“Oh my gosh,” she says in surprise. “Look, she’s feeding.”
“Of course she is. I think she can probably tell when you’re stressed, is all. And this is new for both of you, for all of us, but we’ll get through it together, okay? You’re doing amazing,” I say, reaching out to cup her cheek.
“Do you think?” she asks, studying my face.
Noah moves to sit on her other side. “Yes, we do, but lean on us okay, when you’re struggling. Don’t suffer in silence or think you’re not doing your best, because you absolutely are.”
“Thank you,” she whispers, as Noah’s lips graze her temples.
“You don’t ever have to thank us. We’re a family. We do this as a team.”
She sniffs again. “See you always know the right things to say to me,” she says, this time to Noah, though her eyes stay fixed on Rosie, her little palm holding onto the flamingo comforter that Avery gifted her.
“Now someone is just trying to get their wicked way with us,” he replies, winking.
She laughs, the sound a soothing balm to my soul.
“I think my body needs some time before it’s ready to go there again, but I mean, I’m more than happy to watch you both play. Well, when she’s asleep, obviously.”
I lean over and whisper, “Now that is something I can get behind.”
“I heard that,” Noah replies.
I look over Jessica’s shoulder. “You were meant to.”
He cocks a brow. “Promises, promises,” he replies.
“Oh it is, believe me, and if our girl wants a show, you’ll be damn straight that’s exactly what we’ll give her.”
Truth is, between Jessica giving birth and coming home and getting settled, it’s been a whirlwind.
But between the three of us, I’m confident we’ll get into some sort of routine eventually.
“I’d settle for sleep first,” Jessica says, and Noah chuckles.
If one of us is up, we’re all up, it’s why Noah and I took paternity leave.
Jessica rests her head back and closes her eyes. At first I think she’s joking, but within seconds she’s sleeping. I sit back as does Noah, our gazes flitting between one another before going back to Rosie.
Aspen comes and lays down at our feet.
I soak up the moment, knowing that I’m the luckiest bastard in the world.
Epilogue
NOAH
I sit here, my gaze alternating between Jessica and Rosie, taking it all in.
“You already want another one, don’t you?” Caleb says, his eyes finding mine.
Smiling, I nod. “Yeah, but only if and when she’s ready. She was fucking amazing, wasn’t she?”
Caleb’s fingers trail over her shoulder. “She really was.”
Seeing her give birth was something I will never forget. I’m in awe of her strength. She created a miracle, and I can’t even begin to understand the amount of pain she went through.
She told us it was painful, but once Rosie was in her arms, the pain took second place. Like she knows it hurt, but it’s hard to explain.
