Epilogue #2
We were on the same page. She looked just like the name we’d chosen, and I couldn’t wait to tell everyone.
“I also know who I want to be her godparents.”
I thought that choice was obvious.
Dylan and Aspen.
“I want Holden and Aspen to be her godparents.”
I could only smile. I knew why she’d chosen her brother. She wanted him to feel like he had a bigger role in her life than just an uncle. He’d been the most worried out of the three during her pregnancy. Especially toward the end.
“Can you go get the two of them please? I want them to meet her first.”
“I’ll be right back. Should I wait to tell the others?”
She nodded as she looked down at the now sleeping daughter in her arms.
“I’ll be right back.”
I walked out of the room and went in search for the waiting area Dylan had told me they were all in. Hopefully her brothers had all arrived by now.
I found them all huddled in chairs. Including her three brothers. Each one was bouncing their legs as they patiently waited for news. I cleared my throat causing them all to jump up from their chairs to greet me.
“How is Ainsleigh?” her mother asked.
“She’s perfect. The baby is perfect too. Holden and Aspen, can you come with me please?”
“Are you going to leave us all out here hanging?” Leo asked.
“This is what Ainsleigh wants. And what she wants right now, she gets. I’ll be right back to let you know everything. A few more minutes won’t kill you,” I said with a laugh as I took the two of them back to meet my daughter for the first time.
“Why does she want to see the two of us and not her parents?” Aspen asked as she wrapped her arms around her middle.
“You’ll see,” I told her, keeping the secret to myself.
We reached her door, and I knocked once letting her know we were back. I held the door open letting them enter and then closed it behind me.
They both turned to me before they walked the rest of the way inside.
Aspen gasped as she saw our daughter for the first time.
Holden stopped in his tracks as he took her in.
“Hi, guys. I want you to come meet our daughter, Olivia Grace Parkhurst.”
They were the first to know what we had and to hear her name. We’d held out on revealing anything until we knew for sure what the baby’s sex was.
“She’s so tiny and perfect,” Aspen said as she walked over to get a closer look.
Holden didn’t move. He just kept his gaze on Olivia.
“You can go closer,” I told him as I patted him on the back.
“I can’t seem to make my body move,” he admitted.
“Come here, Holden,” his sister encouraged as she looked down at Olivia.
That seemed to snap him out of his thoughts since he immediately walked over to her side. Aspen walked over to the other side of the bed and leaned down to give Ainsleigh a hug.
“We wanted you two in here first for a reason,” Ainsleigh began.
“You both know how hard it was for Gentry and me when Arabella was born. Today is an amazing day. I couldn’t think of two better people to ask when it comes to taking care of her.
Teaching her and loving her without question.
You both are special to us, and I know that you’ll do right by her, no questions asked.
Will you do us the honor of being this beautiful little girl’s godparents? ”
“Yes,” they said in unison.
Ainsleigh picked up the sleeping angel and held her out to Holden. His hands shook, but he reached out and put the little girl in his arms.
“Hi there, miss Livvy. I’m your nncle Holden.
I’m going to spoil you rotten,” he said to her as he sat down in the chair and laid her on his legs.
Carefully, he uncovered her and counted all her fingers and toes.
We let him check her over as she squirmed in his lap.
He needed to make sure she was okay, and we let him.
“She’s beautiful,” he said as he bundled her up in her blanket and put her in his arms. We’d have trouble getting him to let her go. Especially now that he’d seen for himself that she was okay.
“I’ll go let the others know now. I think we’ve made them wait long enough. Do you need anything?” I asked Ainsleigh as I reached into the bag and grabbed the ‘It’s a girl’ cigars from the bag. I’d keep the boy ones for the future, just in case.
“Just some water,” she replied, and Aspen went into best friend mode and told me she’d get it for her.
I blew her a kiss and went back to the waiting room.
Everyone was pacing in the room which caused me to chuckle.
“Finally, man. I mean, what the heck? We’ve been waiting forever,” Brooks said as they walked toward me.
They’d only been waiting fifteen minutes.
“Mom and baby are doing great. I will warn you though, you’ll have to fight with Holden to hold her.”
“Her? It’s a girl,” Leo screamed as he, Brooks, and Dylan jumped up and down.
“It’s a girl,” I said as I tossed out the cigars to everyone.
“Congratulations. You both deserve this so much,” Lillian said as she and Sawyer pulled me in for a hug.
“Once Ainsleigh gets into a room and gets some rest, you guys can come back and meet her. She’s exhausted, even if she won’t let me know.”
“What did you guys decide to name her?” Leo asked.
“Olivia Grace Parkhurst,” I announced.
“That’s beautiful. Why did Ainsleigh want Holden and Aspen?” Lillian asked.
“Now don’t get all emotional, but she wanted them to meet her first and ask them to be Olivia’s godparents.”
All of them gasped and looks of understanding passed along their features.
“Good for them,” Brooks said as he came in and gave me a hug.
“We’ll all get out of your hair and come back this afternoon. Tell Holden and Aspen we’re about to leave so they can join us,” Sawyer said with a pat on my back.
Aspen kissed Ainsleigh on the cheek and Olivia on top of her head before she said goodbye. Holden still held her in his arms when I returned to the room. He, however, was reluctant to leave.
“It’s okay, Holden. They should be moving me into my room soon, and then I’m going to get some rest. Go home. Take a nap. And you can come back to see her in a few hours,” Ainsleigh said before she yawned.
I thought the only thing that got him to leave was seeing how exhausted she was. He whispered something I couldn’t hear to Olivia and then kissed her forehead before he handed her over to me.
“Take care of them,” he said before he walked out of the room with tears in his eyes. He didn’t turn back to Ainsleigh. I knew he didn’t want her to see him upset. Seeing the love they had for each other almost made my heart swell.
Olivia grunted in her sleep just as I sat down in the chair beside Ainsleigh’s bed. I couldn’t believe our little miracle baby was now here. Our little family was complete.