“McKenna, I have something for you.” He nods to my husband, who pulls a small white box out of the diaper bag. He sets the box in front of me and takes our now sleeping daughter out of my arms.
“What is this?” I turn to look at Gramps over my shoulder.
“Open it,” he urges.
Doing as I’m told, I open the small box that appears to be business cards. Pulling one out, I feel tears well in my eyes.
“You’ll always be a Dawson, but you’re a Callahan now too. I thought it was fitting that the office that is now yours takes your name.”
Looking down at the business card I just retrieved from that box, I see Callahan Law in bold lettering at the top. “Gramps,” I say, swallowing back my tears.
“There will be a crew there on Monday to change the signage on the building. It’s all yours now, McKenna. You’ve earned it, sweetheart.”
“I love you.” I stand and hug him, and then Gram.
“Speech!” Colby calls out, and I smile. He couldn’t have made this any easier on me, and he doesn’t even know it.
Rip
My wife smiles through her tears. She’s beautiful, and I love her more each and every day. I glance down at my little girl sleeping in my arms, and I can’t help but think that I got my wish. She looks just like her mommy, and that thrills me.
“Thank you all for being here. Gramps, this is supposed to be your party.” She laughs.
“Humor me,” he tells her.
She nods. “When I was seven years old, you and Gram took me in. I was broken and scared, but then you introduced me to the little girl next door.” She smiles at Laramie. “We became fast friends, and she brought me out of my shell.
“Then, there was her brother.” She looks at me with so much love and adoration that I’m glad I’m sitting down because I’m certain that look would bring me to my knees. “He was always looking out for me, and one day he found me in the treehouse, playing on my own, and he offered to marry me.” She smiles.
“The best decision I ever made,” I tell her.
“Anyway, fast-forward, and I felt so much love and protection, and I attributed that to Gramps being an attorney and fighting to keep me. Even at a young age, I knew I wanted to be that person for some other little boy or girl. I wanted to be the one to fight for those who couldn’t fight for themselves.” She wipes at her eyes.
“Somewhere along the way, with all the studying and planning for my future, I had a dream of a man who would sweep me off my feet, and we’d live happily ever after.” She pauses to collect herself. “When I came home from college, and these two and Corbin convinced us to reenact that moment all those years ago, I thought they were crazy. Little did I know that was the path to our future.
“Two years ago, our lives took a turn.” Her eyes flash to Gemma, where she sleeps in my arms. “It was unexpected and wonderful. Life has been good to me. I have the two of you,” she says to her grandparents. “My best friend, who is now my sister.” She smiles at Laramie. “A niece I adore, a brother-in-law and in-laws that I couldn’t love more if they were my own,” she says, glancing at my parents.
Everyone murmurs how much they love her and that they’re the lucky ones, and then her eyes land on me. “And my husband and our beautiful baby girl. Rip, you fought for our family. You didn’t let me push you away, and I can’t tell you how thankful I am for you. For your love, for Gemma.” She smiles, blinking hard to keep her tears at bay. “I actually have something for you.” She hands me the small gift bag.
“Let me,” Dad says, taking a sleeping Gemma from my arms.
“What is this?” I ask my wife.
“Just open it.”
Knowing she’s not going to tell me, I reach into the bag and pull out a picture frame. It’s a picture of Gemma standing in what appears to be the hallway of our house just off the kitchen. Beside her is a chalkboard. I read the writing and then read it again to make sure I’m reading it correctly.
My role as an only child is coming to an end. Mommy is due with my new best friend.
“Kenna?” I look at my wife, and she nods.
I stand and pull her into my arms, kissing her tenderly. “We’re having a baby?”