“I love you,” Noah replies. “All of you.”
“Not as much as I love you all,” Caleb replies.
I want to argue, to tell him that’s impossible because no one has ever loved as much as I love them.
But I feel it in the very recesses of my soul, the conviction of his words. And I would never insult them by saying otherwise because I love them all just as fiercely.
“I can’t wait for Aspen to meet her baby sister,” I whisper, still in absolute awe at the bundle in my arms.
“She’s going to love her,” Caleb replies. “I love that our family is growing.”
My heart feels as though it might burst from my ribcage at the sincerity in his voice.
“Are you saying you want to make another one,” Noah asks.
My jaw drops open, but Caleb nods without hesitation.
“I think my body might need some time to acclimatise first,” I reply with a laugh.
“You did amazing,” Noah replies.
“Magnificent,” Caleb says, brushing his fingertips over my cheekbone. “So that wasn’t a no,” he says with a tilt of his head.
I smile, because fuck me, when he looks at me like that, I don’t think I’m capable of saying no.
“You’ll need to wait at least six weeks before any of that,” a familiar voice says, causing us all to look up and smile as Avery hovers in the doorway, her eyes going straight to Rosie, before she covers her mouth with her hand. A muffled, “Oh my god,” leaves her lips.
Caleb stands. “Come and meet our daughter,” he says proudly.
Her eyes glisten as she walks towards my bed, her steps tentative.
“Jessica, she’s beautiful,” she says, her voice hushed as she places a flamingo gift bag on the bedside table.
“Do you want to hold her?” Noah asks as he moves out of the chair from beside my bed.
Her eyes flick between the three of us, she points her thumb towards herself. “Me, really?”
I nod. “Of course.”
“Let me wash my hands first.”
She moves to the small sink and washes her hands with precision. She would put a surgeon to shame, and it only makes me love her more.
Drying them off, she uses the foot pedal to discard the paper towels before rubbing her hands together. She leans over and gives me a quick hug and kiss to the cheek before taking the seat Noah just vacated.
“Okay, give her to me.”
Noah leans over me and gently takes Rosie from my arms and places her in Avery’s.
She smiles, sniffing back tears as she stares at her with the same awe and wonder as we do.
I know without even having to ask that there isn’t anything she wouldn’t do for her. It’s why, along with Mason and Lily, we’re going to ask her to be Rosie’s godparent.
A sound has me looking towards the door again, where Mason is standing, his eyes fixed on Avery. He has a look on his face I can’t quite decipher.
“Mase,” I say, causing his gaze to move to mine.
“Sorry, I couldn’t find any parking. Room for one more?” he asks as he enters the room with a giant flamingo in his hand.
