He leaned down to kiss me, then placed a gentle kiss on our daughter’s forehead. We stayed like for a few moments, the three of us soaking in the moment like magic.
Ryan shifted his weight. “Should I get everyone?” he asked the nurses.
“It’s up to your wife,” one of them said, and my heart skipped a beat.
I hadn’t agreed to marry Ryan yet, but I knew I would. The next time he asked, I’d say yes with no hesitation. I wanted to be his wife, and a part of me hated that I’d made him wait.
Right now, as we stared together at the precious baby girl we’d created, I wished that I shared his last name as we’d brought her into this world. I always assumed that I’d never drop my maiden name since Matson had it as well, but once Ryan talked about adopting him, all that changed. The four of us would be Fishers, something I never even considered a possibility until Ryan came into my life.
It seemed so simple, something insignificant in this day and age, but it was a bigger deal to me than I’d expected. Sharing Ryan’s last name was something I found myself desperate to do, and I hoped he asked me to marry him again soon. The last time he asked would be the last time I told him no.
“Did you hear that, angel? It’s up to you, my wife.” Ryan winked, and I couldn’t help but smile at him.
“Matson first,” I said. “And by himself, please.”
Ryan nodded, then stepped outside the room.
I looked down at the sweet girl on my chest, tracing her little features gently with a fingertip as she wavered between staring up at me and falling asleep.
It felt like Ryan had only been gone two seconds, and then he was back at my side with my first love, my son.
“Can I touch her?” Matson asked as he scooted onto the bed next to me.
“Of course you can.”
Not entirely sure what to do, he petted her head as if she were a puppy. I stopped myself from giggling, but it was sweet. She was so tiny in comparison to him, and I flashed back to when Matson was first born and how quickly the time had passed. How was my sweet baby already ten years old?
“She’s so little,” he whispered.
I smiled at him and kissed his cheek. “I know. You were that little once too.”
“That’s weird.” Matson hopped off the bed. “I can hold her when she’s awake, right?”
I glanced down and noticed that she had fallen asleep. “Of course you can,” I said, and his face lit up.
“You’re not disappointed it’s a girl?” Ryan asked, and Matson turned to look at him.
“Nah. I get to beat people up, remember?” Matson said the words so matter-of-factly that there was no arguing with him.
I shot Ryan a look that told him he was going to have to deal with that later, and he just shrugged.
“Want to go get everyone else for me?” Ryan asked Matson.
“They can come in now?” My son looked at me for permission, and when I nodded, his expression filled with concern. “It’s a lot of people, Mama.”
“It’s okay. They’re all family,” I said, and the words hit me like the force of a wave. This was my family now. Ryan’s brothers and their soon-to-be wives, his parents, and even Grant.
They filed in one at a time, filling the room, and each person took their turn cooing at the baby. Once everyone else had seen her, Ryan took her from my arms and held her for the first time.
He was nervous, concerned with holding her head properly, and my heart grew a little as I watched my mom show him how. Seeing Ryan Fisher holding our baby in his arms wasn’t something I was sure I’d ever get used to. I wanted a picture of it so badly, but my phone was God knows where.
Thankfully, Jess and Claudia both apparently read my mind. Each of them smiled at me, then pulled out their phones and took a few pics. I mouthed thank you to them, and they gave me a thumbs-up like it was something they’d planned.
“You’ve all been asking what her name is. So without further ado, I’d like you all to meet Apple Stem Fisher,” Ryan said with a grin.
My mom’s eyes widened comically, and his brothers’ expressions froze before they attempted to form normal smiles.
“Oh, that’s a lovely name,” Ryan’s mom lied.