He gives me a look, knowing what I did there, but it’s true. Rosa, Javier, his grandparents…and even Harrison are the people who shaped Nate into one of the kindest, most thoughtful people I’ve ever met.
Not his blood mother and father, they can rot in hell.
Valentina cries from the other room.
“I’ve got it,” I say, then turn toward Skye. “Come on, let’s go get our girl.” Then we walk toward her room, where she’s been sleeping while I work early mornings.
I open the door, and even with tears in her eyes, she smiles brightly when she sees me, but mostly when Skye walks in.
Skye is the true mother in this relationship, the best protector there ever was, and completely obsessed with Valentina.
“Good morning, mi cielo.”My heaven.
My whole world, heart, and soul.
She holds up her arms for me to pick her up, and I can’t get to her fast enough.
I take her in my arms, then she leans her head on my shoulder, not fully awake. “Did you sleep okay?”
“Yes,” she whispers.
It’s been one month since Valentina officially became part of the family, and we already have a close bond, as if no time had been missed in her short little life.
I know how fortunate we are; not all adoptions are as smooth as ours, and when we get home, there might be some bumps in the road, but we’re prepared and ready for whatever our new life has in store for us.
When I turn, I get a glimpse of the two of us in the mirror, and my heart swells with happiness.
I love Nate with all my heart, but the feeling that warms my chest when I have this little girl in my arms is like none I’ll ever be able to explain.
She leans back so I can get a good look at her while she rubs her eyes.
Her curls are wild from her nap, and her cheeks are slightly flushed, marring her porcelain skin. Her eyes are big and curious, with eyelashes most women would kill for.
She has a tiny little beauty mark where a dimple would be, and the cutest heart-shaped lips.
I’m obsessed with everything about her, all the way down to her itty-bitty toes.
“Where are my girls?” Nate calls out, and I swoon on the spot.
My girls.
I walk back into the main living area, and Valentina bounces in my arms when she sees Nate. I put her down, and she waddles over to him as quickly as she can.
He picks her up and spins her around, and to hear her laugh, happy and free from her past life, is what has made my life complete.
“We need to get a move on,” Nate tells me, while he throws Valentina up into the sky. “If you want to leave anything behind, you can.”
“I’m going to feed her and get her ready. Then I’ll take her to the park quickly to burn off some energy. You pack up the rest of my things. You’re better at it than I am.” I turn my attention to Valentina. “And then we’re going to go on an airplane, mi cielo, and you’ll meet the best family in the world.” I kiss her, pull them both into a tight cuddle, and to my utter surprise, she turns her head and kisses my cheek back.
My eyes bulge in surprise, and Nate is staring, just as shocked.
It’s not that Valentina doesn’t show emotions toward us, because she loves to cuddle and hold our hands, but initiating a kiss felt different…special.
“Okay, get out of here before I become a blubbering mess,” Nate murmurs, then kisses both of our foreheads and walks toward our bedroom.
I look around atournew beautiful home, which sits in the center of Madrid’s Salamanca neighborhood, and after all this time, I still can’t believe this is real.
I will never, ever, take for granted the life I live now.
