and we loved

Chapter 40

DIA

I never think hours have passed more slowly. I am counting down seconds in my mind, minutes, anything. I need to see her. I was with the girls at a restaurant as Nessie's water broke. We drove to the hospital first thing and called the guys, who met us here. Now we're all waiting to hear anything from Nessie and Adam. Who are in the surgery room.

"Do you think it's a boy or a girl?", Nini asks, to make the time pass quicker. The image could be funny. All eight of us are on a chair in a row, like students waiting for the teacher to call them inside.

"Boy", Alec says first. He seems pretty convinced.

"Girl. They seem to be parents of a girl", Noah counters.

"I'd go with boy", Soph replies. Alec looks at her proud and kisses her cheek. She smiles.

"Do you think the cupcakes are too much?", I ask them.

They all start shaking their heads.

We asked the guys to pick up some presents on the way here, so that we can surprise Nessie, Adam and the baby. The guys bought balloons, presents like small clothes and toys and they also bought cupcakes. And as if that wouldn't be expensive enough, they bought everything twice. Once in blue, once in pink. Since we don't know what the child will be, we decided to give the ones of the other gender to a family as a present.

"Nah, I don't think so", Jacob answers to me. "We will-"

But he's interrupted by the sight of Adam walking down the hallway, us as target. I take one moment just to look at him. In the years I've known him, I have never seen him happier. He's smiling so bright, but not just any smile. That type of smile that shows that no matter through what he'll go through in the future, he's found his butterfly. He found a family.

I can't help but smile back.

It's then all of us eight stand up as choreographed and rush over to him.

"How is my niece or nephew?", Nini asks.

"Is Nessie alright?", April adds.

"When can we see them?", Soph follows.

"Can we see them now?", Noah says.

"Did everything go well?", Caden jumps in.

"Are we going to see them soon?", I join the choir.

"Can you please tell us we can see them soon?", Jacob comes in my defense.

"How are you feeling?", Alec asks.

Adam takes a deep breath, probably exhausted from our questions. However, that smile doesn't disappear and he's almost glowing with happiness as he answers: "Nessie and I are the proud parents of a new baby boy."

I can't keep it together and start screaming of joy. As Soph goes to hug Adam and congratulate him, Jacob comes hug me and kisses my forehead to offer me something steady to hang on to. We then both go to congratulate Adam, after everybody else, and I notice April, Noah, Nini and Caden going to a family on the hallway and offering them the pink presents we bought. As they come back, Adam still didn't realize what's happening, as if he were too overfilled with happiness to notice the world around him. His only focus are the two people in that room.

"So, does anybody want to see our son?", he asks us.

We obviously start nodding and cheering. On the way, we split the presents between us and discuss who will give what. As we arrive at the door and Adam tells us multiple times to be careful and not to be too loud since Nessie just got off her surgery. We nod agreeing.

The moment Adam opens the door, all seems to be forgotten as we see Nessie and the new baby boy together on the bed, Nessie hugging him close to her chest, whispering how much she loves him, giving him one of her fingers for him to play with and showering him with kisses on his forehead.

I have never been happier.

I think I started crying.

"Surprise", my besties and I let out, rushing over to her. Nessie gasps out loud and lets out a cheer. Soph, Nini, April and I take a sit on the ground at the margin of the bed, so that we're able to see the baby. As he turns his head to us and we get to see his eyes, I start crying louder. He got his mother's eyes. That beautiful shade of blue Nessie has.

Alec, Caden, Noah and Jacob remain at the end of the bed, looking at us smiling. It's then Nessie notices the presents we're holding.

"Oh my Gosh, thank you so much", she says between tears. "You shouldn't have."

"Yes, we should", April replies. We all nod agreeing.

Nessie looks at her son again and smiles bright. I can't stop tearing as I see her so happy. For she deserves it. She deserves the world. And seeing her like this means the world to me. "Everyone, meet our son, Lewis", she introduces the baby to us.

All of us begin to smile or just cry even louder at that. Only Alec freezes. I can see Adam walk over to him and Soph looking a bit worried at him. He offers her a look it's alright, yet he still seems frozen in time.

I pay attention back to Nessie and Lewis. Caden, Noah and Jacob meanwhile joined us on the floor, Jacob sitting behind me, his hand placed on my thigh.

It's then Nessie introduces us to the baby. "Lewis, meet our family. Everybody, meet Lewis."

We all wave a bit at him and take turns introducing ourselves.

"Hey", Nini says first. "I'm Auntie Nini. And I love you very very much."

I can see Caden smiling at her at that. Nessie does too.

"I'm Auntie April", my other bestie continues. "And I promise I'll always spoil you with gifts and do the coolest things with you."

"April, no spoiling", Nessie tells her chuckling. She's still holding Lewis close to her chest, kissing him from time to time. I can't stop smiling.

"Maybe just a little bit", April replies with a wink. We all have to laugh a bit at that.

"I'm Auntie Dia", I go next. "And I also love you very much."

Nessie looks at me thankfully. I can feel Jacob brushing a kiss on my cheek. I giggle at that.

"Hey there, my little prince", Soph says as it's her turn. "I'm Auntie Soph."

The guys go next and start bickering about who the coolest uncle of them three is. I can't help but laugh the whole time.

As I look around, a new feeling fills me in.

Butterflies.

Many butterflies.

Ten, to be exact.

My family.

The one I have always been searching for.

I smile as I tune back in and focus on the conversation.

I can't stop smiling.