Page 27 of Merrily Yours
“Since I found out.” Her words are muffled in my chest. I rub my hand up and down her back and then pull her away so I can look her in the eyes.
“Baby Bardot.” I take her face in my palms. “I could never be disappointed in something that you made.”
“We made,” she corrects.
“Even better.” I kiss her nose. “I will love this baby no matter what, because they’re a part of us.” I nod toward Elodie. “They are a part of this crazy little family we are building.”
“I just want them to have red hair,” she cries.
“Of course, baby.” I go back to soothing strokes up and down her back. I can see sleep heavy in her and Elodie’s eyes.
Bex takes two more bites of her food, and then she’s ready to go. I wave down Gabe and point to Bex’s unfinished nachos before nodding to the car.
We make it back to the house, curling up for a family nap in Bex’s childhood bedroom. I watch as my girls slowly drift off, mirror images of each other. My chest hurts as I’m overcome with gratitude. I rub at the ache, and then twine my fingers with my wife’s, slowly falling into a restful sleep.
Gabe’s Santa duties start tonight. Each member of the family gets to open one present on Christmas Eve. It’s not really asurprise though, because they always open up matching pajamas to wear to bed that night.
This year it seems as though we all get flannel pajama pants with a dancing reindeer pattern and a red long sleeve T-shirt with our names across the back. I pretend to act surprised when Gabe drops my present in my lap last.
He shrugs. “You were the last to join the family.”
“Technically, I think that was Elodie,” Jules chimes in.
“Obviously, El was going to be the first to get her present!” Gabe looks affronted, as if we personally wounded him.
“I’m fine being last,” I assure everyone. I tear the wrapping paper off my gift as everyone watches. The first item on top is a tiny red onesie that says “Baby Bardot” across the front. I glance at Bex—her eyes are already on mine, watching.
“You will always be my Baby Bardot, but I’m excited to add another one,” I tell her.
She smiles and nods toward the rest of the package. “There’s more.”
Obviously, my matching pajamas are in there as well, so I don’t know why everyone is watching me so intently. I pull out the pants and wrap them around my neck like a scarf which makes Elodie laugh.
Then I pull out the shirt, opening it to reveal my name across the back. But instead of my name, it says, “Girl Dad?” I ask.
I look around a little confused before landing on Bex. She has tears in her eyes, and she’s biting her lip. She rubs her belly and repeats, “Girl Dad.”
“It’s—”Holy shit. “It’s a girl?” I choke on the last word as a tear finally falls down Bex’s cheek. She nods again and my eyes begin to sting.
“It’s a girl!” Elaine screeches. “Oh, El, you get a baby sister!” She swoops down, picking up my daughter and hoisting her intothe air. They do a celebratory dance around the living room, Elodie sitting happily on her LaLa’s hip.
“Sit-ter,” Elodie parrots, clapping and dancing even though she doesn’t truly understand what’s happening—she’s simply matching the joy she sees on everyone’s faces.
Jules hops up from his spot on the couch, calling over his shoulder, “This calls for celebratory sparkling cider.”
Hugo pulls down the fancy champagne glasses, pouring a glass of sparkling cider for all of us. Elodie even raises her bottle as wecheersthe newest member of the family. I tug Bex under the mistletoe that Elaine has hung up in the door frame and kiss her senseless, her family whooping and laughing the whole time.
She pulls away breathless. “You aren’t disappointed? You wouldn’t prefer a boy?”
“Are you kidding? I get another mini-you.” I smile. “I couldn’t be happier, Bex,” I whisper, leaning down to nip at her earlobe. “I love you.”
Her eyes are shining again when she says, “I love you too, killer.”
Elodie has finally fallen asleep in her crib in the spare bedroom. She was wired, high on the excitement we all have about adding to the Bardot family. One of my favorite parts of being off work is singing lullabies to my daughter, so I didn’t mind the extra snuggles.
And now, I get to show my wife just how excited I am about being a girl dad—again. I quietly shut the door to the room Bex and I are sharing, laughing when Bex opens one eye and says, “Took you long enough.”
“El was extra snuggly tonight. I wasn’t going to pass that up,” I reply, sliding under the covers next to her.
