Possessive Neighbor

Turning back to face me with a serious look on her face, she explains, “Family isn’t always blood. We choose to give life, to love, to accept. And you, my dear, and this little one are family. Our family. We choose you, Hope.”

“Pretty girl?” I spin to see Reed in the doorway. Rushing over when he sees the tears hovering again, he pulls me into his arms. “I love you.”

“Thank you, Reed.” I always thought that Leslie and Miles' deaths were going to be what broke me, but it made me stronger. Proved that I was loveable and ready to begin my life with their baby.

Reed is the icing on every birthday cake I’ve never had and all the ones I’ll have in the future.

With my family at my side, I know I can handle anything life throws at me.

Epilogue Two

Reed

Staring down at Hope as she feeds our daughter, her eyes closed, humming a lullaby, I think I fall de

eper in love with them both. Leslie came screaming into the world a little over an hour ago after a harrowing eight-hour labor that damn near made me cry because I couldn’t alleviate Hope’s pain.

You’d never know it now, though. She glows with happiness. I’ve never seen her more radiant than in this moment.

“I think she’s done,” Hope murmurs, kissing the top of Leslie’s head, her light hair curly and soft.

“I’ll do it.” I take our daughter from her hands and lay her against my chest, rubbing gentle circles across her back and patting softly.

“Tell me I can come in now?” Luca pokes his head in. He’s been waiting for the nursing session to finish, and I’ve never seen a more eager uncle than this man.

“Come in, Luca.” Hope waves him in.

Handing the baby over to Luca, it’s comical how tiny she is in his hands. Luca is a big guy, and our girl is barely six pounds.

“Christ, she’s beautiful,” he murmurs as I sit next to Hope on the bed.

“Yeah, she is,” I whisper, kissing my girl’s temple.

“I meant the kid, asshole.” Luca laughs.

A knock on the door announces another guest, and my girl waves her in. Peyton, my partner's sister-in-law, enters with a bag of goodies.

Not seeing Luca holding the baby off to the side, she immediately begins talking. “Okay, so I’ve been playing with recipes and talking to nutritionists, and I have made the tastiest, and probably best cookies to help with lactation, so you don’t suffer through dry nipple–”

“Ahem.” Luca clears his throat, and Peyton spins to see him standing there. Her face turns brighter than a tomato. “I really don’t want to hear anything about my sister's nipples.

Over the past few months, Hope and Peyton have become quite close, and Luca is often a bit of his usual jerk-self to the girl.

“I didn’t know you were here,” she hisses. They have a love-hate relationship, and I think it’s because they’re into each other.

“Alright, everyone.” A nurse comes in. “Time to go. We’ve got to get Mom cleaned up a bit more and show dad a few tricks. Neither of you wants to witness this.” Taking the baby out of Luca’s arms, she shoos them both out the door. Peyton leaves her bag of goodies on the chair. Laughing as she turns to hand Hope the baby, the nurse whispers, “You need rest. Tell them to come see you at home tomorrow.” The nurses here are whip smart because I agree.

With Leslie asleep between us, I brush the stray hairs away from Hope’s face. “You did good, pretty girl.”

“We did good, Reed.” I’ve never seen such joy radiate off her before. She’s at peace, and it’s a look I’m growing to love very much.

“Marry me, Hope.” I slide a ring on her finger before she can say a word.

“Yes.” Her eyes don’t open as she grips my hand and places it under her head.

A contentment I never knew I was missing has cocooned us in its embrace. And even though we've had our share of adversity, I couldn’t be happier with my little family and very much look forward to expanding as soon as humanly possible.

Starting with a wedding and ending with another pregnancy.