Apparently, I squeezed a little too hard because Finn pulls his hand free from mine and shakes it out. I definitely left some marks.
“Toughen up, Finnegan, and find me your brother.”
The door swings open, and my husband rushes through, clad head to toe in blue scrubs. “I’m here,” he yells as he moves to my side and Finn steps back. Probably scared for his life. Smart man. “I’ve got you, Ace.”
“I didn’t want to have him without you.” I scream as the next contraction threatens to tear me apart at the seams.
I push and scream.
My fingers dig into his hands as Dillan holds one bent knee, then Jamie jumps right in and grabs the other.
It feels like it goes on like this forever.
Before the pressure becomes unbearable.
“Lock in, Dad, your boy is almost here. One more, Ashton. I need you to give me one more big push. You can do it.”
Jamie climbs onto the bed behind me, cradling my back against his chest, supporting me, and I push and scream with every ounce of strength in my body and his.
I push and tear and cry until the sound of my tears mix with the beautiful sound of our son’s, and I fall back against Jamie, exhausted and elated.
“Do you want to cut the cord, Dad?” Kenzie asks, and Jamie kisses my head.
“I don’t want to move. How about you let Finn do it. He’s the professional.” He pushes my hair away from my face, kissing my forehead. “You did so good, Ace.”
One heartbeat later, Finn brings a tiny bundle, swaddled in a blue and white blanket with a tiny little hat covering his big head over to us and lays him on my chest.
Big blue eyes blink slowly up at me, and if I thought I knew what love was before, I have a whole new definition for it now. Our family is complete.
“He’s perfect,” I gasp and slide the tiny hat off to reveal a shock of bright red hair. My own little ginger giant.
Jamie runs his finger along the curve of his face, and I can’t help the overwhelming emotions threatening to drown me in happiness.
“Hi, little man. I’m your mommy.” I lean down and kiss his perfect little nose. “I’m your mommy,” I whisper again reverently, leaving his name off. Still not sure what we’re going to call him, we’ve kicked around so many ideas.
I look up at Jamie, so utterly in love with this man.
“Evan,” he answers for me. “Welcome to the world, Evan.”
I cradle our baby close. “Welcome to the world, Evan.”
EPILOGUE
JAMIE
She doesn’t want a big life.
She wants a beautiful one.
And I will spend my life giving her that.
—Jamie’s Secret Thoughts
“Have I ever told you I built this house for you?” I ask Ashton as she nurses Evan in his room, her dark hair spilling around her shoulders. A white linen nightgown covers the baby bump hiding underneath. And her dark eyes narrow as I walk into the room.
Yeah, my girl is pregnant.Again. Apparently, not getting pregnant while breastfeeding is a myth. Of course, according to my wife, I have super sperm and may be getting a vasectomy sooner than I’d like.
We’ll see about that though.
