“Hold out your arms,” she instructs. “Like a cradle against your chest.”
My arms move to position as Maya stands a few inches from me. “Like this?”
“Yeah. I’m gonna place her down, but you need to make sure that her neck and head are always supported. She’s not strong enough yet to hold it by herself, so you need to make sure that she’s comfortable.”
“And my other hand?”
“Just support her back and bottom.”
My fingers begin to shake as she slowly places Skye down into my arms, positioning her to lie so she’s comfortable and safe. Then Maya takes away her hands, and that’s when I realise I’m staring down at our child.
She looks up at me with those big brown eyes, and I almost lose it. Everything begins to blur, and my heart pounds heavier than it ever has before. This girl is mine. This pretty little lady is half of me, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to wrap my head around the idea.
How could I ever say I didn’t want her?
“She’s so small,” I say, blinking through my blurry vision.
“She was even smaller.” Maya steps back.
I want to look up, but I can’t. All I can do is look down at how precious she is.
“How much did she weigh when she was born?” I ask, desperate to know all the details.
“Six pounds and two ounces.”
My nose tingles and I sniffle. “She’s so beautiful,” I say as my voice cracks.
After that, I can’t stop crying.
When I finally look up, tears clinging to my cheeks, Maya is staring back at us with watery eyes of her own. She clears her throat and looks away, but Skye wriggles, and my attention is immediately brought back to her.
I panic for a moment, and then Maya is there, holding my arms still. “She likes to wriggle,” she says with a sniffle. “Just hold her tight.”
“I-I don’t want to drop her.”
Maya shakes her head. “You won’t drop her.”
“She’s so perfect,” I mumble through my quivering throat. “I’ve never known anything to be so little and so perfect.”
Maya’s hands are still on my arms as she stands close, and I’m grateful for the support because I’ve never held a baby before, I don’t know how anything works, and I’ve got a lot to learn.
“Yeah, she’s perfect.”
I watch as Maya runs a finger down the edge of her cheek, and she releases a little yawn. I had no idea a baby could be this adorable, let alone knowing she carries my genes.
“How did you pick the name Skye?”
“I just thought it was pretty.”
I meet Maya’s eyes again, not realising how close we’re standing. “Very pretty. I love it.”
Maya’s cheeks tint a pale shade of pink as I focus on her.
“She has your eyes,” I whisper as I study Maya’s big brown irises.
“Yeah…although she could have had your green eyes.”
I frown as I look up at her. “No, I love that she has your eyes.”
