The nurse breezed into the room, pushing one of those clear bed thingies they kept the babies in. Oh my God! Did it make me a horrible mother that I didn’t know the name for them? Had I already failed at this whole parenting thing before I even had a chance?
She picked the baby up and placed her in my arms. “Here you go, mommy.”
Mommy.
I was a mom.
I was responsib
le for this tiny human being.
She was mine for the rest of my life.
I really hoped I didn’t fuck this up.
My daughter stared up at me, her pink lips pouted. She wiggled her arms out of the pink blanket she was wrapped in, like she was trying to reach out to me. I held my finger out and she wrapped her tiny hand around it.
“Wow,” Memphis gasped from beside me. “She’s perfect.”
He was right. She was. I’d never seen a more perfect baby.
I kissed her wrinkly forehead and felt tears spring to my eyes. I was so relieved that she was healthy and we had nothing to worry about. I’d been so afraid I might lose her.
I pushed the hat she wore off her head and was shocked to discover a dusting of blonde hair. I’d expected it to be dark like mine, but she was all Caelan except for her lips. Even her eyes were his shade of blue.
“I love her so much.” My words were thick with tears. “How is that possible?” I asked Memphis.
He reached over, running his finger over her plump cheek. “Because she’s amazing.”
Even though she wasn’t his daughter I could see the love in his eyes.
Kissing my temple, he murmured, “We’re a family.”
I closed my eyes, absorbing his words. I was so happy and I knew I was exactly where I was always meant to be.
Tweaking her nose, he asked, “What are you going to name her?”
As soon as I looked at her, I knew exactly what her name was supposed to be. “Cayla,” I breathed. “Her name is Cayla.”
CHAPTER 36
Caelan
“Do you know what today is?” Leah asked, her excitement palpable as she jumped on the bed.
I rubbed my eyes, racking my brain for what she could be talking about. “Uh…I have no idea. Enlighten me.”
“It’s your one year anniversary!” She clapped.
“We haven’t been dating for a year,” I stated, looking at her like she’d lost her mind.
She rolled her eyes and sat down on the bed beside me. “I meant you’ve been clean for one year.”
“Oh.”
Was it crazy that I wasn’t even aware a year had past?
“We need to celebrate!”