“I’m ready,” I assure him, reaching over and placing my hand on his knee. “It’s going to be fine.”
“I know,” he insists quickly before taking a deep breath. “I just don’t like the thought of you going into surgery.”
“You’re going to be right there with me,” I remind him.
His leg stops moving as he reaches for my hand, threading his fingers through mine. “I will be. The entire time.”
“Actually, I was thinking, just in case something happens, I want you to go wherever the baby goes,” I tell him, trying not to think of the worst but knowing it’s important to make these arrangements.
He seems to panic. “Charli?—”
“I’m not saying something’s going to happen, Quinn, but it would make me feel better knowingifsomething does, I need to know you’ll move with our daughter.” There’s a lump in my throat, and I’m doing my best to not let a tinge of worry overshadow the excitement of the day.
He finally nods. “I understand.”
“Good,” I say, relieved to have gotten that off my chest. “So, are we sure on her name?”
He gives me a look. “Have you reconsidered?”
“No, but now is the time to offer any other suggestions, if that’s what you want.”
Bringing my hand to his lips, he kisses my knuckles. “I have no other suggestions, because her name is perfect.”
I can’t help but smile. “I agree.”
“Then it’s settled.”
Just then, the door opens and the nurse joins us. “All right, Charli. We’re going to move you to the OR now. Dr. Greene has arrived, and she’s prepping for your delivery.”
“Okay,” I reply confidently.
I’m ready to meet my daughter.
ANOTHER EPILOGUE
Quinn
“How are you doing, Charli?” Dr. Greene asks from the opposite side of the curtain.
“Doing better now,” she replies, her eyes closed as she focuses on breathing.
They brought her down to the operating room and got her all set, while I waited in a small room right outside the main room. The spinal tap made her nauseous, and the anesthesiologist had to give her something to calm her stomach.
Now, the doctor is working to safely and quickly deliver our daughter. Carefully leaning toward her, I watch her beautiful face as I whisper, “I need you to know, even though I may have agreed with you at the time, you were never some hook up to me, Charli. Never ever. You’ve always been the woman who owned me, heart and soul. It might have taken you a little while to catch up, but now that you have, I want you to know I’m in this for life. I know we haven’t talked much about what happens next, but I can assure you it’ll include my ring on your finger and you taking my last name.”
Her eyes open and sparkle with unshed tears beneath the unforgiving light. “Awfully confident, aren’t we?” she asks.
“Hell yes, I am. Making you happy is my number one goal in life.” I press my lips to her forehead just as the softest cry fills the room.
“Congratulations, Mom and Dad. You have a beautiful baby girl,” she says, calling out the time on the clock.
“Did you hear that, sweetheart? You’ve done it. We have a daughter,” I whisper, kissing her tear-stained cheek.
“Can we see her?” Charli asks through her tears.
Suddenly, a little bundle of squishy cheeks and a button nose appears around the curtain. She’s naked and screaming her little head off, clearly unhappy to be ripped from her cozy little cocoon. The nurse holds her close to Charli’s lips so she can kiss our daughter. She places her in the crook of Charli’s neck, letting mother and daughter touch for the first time.
Without giving it a thought, I dig my phone out of my pocket and start snapping photos. It’s the most breathtaking moment I’ve ever witnessed in my life. The two of them, mother and daughter. They own me.
