Page 52 of Rules of the Heart

Once she was fed, Ella handed her over to Valerie, who finally held her daughter close to her chest. Nikita was sleeping peacefully now. