Page 67 of Bossy Grump's Secret

Mrs Belfrost's grip counteracts mine, and she makes it out unscathed. But when I finally let go of Dylan's hand, he nurses it with his other, making his mom laugh at his inexperience.

"It's a girl," the doctor announces as I still breathe. My internals are a complete and utter mess. I feel like a leaky tube of toothpaste with some liquids oozing out as the placenta slides down.

The doctor places the crying baby in my arms. I feel so blessed to be holding her. This is me…a projection of myself…a creation I made and carried within me for nine months.

I feel like a messy grim pot, despite that, I'm the happiest person in the room. The baby rocks in my arms, and I coo her into her first sleep before handing her over to the doctor. Dylan looks in Marvel like he’s a small child.

"That's my child, isn't it? Whoa," he exclaims. "Hey, Candy. You did it, baby. You gave birth to that beautiful princess. Our beautiful princess." He places his lips on mine and kisses me deeply. I respond with as much strength as I can muster...which isn't much.

"She's tired, Dylan. Let her rest." Mrs. Belfrost tells him. Dylan says something back, but it blends into the surrounding sounds as I fall into a deep trance.

Opening my eyes, the first person I see is Lily, who is holding my baby already. "Wakey, wakey. Mommy duck rule. Your baby saw me first, so she's already bonded." She jokes and takes the baby's hand into her mouth in a playful gesture.

"Wrong. I held the baby first," I groan with a settled smile as she grunts in frustration.

"Dylan, only let me carry the baby about ten seconds before you woke up. Not even his parents have touched her yet," she laughs.

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I shake my head and emit a weak chuckle, remembering how he was when the child was born. I bet he will be both a father and a mother to the child. Unsurprisingly, when I was eventually discharged and started school some three months later, Ivy stayed with me...no matter how difficult it was adapting to school work and simultaneous childcare - despite everyone telling me otherwise.

There's no single scenario where I want to see this child with anyone else, so my daughter is in the school's ultra-committed daycare centre until I'm done with classes. Then Lily and I practically race to retrieve her.

Since I am a mother now, the entire family decided it would be more hygienic to raise the child outside the campus, so the necessary specialists can come and check on the baby, including a nanny that stays with us until bedtime to allow Lily and me to study.

"I could hardly concentrate in class today," I complain to Lily as I struggle under the weight of the over-packed children's bag. Lily would collapse under this weight, so she should carry the baby.

"Really? You said that yesterday," she reminds me.

"And the day before, I know. There's this constant burden on my mind. I'm always thinking of Lil. How's she doing? Hope she's eaten. Is her temperature normal? I hope no one's going to step on her by mistake..." I empty my worries, and still, they don't seem to ease.

Of course, they won't. I asked questions and questions that didn't yield answers.

"Well, don’t worry so much about this big baby!" She tosses the five-month-old into the air and catches her, earning a squeal of excitement from the child. She uses every conversation as an opportunity to play with the child. It's so cute.

Just look at them. Two babies making each other happy. When we eventually get settled - I'm in the house, and Edith, the nanny, puts Ivy to sleep after her ominously boring day - I talk seriously with Lily at the dinner table.

"You have too much on your brain right now, Ava. Learn to ease up a little. Have you heard of postpartum depression?" Lily asks, point blank.

"Yeah, but I sincerely doubt that is happening right now. No one can stay in a house with you and Ivy and be sad. Literally no one," I huff.

"I mean...thanks for the credit...but... I already knew," she smirks.

"Whatever." I shake my head and remember that something else is bugging me. Lily notices it, too, because she tilts her head to match my own.

"What's wrong, Ava?"

"It's been forever, Lil. I miss him," I tell my friend. "It's like... the calls and texts aren’t as good as the real thing... the real Dylan."

“It’s been three days, Ava.” My friend gives me a murky look, and I reply with a smitten expression. "Besides," she says, "…you're lucky I read minds and am a genie.” She munches confidently on a pretzel.

Whatever is this girl up to? I realize that she's not looking at me - just slightly behind. Before I can react, a pair of muscular hands grabs me. My screams are mixed - mild terror and raw excitement.

"Dylan!" I jump up and give him the tightest hug I've ever given a person. If I were to hug Lily with this pressure, it would crush her windpipe, but Dylan is twice her size. He can take it.

"Oh, my windpipe!" He lets out a strained groan, and I let go immediately, feeling like he might probably disappear again.

Oh, maybe he can't handle the squeeze.

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