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I hoped he was right

“Sounds like another car is pulling up,” he said I inging open the bedrooh it before he’d even risen from the bed

The front door was already open andout of his SUV

“All good?”out onto the porch

“Yep,” Forrest called back

I slid past my dad and hurried down the steps as Forrest lifted Olive froer seat

“Here you go,her to , but it’s been a couple hours and she’s about ready again, I think She’s a good road trip partner, slept most of the time and didn’t bitch once about my music”

I barely heard hi hers The weight and feel and smell of her comforted me in a way I couldn’t explain Relief hitback a sob

“Yourup behind uys better come back inside”

I nodded and let her lead me back to the house

“How’s she doing?” my mom asked as I sat down in the recliner “She doesn’t look any worse for wear”

Setting the baby doith her tush against my belly and her head near my knees, I unwrapped her Forrest was a doctor, or at least had the training, and he kne to take care of a newborn, but I still had an al was as it should be I needed to be one hundred percent sure

“All limbs, present and accounted for,” my mom joked She squeezed ood”

I nodded, still focused on Olive Her little legs were bent at the knee against her belly and her ankles were crossed, and I didn’t know if I’d ever seen anything that was more wholesome or cute or made me feel more protective God, she was so s around her Had she missed me while she ith Forrest? Had she panicked when she realized I wasn’t right there next to her? The thought of that made my chest hurt