want to break the streak.”
“And Will said he had to chase me, so the name is fitting.”
“She led me on a merry chase from the second she crashed into Fred.” It was starting to register with him that Cameron had given birth to their baby, and only something wonderful had happened. They had a son, and she was just fine. Thank you, Jesus.
“Let me get the grandfathers and Mary,” Molly said, heading for the door.
“He’s perfect, isn’t he?” Cam asked.
“He’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen other than his mother.”
“We have a son named Chase.”
“Yes, we do. Thank you so much for our son. You were incredible, Cam.”
“Couldn’t have done it without you.”
“That’s not true. Except for the very beginning, you did all the work.”
Cameron laughed, and it was the best sound ever because she’d given birth and survived it. Only now could Will admit to himself that he’d been sure, for all this time, that something would happen to take her from him. He’d been preparing himself for disaster, and the realization that it wasn’t going to happen freed him from the crushing anxiety he’d been trying to cope with for months.
Molly returned with Linc, Elmer, Patrick and Mary in tow. As they circled Cam’s bed, Will noticed how undone Patrick seemed. He couldn’t blame the guy for being terrified of history repeating itself.
“Come in closer, Dad,” Molly said to Elmer. “Get a good look at your newest great-grandbaby.”
“He’s a fine-looking fellow,” Elmer said. “Just like his daddy—and his mama.”
“You want to hold him?” Cameron asked Elmer.
“Let your dad go first,” Elmer said, deferring to Patrick. “He’s the rookie among us.”
Cameron handed the baby over to her dad, who was standing on the right side of the bed with Mary.
“Hey there,” Patrick said, gazing down at the baby with tears in his eyes. “I’m your Grandpa Patrick. Welcome to the family.”
“What’s his name?” Mary asked.
“Your turn,” Cam said, smiling up at Will.
“Meet Chase Murphy Abbott.”
“I love that,” Mary said. “It’s perfect.”
“Your mom would be thrilled,” Patrick said to Cameron. “Chase was Ali’s maiden name,” he said for Mary, Linc and Elmer’s benefit.
“I love that,” Linc said.
“And it makes for three baby grandchildren with C names,” Molly added. “And two with S names—Savannah and Stella.”
Will was touched that his mother included the children Lucas and Landon had acquired when they fell in love with Dani and Amanda, but Molly’s mantra had always been “the more the merrier.”
“This family is growing by leaps and bounds,” Elmer said.
“We need to tell the others,” Cam said. “If you get me my phone, we can send a text and picture.”
Mary fetched Cameron’s phone from her purse and took the picture of the new family that they sent to Will’s siblings and cousins as well as their closest friends.
“And now,” Molly said, “we need to leave this new family to get some rest.”
Will had never been more exhausted. He could only imagine how Cameron must feel.
The others left with promises to be back to visit in the morning. Will helped Cameron use the bathroom and then get settled in bed so she could attempt to breastfeed the baby. He sat on the edge of the bed, watching over them, his heart so full of love, he feared it might explode.
“Thank you for him, for us, for everything,” he said, his voice gruff with emotion.
Cameron’s smile lit up her face. “Thank you for rescuing me in the mud and forgiving me for hitting your precious Fred.”
He leaned in to kiss her. “Nothing has ever been more precious to me than you and Chase are.”
Chapter Thirty
“Obstacles do not block the path, they are the path.”
—Anonymous
Landon and Amanda learned the news about baby Chase when she received a text from Cameron announcing his arrival. They were in the guest room at Kelly’s house after bringing Stella home to get some sleep.
“Aw, look at him,” Amanda said. “He’s adorable. Congrats, Uncle Landon.”
“Thank you. Will must be so relieved. They both have to be.”
“I’m sure everyone is.”
“I can’t wait to meet him,” Landon said.
“I’m sorry you missed being there when he arrived.”
He kissed her. “I’m right where I need to be.”
They spent the next two days rotating between Kelly and Stella’s townhouse and the hospital. In consultation with doctors and social workers, it was decided that Kelly should be transferred to a hospice facility rather than going home. That would happen as soon as she was stable enough to be released from the hospital.
They ate three meals a day