I’m leaning down and kissing Annie, her delicate hands on my face, when Dr. Whitman and a nurse walk in. Just as I thought, there wasn’t much time left before we get to meet our little girl.
“Okay kids,” the doctor says with a casual smile. “It’s time to have a baby.” She snaps on some gloves as the nurse puts the head of Annie’s bed up. She spends the next ten minutes pushing like a pro as I hold her hand and whisper how amazing she is in her ear.
And before we know it, the sound of a screaming banshee fills the room as the doctor places Zoe Anastasia Hayes on Annie’s chest.
36
I wake up to a subtle, unfamiliar sound. As I blink my eyes open, I realize its morning as the soft welcoming sunlight streams into the room. My entire body is stiff as fuck from sleeping in the recliner next to Annie’s bed, and I start to work my neck and shoulders around to ease it.
The noise that initially woke me starts up again and draws my attention over to the bassinet on the other side of the bed from me. I can’t see the baby from here, but I see a glimpse of jerky movements accompanying the tiny squawky noises she’s making.
I look over at Annie who looks fucking dead to the entire world, fast asleep on her side, breathing deep and steady. After the shit show she went through last night, I’m happy to let her sleep and recover for a while.
I climb out of the chair and walk over to the bassinet, trying not to make my moves too abrupt. I still don’t know much about babies, but my instincts tell me they probably startle easily. On the foot of the bassinet she’s laying in is a pink card with her wrinkly footprints on it, as well as her name, that she was born at 3:41 AM on July 6th, and weighs 6lbs, 11oz.
I lean over with my arms resting on either side of the plastic edges of the bassinet. I gaze down at the tiny, wrinkly little thing, fussing and squirming in her blanket. With Annie asleep just feet away, it’s just her and me right now. When she was born last night and I got to hold her that first time, of course I fell in love with her. I immediately loved my daughter even though she was screaming her face off. Hell, I already loved her when she was still inside Annie. But right now, something different is happening. Last night was monumental, but chaotic. Right now, things are slower and calmer, and I feel like I’m really seeing her. As those cloudy little eyes of hers open, she sees me too… and something clicks. My heart bursts open, surrounding the two of us with a light that matches the morning sun streaming through the windows. I continue to stare in wonder at her as her eyes seem to be trying to take me in without really focusing.
“Princess.” The word formulates in my mind and just comes out of my mouth without my permission, much like the time I dubbed Annie ‘gorgeous’. I keep staring down at her, taking in every little crease in her face, every downy black hair on her head and every blink of her searching eyes. All of it makes my heart pulse with warmth that spreads through my entire body. When I notice her fingers flexing over the edge of her blanket, I reach in without thinking and offer her one of mine. All of her tiny digits grip tightly onto my forefinger without making it all the way around, and for the second time in my life, I’m fucking done for.
Her fussing has ceased, and she continues to blink up at me, trying to bring me into focus. I stare back down at her, just trying to absorb this new part of my life into my soul, unable to formulate any more words.
There’s a gentle knock at the door and I look up to see a friendly nurse in brightly colored scrubs with baby animals all over them walk through.
“Hi,” she greets in a gentle whisper, so that she doesn’t wake Annie. “I just need to get a set of vitals on little Zoe.” Even though she’s right here, holding onto my finger, the nurse saying my daughter’s name out loud seems to make her even more real.
I move around to make room for the nurse but don’t take my finger away from Zoe as she takes out her stethoscope and listens to her heart, followed by pulling the blanket down to put a thermometer under her arm.
“Her body temperature is just a little low,” she informs me, but her optimistic smile tells me this isn’t something to panic about, so I nod, cuing her to continue. “What we like to do for that is skin-to-skin therapy. What do you say we let mom keep sleeping and you can do it for her?” she suggests, nodding her head to the out-cold Annie.
“Sure,” I say cautiously. “How does it work?” Because I’m going to fuck it up, just watch.
