Running Into Love - The Complete Box Set
Page 16
“I’m Dr. Peters. I understand we’re ready to have a baby. I’ve read your file and have spoken to Dr. Fleming on the phone. She’s still about an hour away, but no worries. Let’s see if we can’t have ourselves a baby.”
My feet are placed in the stirrups and I’m told to start pushing. After about twenty minutes of eye-popping pushing, I hear a baby cry. My baby is crying. Our baby is crying and it’s the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard.
“Congratulations, it’s a girl!” Dr. Peters says.
Asher kisses my face and tells me he loves me and how proud of me he is, while Ava takes a million pictures.
“Daddy, do you want to cut the cord?” the doctor asks, Asher.
Asher takes the scissors and cuts the cord. He has tears running down his cheeks, all while having the happiest grin on his face.
“Oh, Willow, she’s just beautiful,” Asher tells me.
Our baby girl is wrapped in a soft, pink blanket and is then placed on my chest. She’s just beautiful. She’s the most beautiful baby I’ve ever seen. Asher bends over and places his face close to mine and our daughters. Ava is silently crying, snapping photo after photo. The doctor is still between my legs doing I don’t know what, and frankly, I don’t want to know. All my attention is on this perfect miracle laying in my arms. I untuck the blanket and count all ten perfect toes and ten perfect fingers. She’s perfect, truly a miracle.
“Have you decided what to name her?” Ava asks, as she perches over the baby with her hand gently on the baby’s head.
“We have. Abbey Olivia Wellington, meet your Aunt Ava,” I tell her.
We named her honor of the woman who helped bring us together; that helped keep us together, who without her this baby would never have been conceived. To honor the memories that Asher has of a beautiful soul that was taken from this earth far too soon. We chose to name our daughter’s middle name after a woman who means so much to the both of us.
The doctor finishes up, then a nurse covers me with a clean, warm blanket, while Ava goes out to get the rest of the family. Everyone’s standing around my bed while baby Abbey is being passed from grandparent to aunt to uncle. Everyone falls in love instantly.
“Well, congratulations, again, you have a perfectly healthy baby girl,” Dr. Peters says.
Dr. Peters is about to leave the room, when in rushes Amelia with a huge arrangement of flowers in a vase that comes well past her field of vision.
“Please don’t tell me I missed it,” she says, barreling into the room.
She runs right into the front of Dr. Peters causing her to drop the vase. It hits the floor and smashes into a million pieces. Both Amelia and Dr. Peters are covered in water.
Immediately, Amelia is on the floor on her hands and knees picking up flowers and broken glass, cutting her hand in the process. Dr. Peters sees that Amelia cut her hand and takes her hand in his.
“That looks deep, let me walk you down to the ER. I think you’ll need a few stitches,” he says, helping her stand.
Asher and I look at each other with that knowing look. Dr. Peters is probably in his early thirties, completely handsome, and from the absence of a ring on his left hand, looks to be single.
“Oh, I couldn’t, I just got here and I haven’t seen the baby yet,” Amelia protests.
“Amelia, go. We’ll be here when you’re done, go get your hand looked at. You can come back up when you’re done,” I tell her with a wink.
Dr. Peters wraps her hand with gauze and escorts her out of the room. Everyone breaks out into laughter, knowing full well Dr. Peters didn’t need to escort her downstairs to the emergency room personally. Obviously, someone liked what he saw.
Amelia returns a few hours later saying that the emergency room was very busy. She has six stitches in her hand and an unmistakable blush on her cheeks. I wonder if there’s more to the story than that, but she hasn’t stopped oohing and ahhing at Abbey in her arms to tell us anymore.
The next day, with my mother in tow, Asher and I head home with our bundle of joy. Placing Abbey in her crib, in her room, in our house is a moment I will treasure for the rest of my life.
Asher
I won’t lie, seeing the woman I’m in love with going through childbirth was the scariest thing I have ever gone through. But at the same time, it was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen. To see my daughter being born and the woman I’m so in love with delivering her, was the greatest gift I have ever received.
Choosing our daughters middle name was of course Willow’s idea, but I couldn’t have agreed more with the reasons why. Without Olivia coming to me in my dreams, encouraging me to open my heart, to let the pain go and to love again, I don’t think I would’ve been ready to see things through with Willow at the time they presented themselves.
Both Abbey and Willow are doing wonderfully. Having her mother stay with us for a week will be a huge help to Willow. I’ve taken the next two weeks off work to bond with my beautiful baby daughter and wife. Willow insists on hosting a dinner at our house only four days after Abbey is born, I think she’s a little crazy, but Judy offered to do all the cooking. My sisters are dying to get their hands on baby Abbey again. And I know my mother is a little jealous that Willow’s mom is staying with us and wants to have her grandma snuggle time.
