Evan had been more than an anxious father throughout this pregnancy—even though he’d tried not to show it. In the past few months she’d been scanned every week and when they’d mentioned yesterday that they wanted to deliver her due to the position of her placenta they’d both had a minute of heart failure.
Even though a C-section hadn’t been what she’d planned, the most important thing in the world was having a healthy baby.
She dropped more kisses on her daughter’s eyelids, watching the rise and fall of her little chest. Moments like these were precious. And all she wanted to do right now was count her blessings.
The doors swung open and the family invasion began.
“She’s beautiful!”
“Let me see her!”
“Can I hold her?”
Evan slid on the bed next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Riley looked at the baby and shuddered. “How are my girls doing?”
She loved it. She loved the way he said it and the tenderness in his eyes.
“We’re doing fine.” She snuggled against him. “But you were away too long.”
She looked up at her family. She could see the tears in her mother’s eyes as she leaned over to see her new granddaughter. She could see the relief written across her brother’s face.
She watched the smile that he and Callie exchanged as he reached over for his squirming toddler and balanced him on his hip. Becoming a dad suited Sawyer, more than she could ever have imagined.
“Do you have a name?” he asked.
Violet turned to Evan and smiled. “Are you sure it’s okay?”
He nodded. “It’s beautiful and it suits her perfectly.”
Violet turned to her family. “We thought long and hard about a name. I was worried about family traditions.” She wrinkled her nose. “Evan’s family has a whole host of unusual names. But we’ve settled on one we both love.” She tilted her daughter upward, pulling the blanket down from under her chin. “So, everyone, meet Rose. Rose Hunter. My beautiful daughter.”
She smiled as Evan turned to her with a gleam in his eye. “And just think of all the other flowers we’ve got to choose from.”
* * * * *