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Austin took Sandra’s other hand in his left and stretched his right arm across the back of the bed, leaning toward me. I took his upturned hand with my left one and held hers with my right.
Holding on as long as we could, we watched as our friend gave us the most precious gift. At three-forty-five a.m., Charlotte Wentworth-Rowan entered the world, crying and melting her daddies’ hearts on the spot. She was immediately given to Sandra while the medical staff tended to her.
“Would you like to cut the cord, Dad?” the doctor asked.
I nodded. “Yes. Thank you.”
With her cord clamped, the nurses took her to check her vitals and to weigh her. Austin and I followed and stayed right by her side as they checked her out. We watched as another nurse put a tiny hospital band around her wrist, then did the same to me, then to Austin.
I looked down at ‘Baby Girl Rowan’ on the label as uncontrolled tears filled my eyes again. The nurse put a hand on my shoulder and smiled. “Make sure not to remove these until you’re home,” she added. “No mix-ups allowed.”
When the baby was swaddled and wearing her little pink cap, the other nurse handed her to me.
“Here you go, Dad. Hold her like a football. I’m sure you know how to do that,” she said softly, placing our eight-pound baby girl in my arms.
I chuckled as Austin stepped over and encircled us in his arms. He leaned in and kissed my cheek as I held her close to my chest. Tears filled my eyes as I memorized everything about her.
“I love you,” I whispered to him before leaning down to kiss her.
“And I love you,” he replied. “Now I’ll have a part of you forever.”
More tears escaped as Austin reached over and wiped them away. “Greer,” he scolded, “don’t get the baby wet.”
I smiled and got a hold of myself.
Looking down into the drowsy bluish-green eyes, all goopy with antibacterial gel, I spoke to her for the first time. “I love you so much. Welcome to the world, Charlotte. I’m your papa,” I whispered to her, kissing her forehead.
“And I’m your dad,” Austin added, kissing her on the top of her head.
We stood there together, oblivious to the world around us, counting her fingers and rubbing a gentle finger over her face. I kissed her little forehead again before handing her to him.
“Your turn, Dad,” I said, handing her gently over to him. Austin cradled her in his big arms as she made little baby noises. She blinked sleepily at him as he spoke to her. “You are so loved, sweetheart. We’re going to protect you and love you. And when you’re old enough, we’re going to teach you about football and take you to see the monkeys and sea turtles in our favorite place in the world.”
I glanced over my shoulder at Sandra and Bill, my heart filling with gratitude that I’d never be able to repay. I walked up beside the bed, took her hand, then gave her a kiss on the head. “Thank you,” I whispered to her, overcome with emotion. “I can never repay you for what you’ve given us.”
Sandra looked at me with exhausted eyes. “Yes, you can, Greer—by being happy. You and Austin deserve that. You’ve spent so much time alone. Take that baby girl and give her all that love the two of you have to share.”
I nodded and looked back over at Austin. He was still talking to her, making me smile.
For the longest time, I was sure he’d hate me forever. And I was so glad he didn’t. This life we had was more than I ever dreamed of.
Glancing up at me, he gave me that same smile that had wrecked me all those years ago. “Get in here, Papa,” he said, holding out an arm for me.
As I walked toward my husband and our daughter, I was filled with an immense sense of love and happiness. I looked down at Charlotte, who was asleep again, worn out from being born.
We were going to have a beautiful life, and I was so grateful to have them.
EPILOGUE
AUSTIN
FIVE YEARS LATER
“It’s okay, Papa. Don’t be sad. I’ll come home,” Charlotte said, her arm around Greer’s neck as he carried her to the car to buckle her in.
I tried to conceal my amusement at his discomfort, but it was more than I could hide as I buckled Addison into his car seat. Our three-year-old looked up at me with Greer’s light hazel eyes full of concern.
“Da-dee, why is Papa sad?”
