The Family Origin

Chapter Thirty-One: JOSEPH POV

 I rarely saw happiness on my son's face. He typically wore a stone expression that no one could decipher. Even I struggled to understand what was going on inside his mind most of the time. He looked so happy when I gave him and Maisie a wedding last year, but that was nothing compared to the look of joy he had as he looked at his child. His smile was wide and his eyes were bright. The baby looked so tiny in his large arms.

After Maisie finished the birthing process, Miles handed me the baby so he could help Maisie get cleaned. I was mesmerized as I looked down at my precious granddaughter. She had stopped crying, and I cooed at her like I used to do to my own children.

It felt like a stab to my heart when I thought about Clara. Her eyes always lit up with excitement when she talked about grandchildren. She was looking forward to having this moment where she could hold her newborn grandchild. Now, it was only me. She was robbed of this moment because of an outside intruder. He hurt this family in so many ways.

Miles wrapped his arms around Maisie as he helped her walk back into the bedroom. Her face contorted in pain with each step she took. When she looked down at her daughter, her eyes were heavy with exhaustion. She placed her hand on the wall to keep herself on her feet while Miles changed the sheets on the bed.

"She's beautiful," I said.

"She's perfect," she said.

"Maisie," Miles said as he put his hand on her waist. "You need to rest."

Her eyes lingered on the baby, but Miles pulled her toward the bed. He adjusted the pillow and blankets to make her more comfortable, but her gaze was focused on me and her daughter. Once Miles stopped fussing over straightening the blankets and sat beside her, I placed her baby back in her arms. She closed her eyes and leaned into Miles, who kissed the side of her temple.

I could not stop smiling as I stepped out of the room.

–

After finishing the minimum amount of necessary chores outside, I grabbed the pieces of the crib from the basement. I dismantled it after our daughter Victoria died, and I had not needed it since. Clara hated seeing it because it always made her eyes water with tears. I was halfway through assembling the crib when Miles walked into the living room with his daughter was in his arms. Dark bags were under his eyes, and I watched him try to hide a yawn.

"How is Maisie?" I asked.

"Exhausted," he said. "She finally fell asleep. She was still in a lot of pain."

Miles sat on the couch. He closed his eyes and rolled his head back.

"Once I finish this crib, you can get some rest too," I said.

"Why did we not build this earlier?" Miles asked.

"I forgot one detail," I said. "Be happy I figured everything else out. Your baby is here alive and your wife is healthy."

I looked over at Miles to see his eyes were still closed. When the baby started to make noises, he opened his eyes and rocked her in his arms.

"Did you decide on a name?" I asked.

"Briar," he said.

"Briar?"

Miles nodded.

"Maisie picked it out," he said. "She told me Mom also liked the name."

I sighed as I finished securing the final screw into the crib. Miles was silent as I finished putting the remaining touches in the crib. His attention was focused on his daughter.

"You can put her down," I said as I gestured to the crib. "Go upstairs and rest. I can watch her for a couple of hours."

Miles's brows furrowed as he looked down at his baby again. She was making soft sounds, which were noises I had not heard in many years.

"You need to rest," I said.

Miles was silent and did not move as he continued to watch her. I stepped forward, and the floor creaked under my weight. Miles glanced up at me.

"Give me the baby," I said. "She will be okay."

"How do you know that?" he asked.

"I have taken care of newborns before," I said. "Your mother did not raise you kids on her own."

Miles let out a deep breath. His movements were slow as he stood. He hesitated before passing her toward me. Even after she was safely in my arms, Miles stared at her for a minute before going upstairs. I settled on the rocking chair when I heard his bedroom door close. Briar's small noises continued, and my heart fluttered in my chest.

Briar.

My little granddaughter.

A year ago, I never thought this would happen. I never thought Miles would have his own family. He had always struggled so much, but bringing him a wife made him into a better man. It did not simply happen because he had a wife. Maisie was the perfect girl for him because her values were in the right place. She understood the importance of family, and now she had brought my granddaughter into this world.

I grazed my finger across Briar's soft cheek. She looked so much like Maisie with her bright blue eyes and small nose. I softly cooed to her as I rocked us in the chair. It had been so many years since I held a baby, but it did not feel odd. Briar felt like she belonged in my arms.

Clara was heavy on my mind. This was the type of moment she was excited to experience, and that intruder robbed her of that opportunity. She would have loved Briar so much. She would have been the perfect grandmother.

When I blinked, a tear rolled down my cheek. I did not let go of Briar, so the tear ran down my face. I took in a sharp breath to prevent myself from sobbing. Luckily, both Miles and Maisie were so exhausted that I was not worried about them seeing my moment of weakness.

I could not take my eyes off Briar. She was so small and fragile.

Nothing bad could ever happen to her. I refused to let anyone harm my granddaughter. I would do whatever I could to keep my family safe.

Miles had mentioned multiple times not letting anybody else on our property. He wanted to kill anyone who came near, and I thought his idea was so absurd. Now that I look at Briar, my mind has changed. What happened to Clara could never happen to Briar.

I refused to let this family get hurt.