Page 127 of The Golden Hour

“Well, of course. She has you for her mommy,” Mason winks. “She has no choice but to be brilliant.”

Honey rolls her eyes. “You’re so full of it.”

“I’m just telling the truth, baby,” Mason grins. “My brilliant, beautiful girls.”

Honey’s face softens, and her eyes dip briefly to the small space between them.

“Stop sleeping on the floor, Mason,” she whispers. “Sleep in the bed down the hall. I’m healed. I can lift her and change her diaper in the night.”

“It doesn’t bother me,” Mason says with a shrug, then immediately winces at the tightness in his shoulder.

Honey gives him a dry look.

“That bad,” he amends.

“Mason,” Honey sighs. “Stop torturing yourself.”

“Can’t help it.”

“Try,” Honey says, her voice firm. “That’s not accountability. That’s just trying to make yourself feel better. But it only makes me feel worse.”

Mason feels a little chagrined at that.

She’s right. Again.

“You’re doing everything right,” Honey says. “At least, at home. You’re a wonderful father to her.”

Mason shakes his head. “I wasn’t when you were pregnant.”

“She doesn’t know that. She knows you now. She knows your voice when you butcher Springsteen,” Honey teases, Mason looking mock-offended. “She knows who to pee on⁠⁠—”

“I swear to God, I think your mother taught her that.”

Honey giggles, and the sound wraps around Mason like a warm blanket.

“She knows her Daddy,” Honey smiles, squeezing his hand. “She loves her Daddy.”

“Her Daddy loves her,” Mason smiles. “She’s amazing…”

Honey beams. “She is, isn’t she? I can’t believe we made her.”

“You made her,” Mason counters. “You did all the work. You created something so beautiful, Honey. I… I can’t even breathe when I think about both of you. She’s just like a little you, it’s…”

Honey blushes.

Mason exhales shakily with a grin. “…everything I ever wanted.”

Warm silence stretches for a long moment, both parents getting lost as they glance at Daisy. Their daughter snores on, unaware that she is the gravity that pulls everyone together. She just dreams happily, and that fills Mason with hope and true happiness.

“She has your smile,” Honey whispers.

Mason snaps his gaze to her, but she keeps her eyes on Daisy, a bright smile on her face.

“I’m so happy she does,” Honey adds quietly, almost like she meant to keep it to herself. “I wanted that so badly…”

Honey’s still looking at Daisy, but Mason’s eyes are on his wife.

He holds her hand beneath the covers.