“You’re just going to cuddle her with her bare skin against yours.” Oh. “Why don’t you have a seat back in the recliner, open your shirt and I’ll hand her to you?” She nods toward the recliner as she delicately gathers Zoe up.
“Okay,” I say, nervously drawing the word out as I make my way over to the chair and sit back while unbuttoning my shirt all the way down and opening it over my chest. The nurse peels the blanket away from Zoe and lowers her into my arms.
“Here you go Daddy,” she says with a quiet enthusiasm as I bring my baby in against my chest and the nurse puts the blanket back over the top of her before quietly leaving the room.
“Okay,” I say again in a nervous whisper. “We got this, right?” I say tenderly as I look down at Zoe, whose eyes seemed to have widened in wonder as she looks back up at me, making me feel so much love in my chest it hurts. I can tell she still can’t focus on me, which is fine. She’s trying. “I’m right here, Princess,” I assure her as I offer her my finger again and she holds on as if she’s truly drawing security from it. “Daddy’s right here,” I reaffirm. And with those words, she squishes her little body up against me, continues to grip my finger, and slowly closes her eyes. I lay my head back and start to fucking cry – weep! I’m not crying. One single manly tear makes its way out of the corner of my eye and rolls down the side of my face.
Who the fuck am I kidding… I’m a mess for this baby girl in my arms. Her mommy too.
My heavy eyelids open to reveal the most beautiful sight of Tyler, looking dotingly down on our baby girl that he has cuddled against his bare chest, sound asleep. He glances up and looks pleasantly surprised when he sees I’m awake. His eyes go back down to Zoe as he carefully rises from the recliner and makes his way over to me. I scooch over, making room for him to sit next to me. I rest my head on his shoulder, and reach over to gently tickle Zoe’s cheek with my fingertip.
In awe, I just quietly take her in. Everything was so chaotic when she was born, talk about stimuli overload. With no one else in the room and with her peacefully sleeping, everything has slowed down enough that I can really pay attention to every little detail.
We have a baby now.
We’re a family.
I’m a mommy.
Tyler is a daddy.
All these simple thoughts cycle through my head, each one giving me a moment to absorb its meaning.
“I can’t believe how long she’s been sleeping,” I muse out loud. “I wasn’t expecting it with how she was screaming her lungs out last night.” We both chuckle. Maybe she was just pissed that we woke her up to come out.
“She’s such a good little baby,” I marvel out loud in a soft voice as I stroke my fingers down the black hair at the back of her head. After a moment I feel Tyler’s eyes on me and I tilt my head to look up at him. “What?” I ask.
“Nothing… you look the way you did the first time we saw the ultrasound. I fell in love with you both that day.”
I don’t have words. I just stare in wonder at him and hope that he can see in my eyes how much I love him too, before leaning up to kiss him while he holds our daughter.
About a half hour later, there’s a knock on the door before Jack walks through with Mayzie in tow, who’s face crumples with emotion when she takes in the three of us.
“How the hell did you two get here without getting swarmed?” Tyler asks Jack over Mayzie’s shoulder as she crouches down to get an up close ogle at Zoe. Jack just smirks and holds up one of the motorcycle helmets he’s carrying. Tyler nods in understanding and smirks back as Jack sets them down and comes
over to get a look as well, running a calming hand up and down Mayzie’s arm as she squirms and tries to control her squeals and whimpers while she gushes over Zoe.
A little while later, as Mayzie sits next to me on the bed cradling my baby, I ask “When are you going to join me? We have to have kids close in age so they can grow up together.”
She raises an eyebrow and smirks as she looks back down at the baby.
“All in good time,” is the lame-ass response I get from her. She shrugs and looks up. “I don’t know. We’ve talked about it a little here and there. He’s said he wants me all to himself a while longer, and I kind of feel the same way.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” I challenge, smugly.
“Why?”
“Because of the way he’s looking at you holding my baby,” I point out with a head nod over to where Jack sits with Tyler a few feet away. He’s shamelessly staring at Mayzie with stars in his eyes. He gives her a wink that sends a glow to her cheeks and she immediately looks back down at Zoe like she’s trying to convince me it’s from the baby. Yeah… it won’t be long.
