Page 76 of Military Daddies' Nanny

But I do have a family now. A beautiful daughter. A woman I love more than I ever thought possible. And two brothers in all but blood who will stand beside me every step of the way.

I lean against the wall, letting the tears flow freely. They're tears of joy, of gratitude, of love so intense it almost hurts. A hand on my shoulder startles me. I look up to see Drew, concern etched on his face. "You okay, man?" he asks softly.

I nod, wiping at my eyes. "Yeah. Just...overwhelmed, I guess."

Understanding dawns in his eyes. "It's a lot, isn't it? Being a dad."

"I never thought I'd have this," I admit, my voice rough with emotion. "A family. People who love me. A child of my own."

Drew pulls me into a hug, surprising me. We're close, but not usually given to such displays of affection. "You deserve all of it, Carlos," he says fiercely. "You're going to be an amazing father."

I hug him back, grateful for his support. "We all are," I say as we pull apart. "Esperanza is lucky to have all of us."

He nods, a smile playing on his lips. "She really is. Now come on, let's get back in there. I think Nathan's trying to teach her engineering already."

We laugh as we reenter the room. Sure enough, Nathan is holding Esperanza, pointing at various medical equipment and explaining how it works in a soft voice.

"Starting her education early, huh?" I tease.

Nathan grins, not looking up from the baby. "It's never too early to foster a love of science."

Nancy laughs from the bed, the sound tired but happy. "As long as you wait a few years before trying to build robots with her."

Jamie finishes sending pictures and comes over to hug the guys and me. "Congratulations, Papas," she says warmly. "She's beautiful.” She looks around at the three of us and shakes her head. “And this…this is just fucking remarkable.”

"Thank you," I say, my eyes drawn back to Esperanza. "She really is, isn't she?"

For the next few minutes, we pass Esperanza around, each of us getting time to bond with her. We take more pictures, make calls to share the news, and just bask in the glow of new parenthood.

As the excitement begins to wind down, I find myself back by Nancy's side, Esperanza having been taken away by the nurse for some exams.

"How are you feeling?" I ask Nancy softly.

She smiles up at me, her eyes heavy with exhaustion but shining with happiness. "Tired. Sore. But so, so happy."

I lean down to kiss her forehead again.

"You were amazing. I'm so proud of you." Nathan takes her hand in his as his eyes shine bright with adoration.

She reaches up to take Drew’s hand in her free one and looks at all three of us by her side. "We did it," she says. "We're parents."

"We are," I agree, my voice filled with wonder. "All four of us."

Nancy nods, her smile widening. "It's perfect, isn't it? Our little family."

Drew, Nathan, and I smile at each other before looking down at her, nodding in sync.

"It is perfect," I say, my heart full to bursting. "Absolutely perfect."

I make a silent promise as we stand over our angel. To love her and our baby unconditionally. To protect them fiercely. To be the best father I can be, alongside Drew and Nathan. And to always, always be grateful for this incredible gift of family.

"Thank you for the gift Esperanza Rodriguez-Johnson," I murmur quietly. "You have no idea just how much you have made us happy."

Epilogue

Nancy

The sound of laughter drifts through the open window, pulling me from my thoughts. I smile, setting down the book I've been attempting to read for the past hour. My hand drifts to my swollen belly, feeling the gentle kicks of the new life growing within me.

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