“Okay, fine, you made your point.”I roll my eyes dramatically as we haul everything up the stairs to Dylan and Tessa’s house.I’m kind of hoping we beat my parents here, but I also can’t imagine my mom staying away for more than a few hours.I’m sure she’s been up Dylan and Tessa’s ass the second they came home from the hospital with her first grandchild.
I kick the door with my foot, since neither Leo nor I have a free hand.I can hear Dylan grumbling from behind the door, muttering something about me using my key.
“I can’t use my key, you jerk!”I yell, as Dylan flings the door open.
“What the hell, Han?”Dylan quips, reaching out to take one of the boxes I have.They’re stacked so high I nearly can’t see over them.“What is all this?”
“It’s food.Meals for you and Tess so you don’t have to cook.”
“Holy shit, you didn’t have to do this,” he says, walking toward the kitchen with several of the boxes.
“They’re all labeled and ready for you to just put them in the oven or microwave.Breakfasts, lunches and dinners.”
I open his refrigerator, placing a couple of each meal in it and then I begin to unpack the rest, making room in the freezer for them.
“Where’s the baby?”I ask, looking over my shoulder as Leo shakes hands with Dylan, wishing him a congratulations.
I feel like a complete asshole, it totally slipped my mind that I needed to congratulate him too.Not that I haven’t a bunch of times already, through text messages and phone calls, but still.Tessa had requested that no one come to the hospital, wanting some quiet time with just the baby and Dylan.I totally respect that because she knew she would be inundated with visitors once they got home.
“Oh my god, I never even said congratulations,” I wail, flinging myself into Dylan’s arms.“How’s it feel to be a dad?”
“It feels fucking amazing.She’s so fucking perfect and wonderful and Tessa is this badass mom who jumped right into everything like she was made for it.”
The tears well up in my eyes.I’m so proud of Dylan for changing his entire life for Tessa and the baby.I hug him harder, squeezing him and when I pull back, his eyes shine with the same tears that are now spilling from mine.
“Big change, huh?”I say, smiling at him now.
“Yeah, but I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
Just as I lean in for another hug, Tessa comes out of the bedroom carrying the baby.She’s asleep in Tessa’s arms and looks like a tiny little doll.
“Here she is,” Tessa whispers, looking down at the little bundle in her arms.“Meet Birdie Murphy, your niece.”
She hands the baby to me, cradling her in my arms, I can’t help but let out a contented sigh.It feels good to hold her and look at her and see her sweet little face.She’s absolutely perfect just like Dylan said.
“She’s gorgeous,” I whisper, walking over to show Leo.“Dylan with a baby girl.I’m not sure who I feel sorrier for, Birdie or Dylan.”
“It should probably be me.She’s got a little bit of you in her and a little bit of Tessa which to me feels like she’s going to give me a run for my money,” Dylan jokes, making us all laugh.He’s right, this little peanut is going to have Dylan wrapped around her finger before she can even walk.
My parents walk in a few minutes later, my mom immediately coming over to take Birdie from my arms, snuggling her and smiling.I’m happy my mom has gotten to have this as part of her life too.Dylan and Tessa may not have planned this, but it has changed all our lives for the better.
Leo throws an arm over my shoulder, standing next to me as I look on at my mom holding Birdie.
“So, Hannah,” she says, and here it is.The question that really should be banned from being asked of any woman.“Are you and Leo thinking about having kids?”
I look up at Leo, his beautiful face looking back at me, giving me the confidence to tell my mom our decision.
“Actually, no and more than likely never.”
She looks over at me, her eyebrows narrowed as if she’s trying to judge if I’m joking.No jokes here, just full-on honesty.Maybe she thinks it’s selfish.Maybe she thinks I’ll change my mind, but whatever it is, I’m firm in my decision.We both are.
“That’s a tough decision, but I’m sure you’ve given it a lot of thought.I just want you to be happy, Hannah and it’s obvious that Leo makes you happy.”
Her response nearly knocks me on my ass.This baby has done wonders for our whole fucking family.I step away from her, not fully acknowledging what she said, afraid that if I do, she’ll change her mind and say something crazy.
While my parents are busy swooning over the baby, and Dylan and Tessa are resting on the couch, Leo and I go down the hall to check out the baby’s room.I’m sure it’s perfect, because Tessa never does anything half-assed.But before we get there, I stop off at the guest room.
“This is where I hid from you when everything went down.”I push my bottom lip out being overly dramatic, still feeling the sting of thinking I was losing him.
