Page 8 of All of Me

The room feels impossibly quiet after Sara and Adam leave, the echoes of her giggles linger in my mind. Ruby stirs faintly in her bassinet, her little fingers twitching against the soft blanket. I should feel peace in this moment, contentment, but I don’t. The stillness presses down on me like a weight, my thoughts running circles around the last twenty-four hours.

Ruby wasn’t breathing, and for one terrifying moment, I thought I’d lost her before I even got to hold her.

I close my eyes, squeezing them shut against the memory. She’s okay now, I remind myself for the hundredth time today. She’s here. She’s perfect. Yet the fear and anxiety of her first minutes of life lingers, wrapping around me like a vice.

I rub a hand over my face, trying to will the tension away, but it doesn’t budge. I hate this—this heaviness that I can’t seem to shake, this vulnerability that clings to me like a second skin.

The door opens. It’s Owen.

The relief I feel is enormous, immediate, my heart skips a beat. He wasn’t supposed to come back tonight—he’d already given so much of himself these past two days, and I’d told him to go, to take care of Barrett.

But he’s here.

“Owen,” I whisper, my voice breaking on his name.

He doesn’t say anything at first, just crosses the room in a few easy strides until he’s standing at my bedside. His eyes meet mine, soft but full of something unshakable, something that grounds me in a way I didn’t know I needed until right now.

“You came back,” I manage, barely able to get the words out as the knot in my throat tightens.

“Of course I did,” he says, his voice low and sure. “Did you really think I’d leave you here alone tonight?”

The tears come fast, hot and relentless. I can’t stop them, and I don’t even try. My hand comes up to cover my face, but Owen catches it, pulling it gently away.

“Hey,” he says softly, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. “You don’t have to hide from me. Not now, not ever.”

His words crack something open inside me, and the flood of emotion rushes out. He kneels beside the bed, his hand still holding mine, his other resting lightly on my leg.

“You didn’t have to do this,” I choke out, my voice shaking. “You didn’t have to come back. Barrett?—”

“Barrett’s fine,” he interrupts gently, but there’s a steadiness in his tone that makes it clear he won’t let me deflect. “He had a great time, and Sabrina’s got him for the rest of the night. Callie, I wanted to be here. I needed to be here. You’re my family. You and Ruby—and Sara and Barrett. You’re my home.”

The weight of his words wraps around me, so heavy and so tender all at once. I can barely breathe. I’ve never had this before. Not even close. I’ve never had someone who shows up like this—without question, without hesitation, without needing to be asked. Someone who just chooses me.

“Owen…” His name comes out broken, my chest tight with love and awe and something else I can’t quite name.

He smiles, his hand shifting to brush a strand of hair away from my face. “I wasn’t going to leave you here tonight. Not after everything you’ve been through.” He pauses, his voice softening even further. “I know how hard it is for you to let someone else carry the load. But you don’t have to do this on your own anymore, Callie. You don’t have to be the strongest person in the room. I’ve got you.”

The tears fall harder, and I lean into him, his hand grips mine, tethering me to the ground.

Ruby stirs in her bassinet, a soft squeak that pulls Owen’s attention. He stands, moving to her side, and I watch as his features soften even more. He leans down, resting his hand on the edge of the bassinet, his thumb brushing over the edge of her blanket.

“She’s incredible,” he murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper.

“She is,” I say, my voice steadier now, my heart feels full. “She’s so lucky to have you.”

Owen glances back at me, his gaze steady, full of quiet certainty. “We’re lucky to have each other,” he says simply. “All of us. And I’m not going anywhere, Callie. Not now, not ever.”

I believe him. I don’t even hesitate. Owen isn’t like anyone else I’ve known. He’s stepped into every space I didn’t know I needed filled and made it his own, not by force, but with love and patience. I lean back against the pillows, the tension in my body easing. Owen sits beside me, his hand finding mine again, and we sit there together, the three of us in this small, quiet room. I look at Ruby, her tiny chest rising and falling, and then at Owen, who watches her with a tenderness that makes my heart melt.I didn’t know love could be like this—safe, steady, secure. I’ve spent so much of my life bracing for disappointment, for relationships to fall apart, but Owen is different. He’s solid in a way I never thought I’d find, and his love doesn’t come with conditions. “You’ve got me,” Owen promises, his voice a low murmur. “And I’ve got you. That’s all we need.”

The knot in my chest loosens, and the tears I’ve been holding back finally fall. With Owen here, the weight of the day lifts. The world doesn’t feel quite so overwhelming anymore. His steady presence wraps around me like a safety net, catching me before I can sink too far. Everything feels lighter because he’s here.

The waiting room smells like antiseptic and baby powder, a combination that feels both strange and oddly comforting. I shift Ruby in my arms, her tiny head pressed against my chest, as I sway gently to keep her calm. She coos softly, her little fingers clutching the edge of her blanket, and my heart squeezes. It’s just me and Ruby today for her checkup. Owen’s back at work for the first time since she was born. I miss him. He’s been my steady presence these past few days, always there to catch me when I felt like I might fall apart.

“Callie Madden?” The receptionist’s voice pulls me out of my thoughts.

I adjust Ruby in my arms, hoisting the diaper bag over my shoulder as I stand. My body still feels worn out, every muscle reminding me of what it took to bring Ruby into this world.

“Right this way,” a nurse says with a warm smile, holding the door open.

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