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“Think I can handle that”

The doctor nodded “Okay, push”

Izzy sucked in a breath and began to push

“Ten, nine, eight…”

She shifted her gaze to Jig to find hi at her with an intense expression of awe and adoration she’d never seen on his face before It bolstered her, chasing away some of her unease

When they got to one, the doctor glanced up at Izzy “Okay, take a few breaths, then we go again”

Five…five tih that routine before the baby was finally born in a whoosh of pressure relief A sharp cat-like cry split the air “Oh, my God,” Izzy said as she flopped back on the pillows “So much for TV where the baby slides out with one little push”

The physician laughed and then istered except the tiny slippery baby resting against Izzy’s bare chest On instinct, her hands ca stopped, and two dark eyes gazed up at her

“It’s a girl,” soround said

A girl

A girl

“Jig,” Izzy whispered She couldn’t tear her gaze away from the tuft of black hair plastered to the cutest head she’d ever seen “Jig,” she said again

“I see her, baby,” he whispered before placing a kiss on Izzy’s head “I see our daughter Just as beautiful as her momma”

“Our daughter…I—” Izzy sed around a softball sized lump in her throat All around her, people worked in the rooistered “She has your nose”

“Mmm,” he said, the sound full of wonder “And we already know she has your stubborn personality Why else would she have stayed in there so long?”

The tip of Izzy’s nose began to tingle Her chest felt tight, but not in a bad way, in a way thatshe’d only experienced since hter made

Her daughter

“What’s she doing?”

A nurse peered over the top of the baby’s head “She’s rooting Your little girl is hungry Feel free to feed her You’re planning to nurse, right?”

Blinking, Izzy glanced up “Um, yes, but…now? She’s all messy”