to have a strong name.” My big brother smiled. “And there isn’t a woman on this earth who’s stronger than you, Shelby Ray Mason.”

Fanning my face, I blew out a breath. “Y’all are trying to kill me, aren’t you? Like, y’all are seriously trying to give me a heart attack, a stroke, something.” Still wearing my emerald green maid of honor dress, I held onto the hospital bed rail with a white-knuckled grip as my legs shook beneath me. “You can’t just spring this type of stuff on me. You know I need time to prepare. I need time to—”

Big, strong arms suddenly engulfed me and my feet left the floor. I squealed in shock. “Hendrix Cole! Don’t you have a daughter to hold? You put me down right this gosh dang minute!”

“Shut up, brat. I’ve got a baby sister to hold too. I’ve missed out on too many years with you,” he growled, pressing a kiss to my cheek. Hugging me tight, he spun me around in a circle. “Despite your smart mouth and prissy attitude, you’re the best little sister I could’ve ever asked for.” Leaning my face on top of his shoulder, I continued to cry like a baby.

At that point, I’m sure I had snot running down my face.

I doubt it was a pretty sight.

“Thank you for saving her, Shelby. Thank you for saving me, for saving us.” Hendrix’s hot tears drenched my skin. “My sweet, baby sister, I owe you everything.”

He didn’t owe me a dang thing. If anything, I owed him.

“I love you, Bee. Now, forever, and always.”

I squeezed him as tight as broken piece after broken piece inside of me snapped back into place. “Love you too, Henny. More than you’ll ever know.”

With one final kiss on the top of my head, Hendrix stood me back on the ground and made his way back to his wife and newborn daughter.

Seeing them together, it was one of the most beautiful things I’d ever witnessed.

“Shelby,” Maddie whispered my name. “You promised to help me get the hang of nursing her.” She extended a weak arm. “Come help me, blondie.”

With a single nod, I moved toward her.

Taking Maddie’s hand in my own, I looked down at her with love-filled eyes. “Okay, beautiful girls,” I said, a smile on my face, “let’s do this.”

That day ended up being one of the best of my life.