The choice is either dwell on what we haven’t had or forge a new path.
I think about Declan’s motto.
I know it because each time we went to his house, we recited it.
I like to think that Elizabeth Arrowood was magical. She knew what each of her sons needed in a way that still blows my mind. It was as though she peeked into their souls, saw the flaws, and tried to help them right their course.
Connor needed to take chances. Sean needs to learn that it is the shot that counts, and Jacob has to learn to adapt. Their mother somehow knew Declan had to screw it all up in order to make it right the second time around.
Which is what this is.
“Yeah, this is our second chance to see our son … together.”
Declan sits beside the bed, tightening his grip. I can see that he wants to say something, and then, I gasp as I feel the strangest sensation. “Oh!” My hands rest on my belly, and the entirety of my focus is on waiting to see if I feel it again. It’s not the light flutters that Ellie talked about, it’s much stronger and there’s no denying what that was.
Declan jumps to his feet, eyes concerned as he moves closer to me. “What’s wrong?”
My heart feels lighter than it has been in weeks. It’s beating with a flurry of emotions—joy and hope and happiness and contentment. “I … I just felt the baby.”
He rests his hand tenderly on my stomach. We both stay still, watching each other as we wait for something—anything—to happen. I move his hand to the area where I felt it last and hold his wrist. A few moments pass, and I will our son to move again, to show his father that he’s okay.
Neither of us so much as makes a sound, and then I feel it once more. “Did you feel that?”
He looks to me. His eyes are filled with wonder and the biggest smile paints his face. “Our baby. That tiny nudge?”
“That was him.”
“He’s strong.”
My vision blurs behind unshed tears. “He is.”
Here in the hospital room where so much has happened, Declan and I share a moment so beautiful that I know I’ll never forget it.
“I love you, Sydney.”
“I love you, too.”
And I do. I always have. To tell him otherwise or omit it would be a lie. While I don’t know that we will be able to weather the storm, I know that I can’t go out in it alone. Declan is who I want to be my shelter.
He and I move at the same time, and his hands cradle my face as mine rest against his chest. I can feel the steady thrum of his heartbeat as he kisses me reverently. There’s passion, which has never been something we lacked, but this time, there’s something so much deeper. There’s love, understanding, and acceptance that passes between us.
We’ve been through so much, and somehow, we’re here right now. I’d be the fool my people have said I am if I weren’t able to see it.
He poured his heart out to me earlier, and I may not trust it fully, but I know it’s true.
He deepens the kiss a little, and I surrender to him. Not only am I too weak to fight against the feelings inside, but I also have no desire to. I love him.
“Well, if this isn’t a sight I never wanted to see again.” Sean’s voice breaks the moment.
Heat creeps up on my cheeks, and I look away. “You’re a sight I wish I wasn’t looking at right now,” Declan says.
“Much easier to maul Sydney without an audience?”
I roll my eyes. “Hello, Sean,” I say, wanting to break up this fight before it happens.
He smiles at me and then enters the room. “Syd, it’s good to see you awake. I was worried.”
Declan gets up and hugs his brother. “What are you doing here? Don’t you have a game to play since your injury was nothing?”
“I do. We have a series here in Philly.” He winks at me. “Some fan my brother is, huh? He didn’t even know I was in town. Jackass.”
“I’ve been a little preoccupied,” Declan defends.
“You know, making sure I didn’t die and take his unborn child with me,” I say with a grin. “Baseball must have slipped his mind, I guess.”
Sean shrugs. “I guess that’s a good enough reason.”
I laugh. “Thank you for coming.”
He scoffs. “Please, I find out you’re carrying my newest nephew, which reminds me that I need to have a talk with two of my brothers about safe sex, and you thought I wouldn’t come?”
I laugh and then feel comfort from his embrace. Sean sits in the chair that Declan was in and takes my hand. “How are you?”
Declan and I fill him in on all the medical stuff, tell him that we’re waiting for another ultrasound, and then let him know that I’ll likely be discharged. He smiles as I tell him how much I’ve improved. I went from barely keeping my eyes open to staying awake for hours at a time now. I can walk, but I’m still very shaky on my feet. If I want to get up, I have to have someone here to help.
It’s incredibly irritating since I’ve never been dependent on anyone. I’ve run my farm, business, and been a damn volunteer without needing someone to take care of me. Now, I can’t even pee without sounding the alarm.
I, for one, can’t wait for the physical therapy to be over so I can go back to some sort of normal.
“You left me in the parking garage?” Devney huffs as she appears in the doorway.
“Dev,” I say with a smile.
Her eyes meet mine, and her scowl fades away. “You have some explaining to do too, but for now,” her voice softens, “I’m just so
