Page 162 of Sin With Me
"It's a good thing we have a big village of helpers."
Between Mattie and Harlow, I know we'll have a couple extra set of hands, but we'll also need to figure it out ourselves and not depend on them.
"I didn't think I could love them anymore than I already did, and then they were born, and now my heart is burstin' with how much I love them."
I smile at Delilah's words because she took them right out of my mouth.
"It's amazin', isn't it? Until you experience this kind of unconditional love, it's indescribable. But now I can't imagine life without it."
She looks up at me with tears in her eyes. "Thank you."
"For what? You're the one who carried them and gave birth. I just donated my DNA."
"Don't make me laugh..." She tries holding it in, then winces. "God, no one talks about how much it burns down there after childbirth."
I squeeze my legs just thinking about it.
"Anyway..." She licks her lips, then looks up at me again. "Thank you for helpin' me find my spark again. After my dad died, I wasn't sure I'd ever get it back. Then you entered my life in a way I never anticipated and now you've given me a family."
I tilt her chin and brush my lips against hers. "I think you're forgettin' you gave me a family, too. Something I didn't expect for another two decades."
She smirks, scrunching her nose. "And yet, we didn't even wait a year."
"When you know, there's no reason to wait. Especially when it's the love of your life. I'd let you go nine years ago,and I wasn't about to let you go again once you gave me the greenlight."
What we have is special, and I'll never deny that. A connection filled with respect, love, and loyalty.
"The timin' might not have felt right at the moment, but it's what we needed to realize we can't always control how the universe works," she says. "So deep in grief, I never imagined I'd be here less than a year later."
I brush my lips against hers once more. "Your dad would be so proud of how far you've come. And I just know he's beamin' with pride at his new grandkids."
"I wish he would've been able to meet them, but you're right. I like thinkin' that maybe he met them before we got to have them."
"That's a comfortin' thought, " I tell her.
My therapist often talks about finding peace in your pain and figuring out coping mechanisms that can help pull you out of the darkness. I've had a couple episodes this past year, though I'm not sure where they came from, but they crept in out of nowhere. I felt down even when I had no reason to be.
But then I remembered what I'd learned in therapy and leaned on Delilah the way she told me to. She didn't tell me things would be okay or to stay strong because it'd eventually pass. She didn't force me to talk it out when I told her I didn't want to. Instead, she laid in bed with me and shared random stories. She kept my mind busy and comforted me without even realizing it.
It was an eye-opening experience because it reminded me of when we'd talk over the phone. She never pushed me to talk, just offered her company, and made me feel normal for having very human emotions.
Thinking about how Wesley dealt with similar feelings as Delilah, it's a shame he let his grief takeover his life instead of getting help, because now he's missing out on his daughter's life.
He got his day in court, and although his defense leaned on his mental health for why he did what he did, the jury found him guilty on all counts. However, the judge gave him leniency for being a former police officer and his PTSD, so he sent him to a mental health clinic. Then once he completes their program, he'll finish out the rest of his ten-year sentence in prison.
"I love you." I trace a finger along her jawline. "So much."
Her brows pinch together. "I love you, too."
I smile at her confusion. "Just don't want you to forget."
"Never." She leans into my palm.
"How do you think Hank's gonna take havin' two cryin' infants in his house?"
"Probably wish he had a different family." She chuckles.
Delilah surprised me with a Great Dane puppy four months ago, and truthfully, it's been a wild fucking ride. Waylon got jealous, so we agreed to do joint custody.
