by S. J. Sylvis
I couldn’t get a hold of Luke for hours. He was flying home from Afghanistan, and it was impossible to reach anyone on a military flight back home (not that it stopped my father from trying).
I just hoped the little bundle of joy inside me, trying so desperately to join our family, could hold on for a few more minutes, just until his or her daddy got here. Okay, I’m lying. I wanted it out, now.
I grunted, waiting for the next tightening sensation in my lower stomach. “Luke, I can’t hold on any longer.”
Tears were streaming down my face and my mom bent down to kiss my glistening forehead. The doctor below my legs was doing all sorts of things to my body and the pain was excruciating. I began to feel lightheaded, like I was going to pass out.
“I’m almost there, baby,” Luke said through our video chat, but he was becoming blurry and fuzzy.
“No!” I yelled when I saw the call had dropped, but I couldn’t get too wrapped up in the fact that Luke’s face had disappeared because Dr. Armanda’s face popped up and he smiled.
“It’s time to push, again. Are you ready, Cammie?”
I squeezed my eyes shut. “No.”
He laughed. “Too ba—”
The doors flew open and my body visibly relaxed at the sight of my husband, still dirty from Afghanistan and garbed in his uniform, completely out of breath. He stalked towards my bed, his eyes never leaving my face.
He bent his head down and rested it on my forehead when my mom stepped away to take my other side. “I’m here, baby. I’m here.” He was out of breath and so was I.
“How…did…you get here…” I took a huge breath. “…so quick?”
“I have my ways…” He grinned.
I pushed one more time, and then we both cried when we heard a loud wailing. My heart flourished in my chest. I had never been so elated in my life.
“It’s a boy!” Dr. Armanda said, showing me a screaming baby from below my legs.
“It’s a boy, Cam,” Luke whispered against my cheek, staring at the nurses who were cleaning our baby off.
My eyes never left my new son; my gaze followed him everywhere. I followed his tiny body as they weighed him, as they put a diaper on him, and then as they wrapped him up in a baby-blue blanket.
The second he was placed on my bare chest, I felt an overwhelming amount of peace. He snuggled up and stopped crying almost instantly. Luke kissed his little head and looked me dead in the eyes.
“You did it.”
I shook my head, looking back down at my brand-new son. “No, we did it.”
I placed my lips on his tiny, wrinkled forehead and whispered, “Welcome to the world, Alex.”
My mom started to sniffle beside me. I’d forgotten she was even in the room. For a moment, I had been completely wrapped up in my own world that consisted of no one but Luke and baby Alex.
“I love his name,” she said as she wiped her tears and leaned in to kiss my forehead. Then she patted Luke on his shoulder. “I’m going to go tell your dad, Cam. I’ll tell your family, too, Luke.”
I smiled a tiny smile. “Text JoJo, too, okay?” She nodded and then I casted my eyes down on my baby, his eyes shut, already cooing on my chest.
It’s amazing how life worked out so much differently than I had originally planned. My parents who are divorced, and who I’d thought were mortal enemies, were now on speaking terms. I like to think that Luke and I getting married brought them back together, because their shared anger at our elopement meant they actually agreed on something.
Now, we’ve brought this little baby into our lives and not only was he the glue that would forever hold Luke and I together, he was the glue that would hold both of our families together.
After Alex died, and my family separated and went in different directions, I honestly thought that I would never truly be happy again….that I would never feel content…but here I am. Happy, living, breathing, and now madly in love with the most amazing man on this earth, and completely smitten by our little bundle of joy.
Just before I kissed Alex’s little forehead again, I looked out the far window and saw the sun shining brightly, cascading gracefully through a set of thick, white, puffy clouds. I smiled and I knew that in that moment, it was Alexander reassuring me that he was here with me, and that he was happy, too.
The End (seriously)
Authors Note
This book was soooo much fun to write! I can’t tell you how many times I found myself laughing out loud while writing it. I have no idea where I came up with Cammie’s character but apparently, she was lodged in my brain somewhere because when I started this book, I had no intentions of her being somewhat funny. I also loved writing this book because I got to use a lot of my experience dealing with the military. My husband and I have dealt with so many obstacles during our time as a military family. He was stationed in Japan for the first two years of our marriage—that being said, we were completely separated for two years, only seeing each other twice for a handful amount of days. We weren’t even on the same continent! Being a military wife is so challenging at times but being with my husband has made those challenges a breeze. He is my home, just like Luke is Cammie’s home (I know that sounds so sappy but it’s true). I’ve always loved the quote, “Home is where the heart is.”, because it’s so applicable to my life. My heart is my husband, and he is my home. No matter where we are; together, on different time zones, or apart due to deployments…it doesn’t matter, he is my home.
I hope everyone can find a Joe to their Sammi or a Luke to their Cammie. <3 (I just realized that Cammie and Sammi rhyme—total coincidence or did my writer brain do that on purpose? Hah!)
Acknowledgments
I have to mention my husband here, again, because I was totally inspired by him when writing Luke’s character. From the tiny jagged scar in between his eyebrows, his snarky teasing and jabs, or the fact that he is an amazing Marine. Joe, I am so proud to be your wife and I am so thankful I spotted you from across the gym in middle school. I love you and thank you for simply being you.
Next, I owe this book to every single person I have encountered during my time as a military wife. I couldn’t have written this book if I didn’t marry a Marine and if we didn’t surround ourselves with the men and women who served this country. Thank you for being so selfless and for showing me how tightly woven the Marine Corps family really is. Through our rambunctious gatherings, coming-home parities, the sleepless nights that deployments bring, and the undeniable support—you’ve taught me everything that I needed to know to make this story come to life. So, thank you!
To my editor, Stephanie, at EditS, thank you for believing in me and for polishing my story to perfection. I literally could not do this without you and I’ll always be thankful that your sweet little boy ended up being my student—you are a gem!
To every one of my book bloggers—you are all SO amazing and I cannot thank you enough for spreading the word about my book. You have no idea how much you mean to me; I would set you all up on a pedestal if I could. I owe you everything!!
A HUGE thank you to my readers, too. Those who read my books are my biggest motivators. Your support and kind words toward my writing has given me the extra push to write and publish more books. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support! I love you all!
Lastly, to my family—because you are my biggest supporters.
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XO,
S.J. Sylvis
About S.J. Sylvis
S.J. Sylvis is a lover of reading and writing and just recently graduated with her graduate degree focusing on English and Creative Writing (the only fun parts were the writing classes). Besides writing, S.J. Sylvis loves coffee (specifically caramel iced coffee, but really, any coffee will do), binge-watching Gilmore Girls, going to the beach and spending time with her family! She currently lives in Louisiana but is often moving as her husband is in the United States Marine Corps and they go where the military sends them!
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