The castle is buzzing with activity. Servants are running this way and that. My sisters are pacing the halls, and so is my dad, who stops moving every once in a while to toss a football to Ryals, who’s excited to be getting a new baby brother or sister.
Though Feylin is technically Ryals’s cousin, he and Addison officially adopted him as their son, and they couldn’t have asked for a better child—and he couldn’t have gotten better parents, in my humble opinion.
“What can I do?” I ask Mama.
She shakes her head. “Just wait. Like the rest of us.”
I glance around the hall nervously. My big sister’s having a baby. A baby! I say a silent prayer that the delivery goes off without a hitch.
“Do you want to sit?” Devlin asks, pointing to a couch.
“I can’t.” My nerves are jumping. “I won’t be calm until I get word that there’s a healthy mama and baby.”
As if on cue, the door to Addison’s room opens and Feylin pops his head out. He’s wearing scrubs and a cap. He looks like a human surgeon.
We all hold our breath. Okay,Ihold my breath.
“Addison’s doing great.” His gaze sweeps the hall. “And it’s a girl!”
A gush of air swooshes from my lungs in relief. “Yay!”
My family shouts in happiness. We hug one another as servants clap and congratulate Feylin.
Mama sighs blissfully and Nana floats up beside her, shrugging. “I knew everything would be fine. She’s my granddaughter. Of course it’s all fine.”
Mama rolls her eyes. “When can we see them?” she asks Feylin.
“In just a few minutes.”
Dad and Devlin approach Feylin and give him all the manly congratulations, hand shaking and back patting. Then he turns to Ryals. “You’ve got a little sister. What do you think of that?”
Ryals throws his arms up in the air and cheers. His happiness is contagious, and it’s impossible not to smile.
It’s a few minutes before we’re able to see Addison and the baby. We don’t barge in all at once; we go in a few at a time.
When Devlin and I enter the room, Addison’s lying in the bed cradling a tiny bundle. Feylin’s sitting beside her smiling down at the baby girl.
Addison lifts her to me. “Do you want to hold her?”
“Yes, of course.”
She passes the baby to me, and I gently take her, being reminded of what it was like to hold my littlest sisters after they had been born, and feeling love bloom in my heart for this beautiful, innocent creature.
The baby is perfect, her eyes open and blinking, adjusting to this new life. “Welcome, baby.”
I show her to Devlin. He nods to them. “She’s beautiful, Addison, Feylin.”
My sister beams. “Thank you.”
“Hey there, little girl,” I whisper. “Welcome to our family.”
I brush a finger over her tiny chin and she yawns. It’s the sweetest sight in the world.
“What are you going to name her?” Devlin asks.
The brand-new parents exchange a look. “We’re still working that out,” he admits sheepishly.
Addison gives her husband a look full of love. “We’re taking our time. The right name will come along.”
