I took her hand.
“Yes. I wish we had talked about it before the birth. You shouldn’t have had to carry that fear alone, and I shouldn’t have responded with accusations.”
She leaned against my shoulder.
“I was afraid you would leave.”
“I almost did.”
She became quiet.
I continued.
“But I realized that walking away would not have answered my questions. It would only have hurt the people who needed me to be present.”
Danielle rested her head against my chest.
“Thank you for staying.”
I kissed her forehead.
“Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me the truth.”
We sat together in silence.
Grace was asleep in her room, surrounded by the little things that made her world safe and familiar.
And I knew that our family was not perfect.
We had made mistakes, struggled with fear, and learned difficult lessons.
But we were still there.
Together.
And that was worth more than any expectation I had carried into the delivery room.
THE END.
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