by Ford, Mia
“Stop it, Reece,” I command. “Stop worrying. This isn’t the same as before. It’s all under control. Nadine has Oliver, he is fine, and I’m going to be okay as well… once you get me to the hospital.”
I don’t mean to be so harsh, but he needs to hear it, so he nods agreeably. “You’re right. Of course you are. I will get you to the hospital now, and I will look after you. It’s my job to take care of you.”
Oh, thank goodness. He’s snapped out of it. I breathe out a sigh of relief, grateful for him again.
We race outside and I climb in to the passenger’s seat of the car, panting and gasping through the pain. Reece drives. However much of a panic he’s in, he somehow manages to get us to the hospital. I can’t see how well he’s driving or how fast we’re going because the agony gets a million times worse, leaving me wondering if I’m going to die because it hurts so much, but we make it there. Thank God because I need this baby out, and now…
* * *
My eyes flicker closed every so often, but I snap them back open every time they do. I don’t want to miss a moment of little Francesca’s life. Especially not these wonderful, precious first moments.
“Let me take her for a moment,” Reece insists. “You need to shut your eyes for a moment.”
“No, no I don’t,” I groan. “I don’t ever want to let her go. I want to hold her forever…”
But her father takes my daughter from my arms anyway, and he holds her tightly to his chest. His eyes fill with love, he looks like he’s the happiest he’s ever been. Francesca has really transformed him already, and she’s only been born for a few moments. What an impact this little baby’s life has had.
“You look good with her,” I confess. “Like you know exactly what you’re doing.”
“Well, I did do all of this once before, remember?” He smiles. “And I was all by myself.”
“Hmm, yeah that’s true. I can’t forget that you brought up Oliver alone…”
“Well, I did until you came along. Then I had the most wonderful woman ever with me.”
I smile blissfully, just admiring him while rocks her back and forth. I haven’t been scared about parenthood at all, because we’ve been focusing so much on the birth part and getting through that, that we haven’t considered the next part, but now I’m glad that I haven’t wasted time worrying about it because we’re going to be fine. Reece knows exactly what he’s doing when it comes to raising children, and I have had some experience with kids too. We’re going to be just fine. Together, me and him can do whatever we want.
“I love the name Francesca,” I say while sitting up a bit to stop me from drifting off to sleep. “What made you come up with it? Did you have it planned out already or what?”
“I just saw her and it felt right. A little like the way Christine named Oliver.” He laughs. “I didn’t even like the name Oliver, at first. I was going to make her change it. Before…”
He trails off and I suck in a breath, worried that he’s going to start crying about the past again, but instead he loses himself in his daughter’s eyes. Already, she has such a big pull on him, I can’t help but wonder what it’s going be like as she grows up. Will she always have him wrapped around her little finger? I can just picture her being a real daddy’s girl and that becoming a nightmare as she grows in to a teenager as sassy as I was.
Oh God, my dad is going to lose his freaking mind if she’s just like I was. I don’t know how he survived it. I don’t know how we’ve managed to still have a relationship this far. But we’re stronger than ever.
“Well, it’s a great name, and I love it. I’m sure that she will too.”
“Do you think that we should have more kids?” he asks quietly. “Should we grow our family more?”
“Oh wow, did you really just ask me that?” I stare at him, shocked. “Are you asking about more kids?”
“I am…” He smiles at me. “You did so well giving birth to this little angel, it seems a shame to ask more.”
I grin at him. I’m so proud of him for being so brave. Finally, he’s overcome his fear. It was kind of forced upon him, we didn’t really have a choice, but that’s still a massive step for him.
“Well, I think you need to let me recover from this birth first before we start thinking about the next one.”
My body is exhausted, every part of me aches, I can’t even think about moving up from this bed, never mind having another child, but I’m glad that he’s thinking about that. It shows how well we’re doing.
“You do know that you’re going to have to marry me soon, as well,” he teases. “You’ve made me wait long enough for our much awaited wedding day. I don’t know how much longer I can wait.”
I glance down at my gorgeous engagement ring and smile. “You will wait for me. I know it.”
He leans down and kisses me on the lips, gently, softly, loving me. “You know I will.”
He perches on the edge of the bed and we both look at the little baby that we created out of love with smiles on our faces. I didn’t know that it was possible to be this in love with another human being. I love Reece, of course. I’ve loved him for a very long time, but the love that I feel for my daughter is boundless.
I want to hold her, to love her, to give her absolutely everything she deserves and more. Becoming a parent has already changed me in ways that I didn’t think possible.
“When do we get to go home?” I ask Reece. “I’m keen to go now. To see Oliver.”
“Do you think that he’s going to love his baby sister?”
“Well, he’s been very excited, so yeah, I think that he will be. I can’t wait to see his face.”
“I think the doctor wants you to recover for a bit first, then we can leave. Your father will want to come and see you here too. He’s already on the way. So, I suppose we better wait.”
