Page 105 of Her Ex's Father
Relief crashes through me at the sound of him, so fierce I could cry.
“What… what happened?” My throat is dry, the words scratchy. It feels like I’m barely grasping this moment, about to slip off into a nap. I’m exhausted and fuzzy and I feel… empty, for some reason. Different.
He lifts my hand to his lips, kissing it softly. “Your blood pressure dropped. They had to move fast—emergency c-section. You scared the hell out of me, Maddie.”
My breath stutters. “The baby?”
His expression breaks wide open, a raw mix of joy and awe. “She’s perfect. Maddie—Juniper’s perfect. And she’s fine. Early by a few weeks, and she wasn’t breathing at first, so they’ll keep her just to make sure.”
Then he moves, careful, reverent. A nurse appears beside him, cradling a bundle of soft white blankets. My heart stops.
“Ready?” Ben asks.
I nod, though tears already blur my vision. My arms feel weak, trembling with the aftershocks of labor and surgery, but when he helps me lift them, when the nurse lowers her down?—
Oh, God.
She’s here.
Tiny, impossibly tiny, her face scrunched, her lips soft pink, a tuft of dark hair crowning her head. She makes a small sound, somewhere between a squeak and a sigh, and I know right then I’ve never loved anything so much.
“Juniper,” I whisper.
Her skin is warm against mine as they lay her on my chest. I shake so badly I’m afraid I’ll drop her, but Ben’s hands steady both of us, one cupped around the back of her head, the other bracing me.
“It’s okay,” he murmurs. “You’ve got her. You’re safe. She’s safe.”
I look down at her, my vision swimming, my whole body aching—and yet I feel fuller than I’ve ever felt in my life. Like something I didn’t even know was missing has clicked into place.
Ben presses his forehead to mine, his voice breaking. “I love you. Both of you. So much.”
Later, I wake again in a different room. Softer light, hushed voices. The suite is nothing like a hospital room I’d imagined—spacious, calm, with wood accents and linen curtains that sway gently with the air. A private sitting area, fresh flowers on the table, everything curated to feel less clinical, more sanctuary.
Ben is still here, always here, though now he’s sprawled awkwardly in a chair, Juniper in his arms. He rocks slowly, his gaze fixed on her like he can’t look away.
Something in me swells at the sight. Benedict Bronson, terrifying to most, feared by many, holding a six-pound bundle like she’s the most precious thing in the world.
He notices me stirring and stands instantly, crossing to the bed. “How do you feel?”
“Sore,” I admit, voice weak. “Like I’ve been hit by a truck.”
He brushes hair back from my forehead, his touch so gentle it nearly undoes me. “Dr. Furman’s coming by soon. Meredith too. They want to keep you on close watch. Plenty of rest. No stress.”
I nod, though my eyes are already sliding back to Juniper. “Can I…?”
He smiles faintly. “Always.”
He lowers her into my arms again, adjusting pillows around me, fussing until I’m comfortable. The moment her weight settles against me, everything else fades.
Ben clears his throat, and the nervous sound makes me look up, heart stuttering—still, for some reason, expecting bad news. Waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“Do you think,” he asks in a husky voice, “I should send a photo to Derrick? Would that be okay?”
My eyes well with tears immediately, spilling over in a rush reminiscent of how unchecked every emotion has been since the beginning of this pregnancy. Apparently, the hormones are still sorting themselves out.
I nod, taking in the look of mixed relief and nervousness on his face. He’s scared, I know, of Derrick’s reaction to this; to having a baby sister. To this marriage, this family, coming together as it has.
But right now, in this moment, it feels sorightto me. I can’t imagine my life going any other way.
