Chapter 26
Graham
Stepping into the hallway after getting dressed, I’m met with Charley’s bubbly laughter coming from the bathroom.
The door is partially open, letting me see her reflection in the mirror, while some upbeat pop song I’m pretty sure I’ve heard before drifts into the hallway, mixing with her infectious giggles.
I can’t see what’s making her laugh, but I have a pretty good guess.
“Get it, girl!” she boasts, and that’s when I hear a second set of laughter—Ellie Mae.
Before I even reach the doorway and peek inside, I’m already smiling.
Inching the door open, I rest my shoulder against the jamb and cross my arms over my chest, taking in the scene before me.
Charley meets my gaze in the mirror, her bright blue eyes lit up and squinty from the wide grin she’s wearing.
She’s in a pair of my sweats and a sports bra, and her hair is pinned back while she does her makeup.
On the counter beside her is my sweet little girl, except instead of sitting, like she normally does, she’s dancing while watching herself in the mirror, a green bubble-style headband on her head.
Then there’s Biggie Smalls, lying on the bathmat in front of the tub, watching his two favorite girls.
My favorite girls too.
“Seems I missed the invite to the dance party,” I drawl, pulling Ellie Mae’s attention away from her own reflection. Walking into the bathroom behind Charley, my hands come to her hips as I meet her gaze in the mirror. I press my lips to the side of her neck before saying, “Hey, Sunny.”
“Hey.” Turning her head to the side, Charley kisses me. “You look nice.”
“So do you,” I murmur.
“I’m not dressed yet.” She chuckles.
My hands slide around, coming to her stomach. “Always beautiful.”
Huffing a laugh, she says, “If you say so.” A smile ticks up on her lips as she gets back to doing her makeup. “I’m almost done, then I just gotta throw my hair up and get dressed.”
“Sounds good.” I scoop Ellie Mae into my arms, throwing her playfully in the air a few times as she gives me a great, big belly laugh. “It’s time for you to get dressed too, Dancing Queen.”
This afternoon, we’re driving to a baby store just outside of town to do some shopping.
With Charley finishing school and starting her new job, we haven’t set aside much time to get anything as far as our peanut is concerned, and with us only ten weeks out, I figure it’s probably time to kick it into gear.
It’s been three days since the trip to the hospital, and thankfully, her blood pressure has been closer to a normal level.
It’s still a little high, but not like it was the other day.
I tried to hide it because I knew Charley was already anxious, but getting that call from her rattled me.
I’ve consistently been on high alert ever since while also trying not to hover.
About twenty minutes later, we’re all buckled in the car and on our way.
There’s a restaurant I’ve been dying to try close to the store we’re going to, so assuming Charley is up for it and Ellie Mae isn’t cranky, I plan to take them there for dinner when we’re done.
It’s right on the lake, the patio seating overlooking it, and I can only imagine how beautiful it’ll look when the sun sets.
Not to mention, I’ve heard nothing but raving reviews about the food.
“You excited?” I ask Charley, reaching over and threading my fingers through hers.
“Yes! Are you?”
“Hell yeah, I am.” Bringing our hands to my mouth, I kiss the back of hers before letting them settle in her lap the rest of the drive. “Have you found any nursery themes you like yet?”
“I’ve narrowed it down to a few,” she says. With us choosing not to find out the sex, we have to go with a more gender-neutral theme. Charley’s been trying to figure out a theme for a few weeks now. “But I want your help deciding.”
“I’m happy with whatever makes you happy, Sunny.”
She squeezes my hand a few times. “That’s sweet, but not very helpful, Graham.”
I chuckle at the slight annoyance in her tone. “Okay, you’re right. I’m sorry. I want to be as helpful as possible, so what are the options?”
Charley shimmies excitedly in her seat as she unlocks her phone. She shows me a couple of options, and they’re both nice and would work, yet somehow, I know she’s saving her favorite for last. “Don’t laugh at this next one,” she says before flipping her phone around to show me.