I pout out my bottom lip playfully. I know that I need to do what the medical professionals say, especially because of Reece, but I really cannot wait to get home and to start my real life with all of my family. I feel like everything that we’ve been through has been leading to the moment when we can all be a family. Me, Reece, Oliver, and little baby Francesca. How could I ask for more?
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Reece
Alexa is okay. She’s fine. She survived it all. I cannot believe it.
As I hold baby Francesca in my arms, just about to hand her over to her grandfather, who already looks like a softer man than he did yesterday, everything feels right with the world. The tight knot of anxiety that has been sitting in the pit of my stomach for the last nine months has finally dissipated, and I can relax at last.
I did it, Christine, I say silently if she’s listening. I survived it, can you believe it?
I can almost feel her smiling down on me, giving me all of her blessing. I bet she would love Francesca, she would want a hug with this gorgeous little girl. It’s just a shame that she only got really one cuddle with Oliver before she passed away, but I’m glad that at least she got that. At the time, I couldn’t really appreciate it because I was in shock and a massive mess, but now I can really feel it swimming through me.
“So, this is my granddaughter?” the Admiral says with a soft smile. “She’s stunning.”
“Oh, Dad, look at her staring at you,” Alexa coos. “She loves you already.”
“I am going to absolutely spoil her.” He darts his eyes towards me. “And Oliver as well.”
It took a little while, but once he began to really see that we were serious, he opened his heart to Oliver as well. He started to get to know him and love him a little as well. I think it was hard for him to do that because he clung on to the fear that things would fall apart like what happened in his past, but now we’re getting there.
I rub his arm and smile gratefully. I’m too emotional right now to really find the words to express how grateful I truly am to him. He didn’t need to do all of the things that he’s done for us. For me.
; “So, is everything alright with this little girl?” he asks. “Has the doctor checked her over?”
“Yes, everything is alright,” I let him know. “Once Alexa is okay, we’ll be able to go home.”
“I’m fine,” she whines angrily. “I wish they would just let me go already. I’m starting to get bored now. I want to get out of here. The hospital is doing my head in. I can’t even get out of bed.”
“Do you want me to go and speak to the doctor again? See if they will let you go?”
Alexa nods and I back out of the door. I feel like she might need a moment alone with her father anyway. This must be an emotional moment for them too, considering they lost Alexa’s mom. This might be time where they need to have a talk about that… or not, I don’t know. But I’m giving them the space in case.
Plus, I could do with a moment to call Nadine anyway, to keep her and Oliver in the loop. I bet they’re a little worried as well. Especially Nadine, she has seen the last few months of anxiety. I can’t wait to let her know that everything is okay and that soon, hopefully, we will be home. God, I cannot wait to be home. If I feel that way, Alexa must be doing her head in, so I need to find a doctor sooner rather than later for answers.
* * *
It feels a bit like a big reveal as we carry Francesca inside. Nadine said that Oliver knows exactly what’s going on and he cannot wait to meet the baby. He’s apparently been waiting by the window for most of the day. I’m all excited as we head inside, thrilled to see his reaction. I never thought about giving Oliver a brother or sister before, I just threw all of my attention in to him, trying to make sure his life is okay, but now I realize that he’s been missing this. He needs more people in his life.
“Hello, Oliver,” I call through the door. “We’re back!”
He yells out with happiness and runs to the door, almost knocking me over. Thank goodness I have Francesca tight! That could have been a very different meeting if he had done.
I crouch down and show Oliver the delicate little bundle in my arms. “Here is your sister.”
He looks up at me questioningly before he starts touching his sister. Since he’s only two years old, it’s a scary thing, I’m worried that he might be a bit rough, but he seems to instinctively know to be gentle.
“Francesca,” I tell him, giving him a loving look. “That’s her name.”
“Chesa,” he repeats, getting only part of it right. I wonder if that’s what he’ll call her over and over again until it just becomes her nick name. That would be super cute if it happened. “Baby Chesa.”
Alexa comes in behind me, and Oliver’s face lights up. He adores her and that shows every single time they are together. I’m so glad that they met, even more than me and her. She gives him so much that I couldn’t. Nadine as well. We have the perfect little family set up right now. Everything I want and need.
“Baby Chesa,” I inform Alexa. “That’s what she’s going to be known as I think.”
She laughs, an adorably happy sound because she’s so glad to be home. It might have only been a few hours, but it’s been forever for her. “I like that a lot. Baby Chesa. It sounds very sweet.”
We all move in to the living room to see Nadine as well, and we introduce Francesca to her. Since she has already agreed to be her nanny too when the time comes, for a significant pay rise that I insisted on, it’s great for them to get some time together. A real sensation of content settles over me. Everything is perfect.
* * *
“Is that the door?” I ask sleepily, barely able to even open my eyes. “Who is it? Who would dare come knowing that we have a brand new baby and we haven’t had any sleep for what feels like forever?”
Alexa suddenly bolts in to a sitting position as if she’s realized something scary. “Oh my God.”
“What? What?” I’m wide away now and in a state of terror. “What’s happened? Should I be worried?”
