Page 176 of Faking It With My Pucking Protector

Jackson glances at me, and I nod. This is the moment.

“We wanted you guys to help pick her name,” I say softly, my eyes moving between their faces.

The boys freeze, wide-eyed.

“We talked about a few names,” Jackson says gently. “But there’s one that feels right, and we wanted to make sure it felt right to you too.”

I take a breath, my heart thudding as I look at them. “What do you think of Elsie?”

Liam blinks, as if considering it carefully, then breaks into a huge grin and nods enthusiastically.

“Elsie!” Noah shouts, turning to Miss Taylor like he needs to tell the whole world right now.

Miss Taylor laughs through her tears, stepping forward to wrap her arms around them both.

“That’s a beautiful name,” she says, her voice thick.

Liam leans closer to me again, eyes locked on his sister. “Hi, Elsie,” he whispers, his small hand hovering just above her tiny head before gently brushing her hair.

Jackson’s hand finds my shoulder, squeezing once, steady and sure. I look up at him, my chest pulling tight around so much love I can barely hold it.

“Welcome to the family, Elsie,” he murmurs, his voice breaking on her name.

For a moment, everything else fades. It’s just us, Jackson’s steady warmth at my side, the boys’ awed little faces, Miss Taylor’s soft laughter and tears, and the tiny, perfect weight of our daughter nestled against my heart.

I close my eyes, breathing it all in.

Our family. Complete.

The room gradually quiets after the initial flurry of introductions. Miss Taylor steps out with the boys to grab snacks and give us a few moments alone, promising she’ll bring them back for more baby time soon.

Jackson pulls a chair even closer to the bed, his arm sliding behind my shoulders as he leans in, his forehead pressing gently to my temple.

I shift Elsie slightly, cradling her so her tiny cheek rests against my chest. She sighs in her sleep, her little mouth forming a perfect, soft “O” shape.

For a while, neither of us says anything. The only sounds are Elsie’s quiet breaths and the distant hum of the hospital hallway outside.

Jackson finally speaks, his voice low and rough with emotion. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt this kind of… stillness,” he says. “Like nothing else exists outside this room.”

I turn to look at him, my heart stuttering at the raw honesty in his eyes.

“I know,” I whisper. “It feels like everything finally makes sense. Like every choice, every hard moment... led us right here.”

His hand slips from my shoulder to rest lightly over my arm, his thumb brushing slow, calming circles.

“We have a daughter,” he says, his voice a reverent hush.

I nod, tears pricking again as I look down at Elsie.

Jackson leans forward then, pressing a careful kiss to the side of her head, and another to my cheek.

I breathe in deeply, my whole body sinking into this moment: the gentle weight of our daughter, the warmth of Jackson beside me, the knowledge that our boys are just down the hall, already plotting future adventures with their sister.

I close my eyes, my forehead resting lightly against his.

“I love you,” I whisper, the words slipping out as naturally as breath.

“I love you,” he murmurs back. “More than I ever thought possible.”

For a long, quiet moment, we stay just like that: our little family’s newest heartbeat tucked between us, the world beyond these walls fading into nothing but soft light and steady love.

And in that hush, I know this isn’t just the start of a new chapter. It’s the beginning of a thousand stories we’ll write together.

Our messy, loud, beautiful forever.