All My Life

Chapter 67

After Annalise and Everett took Charlie and Charlotte shopping for items for their new sister, they took ice cream back up to the hospital to share with their parents and Rosie. Everyone enjoyed getting to be a part of Rosie's first experience with ice cream. While they were in captivity, Tom knew his wife was lucky to get any food for Rosie; and so they were all enjoying spoiling her, as well as Diane. Once they had some family time, Annalise and Everett said they would take Charlotte and Charlie back to the family townhome. Charlotte and Charlie were of course very clingy with their mother; and after lots of hugs and kisses and promises to see them in the morning, Annalise and Everett took their siblings back to their Upper East Side Townhouse. Rosie had fallen back to sleep in her mother's hospital bed in-between her parents. Tom stroked his 15 month old daughter's hair as he looked up at Diane. "I know it's not good to have your kids sleep with you, but I don't feel right putting her in the crib they brought in. I want you both with me."

"I want that , too." Diane choked as she leaned down to kiss her baby girl. "She's been sleeping with me for 15 months; we'll need to transition her really slowly to a crib, I think. I don't want her to feel abandoned. I mean I am pretty much all she knows; but I love how quickly she became attached to you."

Tom smiled at his wife. "Me too."

"I constantly told her about you; from the moment she was born." Diane said. "And the kids too, of course."

Tom reached over to take his wife's hand in his. "Sweetheart, I don't want to make you talk before you're ready; but I have so many thoughts and questions swirling around in my head. You have told me lots; but I guess I'm hoping it wasn't as bad as I have made it in my own mind."

"I wish I could tell you that it wasn't." Diane choked. "It was pretty bad."

Tom nodded as he looked at their daughter who was sucking on her thumb in her sleep. "How about this...can you tell me how you came up with the name Rosaleen Sage? It is absolutely beautiful; and she could only be a Rosie. I'm just curious how you decided on that name. Remember with Everett, Annalise, Charlie and Charlotte? It took us forever to agree."

"It did." Diane smiled at the memory. "You actually helped me decide on Rosaleen Sage; I was pretty sure it was a girl."

Tom looked at his wife in surprise. "Honey, I wasn't even there; I thought you were gone to me forever. How did I help you decide on Rosaleen Sage?"

"You were always with me." Diane assured her husband. "You actually came to me in a dream; it was actually the day of Mamie's wedding, or so I learned..."

***

Tom and Diane had a great day. They began with Diane's doctor's appointment and then went baby shopping, picked Charlotte and Charlie up from school, they had a fun family night; and now they were laying in bed looking at the sonogram picture. Diane curled up in Tom's arms as they looked at the picture. "I can't believe it's a girl."

"I still can't believe you're pregnant." Tom said making Diane laugh. "You are always full of surprises."

Diane giggled as her husband was kissing her ear. "Down boy, I think we need a name for our baby girl."

"That's easy." Tom said matter of factly as he continued to try and seduce his wife.

Diane turned on her side and pushed her husband on the chest, separating their bodies just a little bit. "Oh really? After everything we went through to name our other 4? What is it?"

"Rosaleen Sage." Tom said assuredly. "I think that's what we should name our baby girl."

Diane smiled broadly. "I love it; but you came up with that pretty quickly."