Chapter 17: Coming Home
1052 Words
The ride home was unlike any ride they’d ever taken.
There was a small person curled up and sleeping in the back seat.
Craig glanced into the rearview mirror again. “She’s breathing, right?”
Becca smiled at him from the passenger seat. “Craig…”
“I know, I know.” He looked again. “I just want to make sure she’s still breathing.”
Becca chuckled. “You’ve probably checked on her more than you’ve actually looked out there.”
“I’m multi-tasking.”
She reached across and squeezed his hand. “You’re already such a great dad.”
He smiled, though he didn’t look away from the mirror. “I’ve only known her for two days, and I would do anything for that girl.”
“I know.”
When they arrived home, they sat in silence for a few moments after parking the car.
Neither of them moved.
Craig looked around at the small house they had built together.
“It feels different.” He spoke.
Becca nodded. “It is different.”
“I guess we’re home.”
“We’re bringing our daughter home.”
It was unbelievable.
Craig got out of the car first. Opening the back door with caution.
He unbuckled the carrier gently as if it might break. Becca giggled from the passenger seat.
“You know she’s heavier than that, right?”
He chuckled, shaking his head. “Not in my mind.”
Their nursery was exactly how they had left it.
Cream colored walls.
The wooden crib they had handmade together.
The rocking chair by the window.
Shelves of storybooks lining the walls.
Stuffed animals waiting patiently on one wall for their tiny hands to love them.
Craig carefully lifted his daughter from her carrier and placed her into the crib for the first time.
She stretched and yawned and quickly fell asleep again.
Becca stood beside him watching.
“She likes it here.”
“I hope she does.”
Becca slipped her arm around Craig’s waist.
“I spent three weekends working on this room for you.”
She laughed. “I remember.”
“And you sat in that rocker the whole time supervising.”
Becca smiled. “I did a good job supervising if you ask me.”
“You sure did.”
That first night at home was harder than they had expected.
At exactly 2:17 in the morning, a small cry could be heard through their baby monitor.
Craig jumped up from bed before Becca’s eyes had even fluttered open.
“I’ve got her.” He yelled back to her.
Becca smiled as she watched him grab the baby carrier from their dresser. “You don’t have to do every feeding.”
“I know, babe, I know.”
“But you still let me help.”
Seconds later, Becca found Craig pacing around the nursery, slowly rocking the baby in his arms.
He was humming quietly to her while gently rubbing her back.
The baby quieted down and finally fell asleep.
Craig looked at her with the biggest grin on his face.
“I think we finally did it.”
As if on cue…
A loud burp sounded from their tiny infant.
Becca burst out laughing from the doorway. “Oh, hubby, I’d say you definitely did it.”
Craig laughed at her. “Guess I’m calling that a parenting win.”
Days soon turned to weeks.
Sleep became a forgotten memory.
Coffee became an essential.
The dishes were often left in the sink longer than they should have.
Laundry piled up on the couch.
But somehow…
They didn’t mind.
One afternoon, Becca found Craig sound asleep on the couch.
Their daughter was lying safely against his chest.
A tiny hand was draped over his heart.
Sunlight beamed through the windows, illuminating them in gold.
Becca quietly reached for her camera.
Snap.
Craig mumbled something in his sleep and slowly sat up.
“You taking pictures of us?”
Becca giggled. “I want to remember this.”
He looked down at their little girl curled up against him. “We won’t ever forget it.”
“No, we won’t.”
A few nights later, they sat on their front porch with the baby dozing next to them in a bassinet.
Fireflies flickered throughout their backyard.
The old rocking chairs they had from years before slowly rocked beneath them.
Craig took Becca’s hand and held it gently. “You know…”
Becca smiled at him dreamily. “What?”
“I used to think the happiest day of my life would be the day I married you.”
“You mean when we said, ‘I do’ at the cabin?” Becca giggled.
“No, I mean sitting on this porch with you and watching our little girl sleep.”
Craig’s eyes met hers as he continued.
“I used to think those were the best moments life had to offer.”
Becca nodded in agreement.
But they were wrong.
“So happy.”
Craig kissed her forehead. “More happy moments are coming.”
They used to wonder if they would ever feel whole again.
Like everything could just be normal for them.
But as Becca watched Craig softly rocking their daughter back and forth,
Not watching where he was going yet miraculously knowing each step…
She knew that they did.
Life was normal.
It wasn’t perfect.
But together they would take each moment and make it that.
Becca watched as gentle wind blew through the trees.
Their daughter gave a small sigh in her sleep.
And in that moment Becca knew that home wasn’t a place at all.
It wasn’t the cabin up in the mountains.
It wasn’t the house they worked on together.
Home was the ones you loved waiting for you when you got there.
Craig pulled her tighter as night crept up above them, filling the sky with stars.
They sat in comfortable silence, thankful for every mundane moment that became magical because they were able to share it.
Right before them lay the future.
First words, first steps, scraped knees, bedtime stories.
Family traditions.
Memories they would create for the rest of their lives.
For the first time in what felt like forever their future was filled with hope.
- Writer
