“I knocked out Mase to get here first. I couldn’t wait. His momma may clock me when I get back out there, but I’m not scared of Maryann. I had to see you. Scared the shit outta me, girl. I f**king don’t have that many years left, and you just shaved off at least ten of them. I think I died a thousand deaths from the moment I got that call about you. Damn near killed Grant Carter,” he said as he gently rubbed my head.
My wild, insane, passionate daddy. “I love you,” I told him.
His face crumpled, and he bent down to kiss my cheek. “I love you, too, baby girl.”
“I have a baby girl now,” I told him. “Have you seen her?”
A pained look crossed his face, and he shook his head. “I haven’t. I couldn’t. I just couldn’t, Harlow. I thought I’d lost you.”
I was his baby. Not Lila Kate. I understood that. “Grant said she’s perfect,” I told him.
“She’s yours, baby. I don’t see how she could be anything less than perfect.”
I squeezed his hand and ran my finger over my initials tattooed on his knuckles, along with my mother’s. He had gotten them done the day after I was born. He loved to tell me the story about how he had been so happy about his girls that he had to brand us on his body. “They said that Nan gave me blood,” I said, watching his face.
He frowned, and I could tell this confused him, too. “Yeah, she did. Can’t figure it out. None of us could, but then, Rush was guarding her like a damn watchdog, so I ain’t talked to her. But she did you a solid. Might be something that isn’t completely twisted and evil underneath all that after all.”
I smiled. I really hoped there was.
Grant
I opened the door to Lila Kate’s room and found Blaire sitting in the rocker, humming a song. Her eyes found me, and she nodded toward the incubator.
“They made me put her back about thirty minutes ago. They had to change her and check her and feed her. I’ve been sitting here with her, humming to help her fall asleep.”
“Harlow’s awake. She’s talking,” I said, still loving how good that sounded. Blaire shot up out of the rocking chair and threw herself into my arms. The happy cry she let out made me laugh.
“She’s awake! Oh, thank God! She’s awake! She’s gonna be OK, Grant!” She wiped at her tears. “All those letters . . . I didn’t read them, but I knew what they were, and I sat in Lila Kate’s room and cried like a baby. It broke my heart that she had even thought she needed to do that. But she’s OK. She won’t have to share herself with her baby girl through letters.”
“Kiro’s with her now. He actually shoved Mase down and ran past him to get to her first when I went to tell them. I was going to see what I could do about getting Lila Kate to Harlow. She wants to see our baby girl.”
Blaire was still sniffing and wiping at her face. “She needs to see her. Go talk to them. I can stay in here with her if you want me to.”
“No. Nate’s in the waiting room with Rush. Go see your son. You’ve been here with me since this happened. You and Rush go home and get some rest.”
Blaire smiled and nodded. “OK. But I’m only taking a bath and a quick nap, then I’ll be back to see Harlow. I’m ready to plan this wedding.”
“Thanks, Blaire. Thanks for being her friend. She’s never had anyone like you. Thanks for loving her.”
Blaire put her hands on her hips. “Stop making me cry, Grant Carter,” she said.
“Sorry. But I mean it.”
Blaire sighed and sniffed again. “I know you do. That’s why I’m on the verge of tears again.”
“Go find your family, and y’all go on home and rest. I’ll call when she’s ready for visitors.”
Blaire nodded and hugged me again before leaving the room.
I walked over to the incubator and stared down at our Lila Kate. I never knew I wanted a baby. Not something I had ever thought about before Harlow. But now that I had her, I couldn’t imagine life without her.
“She’s awake. Your mommy is awake, and she’s waiting for you. She woke up for us, and we have a lifetime of memories to start making.”
An hour later, we had Lila Kate in a rolling bed, and we were heading down to Harlow’s room. Since Lila Kate’s lungs were fully developed and she had shown no signs of any problems, they felt it was safe to let her spend some time with her mother. Today was the first day she had really started eating properly. Harlow was going to get to feed her. They were bringing the bottle down with her.
I opened the door and checked to make sure Harlow was awake and that Kiro and Mase had left. Harlow was sitting up and sipping water. She was alone except for a nurse. I couldn’t wait to see her smile when I rolled in our daughter.
“I have someone really important waiting to meet you. She’s been as patient as can be expected, but she’s ready now,” I said. I held the door as the nurse rolled Lila Kate into the room.