Page 78 of Lost Lyrics

The contraction hit, and she cried. Cried and pushed. “ARRRRGH. YOU MOTHERFUCKER.”

“That’s it, Tia.” Dr. Mila added grit into her tone. “Use that energy and push. Push hard.”

“FUUUUCK!” Straining and groaning, Tia clenched her teeth and curled forward over her chest.

Tears welled in my eyes. The agony on her face and her pained howl speared my soul, but her unwavering determination ignited it. God, I loved her. “Come on, baby. You can do this.”

“Yes, you can, Tia.” Dr. Mila’s eyes widened. “Here it comes. Keep going. Keep going. Yes. That’s it.”

Tia pushed and pushed.

“Yes!” Dr. Mila hollered. “You did it.”

Exhausted, panting for air, Tia collapsed against the pillow and cried. Sweat trickled down her blazing-hot face, but she’d never looked so beautiful. I kissed her forehead, and she threw me a tired smile.

“And it’s a beautiful baby girl.” The doctor’s eyes shone over her mask. She lifted a bloody, gooey baby into the air. The slimy umbilical cord hung from her middle.

Sweat broke out on my brow. My queasy stomach rocked. Dizziness swam through my head. But my heart soared to the stars.Holy shit. We have a daughter. But oh crap...am I going to faint? Throw up?

Then the sweetest sound I’d ever heard filledthe room.

Our daughter cried.

My nausea disappeared. Fresh tears welled in my eyes. One escaped as I leaned over and kissed Tia. “You did it. We have a baby girl.”

“Oh my God,” Tia sobbed as the doctor placed the baby on Tia’s chest. “Hi, little one.” She cradled our child, and the most gorgeous smile lit her face.

My heart exploded.

Nurse Loretta quickly placed a blanket over our baby for warmth and cleaned her face, since she was covered in a lot of goo.

As the doctor performed checks on our child, and the nurse tended to Tia, I somehow buried my nausea and scurried around to cut the cord. I was glad Dr. Mila had already done the bulk of it. Mine was just a token gesture. And nope, I didn’t need to do that again.

Tia kissed our daughter on the forehead and brushed her fingertip down our baby’s cheek. “Lewis, she’s beautiful.”

“She is.” I leaned over Tia, taking both my girls in. “So does the name we chose still fit?”

A fresh, glistening tear slid down Tia’s cheek as she nodded. “Yeah. She’s Winter. Winter Mavis King.”

We’d talked about and tossed around so many ideas, but the first one we’d come up with had stuck and grown on us more and more each day. Tia and I had met three years ago in December at a club after I’d just joined The Flintlocks. We’d connected during my first few days with the band in the snow at Big Bear and then in New York in January when we’d recorded. Tia had twisted my queer life upside-down. She’d changed me forever. That year I’d found a new home, a new band, and had fallen in love with her. We’d had many magical nights during the nine months of tour, but some of the most memorable were in winter when we’d performed in the US and Canada. Winterhad brought us together. Had changed our lives. And now, our love had brought us our own precious little girl...Winter.

Cuddled against Tia’s chest, Winter yawned, blinked her tiny lashes, but then squeezed her eyes shut, not ready to face the light.

I draped my arm over the pillow behind Tia and rested my head against hers. I placed my trembling hand on Winter’s back and gave her the softest of pats. She was so tiny. So fragile. So perfect. My heart couldn’t be any fuller. This was living. “Tee, she’s gorgeous.”

“We did it,” Tia sniffled. “We made a baby.”

“Yeah. We did.”

We certainly had.Wow!

After all the heartache and pain I’d endured growing up, the many career highs and lows I’d weathered, and the struggles that had tormented me when I’d fallen for Tia, I’d survived...I’d truly found my soulmate. I was so fucking happy. I’d found where I belonged. I had everything I’d ever wanted. A band. A home. A family.

“I love you, Tee.” I kissed her soft lips. “You’ve made all my dreams come true. We have a beautiful daughter. I have you. I promise to love both of you forever. Okay?”

“I love you. And Winter is perfect.”

“She is. Just like you.”

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