Page 102 of Tattered Souls
But what’s not a hard pill to swallow? That’s knowing you chose the right woman.
And I did that. I gave my kids the best mother in the world.
I walked over to Dom and held out my hands.
Grudgingly, he released her to me, and I tried not to laugh.
I sat down, and Dom watched my every move.
I sat there with baby Sage in my arms, while Garrick and Tatum slept, and I whispered, “You don’t know this, but other than your Grams, you were blessed with the second-best mother in the entire world. I love my daughter. I love Harlee. I know I’m going to love your future aunts. But Sage, dear, no one has gone through what your mother has. And your dad, well, he’s going to be the driving force in what you look for in a man when you get older. And sweetheart, you’re going to pick a good one.”
Dom
I eyed the nurse as she checked over Tatum while she slept on.
I eyed the doctor who did the same.
And I eyed the nurse who tried to take Sage out of my arms.
“Sir, I just need to check on her,” she said.
I shook my head. “You can come back.”
“Sir,” she said.
Talia bumped my shoulder. “Let her check, Dominik.”
I shook my head. “No. Made a promise, I’m keeping it.”
Talia looked at me and asked, “What?”
“Promised that if something ever happened to either of them, I’d take care of Sage. And now, they’re sleeping. So, I’m taking care of Sage. And someone I don’t know isn’t getting their hands on her. Not unless Garrick or Tatum tells me it’s okay.”
I was still standing firm in my vigil of watching Sage when I saw Garrick stretch, and then his eyes opened.
I smiled inwardly as his eyes first went to his woman, and then they scanned for his daughter.
When he saw her in my arms, he grinned, “Thanks, brother.”
That was when the nurse came in. “Good. The dad’s awake. Now let me check on your daughter.”
Garrick looked confused, but he nodded.
Begrudgingly, I handed the baby to the nurse, and yes, I watched her like a hawk.
And when she made Sage cry, I stood up and took the baby from her. “You’ve done enough.”
Garrick chuckled, and that was when I noticed that Tatum had woken up, because she giggled.
I walked over with Sage and handed her to Tatum. Then I bent, pressed a kiss on Sage’s forehead, and one on Tatum’s. Then I fist bumped with Garrick.
“Okay, Now that the two of you are awake, I’m going home and getting some sleep,” I said.
They both thanked me, and then I left.
When the nurse who tried to take Sage from me to check on her handed me a piece of paper, I glanced at it and saw she had written down her number.
I didn’t even hesitate; I chucked it in the first trash can I found.
