My Life with the Boys

Chapter 28- Senior Year of College (Part Two)

Right now there is nothing in the world but the baby girl in my arms. She is my everything. I don't understand how you can love someone who didn't even exist until hours ago as much as I do now. All I want to do is to take care of her. To love her. And for her to be happy.

Evelynn Grace Scott is now the most important person in my life. I haven't let her out of my sight since the minute she was born. The nurse comes in to do her usual checks but I stop her before she leaves.

"What time was she born?" I ask.

"Um..." she looks down at the chart in her hand. "12:02. Christmas Eve." She says before leaving.

It is a bittersweet moment to realise that today is the day that Susan died and the first time since, that I will not be there to visit the cemetery. Then again neither will Ethan or Zack. And yet instead of remembering Christmas Eve as a sad day, it is now going to remind me of the birth of my beautiful daughter. And I am not just saying that because she is mine. She really is adorable. Her hair is light brown like her dads. And she has my nose. But everything else is all Ethan. She looks so much like him. I would give anything for him to be here right now, with us. For him to get a chance to hold her.

"Hello? Now can I meet my great granddaughter?" grandma walks in.

She was here last night but got sent home because she wasn't well enough to sleep here. Much to her protest. She practically got dragged away by the nurses. But now it is early in the morning so I am guessing she came over as soon as she woke up.

"Hi. Of course. Come in." I tell her.

Grandma sits down on the chair next to me and looks at the sleeping baby. "She is gorgeous. She has your father's nose." She points out.

"Yes. She does. Do you want to hold her?" I offer.

Grandma's eyes tear up slightly and she nods as I gently pass her over. "What is her name?"

"Evelynn Grace Scott. Or Evie as Ethan wanted to call her." I say.

"Grace? You named her after me?" she responds shocked.

"I couldn't have gone through these past six months without you. And I thought it would be a nice reminder when you... you are no longer here." I say sadly.

"You said that this is what her father wanted to call her? I thought he died before you knew."

"He did. But he also told me what he planned to name his children. I couldn't think of anything more perfect." I say.

"Evie. I like it." Grandma smiles.

***

I finish putting Evie down for a nap and make my way over into the sun room where grandma is staring out the window. She is lying on the couch, wrapped up in blankets. Her health has been rapidly declining since Christmas and it was now February.

"Hi. I just put her down." I say putting the baby monitor on the table. This house is so big, you wouldn't be able to hear her cry from here.

"She is a very energetic baby. So was your dad. It use to take me hours to get him to settle down. When he learned how to walk he would run around everywhere getting into all kinds of trouble." She smiles at the memory and I laugh softly.

"I can't picture her running around. She is so tiny." I say.

"They grow up fast. Trust me." She pauses. "You need to tell your parents."

I sigh. "I know. I wasn't planning on ever keeping her a secret for this long. I just wanted a break. But I built a life here. I have a job, Evie, You." I tell her.