Total pages in book: 18
Estimated words: 16622 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 83(@200wpm)___ 66(@250wpm)___ 55(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 16622 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 83(@200wpm)___ 66(@250wpm)___ 55(@300wpm)
“Hush. I am a Callie expert caregiver. It’s nap time, then I’m making you dinner and we’re having a bath.”
“What about you?”
“I’m locking up, then getting in there with you. Tomorrow, we’ll talk about everything and make plans.”
“Doctor’s orders?”
I bent down and kissed her. “Doctor’s orders.”
THE NEXT CHRISTMAS
I pulled into the garage and killed the engine. I stretched and yawned, then quietly made my way inside the house. The colorful lights from the tree in the living room cast a dim glow into the hall, and after kicking off my shoes, I walked into the room, stopping at the pretty tableau I found.
Callie sound asleep in the big corner chair she loved so much, and our daughter slumbering on her chest. They were covered by a light blanket, a discarded bottle on the floor. I watched my girls, the intense feeling of happiness flooding my chest as I looked at them.
Our Madeline—or Maddy, as we called her—had been a surprise to us both. It turned out those glow-in-the-dark condoms weren’t totally effective, and the tiredness and despondent mood Callie had been experiencing had been more than simply missing me. Her body was raging with pregnancy hormones. The biggest joke of all was neither of us realized it. I was so busy with the move and looking for a place to live, and Callie was going crazy with packing up her shop after accepting the offer on her place that we missed it. She was used to irregular cycles and thought nothing of it. I was so distracted, I was blind. It wasn’t until I was there one day with Elly, helping Callie pack up the shop. Callie became dizzy, and something clicked as I caught her. Her emotions, the constant tiredness, the occasional nausea. I had missed the obvious signs completely. Elly procured a pregnancy test, and later that day, I learned I was going to be a dad.
Joy wasn’t a big enough word to describe my feelings.
Life ramped into high gear. Within a month, we bought a house, moved Callie, I started with my new position, and we settled into a life together. It was as effortless as breathing with her. My family loved her, both my parents and Elly visiting often. As I expected, Callie and Elly were incredibly close.
I surprised Callie one summer day, getting down on one knee in the garden.
“Callie James, will you do me the extraordinary honor of marrying me?”
Her beautiful eyes filled with tears. “Yes.”
I slipped a ring on her finger and kissed her hand. I held her palm to my cheek. “Soon?”
“Name the day,” she replied.
A month later, we were husband and wife.
When Maddy arrived in September, our family was there, helping Callie, making sure I didn’t drop my infant daughter, and stocking the house with food and every other essential we could need. When they left, the quiet was welcome and the terror real. But like the team Callie and I had become, we worked through it together.
I crossed the room and kneeled before my girls. I laid a hand on Callie’s arm and the other on Maddy’s back, rubbing it lightly. Callie’s eyes flickered open, and a smile curved her mouth. “Hi.”
I bent closer and kissed her. “Hi, Mommy. How are my girls?”
“Good. We fell asleep waiting for you.” She paused. “How is Josh?”
One of my patients had had surgery then spiked a fever. I’d stayed late to make sure he pulled through. “Good. Fever broke, and he is responding well to pain meds.”
“Good.”
“May I have her?”
Callie smiled and slipped Maddy into my arms, knowing how much I needed her close. The feel of my little girl snuggled against my chest relaxed me. Her dark hair was curly and wild. She looked like Callie, right down to her mouth, except she had my green eyes. I looked up with a smile, and the light glinted off the pretty emerald necklace hanging around Callie’s neck. I had given it to her when Maddy was born, and she never took it off. Callie smiled at me in return and stroked Maddy’s head—the action making the matching bracelet twinkle in the light.
I loved holding my daughter. The way she looked—content and warm. Her baby smell. How her eyes followed my movements and she seemed to track my voice when I was in the room. Her sunny smile made me feel ten feet tall.
“Your parents arrive tomorrow,” Callie reminded me.
“Are you sure, Callie? We can always tell them we changed our mind, and we can go there. You just gave birth. Hosting Christmas seems too much.”
She chuckled and sat up. “I gave birth almost three months ago. Mom and I will do some baking while Maddy hangs with Grandpa. Everyone else is coming on Christmas Eve, and they’re all staying at a hotel. It’ll be fine.”