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My mom, with a care package full of cozy socks, snacks, everything she wanted while she was in chemo.
Gray and Claire, with the kids in tow, here to see the new arrival.
Sadie and Eli, Sadie somehow closer with Piper already than I ever expected.
And the last person I expected to see.
Caleb.
He's the last to arrive with a bouquet of flowers in his hand, and a bottle of whiskey for me. I look at him for a second, his brow furrowed, and he chews on his lip.
"How's she doing?" he asks.
"She's great," I say. "It went well...and the baby is healthy. I'm...fuck, Caleb, I'm so..."
I trail off, my eyes burning. And before I have to even say anything else, Caleb grabs me in a bear hug.
"I'm so happy for you, man," he says, his voice gruff with emotion. "I know we've had our differences, but this is...this is just amazing."
I pull back, wiping away the tears that have started to fall. "Thank you," I say, my voice cracking. "Thank you for being here."
"Always," he says, clapping me on the back. "So...can I see her?"
I nod, leading him over to where Piper is holding our daughter. Piper sleeps restlessly, and Caleb is quiet enough not to wake her.
Caleb's face lights up as he gazes down at my daughter, his expression one of awe and wonder.
"She's beautiful," he says softly. "Looks just like you, man."
I chuckle, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. Maybe things won't always be easy between us, but in this moment, at least, we can put everything aside and just revel in the miracle of new life.
Piper gave us that.
Added to our family.
And I'll make sure she always feels at home.
Chapter twenty-one
Piper
I'msohappy.
Unbelievably happy.
So why do I feel like nothing is okay?
After my stay in the hospital, we come home to the Hart house. Everything is perfect; Hope is healthy, Jesse loves me, the family has taken me in without hesitation. I don't mind waking up in the middle of the night to feed Hope. In fact, it's the only time I feel right.
And that...that isn't normal, is it?
I lie next to Jesse in bed three nights after we get home, trying to shake off this feeling of unease. His breathing is deep and even, a comforting sound that should lull me to sleep. But instead, my mind is racing, jumping from thought to thought like a restless bird.
I glance over at the bassinet next to our bed. Hope is asleep, her tiny chest rising and falling with each breath. She's so innocent, so pure. And yet, I can't help but feel a twinge of resentment towards her.
It's not her fault, I remind myself. It's not her fault that my body feels foreign, that my emotions are a tangled mess. But still, I can't shake this feeling of...what? Regret? Longing for something I can't have?
Jesse stirs beside me, his eyes fluttering open. "What's wrong?" he whispers, his hand reaching out to brush my hair away from my face.
