Unexpected

57. Harry

God, I'm so scared for Helen. My mind is going wild with what ifs. But my heart is racing with happiness.

I'm so ready for this adventure that'll last a lifetime. I'm so ready to hold our Allie in my arms.

I can't believe this is actually happening.

Helen is squeezing my hand as strong as she can and she's screaming so loudly.

I'm sweating just as much as her while she  pushes.

"A few more, the head is almost out," the doctor says.

She screams and pushes again, and squeezes my hand so strong that I think my bones are breaking.

"You're doing so well, baby," I tell her, trying to soothe her.

"Oh God!" she shouts.

"One more and she's out!"

And after about thirty seconds, screaming and crying fill the room...and heavy tears fall down my cheeks.

The nurses wrap quickly our daughter in a cloth.

"So, who wants to cut the umbilical chord?" they ask.

I look at Helen and wipe the tears away. "You," she tells me.

I cut it, and finally see our Allie. She's still screaming and crying, but as soon as they put her in Helen's arms, she calms down a little.

The doctor leave us alone once everything is clean.

"I can't believe this," I say, whispering, while looking at my daughter in awe.

Helen smiles. "Our daughter, Harry," she says, looking at me with her beautiful blue eyes.

Our daughter.

"Do you want to hold her?"

"Of course."

She puts her in my arms delicately, qnd I sit down on a chair beside her bed.

I look at this little girl. Her lips are pink and slightly parted, her hair are dark blonde. Her eyes are closed, so I don't know what color are they.

"Hey, Allie," I say softly. "It's Daddy here, and there is Mommy," I tell her, and point my finger to Helen, and she laughs. "So...how are you doing?" I ask, even though she can't answer.

Helen chuckles and says, "You're gonna be an amazing dad, Harry."

"She's my little princess."

I study Allie more carefully. Her lips are just like her mother's and she has super long lashes. "She looks like you."

"She has your nose, same eyebrow shape. I bet she has your eyes too," she tells me, then yawns.

I put Allie in the little bed beside Helen's. I kiss my woman on the forehead and tell her to rest. "I love you so much, both of you."

• • •

My phone rings. It's Helen, and I answer. "Something's wrong?"

"No, but you must come here!" she says cheerfully. "Allie opened her eyes, she's awake!"

"Coming!"

I hurry to the hospital and in thirty minutes I'm here.

I find Helen with Allie in her arms, smiling and playing with her little fingers. "You're beautiful!" she says in a funny voice to her daughter.

"I'm here," I say, because she hadn't noticed me.

She raises her eyebrows and smiles. "Daddy's here."

I lean over to kiss her, and then look at Allie. "God, she's perfect."

She has deep blue eyes, just like mine. This baby really is a mixture of the two of us. The product of our love.

She looks at me with those big eyes, studying me. I give her my finger and she squeezes it, and it's the cutest thing.

"Hi, little one," I tell her. "Welcome."

Now she's looking around herself, trying to figure out something.

Helen glances over my shoulder and I look to the same direction.

Everyone is standing by the door. My mom, my sister, Helen's parents, Jade and Evan, Grace and Michael, even Miss Williams.

In turn, two by two, they enter the room and hold Allie, complimenting me and Helen because she is so beautiful.

"Cole is proud of you, sweetie," Mrs Scott says to her daughter.

Helen smiles, a single tear falling from her eye. "He is."

My mom and sister come next.

"Oh my God, she's your eyes, Harry, and Helen's mouth, and the hair are a mixture of the two of you," my mom tells me.

Maddie is now holding her. "You made a wonderful girl, you know?" she says. "And I didn't expect to become an aunt this soon, but I'm super happy!"

"I'm so proud of you both, and you're gonna be amazing parents, I know," my mom tells us.

"Thank you, Kate," Helen tells her.

Our friends come next, and after another half hour we're alone again.

This life is turning out better than I could've ever imagined.