Alpha Billionaire Series

WILLOW

Labor and delivery had been a whirlwind. My labor only lasted five hours before our little Hanna Grace entered the world. The doctor told me I was lucky to live so close to the hospital, and I laughed at him. We were out to dinner when my water broke, and my body decided that it wanted the baby out of me immediately. Charles had acted like a lunatic, racing me to the ER only to discover that we still had hours of laboring.All content © N/.ôvel/Dr/ama.Org.

By the time my family even arrived, Hanna was hours old. Mel came the next day, bringing her new partner. I liked the woman, blonde and petite, the opposite of Mel. I had passed out from fatigue, and my visitors took turns passing the baby around. When I woke up it was just me and Charles, just like it was now.

Mentally drained and physically exhausted, I plopped into my favorite reading chair, pulling out a book. It had been weeks since I was able to sit and read. Charles sat on the couch holding Hanna, her tiny rosy cheeks the only flesh visible. He had her bundled up a little excessively for the late May afternoon, but he was cautious. It's what made him a good father. Hanna had only been home for three days after a sting in the pediatric intensive care unit for a lung infection post-birth. I'd been home for a week, but all of our time was spent in the hospital anyway.

It was good to be home, though this apartment still didn't feel like home. I missed Mr. Boots, who remained at my parents’ house until Charles, and I found a two-bedroom apartment that allowed pets. We even considered buying a home in Alexandria and commuting to work, but it lowered our options for childcare to do that.

“Do you think she’s hungry? I just have a few minutes left before I have to leave.” Charles acted like a helpless perso when it came to her. Caring for a child was foreign to him. Or maybe it was that women were nurturers by nature, anc it came naturally to me.

“Just enjoy cuddling, okay? I'll feed her after you have to leave.” I loved watching him care for her. His attention level was entirely different now that the campaign was over. In fact, despite the vote he had to get to this afternoon, if I had asked him to stay home, he would have.

“You deserve a break though. I just thought I could help.”

“It's okay. I can handle it.” Putting my book aside, I stood and strolled to the couch, curling up beside him. I rested m head on his shoulder and pulled the blanket away from Hanna's face. “I can’t get over how much she looks like you.” “Really? I thought she looked more like you.” He grinned and put his arm around me. “To think only a year ago life was so different.”

“Yeah, you were a complete ass hole” I chuckled and poked his ribs.

“Funny, but I'm serious. You only had one office, now you've expanded to a new city. We are married—for real and happily. We have a baby."

“And you are a US senator.” I sat up straighter, pulling him in for a kiss. “We could have two babies if you want.” I smirked at him, and he snickered.

“I think we have to find a bigger place first” Charles shifted, handing Hanna over to me.

“We need a place that allows pets too. Mr. Boots needs to be with his family.” I nudged him, knowing it wasn't his favorite idea due to his allergies, but he had promised me that my cat could come to stay. We even discussed our safety measures to ensure the cat didn’t cuddle with Hanna too much and risk smothering her—which was a concern of his mother.

“Mom will be over later this afternoon to drop off the gifts from my aunts. Don't forget.”

“l won't” Both my mother and Charles's had arranged multiple visits for the next few months. I hadn't even thought of what it would mean for them to be grandparents, but my dad was eating it up. “This little gal has all the love in th world, doesn’t she?”

He beamed, a proud papa. Even Peter had come to the hospital with a gift for Hanna when she was born. I had never felt more loved or supported with so many people around me.

Charles sighed deeply, seeming content with the day. He kissed my forehead and stood up. “I have to get dressed now, okay?” He lingered for a moment, and I didn’t want him to go. I knew that getting back into our normal routine was going to be challenging, but it was necessary. We'd worked out that I would bring Hanna to work with me for the first six months or so, and by then we would have vetted a proper nanny for her.

He disappeared into the bedroom, and I sat cradling my little girl. He was right. Life was so different now. So much had changed externally, but it wasn’t the outward changes that made me feel overwhelmed by the shock of it all. It was how my heart had been transformed.

In the past year, pain that I carried for almost a decade had been washed away. Trust issues that I had, which I thought I'd never get rid of had vanished. It had taken a lot of emotional energy, and we'd fought a lot, but we were stronger for it. And we had this beautiful baby girl to help us remember what was really important about life. Charles came out of the bedroom wearing his suit, his hair brushed to the side. I thought he looked as handsome as ever, ready to take on the world.

“I will stay if you want me to.”

“You have to get back to work sometime. Just go. I'll be fine. I think I'll nurse her and then we will nap together.” I kissed him as he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine. “Maybe we'll order out tonight. That way no one has to cook.”

“But I like cooking for you.” He kissed Hanna's head and then straightened, buttoning his suit coat.

“Well, then we'll have whatever you want to cook.” I yawned, finding it difficult to hold my eyes open. My body felt like it had run a marathon.

“As long as I can have you for dessert.” Playful as always, Charles offered another peck to my forehead before he let himself out. I watched him leave. Life looked different than I thought it would, but it wasn't bad. Even Mel had found someone, and Charles had found Nina a new job with another senator, which made me even happier.

I didn’t believe in fairy tales in real life, but my life was as close to one as it could get. I'd settle for that over a glass slipper any day.