"I just pushed a human out of my body. I'm the opposite of perfect."
"You're everything."
Emma smiles, tired but radiant, and gestures for me to bring Marie over.
I place our daughter in her arms, and watch Emma's face transform with pure love.
This. This is what I was afraid of my whole life.
Love. Vulnerability. The possibility of loss.
But now, watching Emma with our daughter, I understand what Thane tried to tell me.
That fear doesn't mean you're not ready. It means you care enough to be scared.
And caring—really caring—is the bravest thing you can do.
"We did it," Emma says softly.
"You did the hard part."
"We're a team."
She's right. We are a team.
And what comes next—sleepless nights, dirty diapers, the responsibility of raising a tiny human—we'll face it together.
Just like we've faced everything else.
With love. With honesty. With the willingness to fail and try again.
"I love you," I say.
Emma looks up, eyes shining. "I love you too."
Marie makes a small sound, and we both laugh.
"And we love you," Emma tells our daughter. "So much."
I settle into the chair beside the bed, and let myself take it all in.
This—Emma and Marie and the unexpected chaotic life we're building—is everything I never knew I needed.
And I'm never lettingit go.
THE END
