Page 90

Our daughter moves to the beat of her own drum. A little Libra, Faye had whispered, arriving on the witching hour.

That’s the moment I know in my bones that we’re going to be in for it with this one. And honestly, I’m here for it. I’m so fucking here for it.

“He’ll be here as soon as visiting hours start.” I can’t help touching Mabel, stroking her little arm. “I bet the whole house is up, just waiting.”

We dropped Owen off at Candy and Doug’s before we left for the hospital. Owen was in tears, but Doug told him he had to be brave, and he snorted back his boogers in an attempt to do just that. Doug got down to his level, though, promising him that Faye and the baby were going to be just fine, and they’d see us first thing in the morning.

Still, it broke my heart a bit to drive away from him like that, when he was so worried about his mama and baby sibling. Baby sister.

Poor kid was holding hope for a brother.

Maybe we’ll get to work trying to give him one soon.

Right now, all I want is more of this. More family with this woman. More life.

“I love you, Faye Wilder,” I tell her when the words feel too much to keep contained. “Thank you for giving me life.”

“So?” I lean into the chair where my son sits holding my daughter. “What do you think?”

“I think she’s pretty cool.” Owen doesn’t take his eyes off Mabel to tell me as much. Since he walked into the room with Candy and Doug, and made sure Faye was good, his attention has been on his baby sister.

“Not too disappointed that she’s a girl?”

Owen shakes his head. “She’s going to like dinosaurs. I can tell.”

I bite back a laugh, my eyes finding Faye’s sparkling ones from where she watches the two of them together.

“I just knew she was a she,” Doug says, pinning Faye with narrowed eyes. “But now that she’s here, you can stop buying all that brown stuff.”

Candy bumps Doug with her elbow. “Brown is sweet, too.”

“Not as sweet as pink.” Doug harrumphs. “Speaking of pink. I ordered the sweetest little overalls in pink cameo.” He winks at Owen. “I got orange for my little man, too.”

“We’ll match.” Owen beams that toothless grin. The tops have grown in over the last few months, but the bottoms vacated only a couple weeks ago, leaving a sweet gap.

“You sure will.” Doug nods. “Got myself a pair, too, but I’m sticking to green.”

“Well, that’s just boring, Dad.” Faye teases.

Doug harrumphs again.

Candace rolls her eyes as she pushes from the foot of Faye’s bed. “Can I hold Mabel now?”

Owen contemplates before he sighs, nodding. Candace smiles lovingly at him as she bends to lift Mabel into her arms.

The little hitch of her breath as she stares down into my daughter’s face as she falls in love has my heart swelling all over again.

So I don’t cry, I say, “We’ve gotta message Andy and let her know she’s a she.”

Faye nods. “She’s been sending me pictures of floral murals for months.”

“Tell her to let me know what paint to buy.” I can’t wipe my proud grin from my face. “It pays to have a famous painter friend.”

Faye chuckles. “It does.”

Mabel starts to fuss. Faye feeds her. Mom and Dad arrive, and we visit some more before they promise to meet us at home when we’re discharged.

When it’s just the three of us, I lean in to kiss the woman who has given me everything I’ve ever dreamed I could ever want.