Page 139 of Rebellious Hearts

“Congratulations, you two,” the doctor said with a smile, his words punctuated by the tiny cries. “It’s a healthy baby girl.”

“Oh, my God, Sofia,” Ben said. “A girl.”

The doctor had Ben cut the umbilical, and they made sure the little girl was okay while the doctor finished up with me.

And finally, wrapped in a swaddling blanket, they put her in my arms.

“Oh, she’s beautiful,” Ben whispered, leaning over to look at the tiny face that blinked up at the world.

“She’s perfect,” I agreed. “Ten toes, ten fingers, and I think she has your nose.”

Ben chuckled. “Maybe, but those eyes… that’s all you.”

She had big gray eyes, but she squeezed them shut as she started crying again.

“Oh, baby, no,” I said.

A nurse helped me nurse her, and I was moved to a private room. Ben never left my side, staying with the baby, with me, making sure that we had everything we needed.

Finally, after an exhausting birth, learning how to nurse and adjusting to motherhood, the baby fell asleep.

I closed my eyes, and then I was gone, too.

When I blinked my eyes open again, the sun fell through the window at a different angle, and I wasn’t sure how long I’d been asleep.

I glanced into the bassinet where our baby girl lay. She was still asleep.

The room was empty, otherwise.

Where was Ben?

As soon as I sat up, looking for a phone to call him, the door opened, and Ben popped his head in.

“Hey,” he said with a smile and came into the room. “You’re awake. How do you feel?” He leaned down and kissed me.

“I feel okay. I didn’t think I’d feel this good this soon, but… I feel good.”

“Great,” Ben said with a smile. “You wouldn’t by any chance be ready for visitors?”

“Visitors?” Who could possibly visit us on an island in the Maldives?

“Well… when I called to let the family know, they insisted on flying out to meet our little girl. So… they’re all here.”

I blinked at him. “All of them?”

“Yeah,” Ben said and scratched his head. “They took a private plane, so…”

I couldn’t believe it. “Yes, I’m ready to see them.” I wanted my family here with me. I wanted them all to know her.

Ben’s smile widened. “Okay, I’ll let them know.”

The family came in a moment later, and Ben wasn’t joking. It really was all of them—Ben’s parents, all three of his brothers, Charlotte with Tommy on her hip, Luke and Amy because they were practically like family. Finally, Elena stepped in, too.

“Oh, my God,” I said, and tears rolled down my cheeks. “You all came.”

They took their turns congratulating us with hugs and kisses, and they fussed over the baby, who had woken up but wasn’t crying.

She was already so good.