Total pages in book: 143
Estimated words: 138287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 691(@200wpm)___ 553(@250wpm)___ 461(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 691(@200wpm)___ 553(@250wpm)___ 461(@300wpm)
His hands came up to my shoulders and he unconsciously kneaded them while staring at our baby. “Okay,” he replied petulantly.
“Doctor Bergstein’s the best. When she’s worried, I’ll be worried.”
Connor nodded and I turned, leaning back against him.
My God, she was beautiful. A blend of both of us. Faye had Connor’s light curl but my mousy brown hair. She had Connor’s smile but my nose. Her eyes were the same warm caramel brown as her daddy’s but she was clumsy like her mama.
And she was perfect in every which way.
Yes, I was worried she would never speak but something told me she was simply biding her time and when the right moment came along, she would open her mouth and be heard.
Soon enough, that’s exactly what she did.
It was Connor’s birthday. He didn’t like to make a big deal about it yet somehow, every year on his birthday, our friends made their way over for what Noah called our annual pizza night. He said the fact that it landed on Connor’s birthday was purely coincidental.
Amber and Micah were the last of them to arrive and as soon as their son, Thomas, spotted Faye, he ran over to her. The moment she saw him, she let out a delighted giggle and hugged him.
As I readied plates and napkins to take to the table, I couldn’t help but look around. Connor, Lee and Noah were gathered around Jim, talking and laughing as the old man recounted one story or another.
Ricky and Pearl sat on the floor with the kids. Placing her hand over Faye’s, Pearl showed her how to draw a flower. When Faye attempted it on her own and didn’t do a bad job, Pearl clapped and cheered, “Yay!”
When Amber, Micah, Ettie and Beth were caught in conversation and from the seriousness of their tones, I knew it had business related.
Cherry and Hell were speaking softly by the dining kitchen counter and I didn’t miss the way Hell reached out and tucked a stray hair behind Cherry’s ear.
The way I felt watching these people interact was something. It bloomed from deep within my belly and warmth filled my chest, threatening to spill out of me.
When the intercom rang, I called out to Connor, “Pizza’s here,” and everyone made their way to the large dining table. I sat at one end of the table while Connor dumped the pizzas onto the table then sat opposite me.
It was funny watching the dynamic. Everyone moved so seamlessly. Ricky barely stopped talking with Lee as he pulled out my chair for me, the gentleman he was. Cherry filled a glass with lemonade and placed it in front of me. Beth took two slices of pepperoni, put them on a plate then handed it to me without a word.
We were like a finely oiled machine.
But it was the little angel seated next to Connor that got my attention. As Connor cut up a slice of cheese pizza into bite-sized pieces, Faye was not impressed that her Uncle Noah was distracting him from his task. She stretched out for Connor, trying in vain to get his attention but he was just out of reach. When her chin started wobbling, I moved to stand.
And then it happened.
“Dadi.”
Ricky gasped and the entire table stilled.
But Connor was caught up in whatever he was telling Noah about must’ve seemed important at the time because without a backwards glance, he uttered, “Just a sec, baby,” and continued talking.
It wasn’t until Noah hadn’t responded that Connor noticed the entire table was eerily silent. And just as he frowned and said, “Uh, what’s up?” it hit him.
A look of stunned disbelief settled over his face, he looked directly across the table at me and asked a quiet, “Did she just…?”
Smiling so hard it hurt, I nodded quickly.
Just as Connor turned to face our daughter, she reached out for her pizza. She stretched her little fingers towards her plate, face bunched in concentration as she let out an annoyed, “Dadi.”
No one said a damned word.
Jim broke the silence when he began to chuckle.
Ettie soon muttered an awe-filled, “Oh my God.”
“She spoke.” A slow grin stretched at Hell’s mouth. “I can’t believe it. She actually spoke.”
It took a moment but chaotic conversation erupted amongst us all and while Cherry hugged me, laughing in the excitement I’m sure we all felt, I couldn’t seem to take my eyes off Connor.
Without a word, he stood, smoothly placed the pizza down in front our daughter and gently kissed the top of her head, closing his eyes and letting out a deep breath that told me his relief was palpable.
My husband must’ve felt my eyes on him because our gaze met.
A moment passed and I mouthed, “Happy?”
It took Connor a moment to respond. But when he did, a tender smile pulled at my lips.