Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 98524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
“Well . . . you are his father, GG.”
Aleesa giggled. “Yeah, Grumpy Giant!”
Octavia kissed me on the cheek before making her way to the door. “Come on, Leesa. Don’t want you to be late on your first day.”
With a smile, I watched my girls go. I noticed that I was doing a lot more of that the last couple of years. Smiling. It felt good. My therapist said it was good. He said I was making true progress. That I was healing.
I watched Aleesa grab Octavia’s hand and cling to it before they rounded the corner and disappeared. It pleased me to see Aleesa was so comfortable with her stepmom. She looked up to Octavia so much, and Octavia took care of and raised her like she’d birthed Aleesa herself.
I placed my son on my lap and cradled him in one arm, studying all his features—his light-brown skin and dark curls. His eyes were just as chocolaty brown as Octavia’s, and he had my nose. His upper lip was slightly bigger than his bottom lip, just like his mother’s. I know all parents say this, but he was a really cute baby. Too bad he hated me.
“You will learn to love me,” I said as he continued glaring at me like a hawk. “Because whether you realize it or not, mi corazón, I will always love you.”
I tickled him under his chin. His skin was warm and soft, which made me smile because it comforted me in a way. Having this delicate baby boy in my arms.
To my surprise, the corners of Remi’s little mouth quirked up. He cooed and kicked his feet, peering up at me with bright eyes.
My heart swelled in my chest because this was perfect.
This moment. This life of mine. I had it all and could not have asked for anything better.
There was something Octavia had said on the day Remi was born that continuously ran through my mind. A few hours after his birth, she’d taken one look at our son, with tears in her eyes, then she’d looked at Aleesa, who sat on the bed right next to Remi because she was so excited to become a big sister.
Octavia sniffled before finding my eyes. She was so overcome with emotion that, for a second, she couldn’t speak. Her mouth opened and closed, until finally she said, “We’re so lucky to have sweet little hearts like theirs in our lives.”
When she said that, I’d taken one look at my beautiful family sitting on that hospital bed and realized that I had survived.
Life had tried to wear me down and failed. The devil had aimed to trap me—to keep me low and defeated—but I was ripped out of his dirty clutches and provided heaven on earth. Right here. With my family.
And even now, there is one thing I know with absolute certainty . . .
No matter what comes my way, I will cherish all three of their sweet little hearts forever.