The house smells amazing with Judy cooking in the kitchen. My parents show up with t-shirts that say, ‘proud grandma of Abbey’ and ‘proud grandpa of Abbey.’ Judy looks a little hurt until my Mom hands her one. With a big smile, she immediately goes into her room and changes into it.
Having everyone gather around our dining room table, with baby Abbey asleep in my dad’s arms brings a smile to my face, and a complete sense of peace to my heart. Although I thought my life was over when Olivia passed away, I had no idea there were other plans set for me, that were well beyond my expectations. I have a healthy wife who loves me and accepts my previous marriage and the memories I have of her. I have a beautiful daughter who’s healthy and happy. All is right in the world, and it all sits at my table talking and laughing with each other.
Chapter 28
Willow
Sitting at our table having dinner with our family, I glance at my husband. He has the most peaceful look on his face. I know what he’s thinking, because I feel the same thing. I look from my beautiful, little, baby daughter sleeping soundly in her grandfather’s arms to my handsome, amazing husband’s face; and I’m so in love with both of them.
To his brothers and sisters playfully joking and laughing with each other, they’re now brothers and sisters to me. To my mother who I never thought I would get reacquainted with, sitting at my dinner table smiling and loving me and her granddaughter. To Asher’s parents who are so in love with each other, they’re another set of parents to me. I went from being alone to being so blessed with a house full of family and a little sleeping miracle that’s a piece of both Asher and me.
Everyone is having a nice time talking and spending time with baby Abbey, except Amelia, who has her head buried with her cell phone in her lap texting away.
“Who has you so interested over there, Amelia?” I ask.
“What? Oh, no one,” she replies, turning a little pink.
Yes, it seems maybe Amelia is a little distracted talking to a certain doctor, I might know. Although, I probably shouldn’t think about it. If something ever happened between the two of them, that man has seen my business, that’s just weird.
“So it seems you two have named your daughter with an A name, does this mean you’ll stick with the theme?” Samantha asks as she stands to claim the baby from her husband.
“I don’t know, maybe we’ll stick with all A’s, or maybe we’re just starting from the beginning of the alphabet. Maybe our next one will start with a B,” Asher says, and my mouth hangs open at that statement.
I never really thought about it, but the thought of having more children with Asher just pleases me straight to my soul.
After dinner,
we all sit in the family room. Asher puts in a DVD; we’re all comfortably sprawled out all over the room. The movie starts and instantly I know it’s The Princess Bride, Amelia and Ava look at each other and say in perfect unison, “Mawage, mawage is wot bwings us together too-day. Mawage, that bwessed awangement dat dweam wifin a dweam.” Again, in perfect unison, Amelia and Ava say, “Hello. My name is Indigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” They even have the accent right.
Asher and I break out in snorting laughter, as everyone else stares at us with confused looks. Getting himself under control he says, “I told you I’ve seen this movie like a thousand times, my sister’s love this movie.”
Baby Abbey is just a dream. She’s always content and loves to be passed around to all her family. With so many of them here today, it seems like I haven’t seen her all day. Taking her from her grandmother, I walk her up to her nursery and place her in her crib. Asher places his hand on my waist and pulls me close to his side. We stand there for several minutes just taking in the beautiful creature we created out of love.
“You did good, sweetheart; she’s beautiful just like you.”
“She is beautiful, isn’t she? She has your eyes. I love that she has your eyes. Every day if you’re not here all I have to do is look into my daughter’s eyes. Then I’ll know you aren’t very far and I’ll always be able to see your love through our daughter’s eyes.”
Asher
Standing next to my daughter’s crib with my beautiful, healthy wife by my side, my family downstairs, I can’t thank God enough for all his many blessing and miracles. Reaching over to take my wife’s face in my hands, I softly kiss her just hoping I can express an ounce of the overwhelming love and happiness I am feeling.
Watching my beautiful, sweet, little baby Abbey sleeping in her crib, as I stand here holding my wife, I can’t stop the tears running down my face. Once I was so broken, now put back together by an accidental meeting, when a beautiful redhead crashed into me and threw up on my shoes. I glance up at the pure white dove with a yellow rose in its mouth hanging reverently on the wall next to our daughter’s crib. Always watching, protecting from above, I know she’s her guardian angel watching over her.
I was blessed to have known Olivia and spend time in my life, married to the wonderful woman that she was. I honor and cherish our memories and keep them in my heart. I’m blessed with the opportunity to find true love again and to marry my best friend. We’ve created a beautiful baby girl out of love and respect; my life is truly blessed.
Epilogue
Aaron
As I walk up the aisle with my older sister Abbey holding my left hand and my younger sister Avery holding my right, we walk slowly glancing around the church filled with loved ones and friends. Our mother passed away at the age of eighty-three. My father is standing beside the casket with his hand resting softly on my mothers; tears are streaming down his face. My sisters hold my hand tight, silently sobbing. As we stand in front of our mother, she looks so beautiful, so peaceful. As she requested her arms are layered in her platinum charm bracelets, three on each wrist. My father gave our mother a charm each year on the anniversary of her being cancer free; there are fifty-three charms in all, mingled between the six bracelets. She wanted to be buried with them. She earned each and every single one of them.
