"Oh you're just a small bump unknown and you'll grow into your skin. With a smile like hers and a dimple beneath your chin."
Christian~
"It's been three hours," I comment now moved on to pacing the waiting room I've been put in. "We should've heard something by now."
"No news is good news isn't it?" Alex asks trying to be optimistic here.
"I don't think that counts here," I reply taking a deep breath to maintain the composure I've been able to hold onto for a while now, "I'm going to go ask someone."
"I'll come with."
Alex follows behind me as I head out of the room and glance around looking for someone who looks like they might work here and give me something. Sighing a little to myself when I don't see anyone I try and remember my way back to where I last got to see Ashtyn before the doors were shut on me. As I turn the corner I see the nurse that was with us in the other room sat on the floor knees to her chest and tears streaming down her face as she leans against the wall.
Any air that I had taken in is knocked out from me as I take in the picture here and take a step back into Alex. No. No. Thats not real, that's not what happened, "Hey!" I call out finding the word in me somehow right now as I start walking up to her again.
Her head turns up in a panic before her eyes find mine and this immense sorrow just fills them as she looks to me. "I'm so sorry," Is all she says before she hastily stands up and heads back through the doors before I can catch up to her.
"No!" I yell out as the doors shut again before I ball up a fist and slam it into the door. "Fuck!" I call out before turning back around and pushing my hands through my hair. Alex just stands there silently knowing nothing about how he should even react right now, how should he? He didn't know that she was with Ashtyn and Kacelyn.
"Christian?"
The voice from behind me again pulls my attention and I turn back around and see Dr.Rowe. "What's going on what happened, can I see them?" I ask frantically getting closer to her than I probably should've but just needing something.
"Mr.Yelich can you come with me please," She asks voice sounding exasperated. Nodding I glance back at Alex a moment and see him nod before I follow her through the doors again and around a corner into an office before she shuts the door behind us. Motioning for me to have a seat she takes her time to sit around on the opposite side of the desk.
"Where are they? What's going on?" I ask immediately as my eyes I'm sure are wide as a deer in headlights as I'm all but begging for there to be something, anything for me to hold onto right now. It's been way longer than it should've been that I'm here now, "What happend, wheres my family?"
~~~
Taking a deep breath I look to the ground as Alex and Natalia finish their way down the aisle standing at either side before I look up as the doors open again. Kacelyn all dolled up in a tiny white gown and flower head piece adorning her beautiful little curls appears next. She starts toddling her way down the aisle being coaxed by my mom making me smile as my baby girl doesn't fully know what to do with the flowers she's been given to toss out. Who can expect her to though at not quite two years old? Her little gasp and smile makes me grin even bigger than I'm sure I already was as her tiny voice goes, "dada!" Getting laughs from the people here today to witness Ashtyn and I finally get married. Kacey forgets the flowers and does her little baby run towards me making me laugh as I crouch down to get her when she gets to me.
"Dada!" She says with a big smile as she gets to me our crowd coos over the moment as I chuckle and give my little princess a hug.
"Hi babygirl," I say, "You did awesome, I love you, can you go by gramma?"
"Gama," Kacey repeats making me chuckle as I pick her up before giving her a kiss as I pass her off to my mom before stepping back into my place for the next moment before the doors are opened once again.
Seeing Ashtyn standing there dressed in white takes all the breath from me. The gown hugs her body incdredibly before flaring out at her waist. How stunning the gown looks on her has nothing on how she looks in it and the sheer beauty she radiates. I'm the luckiest man in the world right now to be able to make this woman my wife.
~~~
The scream of laughter between my wife and daughter as they chase eachother around our back yard onto the frozen over lake hurling snowballs at one another make me grin as wide as can be. The life and the joy the two of them have together is undenyable and so beyond incredible to see. Kacelyn just as firey as her mom has always proven to be with a smile just as vibrant as hers. Februrary Birthdays in the snow aren't as bad as I once thought they could be when I had my life planned out seven years ago. Seven years of seeing our little girl grow into this vibrant and sassy beautiful mini us has been the greatest blessing of my life and I can't thank Ashtyn enough for giving me the chance to be here for it all. Kacey slips on the ice and falls with a roaring laugh her long dark curls she got from me falling into her face making her laugh seemingly harder as Ashtyn goes to check on her. Ashtyn crouches down and says something to her once the giggles die down before Kacelyn looks to me a grin covering her face before Ashtyn helps her up.
