Page 27

27

Niki

Today, we found out what we were having. The doctor used a 3D ultrasound, showing us her tiny face, her delicate hands curled into fists. We didn’t care whether it was a boy or a girl—we just wanted a healthy baby. But Oliver had already made up his mind.

A few days ago, he ordered the most beautiful crib, handcrafted by an artist who had never made one before. The craftsmanship was breathtaking—intricate details carved into the wood, delicate patterns woven into the design. But it wasn’t just the beauty of the crib that stole my breath.

It was the name on the headboard.

A name none of us had chosen.

A name that felt like it had been waiting for her all along.

Gracie Hope.

The moment I saw it, tears welled in my eyes.

Because somehow, it was perfect.

Because somehow, everyone already loved her.

She looked like she was smiling.

I glanced at Lyon, and the emotion on his face nearly undid me. If we weren’t in this room, if he weren’t trying to hold it together, I knew— he’d be bawling his eyes out.

His fingers reached toward the screen, barely brushing the image of our daughter.

“I love you, Gracie Hope,” he whispered. Then he turned to me, his lips pressing against mine in a lingering kiss.

“I can’t wait to hold her in my arms,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. “She’s beautiful.”

I stared at the screen again, my heart swelling and twisting all at once. “You don’t think it’s a little spooky how she just… stared at us? Like she could actually hear what we were saying?”

Lyon chuckled.

“Oh, she can hear you. She hears everything. Lots of parents read to their babies in the womb. When they’re born, they recognize those voices instantly,” The doctor said.

I looked at him, fascinated. “Really?”

He nodded. “She already knows how much you love her. She feels everything you do—when you’re happy, when you’re scared. Your heartbeat, your emotions… they’re all part of her world.”

The doctor smiled. “Your umbilical cord connects you both—not just physically, but emotionally. Her life depends on yours in every way. A lot of parents don’t realize that at first, but when they do, it changes everything.”

Niki squeezed my hand, eyes shimmering with wonder. “That makes perfect sense. No wonder babies know their parents the second they’re born.” She turned to me, determination flashing in her gaze. “We’re stopping at the bookstore on the way home.”

I blinked. “The bookstore?”

She grinned. “I’m getting children’s books. I can’t wait to start reading to her.”

Lyon chuckled, shaking his head. “Our daughter’s going to know every story by heart before she’s even born.”

I just smiled, rubbing my stomach. “Good.”

I felt at peace. I hadn’t felt this way since I was five, and my mother almost died when a serial killer kidnapped her, and she was severely injured. They told me she was away on a job, but I knew she was in the hospital. I overheard my uncles talking about it when they thought I was sleeping. That was my mom’s last job as an FBI Special Agent.

I felt Gracie stretching, and I smiled. I took Lyon’s hand and put it right where she was turning. His fingers curled on my tummy like he was hugging her. I had a feeling we would both want to read her stories.