Page 176 of Rule Breakers Fall Hardest

As we settle, Nina guides me to the bench where our family is sitting. It kills me to do it, but I have to sit back here while Daire and Sammy stand before the judge.

My mom grips my hand on my lap, her touch warm and reassuring.

I don’t hear a fucking word the judge says as it starts. It’s like I’m here, but not, a total out-of-body experience.

My heart is racing so fast it pounds in my ears and my vision blurs.

“Breathe,” my mom whispers. “You’re going to pass out if you don’t.”

She’s right. With a thick swallow, I let out my breath slowly and focus on getting a handle on myself.

The judge speaks, and Daire replies, but the roaring my ears is still too loud for me to make out their words. Despite my confidence until this point that everything would be fine, I find myself panicking in these final moments.

But in a matter of a few blinks, it’s overand Daire is making his way to me, wearing a gigantic smile, with Sammy held firmly in his arms.

“He’s mine,” he says when he reaches me. “He’s ours. Finally.”

I take his face in my hands and kiss him with every ounce of relief I feel.“We did it.”

39

DAIRE

This process hasn’t beeneasy, especially with the unexpected curveball of the car accident, but we’ve made it out on the other side.

A throat clears behind us, garnering our attention, and in unison, Rosie and I turn, finding Danielle’s parents approaching. Her dad extends a hand to me.

“We wanted to be here today. To show our support.”

My heart lurches, and I reel back in surprise. That was the last thing I expected to hear. “Thank you, sir.” I take his hand. “I appreciate it.”

“We want to be a part of his life,” his wife says, her eyes welling with tears.Sammy’s grandma. “I really hope you’ll let us.”

“It’s been hard,” he says, his voice thick with emotion. “Losing a child is… indescribable. I know it sounds awful, but before now, we weren’t ready for all of this. We still aren’t, I suppose. But we’re getting there.”

“I understand.” I adjust my hold on Sammy. “I’m okay with it.” I press my forehead to the Sammy’s, smiling when he grabs my cheeks. “Let me give you my number,” I tell them.

After they take my number, they say their goodbyes, smiling at Sammy and promising to reach out to set something up in the next few weeks.

“How are you feeling?” Rosie asks when they’ve left.

I let out a long breath, my shoulders lowering. “Relieved.”

Looping her arm through mine, she guides me toward the door. Our family trails after us, her mom pushing the empty stroller.

Outside, it’s raining, but the sun shines brightly above us. Rosie lets go of my arm, spinning in a circle while wearing a blinding smile. With a gasp, she points to the sky above the courthouse.

I turn and tip my head back, finding a full rainbow arching above us. How fitting.

I chuckle, shaking my head. “Would you look at that?”

Sammy laughs, holding his chubby hands out to catch the rain.

“Do you like the rain?” Rosie pinches his cheek lightly, making him giggle. She turns to me, rain dripping down her face. “I can’t believe we finally did it.”

When we stepped inside the same courthouse all those months ago, this moment was our end goal. It’s felt like an endless process, but we’ve made it.

“Yeah.” I grab her by the waist, pulling her into me. “We did. But there’s one last thing we have to do.”

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