She laughed, delighted, then gasped as another pain slammed home. “I’m not going to hold you to that, sweetie. Oh, Sean, she’s coming.”
Doctor Eve Conlon bustled in, and to Sean the woman looked like she was fourteen years old. Lots of curly, thick hair, big brown eyes and a wide smile. “How’re we doing?”
“Kate says the baby’s coming,” Sean blurted. “How’re you?”
Eve laughed. “Take a breath, Sean. I’m just going to take a look, Kate.”
When the brief examination was over, the doctor smiled and announced, “Kate’s right. She’s doing everything in a hurry. Your daughter’s on her way.”
The next half hour was nothing but a blur for Sean. He’d never been so scared and elated all at the same time. Admiration and love for his wife soared as he watched her bring their baby into the world with a fierce determination that staggered him.
All he could do was hold her hand and look on in proud amazement when the doctor laid their gorgeous, screaming daughter on Kate’s chest. Kate laughed and cried and smoothed her hands over their baby’s tiny body, and Kiley, as if sensing she was just where she was supposed to be, settled right down and looked directly into her father’s eyes.
Reverently, he reached out to touch her tiny hand, and the baby’s fingers curled around one of his fingers in an instinctive grasp that took a firm hold on his heart, as well. “Happy birthday, Kiley Ryan,” he whispered.
Love rose up and spilled over inside him, and Sean was humbled by it all. She was less than a minute old and already, Sean loved her more than he would have believed possible. He’d never known he could feel so much, so quickly. He looked at his beautiful wife and realized he had never guessed what it would mean to love a woman so completely.
“Thank you,” he whispered and bent to kiss Kate. “Thank you for her and for everything you’ve given me since the day I met you.”
“I love you, Sean,” Kate said.
“Don’t ever stop.” Sean laid his hand over Kate’s and together, they cradled their daughter—their future.