Page 158 of Blush Crush

Before I get a chance to respond, her face winces slightly as she breathes, like she’s not fully in pain, but there’s an awareness there. Something happening on the other side of the drape she can feel without feeling.

“Okay,” Sandy announces. “Baby A is coming.”

We debated not finding out the sex of the babies, but we both caved at the sixteen-week appointment. Ariana was convinced we were having girls. I was equally convinced they were boys.

We were both half right.

One boy. One girl. Another one of those kismet things I can’t help but feel is practically divine. Written in the stars or some shit.

Picking names after that was easy. We decided to honor our other halves, using their middle names. Our daughter will be named Annabelle, after Layla Annabelle. Our son will be named Conrad, after Miles Conrad.

A ferocious cry sounds, Ariana’s face crumples, and mine isn’t far behind.

“Baby A is a girl,” Sandy calls out, briefly raising her high enough above the drape for me to see before passing her off to the pediatric team.

She’s dark-haired and furious, her skin flushed with one hell of a set of lungs, and I’m overwhelmed by the onrush of emotions.

“Is she okay?” Ariana asks, craning toward where they’re wrapping her up. “Is she okay?”

“Strong cry, good color,” one of the nurses calls out warmly. “She’s doing beautifully.”

They bring her around the drape for a moment so Ariana can see her before the team takes her to be checked over properly.

“Okay,” Doctor Sandy says, and there’s a focused calm in her voice that pulls the room back in. “Let’s get Baby B.”

Ariana’s hand tightens around mine again.

It doesn’t take long before an equally strong cry joins the room, layering into the air, two voices announcing themselves at once, and I press my forehead against Ariana’s temple and stay there because I’m overcome with a swell of love so big and powerful, I don’t know what to do with it all.

“Baby B is here,” Sandy says. “A boy.”

When they place both babies on Ariana’s chest—one on each side, wrapped tight—I look at the three of them and feel whole in a way I haven’t in over two decades. They are all my missing pieces.

There’s no replacing Miles. There never will be. But the void isn’t this dark, endless pit anymore. It’s full of life. Their lives.

And there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to keep them safe. I’d lay down my life for them. Fight any battle. Burn the earth if I had to.

My entire world exists in these three. My purpose.

The greatest loves of my life.

“Talk about a dilf.” Ariana smiles from her hospital bed, looking exhausted yet devastatingly beautiful as her gaze settles on me.

Annabelle and Conrad are lying on my bare chest, doing skin-to-skin while their mother rests.

It’s kind of amazing how these little babies, each no bigger than a loaf of bread, have completely flipped our world upside down.

All that power and they have no idea as they sleep soundly on me.

“How are you doing, doll? Do you need me to call a nurse?”

She shakes her head. “I’m perfect. Never been happier.” Her voice is tired-sounding but there’s nothing but peace in her expression.

We decided not to have family at the hospital to avoid any stress. The only exception being Layla, but she’s been on shift down in the ER and said she wouldn’t be popping in for a visit until this evening.

I was worried I wouldn’t be enough for Ariana during the delivery, that she might need her mom or sisters, but I’m glad that wasn’t the case, and it was only ever us.

Even now, hours post-delivery, I wouldn’t want to share this precious time with anyone. Our first day together as a family.