Chapter 42
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
BLAKE
“I’m done,” Savannah says as her back crashes against my chest, her fingers loosening their grip on mine. “I can’t do this any longer.”
Her voice is low, exhaustion evident in every softly spoken word. Not that I can blame her, she’s been at this for hours.
“I need you to push, Savannah,” the doctor says as she glances up at the woman sitting in my arms.
Savannah shakes her head. “I can’t.”
Her cheeks are flushed, beads of sweat coating her forehead and making the honey strands that slipped her braid plaster to her face.
“You can,” I insist, tightening my hold on her.
I brush her hair out of her face. Savannah tilts her head back so she can look at me. “You’re wrong,” she protests, letting out a long exhale.
“I’m not wrong. I know you, baby. Besides, you’re not alone in this. I’ve gotcha, Blondie.” I rub my thumb over the back of her hand reassuringly. “A little bit more, and we’ll meet our baby.”
“Bl—”
Her words die down when another contraction hits her. Savannah groans loudly; her grip on my fingers tightens to the point of pain, but I don’t let go.
“That’s it, babe,” I murmur, my lips brushing against her ear. “You’re doing so great. I’ve never been more amazed by you than I am right now.”
I rub at her back with my free hand, as I continue whispering soft reassurances, until finally, finally , loud crying fills the room.
Savannah lets out a sob as her body rests against mine. Her chest is rising and falling rapidly as she sucks in long gulps of air.
“You did it, Blondie.” My words come out raspy. My heart is in my throat as I brush her hair out of her face and press my forehead against hers. This stunning, amazing woman. “You’re fucking incredible, you know that?”
Savannah blinks those pretty blue eyes open, the corner of her mouth lifting in a smile. “I did it.”
“You did. Our little Christmas present.”
Savannah’s eyes fill with tears, and her throat bobs as she swallows.
“It’s a girl,” the doctor announces as she brings the small baby and places it on Savannah’s chest.
Savannah places her hand against the baby’s back as her gaze falls to our daughter, and I just stare at them, completely at a loss for words. It’s like all the air is knocked out of my lungs as I watch the woman I love holding our baby.
My girls.
Holy fuck.
My chest tightens as I just stare at Savannah, completely in awe. Of her. Of the baby we created. Of this moment.
Tears stream down her face as she gently rubs her finger over the baby’s exposed arm.
“A girl,” Savannah whispers, her voice thick with emotion. Those light blue eyes meet mine, and I can see tears glistening in them. “We have a girl.”
“We do.” I shake my head, still unable to wrap my mind around it. “A little girl.”
I cover her hand with mine and just stare at the tiny body pressed against Savannah, taking her in.
The frown between her pale brows. A little patch of mussed hair. Those small, pursed lips. Her little hands with ten of the tiniest fingers.
Then she opens her eyes, and I’m a goner.
Completely and utterly gone for this little girl.
“She’s perfect, Sav,” I croak out, blinking the blurriness from my gaze. “So fucking perfect, just like her mom.”
Savannah lets out a strangled laugh. “I’m far from perfect.”
I shift my attention to her. “You’re always perfect to me.”
She bites into her lower lip, her throat bobbing. Before she can say anything, the nurse joins us.
“Let me get her so that we can clean her up.”
My hand tightens around Savannah and the baby, and the nurse doesn’t miss the motion. She gives me a reassuring smile. “Just for a little bit. I’ll get her back to you in no time. Don’t worry, Dad.”
“Highly unlikely,” I mutter under my breath.
Still, I force myself to pull my hand back, so she can take the baby, my gaze not leaving her as she maneuvers my daughter into her arms.
Savannah pokes me in the chest, drawing my attention. “You know she’s been doing this for a while, right?”
I look down at her, amusement dancing in her irises. “Well, she’s handling precious cargo.” I cup her face, my thumb skimming over her cheek. “Thank you.”
“What for?”
“For this. For bringing our little girl into this world. For allowing me to be here with you so we can share this moment. I honestly didn’t think it was possible to love you more than I already did, but I was wrong. So fucking wrong. I love you, Savannah. I love you both so freaking much it hurts.”
“Blake…” She shakes her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I love you too.”
“I know, baby.” I brush the tears away gently before I lean down and press my mouth against hers. “I know.”
SAVANNAH
“She’s so tiny,” I whisper, my finger tracing over my daughter’s small hand, all the way to the tips of her fingers. “How is it possible that she’s so small, and yet it feels like my whole universe has been altered?”
It felt surreal.
I have a daughter.
For so long, I wanted somebody of my own, and now she was here.
A little baby girl with a patch of blonde curls on her head, hiding behind the tiniest pink hat and the darkest blue eyes imaginable. The nurse said they’ll lighten with time. Would they be blue like mine or gray like all the Walker boys? Or maybe they would be some weird mix of both. I think I kind of liked that idea.
“She has your nose,” Blake whispers into my ear, his lips pressing against the side of my neck. My eyes fall closed as a shiver runs down my spine. “You should be resting.”
Blinking my eyes open, I glance at Blake. Those silvery eyes are fixed on me as he watches me intently.
“I am resting.”