Almost as soon as Kacey's on her feet again shes running back towards the house where I've been hanging out just watching them have their fun. Opening the door I step out to see what she needs before I'm pelted in the shoulder with a snowball and Kacelyn erupts in laughter making me laugh as I shake my head, "You probably shouldn't have done that."
Kacey's eyes go wide as I grab some snow of my own and she screams, "No, no, no," Still laughing as she runs away back towards Ashtyn whos laughing just as hard as ever. Something tells me that she was the mind behind this instead of Kacelyn. Catching up to Kacey I scoop her up as she scream laughs making me laugh.
"Hey we're getting mom," I tell her making her giggle hard now rather than scream as we head over in Ashtyn's direction who's already getting ready with a handful of snowballs that she starts lobbing at us as we get closer. Shielding Kacelyn I bear the storm of snowballs before I set Kacey down and grab a bunch of snow tossing it at Ashtyn getting a yell out of her as Kacey and I are in fits of giggles before she joins in. Our perfect little family.
~~~
"Wow," I comment smiling as Kacelyn comes down the stairs looking as elegant as her mother always has in the Emerald Green Ballgown she'd chosen for her first Prom. "Kacey you look beautiful."
"Thanks dad," She smiles blushing a little as she picks up the fabric of the dress and drops it again before smiling at me.
"Did you know the night I met your mom she had a dress the same color on," I ask getting a head shake, "She's still got it in our closet, you should ask her about it sometime."
"Kacey looks better than I do in the color," Ashtyn says laughing as she emerges from the top of the stairs.
"You both look beautiful in that color," I comment shooting a wink at my wife.
Ashtyn finishes coming down the stairs before giving me a kiss on the cheek, "I'm going to grab the camera from downstairs and we can get a few pictures quick before everyone gets here." I nod before looking back at my daughter. It's hard to see her looking so grown up right now but I think Ashtyn and I have done a damn good job with her.
"Alright," I say and hold a hand out to Kacey, "You can dance with whoever you want tonight but I get to be the first." Kacey laughs and nods as she holds my hand and hugs me. "You're getting too grown up on me kid."
"I'm still your baby girl dad," She tells me making me smile.
"I know, I just don't want you to ever forget that," I tell her before kissing the top of her head, "Love you kid."
"I love you too dad," She tells me as we sway in the entryway of our home. Letting go og her I hold her hand up and spin her making her giggle as I do and the flash goes off.
"Should've seen that one coming," I comment looking at Kacey who has the biggest smile on her face.
Following the group finally leaving our house to head to the dance I grab a bottle of Champagne and pour it into to flutes to bring to Ashtyn. Picking up the leftover plates and utensils she moves them to the sink and rinses off what she needs to before putting them in the dishwasher paying no mind to me until I clear my throat. Ash looks at me and smiles as she finishes off with the dishes before washing off her hands and turning around.
"What's this for?" Ashtyn asks confused as she accepts the glass I've given to her.
"For us doing a damn good job with Kacelyn and her becoming a mini adult as much as I hate to see it." Ashtyn chuckles with a nod before clinking her glass to mine.
"I definitly agree there."
~~~
"Kacey you'll never know how proud I am of you and of the woman you've become," I tell her quietly as I dance with her the entire crowd her at her wedding watching. "No matter what you've got me here in your corner kid. That doesn't change now that you've got a husband and are making your own little family."
"I know dad," She tells me quietly before chuckling a little, "Remember when we danced before prom? This feels kinda like that."
"Yeah?" I say smiling a little, "How come?"
"Because even though there are over a hundred people here and I love my husband, you're always going to be there and keep me safe. This is terrifying right now for all the best reasons but you're here and that all makes it seem okay," She explains making me get teary eyed as I hold her closer to me, "You've always shown me how I deserve to be loved and I can't thank you and mom enough for that."
"You're welcome Kace. I'm so damn proud of you kid and so is your mom, just please don't be a stranger now that you've got your own little life to live."
"Never," She whispers hugging me tighter.
~~~
"Christian I'm so sorry," Dr.Rowe says and my heart stops, "We did everything we could. You guys didn't do anything wrong and this isn't something that we could've predicted or stopped. It just happens sometimes."
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"Maybe you were needed up there, but we're still unaware as why."