I groan. “I didn’t think I cared, but now, it’s all I can think about! Especially knowing that you know. It’s killing me.”
Fletcher laughs softly and stands from the couch. He sets his mug on the coffee table and strides over to the tree, collecting all the presents. When he picks up the seventh present, my heart pounds.
He arranges the presents on the coffee table and takes my mug, replacing it with the small, square-shaped present. Butterflies swirl in my belly, and I place a hand there. Holy shit, this is really happening.
Fletcher sits beside me, tucking himself under my blanket. He wraps his arm around my shoulder, pulling me in as close as possible. “Go for it.”
My heart thumps. Those sage green eyes of his are glassy. Oh god, I’m not ready.
“Open it.” He tips his chin at the box.
My fingers find the edge of the paper, and Irip it slowly. Once the wrapping paper is off, I’m left with a white cardboard box. I stare at it for a long moment, trying to bring myself to open it. It’s not that big of a deal, but I’m so nervous and excited that I can’t help but pause. Fletcher squeezes my shoulder, kissing my cheek. I take a deep breath and lift the lid.
Inside is a pastel pink onesie. On the front of it is a red and black ladybug with the words Little Lady in a cursive font.
“Oh my god,” I blurt, tears of excitement streaming down my cheeks. “It’s a girl?”
“It’s a girl.” Fletcher's voice is tight, and I look over at him to see matching tears running down his cheeks, too.
He pulls me into a tight hug where we’re both crying, clinging to each other in the pure happiness of this moment.
When we finally break apart, I swipe at the stray tears from my cheeks. “I’m so excited. I would have been excited either way, but I can’t wait to watch you be a girl dad.”
Fletcher smiles. “This little ladybug is going to be so loved.”
“Ladybug?” I question, glancing back down at the onesie. “Why ladybug?”
“It’s what I’ve been calling her in my head, before I even knew it was a girl. You’re my Lydi-bug, and the baby is my ladybug. It made sense, I guess.”
I want to kiss him so bad. I don’t, though. If he has a plan, I’ll let him take the lead. Instead, I throw myself back into his arms for another hug, where I tuck myself into his neck, breathing him in.
He kisses my cheeks, my forehead, the top of my head, anywhere he can, but the one place I know we both want. For now, this is enough. Being in his arms is perfect.
“Thank you,” I say into his neck. “I’m so glad we found out like this.”
“Me too. It was hard to keep it from you, but it was so special to be the first one to know.”
“I can’t imagine it any other way.”
Fletcher bringsme another cup of hot chocolate a few hours later, once all of our presents are unwrapped and we’re snuggled up on the couch watchingElf.
“Do you have New Year’s off?” Fletcher asks.
“Yeah. The offices and rinks are all closed.”
“Great. Don’t make any plans.” He brushes a curl off my cheek. “I have a morning practice on New Year’s Eve, but I’ll pick you up after.”
“Where are we going? Or is it another surprise?” I ask, though I get the feeling I already know the answer.
“Another surprise. But it will be fun, I promise.”
“I never doubted that.” I squeeze his hand. “I always have fun with you.”
“Me too.”
The sun has set now, leaving us alone in the glow of the Christmas tree. It really has been the perfect day. I never thought something like this—a relationship— would happen between us, but I can’t imagine going back. I never even gave myself space to hope for more with him.
I’m determined to give my daughter a better childhood than I had, and Fletcher is willing to step up and be there for me and for her. But he has a busier schedule than even my dad did. He has at least ten years left in his professional career, probably more. That’s ten years of a childhood hemight be missing out on. Am I willing to put my daughter through what I went through?