“Sleeping,” Blake protests. “You should be sleeping.”
“I’m just too nervous to sleep. What if something happens? What if she needs me? What if she cries and I don’t wake up and?—”
Blake cups my cheeks gently and presses his mouth against mine, effectively shushing me. “That’s why I’m here. Let me take care of you two.”
Before I get a chance to answer, there is a soft knock on the door. I shift in the bed, a jab of pain going through my stomach. Blake’s brows furrow when I flinch.
“I’m fine,” I say quickly, turning my attention to the door. “Come in.”
Blake slips from the bed just as the door opens, and two dark heads peek inside.
“Is Munchkin here yet?” Levi asks immediately, as he slips into the room, Daniel at his heels.
He gives me an apologetic look. “I told him we should wait but…”
“I wanna meet—” Levi comes to a stop by my bed, his mouth falling open as he sees the baby in my arms. “Munchkin is a girl!”
“Yes, it’s a girl,” chuckling softly, I fix her hat so it’s not slipping into her eyes. “What do you think?”
“She’s so pretty.” Levi extends his hand and touches her fist gently. “And so small.”
“She is.” Blake places his hands on Levi’s shoulders and gives them a squeeze. “So you have to be very careful with her. Okay?”
“’Kay.” Levi looks up at me. “Can I hold her?”
“Not now, buddy. Once she wakes up.”
“Fine.” Levi’s smile falls a little, but he nods. “I brought her a toy so she doesn’t have to sleep alone tonight.”
“What’s her name?”
I look to the foot of the bed, where Daniel is standing quietly, his gaze fixed on the baby.
I swallow the knot in my throat. “Poppy.”
My gaze falls to my sleeping daughter, and I can’t help thinking of the woman who raised me. I missed her today more than usual. She should have been here. She would have been so excited to meet her great-granddaughter. Although, knowing Grams, she would probably already embrace Levi and Daniel as her own and spoiled them rotten. That was the kind of woman she was. There wasn’t a better way to honor the woman who showed me love unlike any other.
“Her name is Poppy Walker.”
Poppy’s brows furrow, and she lets out a wail in protest. I coo softly and rock her against me.
“Is she okay?” Daniel asks, moving closer.
“Why is she crying? Did we do something wrong?”
“No, buddy,” Blake reassures Levi immediately. “Babies cry, that’s all.”
Poppy blinks a few times, her unfocused gaze darting toward the three boys hovering over her.
Warmth fills my chest as she stares at them with those big dark eyes. Their voices die down, their whole attention on her.
“Hey, there, pretty girl.” Daniel gently brushes the back of his finger over her clasped hand. “No need to cry.”
I bite my cheek to stop a sob from coming, but Blake doesn’t miss it. He slides next to me and wraps his arm around me. “You okay, Blondie?”
I nod silently, my attention still on the boys who are staring at their sister.
“Can I hold my baby sister now?”
Blake pulls back, amusement dancing in his irises.
“C’mon, sit down in the armchair, and you can hold her for a few minutes.”
Levi scurries off immediately, he’s practically buzzing with excitement.
“Hello, there, Princess,” Blake whispers as he gently scoops the baby into his arms. My heart melts as I watch him hold Poppy close to his chest, his large hand covering her small body protectively. “Wanna go and bug your big brother for a while, huh? He’s so excited to meet you. Extend your arms, buddy,” Blake instructs as he goes to Levi. “You need to watch her head, okay?”
“Okay.” Levi nods. “I’ll take good care of her. I promise, Daddy.”
“I know you will.” Blake crouches down and gently places Poppy in Levi’s arms.
He sucks in a breath, his arms clutching around Poppy and holding her close. “I think she likes me. Look, she’s smiling at me.”
“She was just born, I don’t think she knows how to smile.” Daniel rolls his eyes as he goes to the armchair and sits down next to Levi.
“Poppy smiled at me.” Levi pokes his tongue at his brother before his gaze drops to the bundle in his arms. “I guess that means she likes me better than she likes you. Right, Poppy? You like me better? That’s good because I love you so, so much.”
These boys.
“And it’s good you came now,” Levi continues chatting away while Daniel just sits and watches them. “Christmas is in a few days, so now Santa won’t forget about you. We can share a stocking, and I’ll add your name on it so Santa knows you’re here.”
My lip wobbles at his kind words.
This moment right here was everything I wanted but never dared to hope for.
Poppy will be okay. She will be loved and protected. Hell, she already had all three of the Walker boys wrapped around her little finger.
Blake glances over his shoulder, his face softening as he stands up, and comes to me, brushing his thumb over my cheek. “I don’t like to see you crying, Blondie.”
“They’re happy tears.” I tilt my head back. “You were wrong, Blake.”
Blake quirks his brow, a confused expression on his face. “About what?”
“Thank you .” I cover his hand with mine. “For being patient with me. For choosing me even when I was giving you a hard time. But more than that, thank you for giving me everything that I ever wanted and then some.”
“Blondie…” Blake’s hold on me tightens. “Anything you want is yours. I’m yours.” He leans down, his mouth brushing against mine. “And I’ll always choose you, baby. Always.”