Page 11 of Addiction

A flicker of excitement hits my stomach as I look over at the bundle of pink that Mom is now holding. Rubbing my hand over the scruff of my beard, I nod, the smile slowly spreading across my face.

I’ve seen many photos of my niece, but I know that there is nothing more precious than the moment I’m about to have. "I'd love to."

Taking little Ava from Mom, Nora walks over to me, her face full of adoration as she talks quietly to her daughter. “You finally get to meet your Uncle Asher, baby girl. Now he may look scary, but he’s just a big cuddly bear.”

Holding my arms out, I take a hold of my niece and stare down at her in awe. She is as light as a feather with big bright eyes. Her little pink dress is dotted with tiny white flowers and a soft pink Alice band sits in her dark hair. Her little arms and legs curl up as her beautiful face scrunches before she yawns. Rocking her gently, and letting her tiny hand curl around my finger, I talk softly to her.

“Hey, angel. Uncle Asher has been dying to meet you,” I murmur. “All your Mommy talked about in her letters was you.”

She is beautiful—a little bundle of pure joy—and like my heart knows how to react, the love I have for her already is second to none.

My little niece.

Pride I’ve never felt hits me hard, and I look up to Nora with tears in my eyes. "She is beautiful, Nora," I whisper. "I'm so proud of you."

With her own eyes glistening, Nora steps closer, placing her hand on my arm. "I'm proud of you, too. I'm so glad to have you home."

“Me too,” I whisper, looking back at Ava. “Is she good?”

“She is, but my god does she have a pair of lungs on her.”

“Takes after her mother for that,” Grayson adds.

Leaning down, I press a tender kiss on her head. Her skin is so soft as I inhale that pure baby smell. “You smell gorgeous.”

“She didn’t an hour ago when she pooped up her back.” Nora chuckles.

“Nasty.”

“I honestly don’t know where it comes from. She poops out more than she eats.”

"She’s still beautiful though,” I add.

Nora’s arm snakes around my back, her fingers now playing with Ava’s other hand. "Isn't she? I'm pretty proud that I made her."

"We made her," Grayson adds from across the room as he helps Mom in the kitchen.

"And now that Uncle Asher is home, I'm going to protect you just like I did your mommy."

"Jeez, look out, Ava, Uncle Asher will be locking you in your room until you're twenty because Mommy was never allowed to breathe."

I raise a brow at her. "I wasn't that bad."

"You had your moments." She pauses, her eyes glistening again. "You had a lot of moments. But this moment right here is the best one of all.”

“I’m going to make every moment count, Nora. I promise.”

“I’m glad to hear that. I’ve missed you; you know that?”

“I know.” I nod. “I’ve missed you, too, and I know you’re mad with me for not wanting you to visit and that’s not because I didn’t want to see you but—”

“I understand, Asher,” she interjects. “I mean, I was hurt because I felt you were closing the door on all the progress we’d made in rebuilding our relationship after the accident, but then after having Ava, I understood. You were just protecting me.”

“That’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. I just lost myself in the process because everything got too much.”

She smiles, just as the little bundle of joy in my arms squirms again, this time letting the whole house know that she’s here with her high-pitched cry.

“Shit. You weren’t wrong about her lungs.” I chuckle.