She jumps out of bed and stares at me. “No, not worried. But you should get dressed.”
“Dressed?” Even through the fog of sleepiness, I can see how serious she is. “Why?”
“Just… just do it. Throw some clothes on and answer the door. Give me a moment.”
I press my hand to her chest and feel her racing heart. It’s pounding hard against her rib cage, I can almost feel the anxiety zig zagging through her. Whatever is going on, she needs me to do what she’s asking.
I grab the first pair of sweat pants I find and a tee shirt too. It might not even be clean, but I’m on paternity leave at the moment, so it barely matters what I look like.
Thank goodness Nadine is better than Valencia, she has helped a little through this really hard time, and I’m pretty sure that she has both kids with her right now. She’s moved in for the time being. I don’t think that will be a permanent arrangement, not like it was before, but it’s useful for the moment.
I swing the door open, still rubbing the sleep from my eyes, so it takes me a moment to see who’s on the other side. And even when I do, it takes me a second to process what’s going on.
“Mom?” I eye her curiously. “Dad? You’re here? What are you doing here?”
Without any warning, Mom bursts in to tears and she wraps her arms around me. I’m so exhausted that I really don’t know what the hell is going on. I must still be sleeping in my bed. This is nuts.
“Why aren’t you still in Europe? I didn’t know that you were coming back here…”
“That young lady of yours got in touch with us, Reece,” my dad says in his usual brisk tone. “And she told us everything that has been going on. I cannot believe how much you have kept from us.”
“Kept from you? No, no, that wasn’t what I was doing. I just didn’t want to trouble you in your new lives. You worked so hard all your life to go travelling around Europe. I didn’t want to get in the way of that…”
“But, Christine dying,” Mom sobs. “And you raising Oliver alone. We didn’t even know you had a son.”
I feel bad. I didn’t tell them because I knew that they would come back to help me, wrecking what they’d achieved, but actually what I did with that was kept them out of their grand child’s life.
“I’m sorry, it was just such a messy time and I didn’t want to upset you…”
“We would have helped you. We would have done whatever we could.”
“I know, and that’s why I didn’t contact you. It was my job to take care of him.”
I pull back to look at my mom, guilt flooding me as I see her face. She wanted to come back and help me, she wanted to be there for me. I was so busy being an adult that I forgot to get proper help.
“Alexa got hold of you?” I suddenly realize that part. “Did she really?”
“She didn’t want to interfere with our relationship, but she wanted to let us know about Francesca. Of course, we were surprised that Christine wasn’t in the picture anymore, which is why we learned it all. Then, we knew that we had to surprise you because otherwise you would tell us not to come.”
“Of course I would have told you not to come.”
“But we want to be here. So, will you show me these children already?” Mom laughs. “We didn’t come here just to see you, did we? As wonderful as it is to finally see my boy again. It’s been too long, I regret going for so long. I honestly don’t think that we will ever leave the country again…”
“Don’t do that because of me,” I insist. “Because I know how much you want to travel…”
“We won’t.” Mom and Dad smile at each other. “We are coming back because of us and what we want in life. Family is the most important thing, isn’t it? And we don’t want to miss out on another moment.”
I invite them inside, and turn to see Alexa looking guilty behind me. I smile at her, loving her more than I have ever done before. Again, she has seen an issue that I didn’t even realize that I had and she’s fixed it for me. She’s brought my parents back in to the country to really complete my family. How does she just k
now these things? She’s incredible. I am in absolute awe of her.
“Mom, Dad,” I grin. “There is someone that I would like you to meet. Officially, since it seems that you already know one another. This is Alexa, the woman who will soon be my wife.”
Nadine appears just as they are all hugging, bringing my children with her, and my parent’s light up like a damn Christmas tree. Yep, this is another mistake, something that I should have done so much sooner. But thank goodness I have the best woman in the world to fill in all of my mistakes for me.
I will marry her soon, I don’t know how much longer I can wait. I cannot wait for her to be my wife and for us to finally start living the happy ever after that we deserve.
At last.
Epilogue
Alexa
One Year Later…
“Do I look okay?” I ask Nadine, the nerves shaking in my voice. “Does the dress look nice?”
“Alexa, honestly, this is the best that I have ever seen you look in your life. You’re a princess.”
I turn from left to right, examining my reflection in the mirror, smiling to myself. I don’t like to big myself up but I think that she might be right. This dress really does make me look lovely, just like any wedding dress should. The white silky material cascades around me, scraping along the floor, the train spilling out behind me. The sweet heart neck line sits nicely as well, showing off the new curves that I have developed, being a mother.
“I’m really anxious, Nadine. I don’t know why. I’m excited too, but…”
She touches my arm softly and smiles at me. The pinky colored material of her bridesmaid dress really brings out the redness in her cheeks. She looks beautiful, like an English rose.
“You’re going to be fine,” she insists. “Just remember, it’s your man at the end of the aisle. Reece Moore is waiting for you, to make you his wife, to live that happy ever after.”