My heart lodges in my throat and I look at Mitchell and he nods then at Gareth who smiles softly. “I would love that,” I barely get out over the lump in my throat.

“Awesome,” he says softly, and I sob.

_______________

Eight months later . . .

“Let me have her,” I hear Mitchell say, and even though I’m completely exhausted after almost fifteen hours of labor, I still find the strength to smile.

“It’s my turn to hold her. You had her for-like-ever,” Max hisses quietly, and I force my eyes open. It takes a minute for them to focus in the dim lighting, but when they do, I see my boys sitting on the small couch next to my bed, fussing over their sister.

“How about you both stop fighting over your sister?” Gareth suggests, stepping into view, and then I watch with amazement as he gently picks up our daughter and holds her against his wide chest making him look even more perfect. “Your grandma will be here in just a few minutes to take you two home.”

“Do we have to leave?”

“You boys need to rest,” I say, and both of them look to the bed where I’m lying, and I give them a tired smile. “Soon, Molly will be home keeping us all up, and you’ll wish you could sleep.”

“She hasn’t cried once, Mom,” Mitchell says as he stands and walks toward me.

“Yeah Mom, even when the nurse had to do some tests on her, she was quiet,” Max adds, walking around to the other side of the bed.

I smile at them, look at Gareth holding Molly, and shake my head. “I’m sure she knew you guys would all protect her,” I say softly. “She’s lucky and I’m lucky to have you guys.”

“We’re lucky to have you too, baby,” Gareth says, and my throat gets tight. It’s hard to remember my life before them, before I took a chance and jumped. Now I can’t imagine anything better than what I have, because I truly have it all.