Heidi takes a deep breath and as the contraction comes on, she gives that final push.
Our daughter comes out and the doctor wraps her in a blanket before handing her off to Brylee. She takes her in her arms with tears streaming down her face. “Hello, beautiful girl,” Brylee whispers. “I’ve waited so long to meet you.”
I stare across at Bry with our little girl and I can hardly believe what I’m seeing. It’s the most precious moment I’ve ever been honored enough to witness. Bry’s head rises and her gaze zones in on mine. She’s never looked so damn happy.
My chest aches and I find myself making my way around to them.
I step into Brylee’s side, curling my arm around her waist, completely zoned out to the flurry of activity happening around me. Bry keeps staring down at our little girl. “Do you see her?”
“Yeah, Freckles,” I whisper taking in the soft lines of her skin and the beautiful big blue eyes that stare up at us. “She’s absolutely breathtaking.”
Heidi’s hand reaches out and brushes over the blanket that keeps my daughter warm. “Does she have a name?” she whispers, completely exhausted.
I meet Bry’s eyes and they light up in excitement. We’ve been discussing this non-stop for the past few weeks. I have my heart set on Violet or Emma, but seeing Brylee’s face, I know she’s about to get her way, though I can’t find it within me to be upset. “Yeah,” Bry smiles, looking back at Heidi. “This is Willow Heidi Wilder.”
Heidi presses a hand to her heart as she watches the child who she so generously gifted us in adoration. “Thank you,” she whispers as a tear rolls down her face. “I know I did the right thing. You two are going to make such great parents. Willow is so lucky to have you both.”
I step forward and Take Heidi’s hand. “No, we’re the lucky ones. You’ve given us this incredible gift and there’s no way we’ll ever be able to thank you enough. We owe you the world.”
Heidi nods. “That means a lot,” she tells me. “All I ask is that you give her an amazing, incredible life, one that I’d never be able to give her.”
“We will,” Brylee whispers.
The midwives ask us to step out of the room to give Heidi a bit of privacy and ushers us into the nursery where Willow can be cleaned up and weighed. We watch on with eager eyes, neither one of us wanting to miss a single second.
Midwives come in and out and soon enough, it’s just the three of us.
I take a seat on the couch and Brylee drops down into my lap as she gently rocks Willow’s bassinet. I curl my arms around her waist as Willow sleeps soundly, both of us just watching her in awe. “We did good,” I tell my beautiful wife. “Really fucking good.”
Brylee nods, turning back to me and pressing her lips against mine in a gentle kiss that has my heart filling with love. “Yeah,” she agrees with a whisper. “We really did.”