Cherished (Wanted 4)

Jeff walked up to me and kissed me on the cheek. He took Grace from my arms and walked back toward Heather and Josh. I sat there and watched my husband with our daughter. I’d been through a flood of emotions the last few months—overwhelming happiness to sadness to nothing but anger. During the last two weeks, I’d finally felt normal. I thought back to when my mother and I had had lunch a month after Grace was born. She’d insisted that I had postpartum depression.

I shook my head and took a deep breath. I couldn’t pull my eyes from Jeff. Luke came up and started pulling on my shirt, trying to get my attention. I leaned down and whispered for him to go attack Gunner.

When I looked back up, I saw Jeff walking with Grace. He was talking to her, and she was just staring back at him.

What is he saying to her?

I watched him walk away from everyone. I quickly glanced over to Gunner and saw him chasing Luke and Alex. I started to make my way over to where Jeff was sitting on the tree swing with Grace. I snuck up and stood behind another tree as I listened to him talk to her.

“Oh, Grace Hope, I don’t think you’ll ever know how much I love you and how you’ll always be my baby girl. Your mommy says you’ve already got me wrapped around your little finger, and even though I’ll never admit it…you do. You’re so precious, and you look so much like your mommy. Your mother is so beautiful, Grace, and she takes my breath away with just one look at her.”

Oh. My. God. My heart was beating so hard, and I felt the tears beginning to sting my eyes.

“Even when she leans over in the morning with her terrible, yucky bad breath as she says good morning to me, she still captivates me.”

Bastard!

“I love her so much, and I love you and Luke so much, too. The three of you are my whole world, but you…you are my special little gift. Your big sister brought you to us, and I know she’ll always be with you—just like she’s with your mom and your big brother and me.”

I grabbed my angel necklace as I put my head against the tree, and I just let the tears fall.

“You see, Grace, I made a terrible mistake one day, and I walked away from your mommy when she needed me the most. I’ll never forgive myself for that. Your mommy has…but I won’t.”

No…oh, Jeff, no. I felt my heart slam in my chest, and I placed my hand over my mouth to keep from crying harder. I looked back up and continued to watch Jeff talk to Grace.

“Then, you came along. And just with that first sight of you in your mommy’s tummy, I had the strangest feeling come over me.”

Jeff held Grace out in front of him, and she just stared at him, like she was looking into his soul. It was all I could do to just stand there and watch it all unfold.

“You healed me, Grace Hope. Mommy says everything happens for a reason, and I think she’s right. But shhh…don’t ever tell her I said that. It’ll go to her head.”

I grinned as I watched a little smile move across Grace’s face. I sucked in a breath of air. If I hadn’t known any better, I would swear she knew what he was saying.

“Now, this might be a little too early to talk to you about this, but someday…” He started to shake his head as he sat Grace down on his lap. “Someday, some nasty boy is going to come along and try to take you from me, and you’re going to want to go with him. It’s going to break my heart for sure, but I’m going to have to let you go. I can only hope that you have the heart of your mother.”

He let out a laugh as Grace started hopping up and down, making noises.

“Oh, Grace…your mother is a firecracker. She’s tough as nails, but at the same time, she’s the sweetest angel from God. I pray every night that you’ll be like her. Don’t ever take any crap from anyone. If a boy ever makes you feel less than what you are, walk away. No…first, kick him in the balls for making you feel that way, and then walk away.”

I held my hand tight against my mouth. I was unsure if I should be crying harder or laughing.

“You need someone like Gunner. Your Aunt Ellie is so lucky to have your daddy’s best friend as her husband. He loves her so much, and he treats her so good. He is just a good ole country boy. I’ll never, ever tell him this…but I admire him. He makes me want to be a better father and husband. But the stupid bastard is overly romantic, and sometimes, I’d like to knock the hell out of him. And now…now, Josh is the same way.” Jeff took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “But I love them both like brothers, and I know they would kill anyone who hurt any of y’all.”

Grace let out another little laugh. Jeff stood up as he brought her up to his chest, and he started slowly dancing with her. I couldn’t possibly love him any more than I did in this very moment. As he started to sing “My Little Girl” by Tim McGraw to Grace, I slid down the tree. I buried my face as I listen

ed to my husband serenade our daughter, and I fell more in love with him as the seconds passed by.

“I think we should get back to the birthday party. What do you say? Your mama is gonna wonder where we went.”

I stood and wiped the tears from my eyes. I watched as he started to head back toward the house. I tried to call for him, but nothing would come out.

“Jeff!” I finally shouted.

He jumped, and Grace started laughing, thinking he was bouncing her.

“Motherfucker! Ari, you scared the shit out of me,” he said.

I walked up to him, and then I reached up and smacked him on the head. “Don’t swear in front of her like that! You want her to walk around, cursing like Luke?”