Chapter 251

#Chapter 251: Daisy Moana After ten hours of intense and grueling labor, little Daisy was born.

“She’s so tiny,” I whispered as I held the little crying bundle in my arms. The doctor weighed her at just six pounds and twelve ounces, but she was as healthy as an ox.

Edrick, who hadn’t left my side throughout the entire delivery, leaned over my shoulder with a wide grin on his face and held his hand out to touch her cheek. Almost instantly, Daisy’s little hand shot out and gripped his index finger with a relentless force for such a little thing.

Her eyes were squeezed shut, and yet she still had an instinct to keep her father’s finger in a vice grip.

I couldn’t help but laugh, but I also wanted to cry.

When I was on the cliff with Michael, I saw my parents at my birth. I did the same thing to my father, and I also wouldn’t let go of my mom’s finger when she had to leave me at the orphanage.

But now, little Daisy wouldn’t need to ever let go of us if she didn’t want to. I wouldn’t let anything happen to her or us. We were a family now, and we were protected.

When I looked up at Edrick, the look in his eyes was priceless. I had never seen anyone look at someone with so much intense love, and seeing it made me tear up.

“Here,” I said, taking his hand and placing it beneath Daisy’s back. “You can hold her.”

Edrick’s eyes widened slightly as he gingerly took our baby out of my hands and held her close to his chest. I watched, unable to contain both my smile and my tears, as he started to gently bounce her and whisper to her.

Just then, there was a knock on the door and the nurse poked her head in.

“Sorry to interrupt,” the nurse said in a soft tone of voice, “but you have some visitors. Are you ready to see them?”

Edrick and I both nodded. A few moments later, Ella rushed in and ran up to Edrick. Selina and Verona walked in behind her.

“Is that Daisy?” Ella asked, standing up on her tiptoes to see.

Edrick nodded and sat down on the chair next to my bed to let Ella meet her little sister. Ella gazed down at her in shock for a few moments before turning to me.

“Why does she look all… squished and purple, like a grape?” Ella asked.

I had to laugh, and so did everyone else; even Selina. “Newborns look like that,” I replied, tucking a strand of hair behind Ella’s ear. “She’ll be okay. She’ll look normal soon enough.”

“Oh…” Ella scrunched up her nose. “I’m still happy, though. When can I play with her?”

While Edrick dealt with Ella’s onslaught of curious questions, Selina and Verona crowded around me.

“How was the delivery, darling?” Verona asked.

“Are you thirsty?” Selina asked, touching the side of my face with the back of her hand. “Let me get you some ice chips.”

“Did the doctors treat you well?” Verona asked next.

I felt dazed by all of the questions, and didn’t know which one to answer first. Thankfully, Edrick came to my rescue and distracted them with Daisy so that I could rest.

…

It was dark in the hospital room later that night.

Daisy was asleep in her little bassinet. Edrick and I could hardly take our eyes off of her for more than five minutes at a time.

“She has your green eyes,” Edrick said softly as a gentle smile played on his lips. “I bet she’ll have your red hair, too.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “Well, she has your nose and your lips,” I whispered.

Edrick chuckled. “Poor kid.”

I laughed and punched his arm. He feigned surprise and rubbed the spot where I hit him, but the smile never left his lips. He looked at me for a moment before leaning over and planting a kiss on my forehead.

“Moana,” he said, taking my hand in his, “I have to ask you something.”

Instinctively, my eyebrows raised. “What is it?”

Edrick was silent for a few moments. Finally, he licked his lips and met my gaze. His eyes were soft and full of love. “Where would you like our relationship to go from here?”

My eyes widened a little. Somehow, I knew what he was getting at, and I felt my face turn red. “I mean… I’m just happy that Daisy and Ella can both grow up in a loving home,” I replied. “Why?”

Edrick gave me a mischievous look. He knew that I knew what he was trying to ask. My mouth hung open slightly as I felt my heart start to race, and I felt my breath catch in my throat as I watched him reach into his pocket and pull something out.

It was a small black box. Without a word, he handed it to me.

“I know it’s not the most romantic time to be asking this,” he said, “but I can’t wait any longer.”

“Are you proposing to me?” I asked, holding the little velvet box firmly in my shaking hands.

Edrick shrugged and smirked. “Open it first.”

I swallowed hard as I stared at Edrick in disbelief. His eyes showed nothing but love and affection, but for some reason I was terrified. Finally, I managed to tear my gaze away from him and look down at the little box.

When I opened it, a gasp escaped my lips.

“Well?” he asked. “Do you like it?”

I took the delicate diamond ring out of the box. There was nothing gaudy or over-the-top about it. It was just a simple diamond ring.

“It’s…. Perfect,” I whispered.

Edrick grinned. “So is the answer yes?”

“Yes to what?”

“Yes to marrying me?”

My eyes were so wide that I thought they might pop out of my head. The little diamond glinted in the dim light of the hospital room, and behind it, just out of focus, I could see Daisy sleeping in her bassinet.

Edrick chuckled and gingerly took the ring out of my hand, then took my shaking left hand and slipped it onto my ring finger. It fit like a glove.

“There,” he whispered. “I made the decision for you.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. Somehow, I entirely expected this and yet it still took me by surprise nonetheless. As tears came to my eyes, I could only stare back and forth between the ring and our daughter.

“Moana?” Edrick asked.

Suddenly, I threw my arms around Edrick’s neck and pulled him down onto the hospital bed where I lay.

He fell onto me with a grunt and a chuckle as I kissed him all over his face, and when he tried to pull away, I wouldn’t let go.

“Yes,” I said in between kisses. “Of course I’ll marry you.”

A soft laugh rumbled in Edrick’s throat, which only made me want to kiss him even more. He gently cupped my face and pressed his soft lips against mine as his sweet scent overtook me, and I felt everything else seem to slip away.

We only snapped out of our stupor when Daisy woke up and began to cry for milk.