Growing up with my parents, was filled with love and laughter. My sisters and I, share a special bond and our families are all close. My mother was my inspiration and I’m going to miss her so much. My parents had a marriage that I model my own after. Looking at the crowd of people gathered to say goodbye to my mother is a testament to her love and devotion to her family and friends.
Olivia
Standing to the side holding Willow’s hand, we watch Asher and their children as they mourn the beautiful life of their loved one. Willow squeezes my hand and walks over and touches each one of them on the cheek, then places a kiss on the other side. She smiles and walks back over to take my hand. I knew all those years ago; they were meant to be each other’s soulmates. I’m so proud of the family they made together. I’ve always been keeping a watchful eye over each and every one of them. Now it’s time to take Willow home. With one last look and a smile she says goodbye for now, with a promise to be waiting for each and every one of them when their time comes.
The End
The Running Into Love series will continue with:
Amelia Wellington and Dr. Kyle Peters in
I’ll Take A Chance—Running Into Love—Book Two
Acknowledgements:
I want to thank you, the reader for reading my debut novel! This book will always hold a special place in my heart. This book published on Halloween of 2013. Hitting that publish button was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done. But, it’s also one of the things, besides getting married and the birth of my boys that I’m most proud of. I hope that you loved this book and that you will ‘Take A Chance’ and continue reading the Running Into Love Series and all other works that I have written.
To my amazing, loving, supporting, wonderful husband, I love you forever and always.
To my two boys, you are the light in my life that was given from above. Thank you for always standing by me and encouraging me to follow my dream.
To my amazing, fabulous editor Lindsay from LTE Editing, you are amazing, and I absolutely love working with you! Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart
Najla, from Najla Qamber Designs, you’ve done every cover for every book I’ve written and each of them has knocked my socks off; they’re so amazing and beautiful! Thank you!
Tami, from Integrity Formatting, you are a rock star and do amazing formatting! Thank you for always being there for me!
Julie Franke, thank you for always being a constant in my life. Thank you for always listening to me and encouraging me to live my dream. I love you to the moon and back.
Kellie Montgomery from Eye Candy Bookstore, thank you for always being there for me when I need someone to talk to. Thank you for your friendship, and your mad PR skills. You are a superstar!
Di from Di’s Dazzling Dezines, thank you for the amazing, awesome Kindle Couch creations! I love them all and you SO much!!
Alissa Glenn, thank you so much for your mad grammar skills! Thank you for proofreading and making my book shine!!
Thank you again, readers, reviews, and bloggers for continuing to stay with me on this amazing journey. Thank you for continuing to read what the crazy characters in my head make me write. Thank you for all the wonderful personal messages, emails, and the reviews. I read each and every one of them. From the bottom of my heart thank you!
I’ll Take A Chance
Book Two in the
Running Into Love Series
by
Annalisa Nicole
Second Edition
All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 2013 by Annalisa Nicole
This book is a written act of fiction. Any and all names, places, or similarities are coincidental. No part of this book may be used without written permission except for brief quotations for reviews or blogs. This book may only be distributed by Annalisa Nicole, the owner and Author of this series.
I’ll Take a Chance Table of Contents
Master Table of Contents
Take a Chance
I’ll Take a Chance
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Acknowledgements
Second Chance
A Fighting Chance
Unavoidable Chance
A Very Wellington Christmas - Novella
A Christmas Miracle by Chance – Short Story
Other Books by Annalisa Nicole
Where you can find Annalisa Nicole
A little about Annalisa Nicole
Character Glossary
Dedication
To my sister-in-law
Julie
Sisters by chance
best friends by choice
Chapter 1
Amelia
I can’t believe how long it’s taking for the fire department to wrap up this fire drill. If I miss the birth of my first niece or nephew, I’ll scream so loud eardrums will shatter. My sister, Ava, and I have been planning on being with our sister-in-law, Willow, through every step of the birth. Asher is there too, of course, since he’s the father. Willow’s water broke at work and she was utterly mortified that it looked like she peed herself. Asher, who’s the CEO of Wellington Corp., had a brilliant idea of putting together a fire drill.
It’s a good thing Asher has connections and could quickly arrange something with the fire department. We sent out an urgent memo to all the employees informing them there will be a drill, then we pulled the alarm. Everyone exited the building in an orderly fashion, thinking it was a regularly scheduled fire drill. As everyone met at their designated meeting places, Asher and Willow snuck out an unused exit.
Their driver, Simon, was waiting with the door open to their Town Car to whisk them to the hospital. That left me here to deal with the fire department and the employees, which took forever.