I wipe the tears from my eyes and lean in to kiss Leighton’s cheek.
He snuggles between Travis and me, placing his hands on each of our legs. “How cool! I get to sit here with both my mom and my dad!”
Travis leans over and kisses my lips. “Yeah, it is pretty cool.”
Epilogue
Three Years Later
“Hold on! I have to get my shirt!” Leighton yells as he runs down the hall.
I grip my stomach in pain, trying not to get upset with my son.
Travis leans over, kissing the top of my head. “Breathe, baby. Don’t forget to breathe.”
I follow his lead as I take a deep inhale and then exhale as he does it with me.
“Got it!” Leighton comes running to the living room, wearing his I’m the big brother shirt that we bought him when we told him I was pregnant.
He’s been so excited ever since he found out. I know we agreed it was okay for him to come to the hospital with us, but as we sit here, waiting on him, I’m getting nervous about how this is going to go. Since Travis knows everyone at the hospital, they promised they’d watch him when the delivery actually happened if my parents or his mom hadn’t arrived yet.
We’re so lucky to have both of our families here in town to help us raise our kids.
I can’t believe it—our kids.
When I gave birth to Leighton, I only had my mother by my side. Yes, she was supportive and excited to be there, but it wasn’t the same. I remember thinking about Travis as the doctor laid Leighton on my chest. I wished he were there, celebrating the miracle we’d created. I tried not to have the thought ruin my own happiness, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t in the back of my mind.
I can’t believe I’m getting a second chance.
I can’t wait to see his face as he sees his daughter for the first time.
That’s right. His daughter. We’re having a baby girl.
I’ve seen the way he is with Leighton, and I can tell you now that this little girl is going to have him wrapped around her finger. She already does. He painted her entire room pink and decorated it with every princess decor he could find, saying she was his little princess.
“Okay, let’s go have a baby!” Travis shouts as he leads me toward the door.
I’ve seen movies where the dads freak out and act crazy, but that’s not Travis at all. He’s as calm as a cucumber as he walks me down the stairs of our home.
Leighton and I moved in only a few months after I first ran into Travis again. We’d tried to take it slow, but just like that first night we’d met, we had known we were destined to be together.
People always told me that when you found the one, you just knew. I thought they were crazy. That was, until I met Travis. I kick myself for even marrying Daniel and staying with him for so long in such a horrible marriage, yet I have to thank him as well. He led me on our broken path, which gave me Travis.
If not for Daniel, I would never have met Travis, and I would never have had Leighton. God knew we were meant to be together, and that was why we met up again the way we did.
We were married a year after our reunion in a ceremony that included Leighton since we’d also changed his last name to Rivers.
And now, He’s blessed us again.
I walk down the driveway as Leighton rushes past me and jumps in the backseat. I slowly sit down just as a contraction grips hold of me. I grab for the handle and squish my eyes in pain.
“Breathe, baby. Breathe,” Travis says as he wraps his arm around me.
As the contraction calms, I nod my head, letting him know I’m okay and that he can shut the door.
“You’ll be okay, Mommy,” Leighton says as he rubs my shoulder from the backseat.
I glance behind me, smile at him, and place my hand over his. “Thank you, baby.”
“That’s the last time you can call me that, you know. I’m not the baby anymore.” He sits up taller.
I laugh. “I don’t care how old you are; you’ll always be my baby.”
Travis gets on the road, and thankfully, I only have two contractions on the way to the hospital. When we pull up, a nurse is there with a wheelchair for me.
Travis and Leighton follow behind as they rush me to the room they have ready for us. Leighton waits outside as they get me set up in a bed.
Once he’s in my room, he stakes his claim in the chair to my right as Travis stands to my left.
We talk as I try to relax during the calm times, and they each hold one of my hands as contractions rip through my body. Both of our families arrive shortly after we do, and excitement for our newest delivery fills the room.
An hour after I arrived, the doctor checks me again and says it’s time to push. Everyone takes Leighton outside, leaving Travis and me to have our special time alone.
When the doctor tells me to push, I scream with the burning pain, but I feel secure with the help of the man by my side. He leans in and kisses my forehead when I inhale a quick breath and push even harder.
As I drop my head back, he whispers, “You’re doing great. I’m so proud of you.”
Our eyes meet, and I see the tears falling freely down his face. Having him here gives me so much courage and keeps me calm as I inhale a deep breath and push again when the next contraction hits.
I push for a few minutes more. Just when I think I can’t take it anymore, I feel the release, and the scream of a baby girl fills the room.
I fall back, letting my head drop as well, exhausted yet relieved that I did it. I gave birth to our baby girl.
Within seconds, the doctor sets her on my chest as Travis screams, “She’s here!”
Tears of joy stream down his face as he places his hand on her back, taking in the moment of seeing his daughter for the first time. “I’m your daddy,” he says with a huge smile on his face.
Hearing him say this makes me burst into tears. I couldn’t be happier with the life I live and the family I have. I’ve been blessed in so many ways, and the birth of our daughter just adds to that.
“Is she here?” I hear my mom, Judy, ask from the door. She peeks her head in with Christine, Travis’s mom, right behind her.
“Yes, come see!” Travis says, and they all shout out cheers.
Leighton runs in first and straight to my side. “Hi,” he says. “I’m your big brother.”
Everyone laughs as he leans back, holding his shirt out for her to see.
“What’s her name?” my mom asks.
My eyes meet with Travis as we both grin with our choice. We wanted to keep it a secret, and when he nods, I smile big as I say, “Justine,” a blend of our mothers’ names.
“Oh!” Christine bursts out in even more tears.
“I love it!” my mom says as she wraps her arm around my father, giving him a hug.
As I glance at our family surrounding my bed, I can’t help but close my eyes and take in the moment.
Our moment.
Our family.
Every Other Memory by Kaylee Ryan
Chapter One
Cadence
The beat of the music pounds through the speakers. It’s so loud I can feel the vibration in my chest. Then again, maybe that’s the alcohol or possibly the fact that I’m done. After four long, grueling years, I’ve graduated from college. Not only am I a college graduate, but I got my results back today. I passed my boards. I am officially an occupational therapist. It’s time for me to enter the world of adulting, and I’m ready. I am so ready. I’ve busted my ass for this.