My eyes were glued on Aria who was sitting in the hospital bed with a sleepish look on her face, with the epidural to keep the pain minimum she was all loopy. I fed her ice chips when she'd turn her head towards me with an open mouth. Whenever she got contractions I'd let her squeeze my hand and I'd caress her hair.
Everything about us, everything that happened didn't matter in this moment only that we were going to have a baby any minute and that Aria was already exhausted.
I leaned over taking Aria's hand into mine and placing a soft kiss on it.
"Hi.", I whispered.
Aria turned to look at me then she smiled softly. "Hi.", she said softly.
The door opened and the doctor walked through with a smile. She had a few nurses with her and they checked Aria to find out she was fully dilated and that she needed to start pushing.
My heart began to race, I stood up and held Aria's hand tightly. Once Aria and the doctor were ready Aria took a deep breath, I held her head up and she squeezed my hand as she pushed.
"You're doing so good.", I told Aria.
Aria let out a deep breath and threw her head back before getting back to pushing, she squeezed my hand tight. I encouraged Aria and told her how great she was doing.
I watched everything.
"I can see the head.", I said my eyes beginning to tear up. "You're doing so great, honey."
The doctor told Aria to push, Aria did and squeezed my hand tight.
"Open your eyes Aria, watch your baby come into this world.", the doctor said.
Aria did and we both saw our baby being born, crying filled the room and I began to cry. Aria started crying.
"Congratulations it's a girl!", The doctor said.
It's a girl?! I have a daughter.
"Dad, are you cutting the cord?", the doctor asked as she laid our newborn baby girl on Aria's stomach.
I nodded quickly sniffing and wiping my tears before grabbing the scissors and cutting the cord. They took our baby to get her all cleaned up, I walked over to Aria and wiped her tears. She looked at me with a smile, she cupped my face with one of her hands.
"We had a baby.", she laughed softly.
"We had a baby.", I kissed her head before pressing my forehead against hers. She looked at me before placing a soft kiss on my lips.
"Go see her.", Aria said.
I kissed her head before walking over to see the nurse weighing our baby girl. Her cries filled the room as she laid there on the scale. 7 pounds and 8 ounces.
The nurse put a diaper on her before she placed a beanie on her head and wrapped her up in a blanket. The nurse picked her up and handed her to me, I gasped softly then looked down at my arms.
I was holding my baby girl for the very first time, she's so small and perfect. Tears filled my eyes as I looked down at my baby, my child, my daughter.
"Hi.", I said softly swaying side to side slowly. "I love you so much. You changed my life forever, in an instant."
My life is changed forever, I'm a changed man, a father. How can anyone be so perfect? So small and this feeling of love washing over me, a different type of love.
"I won't let anyone hurt you, I promise you, baby girl.", I whispered.
I walked over to Aria and handed her the baby, she held her and smiled softly. I wrapped my arm around Aria and the baby. Aria rubbed her nose against the baby's gently before kissing her head.
"Hi, baby.", Aria whispered. "She's perfect, isn't she?", Aria asked.
"Yeah, you both are and I love you two so much.", I said.
Aria turned to me then kissed me softly. We sat there just staring at our baby girl, a new life we created.
"We don't have a name for her yet.", Aria said.
"We don't have to know now, let's just watch her sleep.", I said chuckling softly. That's what we did.
***
Aria was sleep, she was exhausted from last night and needs her rest. I held our baby girl in my arms, she squirmed slightly.
"You're exhausted too huh? It was hard work getting out.", I said laughing softly.
I could keep my eyes off of her, she was perfect and so beautiful. This feeling was the best thing I've ever felt in my entire life, suddenly nothing mattered except her.
We came up with a name for her last night.
Belle Capri Morello
I looked up to see Aria move and her eyes open slowly, she smiled softly. I walked over to her and she touched my arm.
"Have you been holding her all night?", Aria asked.
"Not all night but most of the morning, I can't get enough of her, Aria. She looks just like you.", I said.
I gave Belle to Aria before kissing her lips softly, she cupped my face with one hand.
"Don't leave us, okay? She's here now and that's all that matters. She needs her daddy and I need him too.", Aria said.
I swallowed hard, a lump forming in my throat. "I ain't going anywhere. I'm never going to leave you girls. I love you both so much and I'm not leaving. You are so strong and you did amazing with the delivery. Thank you for bringing our baby into this world.", I told her kissing her and digging my face in her neck.
I have Aria, I have my daughter, I have my family. The family I've always wanted and now I have, and there's nothing in this entire world that is going to take that away from me. I'm going to protect Aria and Belle for the rest of my life.
"I'm coming back home.", Aria said.
"Okay.", I said with a smile.
She was coming home. I got my wife back and now we have a daughter to watch grow and teach. We have each other and we are going to be growing our family. Aria changed my life completely and so did Belle.
It's crazy to think about how this all started, how I was against it and now I found the love of my life even if it's for the second time. I married a woman that I am now madly in love with, we created a new life and we are going to grow our family. I am happy, I'm a happy man. I'm a husband, a son, a brother and I'm a Father.
And it all started with a proposal that I didn't think was a real proposal, but I'm glad it was.
Funny thing about all of this is...
It's just The Beginning.
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Thank you guys so much for reading! I loved writing this book and I really hope you enjoyed it. I may add another book if more than like five people want it.
I am just so thankful for my readers for all of my books. You guys are the best! Kind of sad to see the end but I may add some one-shots in the future 👀!
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