“I know, honey,” I answered, then touched her chin and grinned again. “We made it happen.”
Iris nodded as her smile widened, and her gaze softened on mine as she said. “I’m so happy for you dad, really. I know mom’s happy too even though she doesn’t remember.”
“I know,”
Jenny’s recent relapse after months of living in her right frame of mind was hard on Iris. She had gotten used to having her mother around, and now that Jenny was back in the nursing home.
“I wish she were here,” I told Iris, then took her hand and gently squeezed it. “She was so brave when she told me to go after Bree. I guess she showed me that my fear would have made me miss out on another chance to be happy.”
“A second chance,” Iris started before she sighed again, then got out of her chair, and moved closer to mine for a hug. “I’m proud of you, dad,” she said.
Her words warmed my heart and neatly brought me to tears. “The little one is lucky to have you as a dad.”
“I hope I don’t screw this one up,” I joked, and she laughed before moving away and shaking her head.
“I turned out just fine, so I think you’ll manage.”
Iris walked away from me, and I spoke with Francis for a while before going in search of Bree. I could never stand to be apart from her for a long time.
“How are you feeling?” I asked when I found her rubbing a hand over her belly while talking with some of the guests. She smiled when I kissed her cheek, then nodded.
“I’m fine…The baby won’t stop kicking, so I’m trying to keep him busy,” she said. My gaze dropped to her hands, and I began to help her massage when she finally took her hand off her bump.
Bree smiled at me, and I was still caressing her when she suddenly gasped. I saw her eyes and mouth widen at the same time, then she looked down.
“Oh my goodness,” she yelled at the top of her voice and that got almost everyone’s attention.
I noticed the water dripping down her thighs, and how she curled her feet on the ground.
“The baby’s coming,” I announced as the shock and excitement burst through at the same time.
“Yes,” she cried out, then groaned. I instantly know she was in pain, and I spun into action. Phil and Allison helped me guide Bree towards my SUV, and I ran into the house to get my car keys, then returned to start the engine.
Samuel sat in the back with Allison and Bree while Phil took the front seat.
“Just hold on tight, honey,” I heard Phil and Allison whispering to Bree as she groaned and cried out behind me. My feet stepped on the gas pedal hard, and before we got to the hospital, Allison was already placing calls to have the nurses ready for her.
The baby’s birth was the start of a new adventure for us. We had prepared for this very moment for months and now that it was finally here, the joy bursting through me knew no bounds.
This was the start of my new family, and I was excited for every coming day regardless of what it might bring.
EPILOGUE - BREE
Two years later,
“Come on, Josh,” I called as I hurried out of the house with the baby stroller and our son in my arm. “We’re late.”
It was Zackary’s first day of daycare, and I really needed to make this day work. Josh and I needed to make this work because Zackary needed to be out of the house.
“You got everything?” I asked Josh as he rushed out of the house. He was sweating and he had all the baby things piled up in the bag hanging on his shoulder.
“I got everything,” he said with much excitement, then grinned. “Today’s our baby’s first day at daycare.”
“Yay,” I celebrated too because I had been anticipating this moment for months now. Our lives changed completely the moment Zackary was born.
We did everything for him, and every choice was about him. At least now, Josh and I could get a little time to ourselves when we dropped him off at daycare.
I could work on my blog, and Josh could get back to overseeing his businesses. He drove us to the daycare center, and once we dropped Zackary off, we drove back home, walked into our quiet house, then dropped on the couch.