Page 109 of One Unexpected Gift

In the meantime, she’d find comfort in Gabby sleeping in her room with her.

“She’s got a new diaper and clean outfit on. Unless you wanted her in something different?” Nick held Gabby, dressed in an adorable yellow dress and matching hat his mother had sent last week.

Isabella and Travis stopped by for a final visit three days ago and asked if it would be okay to come to Virginia to visit some time. Their unconditional love and support made it even harder for Sky to pack up and leave.

“Thank you. She’s perfect.”

“That, she is.” Nick held her up in the air above his head and tickled her belly with his nose. Her giggles had Sky laughing as well. And when the long string of drool hit Nick smack in the face, she was crying with laughter.

“I’ll get you a towel.” She found one in the kitchen and wiped his face for him. “You deserved it, holding her so high like that.”

“Wait’ll she’s strong enough for me to toss her in the air.”

“Let’s wait a few years for that one.” A few years. Would they still be together then? Or would he just be a visiting dad picking up his daughter making small talk with her?

Pushing the morbid thoughts away that kept invading too much real estate in her head, she hefted the diaper bag over her shoulder while Nick buckled Gabby in her seat and covered her with a blanket. The daycare center was on the edge of the base, and only a five minute walk.

Sky pointed out some of the buildings along the way. The park, the gym, where she’d taken some of her classes. The medical offices were on the other side of the day care center. As long as she continued to work on base, she could make a decent, if not boring and predictable life for her and Gabby.

At some point, she could be deployed. That used to be her dream. The adrenaline, the change of scenery, the rush of not knowing what she would face for the day. Similar to Nick, she supposed. Now, however, with a little life depending on her, she didn’t need that kind of rush anymore.

Spending two months in Maine made her realize how much her priorities had changed. She wanted consistency. The regularity of a normal schedule. The predictability of her friends living down the road and hanging out with them on a Saturday night.

And she wanted to have more of a role in Camp Illumination. Working with Nick doing fall clean up gave her a sense of community she’d never had before.

“Nervous?” Nick rubbed his hand down Sky’s back.

She looked up from the stroller and was surprised to see they were already in front of the center.

“Not really. I visited a few times before Gabby was born. The staff is wonderful, and it’s close to where I work.” She pointed past a row of trees to the medical building.

Nick unbuckled Gabby and carried her inside. The visit went as well as Sky had hoped. The women running the center scooped Gabby into their arms—whether it was to hold an adorable baby or brush up against Nick, she wasn’t sure. Either way, they made Sky feel at ease as they showed her and Nick around, pointing out the rooms for the different age groups.

Twenty minutes later, they were walking back to the row of on-base housing. While she was thankful for the military and all it had offered her when she needed to find herself, find a career, and find a home, she was ready to move on.

Moving on was scary though, and she still had eleven months left in her commitment to Uncle Sam. Eleven months was a long time. Long enough to grow a child and deliver her into the world. Long enough to fall in love. Long enough to fall out of love... no, she wouldn’t go there.

She had to hold on to her love for Nick, even if he wasn’t aware. She’d tell him before he left Sunday night. It shouldn’t feel this way, so hard to express an emotion that has been around since Adam and Eve. It took her five seconds to fall in love with her daughter and to tell her so. Why was it so hard to say those three little words to Nick?

She didn’t doubt her love for him. Did she worry he might not feel the same? Hell, yes. But that wasn’t what was stopping the words. Maybe a little, but mostly the fear of the unknown. Was she capable of love? Of being loved? Of loving someone else?

“You’re awfully quiet. Are you okay?” He held the front door open for her and she stepped into the living room. It didn’t feel as homey as Nick’s living room. Gabby’s things weren’t stacked in neat piles or overflowing baskets.

They’d dumped everything, changed, then headed over to the daycare. Once she was unpacked and settled in again, her house would feel like a home.

Maybe.

Hopefully.

***

Skylar hadn’t been herself since they piled her and Gabriella’s belongings in her car and headed south. They’d made love in the hotel and last night in Skylar’s home, but something was off. Granted, he hadn’t been himself either.

Strung out from nerves, from the loss he’d feel the moment he stepped on the plane to go back home. He didn’t want to leave Skylar or Gabriella, but she hadn’t asked him to stay. Not that he could. He had a business to run. A mortgage, bills to pay. If he moved to Virginia, what would he do here? Be a stay at home dad?

That would be fun and well for a few months, but he’d grow antsy. Nick needed to work. He needed his friends, even though he hadn’t seen much of them since Skylar came into his life. It was more the social aspect he craved than an individual.

Except when it came to Skylar. He craved her in more ways than one. And he craved Gabriella in a completely different way. He’d been fortunate to grow up in a house full of love, with parents who disciplined him and allowed him freedom.

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