Page 122 of Married to Secrets
“That’s it!” the doctor encouraged. “Keep going!”
The moment passed in a blur as the doctor held up the baby and laid her on Jada’s chest. My whole world contracted to a two-foot window with both of my girls in it. Jada, so strong and brave. And this beautiful little baby crying out, marking her life, her entrance to this world.
I bent down, kissing Jada’s forehead and then turning to look at our baby, blinking her big brown eyes. “She’s perfect.”
“She is,” Jada agreed, reaching out with her hand and caressing Twyla’s head, covered in short, dark hair. “So perfect.”
“Would you like to cut the cord, Dad?” Dr. Blake asked.
I stared at them, the title cutting me to the core. I was a dad. A husband.
As I swallowed down the lump in my throat, I knew I’d do anything for Jada and our daughter. “If it’s okay with Jada,” I said.
She nodded, a tired smile on her lips.
The doctor passed me scissors, and I snipped through the cord, feeling like I was cutting the cord to my old life as well. My mission was to take care of my family. To remove Jude from their presence at all costs.
77.Jada
Bryceand I sat in the back seat, on either side of Twyla’s baby carrier. We were going to our new home—the one we were supposed to settle into for the next few weeks until the baby came. Turns out, everyone was right; babies make their own timeline.
We stayed in the hospital a few extra days to make sure Twyla didn’t have any complications from arriving four weeks early, but thankfully she passed all their tests with flying colors.
Gen drove carefully while Bryce and I both stared at Twyla. There was something special about sharing this with him that made us feel even closer. Every little burble or grunt, we’d look at each other and smile, as if to say,Did you see that? It was amazing.
My body was still healing, and would be for some time, but Bryce was doting on me just as much as he was on Twyla. Anything we needed, he was there to get. Oftentimes before I even thought to ask.
It was like getting a preview of our life together; it would be beautiful.
His phone rang, and he hurried to grab it from his pocket so he could answer it before the ringing woke the baby.
“Hello?” Bryce said softly.
All the color drained from his face. “I’ll be there after I get the girls home,” he finally murmured.
When he hung up, my chest felt tight as I asked, “What happened?”
He turned to me, eyes haunted. “Simon was poisoned at the wedding.”