After getting a few more cuddles in, Mayzie hands me my baby and switches spots with Tyler. Jack leans in closer to her with a hand on her leg because he always has to be touching her in some way, as Tyler pulls at Zoe’s blanket enough to locate her tiny hand and slip his finger into it. She grabs on in her sleep and I shake my head at the concept that daddy and daughter already have a thing.
“So we have more exciting news,” Tyler broadcasts without taking his eyes off of the baby. Jack and Mayzie both raise their eyebrows in anticipation. “Annie and I will be getting married soon,” he finishes quietly. Mayzie lets out a breathy gasp and both her hands come up to cover her mouth as Jack’s jaw opens in an incredulous smile.
“Wow, congratulations,” Jack says, leaning forward to shake Ty’s hand.
“How soon?” Mayzie asks, her eyes darting between us.
“As soon as we can throw it together. But don’t worry, you’ll be able to make it before the tour,” Tyler supplies with a cocky grin before adding, “We’re not selfish like you two.” I stick my tongue out in reinforcement as Jack shakes his head and Mayzie crosses her eyes at me.
I giggle and look back down at my new favorite little person. Tyler and I may’ve gotten the whole love, marriage and baby carriage thing upside down and back-asswards, but if it leads to this kind of happiness that I never before could have pictured… I’ll do it that way every time.
Epilogue
Like Tyler said, we didn’t waste too much time after Zoe’s birth to get married. One month later, I’m standing in the middle of The Cedar in a white dress, and with a new name.
I know a month seems like a crazy short time to plan a wedding, but when your mother-in-law to be is a party planner and your groom runs the reception venue, turns out it can be pulled off pretty easily.
I wore a long white gown for our small church wedding where I had Mayzie and my sisters stand up for me, with my little Zoe as my honorary flower girl of course. Unfortunately, Tyler drew the line at Mr. Meowgi being our ring bearer. After riding off in the decorated TA, we came back here to The Cedar that for the first time is closed to the public for our reception. I changed into a gauzy white sundress, because hello, I want to dance!
Only close family came to the wedding, and while all the guys from Turn it Up are here, they were adamant that today be about us, so they aren’t playing any songs. I actually like that they are here to just be themselves and have a good time celebrating with us. Besides, they leave for another tour next week and I’m all about letting them rest up.
I chat it up with Mayzie and some of our dance friends while nursing a real margarita. I glance over to Tyler who stands among Jack and both our dads. He looks sexy as ever in his black slacks, white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and black neck tie that he’s pulled loose. A trace of frosting graces his jaw from when we shoved cake in each other’s mouths earlier. But the best touch, by far, to his ensemble, is our precious baby girl snuggled up on his shoulder. She’s such a sweet little blessing, and Ty and I have been going crazy over her for the last month. I can’t even count how many photos I’ve taken of her already, not to mention the ones I’ve taken of my two loves together. She’s sleeping in most of them, just like she is now, on her daddy’s shoulder in her sweet little pink dress with his hand perfectly supporting her little ruffled butt.
Tyler is already such a wonderful daddy and it’s crazy how there was a time I couldn’t picture him as a husband or father. He’s already knocking both jobs out of the park.
A little while later, it’s my turn with our beautiful baby and she’s actually awake and alert for me. I sit and feed her a bottle while being doted on by every other female nearby. I’m just finishing the feeding and am getting ready to put her on my shoulder when the music fades out and I hear a little awkward feedback from the microphone.
“Mrs. Hayes?” I hear my husband say confidently through the sound system. I look up toward the DJ booth as I rub Zoe’s back and smile when I see him there with the microphone. Maureen looks up with a hand on her chest and an exaggerated look of surprise on her face. “Not you, Mom,” Tyler chuckles. “Mrs. Tyler Hayes.” He hones in on me with a mischievous smile as an upbeat Latin pop song starts to play through the speakers. “Let my mom take over burping our little girl so we can show this crowd how it’s done.”
