Dear Soldier

Welcome Home

9 months later:

"Lex I swear to god if I have this baby before he gets here-" you say as another contraction interrupted your sentence.

"It's alright hunny, breath through it." Lex says as she brushes the hair from your forehead. "He will be here."

Dayne's pov

I'm constantly try checking my phone waiting for lex to text me saying I missed the birth of my baby.
"Can you go just a little faster please? My girlfriend is in labor and I really don't want to miss it." I say rushed to the Uber driver.

The 30 minute drive from the airport to the hospital feels like it's taking hours.

I got the messages from (your name) and Lex when I landed. I'm just getting joke from deployment and the little one couldn't wait any longer. I'm excited to be a dad, but I wanted to be there for the whole thing and here I am about to miss it all.

The Uber pulls up to the hospital and I throw a wad of cash to him and run to the doors.

"(Your name)'s room please. I'm the father."
"Room 428" the lady at the desk responds as I start taking off down the hall again.

"No! He's not here yet!" I hear (your name) scream at the doctor.

Just as I rush down the hall way and into the room I see the doctors wiping the baby and putting it onto (your name)'s chest.

I feel the tears in my eyes form as I look at the beautiful sight in front of me.

"You did great." I say as I walk to the bed.

"Dayne!" She cries when she sees my face. "I tried, I tried to-"
"It's alright babygirl. I'm here now." I cut her off.

"I'll let you guys have some time." The nurse says.
"Thank you." I say as she walks out of the room.

"Hi." She says looking into my eyes with tears running down her face.
"Hi." I say letting the tears flow from mine and embracing her head into my neck.

"I've missed you so much!" I whisper and kiss her head.
"I've missed you too! But lex has been a very good stand in daddy for you while you've been gone." She laughs.
"Well I will try to live up to the standards now that I'm home." I laugh.
She lets out a giggle and I finally feel at home. Hearing her laugh and seeing her face has made the time I was away worth it. Especially seeing her hold our baby.

"Do you need anything? Are you hungry?" I ask her as I stand up from the chair.
"I'm starving!" She says.
"I'll go get you something." I says as I kiss her forehead and walk out of the room.

"Here you go sweetheart." I say as I hand her the salad I grabbed her from the cafeteria.
"Thank you so much!" She smiles.

"Where's the baby?" I ask looking around the room.
"Oh the nursery." She replies.
"Oh. Are you going to tell me if I have a son or a daughter her?" I laugh.
"Soon. You can call ask them to bring our baby back." She says.

The nurse wheels the bassinet into the room and my baby is wrapped in a white blanket.
"Would you like to-" the nurse asks.
"May I?" I ask with shaky words.

"Open the blanket." (Your name) says to be after I hold the baby for a little bit.

When I open the blanket my eyes well up.

"Welcome Home Daddy!" Is written in dark pink sparkling letters on a light pink onesie.
And on the inside of the blanket in light pink writing read "Madilynn".

I look up from the little girl in my hands and to the woman I love, "we have a daughter." I say with light sobs in between the words.

"Yes, we have a daughter." She says smiling back at me. "And you get to pick the middle name." She says.

"Madilynn-" I pause for a moment. "Louise". I say smiling down.

"Louise?" She laughs at me.
"What you don't like it?" I ask.
She lets out one more chuckle, "no, I love it Hunny. It's perfect."

"Madilynn Louise. Daddy's little girl." I say smiling down at my new found pride and joy.