Fox looked at Aria, wondering if she and everyone else in the room had lost their mind, yet he racked his brain for a name that wouldn’t get the child teased by their friends growing up.
“Genesis,” he said.
“Are you sure?” Aria asked.
Fox nodded his head. “I’m sure.”
“Genesis Hannigan, I like it.” Aria smiled.
“Wait! What did...I...the gender of the baby?”
“A girl,” Barret responded. “A beautiful baby girl.”
Barret was right; Genesis was beautiful and brought something new to his life. “I…I’m…not sure,” he whispered.
“Fox, listen to me carefully. Just because you don’t remember carrying her inside you doesn’t make her any less yours.” Aria smiled and caressed Genesis’s hair. “You thought if you kept things on a routine, everything would work out fine. But in the process, you were keeping her at arm’s length without realizing it. The same way the rest of the family feels you pulling away from us, Genesis feels it as well, and this is her way of telling you not to leave her side.”
“I didn’t mean to do that to anyone. It’s just that I…”
“Don’t think you deserve us,” she finished for him.
Fox nodded his head, looking away from her.
“My little Fox, you deserve her the same way we deserve you both. Stop trying to pull away from us and let us in. Let us help you.”
“I don’t think I’m the same Fox you knew before,” he whispered.
Aria sighed. “I know,” she said, causing Fox’s eyes to widen in shock.
“You do?”
Aria nodded her head. “Anyone who’d been through what you experienced would come back as a changed person, Fox. You almost died, lost your memory, and gave birth in the same breath. Of course, you’ll be a different person. But no matter who you are or who you’ll become in the future, you will always be my son. And I’ll keep saying that until you believe me.”
Fox sighed, realizing he’d gotten everything all wrong from the beginning. Although he’d accepted he’d been given a second chance at life, Fox had forgotten he wasn’t alone anymore. He was trying to separate himself from the Hannigans because he wasn’t their real son or brother, yet they wouldn’t allow it.
In his previous life, except for Vale, who always had his back when they were at work, the only person he could depend on was himself. He’d cut ties with his aunt and uncle after he’d gone to college, and the few friendships he’d had faded over time.
I need to live in the present and not the past.
Fox dried his eyes with the back of his hands and looked at Aria. “Can you watch her while I take a shower?”
“Of course, and take as long as you like.”
Fox kissed Genesis on the crown of her head and allowed Aria to take Genesis out of his arms. Genesis whimpered just a bit, but Aria started humming, and it soothed her instantly.
“I guess I need to learn how to hum better,” Fox said.
Aria smiled. “I’ll show you a trick your grandmother showed me after your shower and rest.”
Fox nodded and turned to leave but stopped to look at Aria. “Thanks, A…Mom.”
“Anytime, son.”
Chapter Five
Alistaire walked out of his suite heading for the kitchen to grab his first cup of coffee for the day when he bumped into Rosemary at the top of the stairs.
“Good morning, Alistaire.” Rosemary was glowing, and it had nothing to do with her pregnancy. Rosemary was a breath of fresh air. Her sunny disposition, even on a cloudy day, would make anyone smile.
