Duke

“Doc?” he says, his voice so sad.

“She is small, and her lungs are less developed. We are going to have to put her in the NICU on a respirator.”

“How long is she going to have to be here?”

“It is too soon to tell. You can hold her for a second, but then we have to get her hooked up to the monitors.” I nod my head, with my arms open. She places this beautiful little baby, wrapped in a pink blanket in my arms. My heart melts and hurts.

“Duke,” I whimper, needing his arms around me right now.

“I know, precious. She is going to be okay. Our angel is going to be fine. She didn’t make it all this way, to be taken from us. Did you sweet girl?” He kisses the top of her head, before kissing mine. Looking up at him, I cry unsure of how to handle the anguish inside of me. I am so happy to be a mom and I am over the moon about my sons, but what does it say about me that right now, my heart is with this little surprise bundle, and I am afraid I don’t have room for the ones I was expecting?

“Angel,” I say to him. “I want to call her, Angel.”

“That’s perfect, precious.”

“Alright. It’s time for us to take her. As soon as we get her settled, we will let you know. Don’t worry. We will take care of your baby.” God, I hope so. I don’t think I will make it if she doesn’t.EpilogueDukeSeven Years LaterThe day my little Angel was born was the scariest of my life. We had no idea, from one day to the next if she was going to make it. However, she pulled through. She’s a fighter through and through. I felt so guilty that we didn’t know she was in there. I was so focused on my wanting boys that I somehow manifested it. Then she came out and she was so small. So fragile. For months we could only look at her in a plastic box until her lungs were strong enough. She stayed in the NICU for six months, until she got a clean bill of health. I prayed every day that she’d recover. I refused to leave the hospital, refused to eat until Esther made me. Thank God she didn’t fall apart like I did and took care of our boys. When we brought her home, she had some catching up to do with her brothers, but she thrived and exceeded them all.

Our little princess rules the house and she knows it. The boys are with Frannie and Baron right now as Esther and I watch Angel’s first dance recital. Dressed like a ladybug, she dances circles around the other girls. Of course, I can’t help crying as she does the little solo, she’s been working on for weeks now.

“Can you believe it?” Esther says, squeezing my hand.

“She’s amazing,” I say squeezing back.

“Our miracle,” she says.

When she’s done, I give her the bouquet of flowers I picked out and she jumps up into my arms.

“You did such a good job, baby girl,” I tell her.

“Thanks, Daddy. Let’s go get ice cream now,” she says. It’s our tradition after pretty much anything that they do. Pizza is a no-go for me still.

“You got it,” I say, setting her down. She walks in between Esther and I holding our hands as we walk to the car. Afterwards, we pick the boys up and head home. After dinner, we put the kids to bed and settle down to watch a movie in the living room.

“What a day,” she says, snuggling into my side.

“I never thought we’d get here,” I reply honestly.

“But we did,” she says climbing into my lap. I wrap my hands around her ass and pull her as close to me as I can.

“What’s on your mind?” I ask as she grinds her pussy onto me.

“Let’s have another baby,” she says. For the longest time she wanted to wait, focus on the quads, but this is good news.

“You got it, baby.” I’d give my queen anything she wants. Forget the bed, I take her on the couch over and over again. Finally, I carry her to bed, exhausted.

“I love you,” she murmurs before snuggling into her pillow.

“I love you too,” I tell her, kissing her again.

When I met Esther, I knew she was mine. The life we created together is one that I will never get enough of. She’s my everything and she’s given me everything. Our love knows no boundaries.