Chapter 86
Liz, August 17
Ten hours, forty-five minutes. That’s how long I was in what they call active labor. And now, Emma is here. Sweet Emma.
The nurse is wiping her off, and Ben is kissing my sweat-drenched forehead. Then Emma is in my arms. Even through the cries, she’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
She’s pink and wrinkled, with the faintest traces of blonde hair. I wonder if it will darken as she gets older, but a part of me hopes it won’t. Her eyes are a deep, stormy blue. The books told me most Caucasian babies start with this color, but I can’t help wondering what shade they’ll settle into. What color will she always put on forms through her adult life?
She’s wiggly and warm against me, and suddenly I feel a love I didn’t know existed, a love I couldn’t have imagined until this moment. Me—the girl who used to roll her eyes at “mushy love stories.” Turns out I’ve been drafted into one anyway, and I don’t even mind.
“Hi, baby,” I whisper. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”
I kiss her tiny forehead, and for the first time in forever, everything feels perfect.