My stomach does a flip as I lift my gaze to meet hers before returning to the road. “Why would I laugh? I couldn’t think of anything more perfect for our child than a sunflower-themed nursery.”
“You don’t think it’s silly?” Her nose is scrunched, and it’s adorable.
“Absolutely not.”
Charley flashes me a smile that has my breath catching in my throat.
It’s common to say a pregnant person is glowing, but I never understood the saying until now.
Despite being uncomfortable, sore, exhausted nine times out of ten, she has never looked more radiant.
I don’t think she even realizes it. I thought I was attracted to Charley before, but it has nothing on the way I feel about her now.
Witnessing her body change and adapt to grow our little peanut, and watching how effortlessly and naturally she found her place in my home—in our home—has been something I’ve dreamed of since I was younger.
After I find a parking spot, Charley unbuckles Ellie Mae’s car seat and takes her out as we head inside. The sight of her carrying my first baby on her hip while pregnant with my second makes my heart skip a beat.
“Tell Daddy to quit staring,” Charley says to Ellie Mae, a grin stretching across her face as her gaze meets mine, eyes lit up with amusement.
Grabbing a cart, she buckles her in before we set off in this massive store, one filled with everything we could possibly need for a baby.
Deciding on a crib that matches the dresser I built, we order that to be delivered to the house next week.
Charley finds a few rugs and wall decor she loves, and some bottles her co-worker and Grace recommended—apparently, they mimic a real nipple—and once we make it to the clothing section, she throws a handful of outfits in the cart for Ellie Mae before settling in the infant section.
“Look how tiny this is, Graham.” Charley holds up a newborn onesie before placing it on her belly. “It’s so small. Did you ever feel like you were going to accidentally break Ellie Mae when she was this little?”
“Oh, yeah.” I chuckle. “Before she was born, I felt pretty confident since Gemma and Grace have kids, then when she was finally here, I realized how different it is when it’s your own baby.
Sure, I held my nieces and nephews, but for very short periods of time, and I never had to dress them or change them or bathe them.
I can’t tell you how many times I called my sisters for help. ”
“That’s sweet. I’m glad you had them,” she says. “Did Megan have experience with kids, or was it new for her too?”
“She had even less experience than I did.” I huff out a laugh. “Her sister has a kid, but Megan wasn’t much of a kid person, nor were they very close when her nephew was born, so she basically started from the ground up.”
Charley’s gaze softens. “Well, from over here, it looks like you’ve done a pretty dang good job so far.”
The compliment hits me square in the chest, and I can’t hide my smile. “Thanks, Sunny. I appreciate that.”
“Only speaking the truth,” she replies with a smirk I feel everywhere before turning her gaze to Ellie Mae. “Whatcha think, pretty girl, should we get your baby brother or sister this itty-bitty onesie?”
“Yeah!”
“I think so too.” Charley tosses it in the cart before squishing Ellie Mae’s cheeks and making her giggle. “Why don’t you pick one,” she tells her, gesturing to the clothes behind her. “Which one do you want to get for them?”
Pushing her around, they look at the different rows until Ellie Mae points to a sage-green knotted sleeper that comes with a matching hat. “This one!”
“Guess what?” Charley asks as she finds the size she wants before handing it to Ellie Mae. “I love this one too. You got a good eye, girly.”
We walk around while they pick out various outfits for another half hour or so, but I’m not paying attention to a single thing other than the two of them.
My heart squeezes watching Charley with my daughter.
Watching how much Ellie Mae adores her, and how much she clearly does too.
Since moving in with us, Charley has seamlessly slid into a maternal role with Ellie Mae, and I don’t think she’s even aware of it.
When we first found out she was pregnant, I remember how scared she was that she wouldn’t be a good mom, or she wouldn’t know what to do, but if she could see herself through my eyes, she’d realize she has nothing to worry about.
There’s nothing quite like watching somebody love your child like their own.
Charley has so much love in her heart to give, and maybe this surprise of ours was the universe's way of giving her the family she’s always needed while giving Ellie Mae the mother’s love she lost.
I’ve always loved Charley, but this… This is something entirely deeper.
Something better.