Page 180 of Begin Again, Part 2

"I want it."

Eden stared at him for a while, confusion and sadness flickering in her eyes. "Why?"

"Because I've never seen anything like it, and I've never felt so alive when I look at a painting."

"Alright." She nodded as though she understood. But Liam knew she didn't because he couldn't understand why he had such a visceral reaction to the painting.

"Thank you." He smiled and kissed her, his grip tightening around her the longer she purred in his arms.

"You're not allowed to make those sounds," he grumbled when they eased apart. "Especially when we both know we can't do anything about them."

"Aye, captain!" Eden laughed as he lowered his head again to kiss her dimple. "I'm heading to bed. Are you coming?"

"I'm right behind you." Liam reached for the painting and held it up. "I love it. I'm going to hang it in my office."

They went through their nightly ritual. Took a shower, brushed their teeth, slipped under the covers, and turned off the lights. But Eden was restless, and no matter how long Liam rubbed her back to soothe her, she couldn't settle down.

"Should I run you a bath?" he asked.

"We already took a shower," she reminded him.

"Okay, do you want ice cream then?"

"No. Just hold me."

Liam scooted closer, his hand resting on her belly.

"I'm scared," Eden mumbled into her pillow. "I didn't feel her move today."

He unconsciously tightened his arms around her and kissed her hair. "You know she's lazy. She's probably sleeping."

"But still she kicks—" Eden said, but stopped when their daughter kicked in her tummy, and they both burst into laughter.

"See, I told you she's just lazy. Let's get some sleep."

So they did until Eden woke him up sometime after dawn when she returned from the bathroom. "Liam, wake up. My water broke."

He was instantly wide awake, flipped on the lights, stared at the splash of water pooling at her feet, and forgot everything Google had taught him. "What do you mean your water broke? She's only supposed to be here in two weeks. What are we supposed to do now? She can't come now."

"I don't think it's up to you. She's just RSVP'd. She's coming. Very soon. We need to go."

"Okay." Liam threw on his clothes, bundled Eden up in a clean nightie, and carried her downstairs.

"We forgot the go bag!" she reminded him.

"Right the go bag!" he hollered at the top of his lungs. "Dave! Brenda! Bring the go bag!"

The place was an instant hive of activity as everyone coordinated their trip to the hospital, and they were at the Medi Clinic in fifteen minutes.

Unlike her older brother, Riley Anderson came into the world kicking and screaming, and ready to claim her throne in her father's heart some three hours later. As Liam held her for the first time and touched her tiny rosebud lips while she screeched her little lungs out, he couldn't have loved her more. He thought his life was complete and his heart full when he found out Aiden was his, but Riley added a new dimension to love. She was a mirror image of him and Aiden with her dark red hair and blue eyes. But when Liam looked at her, he saw Eden's resilience, strength, and courage.

"Liam?" Eden said weakly from the bed, while the doctors and nurses attended to her. "Is she okay? Is she fine?"

"She's perfect," Liam said as he approached the bed. He sat on the edge and gently placed their baby girl in her arms. "And you, Mrs Anderson, prepare my payment."

"She's so tiny," she whispered, her eyes shimmering brightly with tears.

"But she's a warrior!" Liam said. "Like her mom."

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