I’m the luckiest man on the planet. A month ago, Annie gave me a beautiful baby girl, and today she married me. I went from wanting nothing with anyone to wanting everything with her and our daughter. I reflect on all this as I stand at the edge of the room. Over by the bar I see Juan chatting up Annie’s sister, Amy, or rather… he’s trying to. She smiles over her shoulder at him and gives him a shrug and a wink before walking away. He responds to that by knocking back what’s left in his drink and slamming it on the bar top before strutting deliberately after her. Never seen that dude so determined, even on the job.
Towards the back of the room, I see Mayzie leaning back against the exposed brick wall while Jack leans a hand on it near her head. He’s bending down and whispering something against her lips before full on kissing her. A year ago I would’ve yelled at them to get a room, but now… now I get it.
And then I look over to one of the nearby tables where Annie is feeding Zoe as she talks to both our moms. My precious little princess fidgets as she finishes her bottle and Annie leans down to plant a kiss on her head. And while we had a beautiful first dance earlier, I’m ready to have some fun with my wife.
Making an impulse decision, I head over to the DJ and ask him to play something salsa. I summon my bride to the dance floor as Danza Kuduro comes on through the speakers and she kisses Zoe’s squishy cheek before handing her to my mom and obliging.
She meets me in the area of the bar that’s been cleared as a dance space, and wrapping an arm tightly around her waist, I pull her to me, so close our noses touch. Pelvis to pelvis, our hips start to slowly sway and she gives me that daring look.
“Are you trying to recreate our first date?” she asks me.
“Maybe,” I tease with a smile. “Why do you think we still have that kitchen table?” I point out and she lets out that laugh that weakens me.
“Still so gorgeous… I love you,” I tell her with a finger under her chin as I give her a kiss.
“I love you,” she says back against my lips. While part of me is dead-set on showing off my wife and her killer dance moves to the rest of this crowd, they all seem to drop away. And then we start to move, and just like the night she first let me take her out, she blows my mind all over again.
The End
Bonus scene.
September, 2016
“You look tired,” says the too-handsome-for-his-own-good bartender from across the bar at The Cedar.
“Because I was running through your head all day?” I roll my eyes at his line.
“Hey, is it my fault
you’re such a catch that you’ve heard them all already?” He tilts his head and gives me hooded eyes with a smirk that I’m sure combusts panties everywhere in the county.
“Ah, now that is an original. Nice,” I say appreciatively.
“So when are you going to put down that wall and let yourself submit to my irresistible charms?”
“I don’t know. Maybe when you grow to realize that putting all of your efforts towards one woman is worth it.” He has nothing for that one but a smirk and a shrug. I turn my attention to a few stools down where my best friend Mayzie is being shamelessly wooed by her new husband, Jack, another of the bartenders here - who also plays in a band. Her cheeks go pink as his fingers gently caress hers back and forth as they make small talk.
“You looking for a guy that will write love songs about you? Is that it?” Tyler gives a cocky chin jerk in their direction.
“No,” I say casually, shaking my head. “But I do deserve a guy who feels that way about me.”
He holds his hands up in mock surrender. “I have no argument for that one.” He grabs a glass and the Jim Beam and starts pouring, when a sudden look of realization comes over his face, like a lightbulb just went off in his mind. He looks between me and the liquid he just poured a couple of times.
“What?” I ask, confused at what’s going on in his brain.
He steps to the side a little bit so that he’s in the path of the sunlight coming through the window and holds the glass up against it. Again, he looks between me and the glass, and I’m wondering if he’s having a mini-stroke.
“Your eyes are bourbon,” he simply states.
“Come again?”
“You’ve got to buy me dinner first.”
Oh for fucks sake.
“Seriously, if I hold this glass of Jim up to the light, it matches the color of your eyes exactly,” he tells me confidently, pointing to me. “You have Bourbon eyes.”
Picture Us (Turn it Up Book 3) Page 28
