Page 117 of Perfect Pairing
“Chloe had the baby?”
“Yes!” I cried happily, flipping the phone around to show him the picture Logan had attached to his message.
Aleah was cuddled up to Chloe’s chest. My sister looked exhausted but wore the most blissed-out smile I’d ever seen on her face. My niece was a tiny bundle in her arms, wrapped in one of those standard white hospital blankets with teddy bears and balloons on it. She had a full head of Delatou dark hair, and I loved her so much already.
“When are you going to go see her?”
“As soon as I run home and change,” I said with a laugh, already moving off my stool.
“Not so fast, missy,” Ezra said, coming around to block my path before I could get further than a few steps. “Eat first. Then I’ll take you into the city.”
“Oh, you don’t have to come with me.”
“Your sister just had a baby,” he said, sliding his arms around my waist and bending to nuzzle my neck. Goosebumps erupted across my skin, and I sucked in a sharp breath as he nipped at my earlobe. “And your family is my family now, right?”
I was having difficulty thinking straight with his hands on mybody like this, and I shoved him in the chest until he yielded a step, not wanting to get carried away with Hansen right next to us.
“Yes, my family is your family.” I angled my head and glanced over my shoulder at Hansen, who was licking the leftover syrup off his plate. I couldn’t help but giggle. “And yours is mine?”
Ezra pulled me back in to plant a chaste kiss on my forehead. “It’s all yours, honey.”
A few hours later, we walked into my sister’s hospital room to find my entire family already there. Amara, who was nearing her own due date, and Cal, who looked both terrified and awestruck at the idea that he’d have his own little bundle of joy soon. Ella, who was looking better than I’d seen her in weeks—basically since the breakup. The dark circles under her eyes had all but disappeared, and she was smiling widely and cooing at baby Aleah in her arms. Delia and Owen stood at Chloe’s bedside, chatting with her and Logan, and Mom and Dad hovered over Ella’s shoulders, already completely enraptured with their first grandbaby.
I didn’t know where to begin, so I settled for giving Ezra’s hand a squeeze and moving to Chloe’s side.
“Baby Bee,” she said softly as I approached, her expression wary but content in equal measure.
I leaned over her to give her a hug, careful of the tube still snaking from her right arm.
“Hi, sissy,” I said when I pulled away, my eyes filling with tears. “Or should I start calling you ‘Mama’ now?”
“Nah,” Chloe said, her gaze going misty. “We’ll save that for the little one. I’ll always beyourbig sister.” She pulled me close to whisper in my ear. “I’m sure this isn’t easy for you, but just know I’m happy you’re here. We love you so much, and I understand if you need to take a minute.”
My heart melted into my stomach at the care she was showing me, this woman who had just given birth and had a tiny, helpless baby to worry about.
In truth, I had been nervous coming here. I loved my sisters so much, and I was so excited that Chloe and Amara were starting their own families, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t bittersweet. I should’ve brought the first Delatou grandchild into the world, and it gutted me to know that baby never got to live, that I never got to meet him or her.
So while I was ecstatic for my sisters, seeing baby Aleah was also incredibly bittersweet.
“I love you,” I told her. “And I appreciate you thinking of me. Now that you mention it…I think I will take a second.”
Chloe gave my hand a squeeze and nodded in understanding. “Take all the time you need.”
I turned from her side and crossed the room to Ezra, grabbing his hand and pulling him into the corridor.
Chloe was right—I did need a minute, but not for the reasons she thought. Being here, in this place, surrounded by my family and the new life Chloe and Logan had brought into the world, reminded me that Ezra and I needed to have a serious conversation.
One I wasn’t sure how he’d handle, but a desire I needed to getoff my chest nonetheless.
“What’s going on?” he asked when I led us away from the room and into a quiet alcove. “Are you okay? I know this can’t be easy—”
“I want kids, Ez.”
I would’ve laughed at the way his face slackened in shock had I not been dead serious. Blurting it out probably hadn’t been the way to go, but the only way I was going to get this out was by ripping off the bandage.
“Okay…”
“I lost our baby,” I said matter-of-factly. “And it’s killed me inside ever since. I was so young when it all happened, but I’ve always wanted to be a mother, and the last few years hasn’t changed that. If anything, the fact that I’d been so close to making that dream a reality only reinforced the desire. I’m telling you this because, while I know we’re just getting started, you also deserve complete honesty from me. You’ve already got Hansen, and I love that little boy. But I want my own children, Ezra. I want to experience being pregnant and bringing life into this world. I want to take on that adventure with you, but if that’s not somethingyouwant, I need to know now. Otherwise, we’re just wasting our time here.”
