Epilogue
Cody
The tight air of the delivery room feels like a trap.
"Push, just one more..."
The doctor’s voice fades into a dull buzz. I stand right beside the mattress, leaning over her as she grips my hands. She looks straight up at me, her fingers locking tightly around mine until my knuckles turn white.
She holds my gaze, searching my eyes.
I stay close, my chest rising and falling in sharp breaths.
Sweat runs down her cheeks, her hair damp against the pillow.
I stare at her with raw longing, a chill of memory striking my spine.
Six years ago, I stood before a judge, looking back toward a gallery with eyes that didn't know what they wanted.
In that old story, I made her feel like a villain in her own life.
I pull my thoughts away from the ghost of the past, staring straight ahead at the white hospital bed. My breath hitches. Visions of the future flash behind my eyes. I see a loud, warm house. I see dinners eaten with laughter. I see a wife whose shadow I will chase for the rest of my days.
This is a true marriage wrapped in sterile sheets. Our hands are locked, and our fates are finally sealed. I made my love clear before we even walked inside this room.
"You're doing so well, baby," I whisper into the space between our faces.
A high, sharp cry cuts through the room, breaking the suspension.
I am a husband, holding the contract wife I always wanted, welcoming our newest addition to the family.