Page 210

Seeing both of them there makes my knees unreliable enough that I brace one hand against the bed.

Emma laughs through her tears. “They’re okay?”

Dr. Keller smiles. “They’re both doing beautifully.”

I bend over Emma and press my forehead against her hair. “You did it.”

Her hand comes around the back of my neck. “We did.”

I lift my head and look at her.

She has given me more than I ever knew how to ask for.

A nurse helps me take our daughter. Emma keeps our son against her chest.

I hold the baby against me with more care than I’ve handled anything in my life.

Her face is scrunched up, her mouth opening in a small complaint. I touch my finger to her hand.

Her fingers curl around mine with surprising strength, and I stare down at her hand wrapped around the tip of my finger until my vision blurs.

Our daughter keeps hold of my finger. I look across the bed at Emma, and an old memory catches me off guard: Babs doing exactly the same thing in the hospital years ago. Celeste laughed because I was afraid to move my hand.

I haven’t thought about that day without remembering the one when I lost her in a long time.

Emma adjusts our son against her chest and looks over at me, exhausted and smiling, our daughter tightens her tiny grip. “Bane?”

I blink and realize I’ve been staring.

“You haven’t said anything.”

I try, but my throat closes before I can get the words out.

Her smile deepens as she reaches for my hand. “They’re really here.”

I nod and move closer to the bed.

Eventually Mom brings Babs and Biddy back into the room.

Babs stops just inside the door when she sees the babies. “They’re so little.”

Biddy peers around her. “Which one’s the girl?”

I shift our daughter carefully against my chest. “This one.”

Babs walks closer and studies her. “Can she hear me?”

“Yeah.”

She leans toward the baby. “Hi. I’m Babs, and I’m your big sister.”

Her forehead creases and she considers what else needs to be said.

“I have toys you can use when you’re bigger.”

Mom presses her lips together behind her.

Biddy climbs onto the chair beside Emma and looks at her brother. “He’s tiny too.”