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Brady’s smile reached his eyes. Elizabeth, feeling his excitement through the phone, met his smile with her own, laughing with excitement at their news.
“Elizabeth, thanks so much for sharing this with me. I really appreciate it, but I need to get back to work. Keep in touch, okay?”
“I will, I promise.” She waved into the phone and hung up.Taking a deep breath, she sat there looking at the picture she still held. Her son, her boy. Joy filled her heart and her eyes. She snapped a picture of the ultrasound and sent it to Brady.
“Elizabeth?” She was jarred out of her thoughts and looked up at the two women who she forgot were in the room with her. Her mom came over and sat down next to her, putting out her hand for the ultrasound picture, she hugged her daughter. “He’s beautiful already.”
“Mom, he looks like an alien in that picture.”
“It’s okay, I know he’s beautiful. I see his mother right here in front of me.”
Elizabeth gave her momma a big hug, and Jessica came and joined in on the excitement.
Elizabeth’s due date came and went with no contractions and no baby. She sent Brady texts daily to keep him in the know. Sometimes he answered, sometimes he didn’t, but Elizabeth tried hard not to worry too much about it. The nursery was ready, her suitcase was packed, and excitement and nerves filled every pain and bump she felt.
Finally, early on a Wednesday morning a few days after her due date, stomach pain woke Elizabeth. She went into the bathroom thinking she just needed to go, but the pain didn’t go away; it just increased. Walking surprisingly calmly down the hall, she knocked on her parents’ door.
Less than an hour later she was at the hospital getting ready to deliver her baby. The contractions hurt, labor was harder and more painful than she thought, but once the epidural was in, things settled down, and just five hours after getting to the hospital, a warm, wet, and wrinkled bundle was placed in her arms.
Jackson Grant Parks-Warren was perfect. His little face was scrunched up in a wail that filled Elizabeth’s heart with love. Her mother, who was in the delivery room with her, cried at the sight of her baby holding a baby.
Jessica, along with Elizabeth’s parents, were at the hospital most of the first day. Brady, though he was invited, decided to wait until she went home to visit and meet his son. He and Elizabeth have only seen each other once since she sent him the text with the ultrasound. He stopped by her house and stayed for a bit, dropping off some gifts from his family.
Elizabeth was still unsure about her feelings for Brady. She wasn’t sure that she could give him what he wanted, and she hoped they could at least stay friends for the baby’s sake.She couldn’t deny though that she missed him.
The next morning, Elizabeth was alone with her son. He was nursing; finally getting the hang of it. Elizabeth was amazed at the precious little bundle who needed her like no one ever had before. His fingers and toes were so little, and his skin was soft and new. Everything about him was perfect.
Glancing into her baby son’s eyes, Elizabeth became overwhelmed with the thought that she no longer had to wonder if she would ever find true love and happiness. She had, with this gift she held in her arms.
The peace and trust she saw there in those little, brown eyes filled her with awe. She caressed his soft chunky cheeks, leaned down to kiss his tiny nose.
“You are my little man. The one I have always prayed for. God knew I was meant to be your momma.”
The amazement and peace that filled her took her breath away. She might not understand why, but she now realized she was where God meant for her to be and in those tiny, little, brown eyes was where she would find her peace and her forever love.
Grant, as he was going to be called, was introduced to his home and bedroom on Friday morning.
Balloons and flowers from loving family and friends filled his room. Elizabeth relaxed in the glider, holding her son, and rocking him. She had a hard time putting him down and tearing herself away, so she just rocked and stared at his perfect little features. He was sleeping. She was content.
It had only been a couple days, but the feelings that went through Elizabeth were more intense than anything she thought possible. Her need to be loved changed. She now felt she only needed the love of her son, this beautiful boy. Becoming a mother made her stronger. Even though she wanted a relationship and a man to love her, she didn’t need one. The unrelenting search she found herself in for years had come to a screeching halt the second this bundle of perfection was placed in her arms.
Yes, she still wanted more love, that of a man, but the love of this little person was enough for her, for now, unless…
There was a knock on the door although the door stood wide open. Elizabeth, startled, looked up. She expected to see Jessica, but instead it was Brady standing there.
Her eyes grew wide with surprise and her heart beat sped up, but she quickly gained her composure and waved him in. He cautiously walked toward her with a look of nervousness on his face.
She smiled with pleasure and confidence when she saw him. Her heart skipped a beat when their eyes met. She saw so much of this man before her in their son. Grant’s coloring was dark like Brady’s, and his dark curly hair was his father’s.
“Hi.” Elizabeth stood up carefully and walked over to Brady smiling wide. “I’m glad you’re here. Meet your son, Jackson Grant Parker-Warren.” Brady looked down at the sleeping bundle in Elizabeth’s arms, then up at her and gave her an amazed smile, his eyes wide.
“He’s amazing. You gave him the name Warren?”
Elizabeth smiled at him. “Of course, you are his father.”
Brady reached out, placing one hand on her arm, and the other hand touched the soft skin of the baby in her arms. His son.
Brady gently caressed the baby’s little arms and tiny fingers. Looking up he met Elizabeth’s eyes and held her gaze. He smiled at her with amazement at the sight and feeling of their son. Elizabeth felt like she would melt in that look. Brady took her breath away. Her heart beat faster as Brady reached up and brushed her cheek.
