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I barely give her time to get the word out before I kiss her hard. The only woman I’ve wanted my entire life just gave me the best gift in the world. I silently vow with every press of my mouth against hers that I’ll never stop loving her with everything I have.

* * *

“Are you ready?” I raise an eyebrow at Kylie.

She adjusts herself on her hospital bed and then nods. I lay Reina down in her bassinet before smacking a quick kiss onto Kylie’s forehead. Then I head out to the waiting room where Luddy, Mom, and Dad are waiting.

My little blond baby sprints across the room, and I brace myself to scoop her into my arms. God, I’ve missed her so fucking much over the last day and a half that we’ve been at the hospital.

“How’s my girl? I missed you,” I ask into her hair.

“I missed you too, Daddy. Can I meet Reina now?”

“You bet. Mama’s waiting for us.”

Mom comes over to hug me from the side since I’m still holding Luddy. Dad offers a gentle tap to my shoulder and a proud nod.

“Let’s go, Daddy!” London says impatiently.

“Okay, okay, sassy pants,” I tease her. I set her back down and hold her hand until we get to Kylie’s room. Mom and Dad follow behind us, filling me in on what they’ve been up to while they waited for Reina to arrive.

They’ve been very busy, it seems, putting together a room at their house for Reina when she and Luddy have sleepovers with Gramma and Gramps. I look at Mom, full of gratefulness that they’ve so willingly embraced a baby that isn’t even biologically related to them. I’ll never be able to repay them for everything they’ve done for Kylie and me.

She just smiles at me and shoos us toward the room. She’s as excited about meeting Reina as Luddy.

I knock on the open door to give Kylie a heads-up that we’re here before I lead Luddy around the curtain.

“Mama!” She races over to the hospital bed, climbing up before I can help her.

“Hey, Luddy girl!” Kylie’s smile is a mile wide as she hugs Luddy. “I missed you so much.”

“I missed you, too, Mama. Where’s Reina?”

Kylie points to the bassinet that’s up against the hospital bed, and Luddy gasps. She clambers up onto her knees to look into the bassinet and puts her little hand on Reina’s belly.

She stares for a long moment before looking back at Kylie with tears in her eyes. “She’s so tiny.”

Kylie nods, her own emotions getting the best of her.

London looks at me. “Can I hold her?”

“Absolutely. Come sit next to Mama, and I’ll put her in your arms.”

Luddy follows my instructions, sitting against Kylie’s hip so she can wrap an arm around London to help her support Reina’s head.

I settle Reina into London’s outstretched arms and then sit in the chair next to the bed. London hasn’t taken her eyes off Reina for a second. “She’s so pretty. I’m gonna love you forever, baby sister.” Then she leans over and kisses Reina’s head, and all pretense of holding back my tears falls by the wayside.

Kylie isn’t faring any better than I am, and by the sniffling I hear behind me, Mom and Dad aren’t doing too well either.

Wrapping my arms around my three girls, I hold them close and thank the universe for giving me the chance to have them in my life.

“Okay, you three. That’s enough of being so cute. I’m gonna end up filling the ocean with all these tears,” Mom says from the side of the room. She swipes a tissue under her eyes in the way women do to keep from smearing their makeup.

“Gramma! Gramps! Come meet my baby sister Reina!”

Mom moves to the other side of Kylie and runs a hand down her hair. “How are you, sweetheart?”

“I’m doing great. Exhausted, but ecstatic.” Kylie hands Reina over to Mom, who stares down at her in awe.