Second Chances (31 page)
Authors: Evan Grace
“I love you.” Dustin turned his head to smile at Stacy. He brought her hand up to his lips, kissing her knuckles softly.
“I love you too, baby,” Dustin said as he placed her hand back on his thigh. “Everything’s pretty perfect right now, isn’t it?”
She gave him that smile that he loved. “Yep, it’s pretty perfect.”
Epilogue
Dylan sat in the waiting room on the labor and delivery floor. Stacy was giving birth to his niece or nephew right now. He couldn’t be happier for her and Dustin. They’d had a hard road to get to where they were now. Dylan watched Stacy’s dad nervously pace the floor awaiting the news of his arriving grandbaby. His dad was sitting in the corner, checking his watch over and over, while Bellamy and Luke talked quietly on the couch.
Dylan and Dustin’s and Stacy’s moms were in the room with them. Both of them wanted to be there when their grandchild came into the world. The last report they got was Stacy was ready to push, but that was over thirty minutes ago. Dylan kept looking down the hall towards the doors, willing his brother to walk through them with news. He turned to his sister. “Didn’t you only push, like, twice?”
“Uh, no. I pushed for almost an hour. Don’t worry, this is her first baby. Her body’s no—”
Bellamy stood up and he turned towards the doors where his brother was waiting for them to open. He reached Dustin first.
“It’s a girl.” Dylan grabbed his brother in a bear hug. “She’s beautiful and a chunk. She’s nine pounds and ten ounces. My girl is long too, twenty-one inches.”
Dylan stepped back while everyone else congratulated his brother, the new dad. Everyone was anxious to meet her and so was Dylan, but it was eight o’clock in the evening and his brother looked exhausted. He could only imagine how tired Stacy was. As everyone else went to the doors, Dylan stayed back. Dustin, not missing anything, came over to him.
“Don’t you want to come meet your niece?”
Dylan put a hand on his shoulder. “I can’t wait to meet her, but you guys are exhausted. I’ll come back in the morning and bring breakfast. I’m happy for you guys. Send Stacy my love and kiss my niece for me.”
He watched Dustin pull out his phone and hold it out. “Here, I’ll show you the pictures I took first.”
Dylan took the phone and smiled down at the picture of his niece. She looked perfect; a head full of dark hair, rosy, chubby cheeks and a perfect little mouth. “She’s gorgeous, man. What’s her name?”
Dustin took his phone back, shoving it in his pocket. “Violet Renée, at least that’s what we agreed on last night when we were picking out our top boy and girl choices. I’m gonna head back to them, but I’ll see you in the morning. I love you, Dylan.”
Dylan hugged him tight, slapped his back and then stepped away from the doors. “Love you too, bro. See you tomorrow.” At the last minute he decided to go past the nursery to look at the babies, if there were any in there.
When he got to the glass there were two babies in front of the window, a little girl and a little boy. The boy was huge. Dylan could see all of the dark hair sticking out from under the blue cap. He couldn’t believe he was ever that small. Dylan couldn’t imagine going through labor and pushing out something that big.
“He’s beautiful, isn’t he?” Dylan turned to a woman who was standing there looking at the baby boy.
“He is. Is he yours?” He looked back at the baby. The card in the little bed said Baby Boy Cummings. He was just about as big as little Violet.
“Sort of.” Dylan looked at her with confusion. “He’s my neighbor’s, but she’s single and doesn’t have anyone, so I guess I sort of adopted them.” Her face turned beet-red for a minute. “Oh my god, I can’t believe I just told you that. Sorry, I’m just exhausted.”
“That’s okay, I’m not gonna judge, but someone should teach the asshole who left her like that a lesson. She’s lucky to have you.” He didn’t know where all the sentimental shit was coming from, but maybe he just needed a beer to stop it.
“Oh, well, thank you.”
Dylan told her goodbye and walked towards the exit. Maybe it was time for him to start dating. He’d held on to the memory of a woman he was never going to see again long enough. Wherever Journey was, he hoped she was happy.
Acknowledgements
Again, to my husband and kids I know I can be kind of a bear when I’m writing, but thank you for understanding and loving me regardless.
To the rest of my family, thank you for supporting me and cheering me on as I worked day and night trying to get my stories told, and especially my mom who is the greatest most beautiful woman I know.
To my girl Stacy, who stayed up with me editing until we were giggling, delirious fools at two in the morning over multiple weekends. You kept me going when I wanted to give up and for that I’m truly grateful.
Again, to Limitless Publishing for giving my stories a home.
About the Author
A Midwesterner and self-proclaimed nerd, Evan has been an avid reader most of her life, but five years ago got bit by the writing bug, and it quickly became her addiction, passion and therapy. When the voices in her head give it a rest, she can always be found with her e-reader in her hand. Some of her favorites include, Shayla Black, Jaci Burton, Madeline Sheehan and Jamie Mcguire. Evan finds a lot of her inspiration in music, so if you see her wearing her headphones you know she means business and is in the zone.
During the day Evan works for a large homecare agency and at night she’s superwoman. She’s a wife to Jim and a mom to Ethan and Evan, a cook, a tutor, a friend and a writer. How does she do it? She’ll never tell.
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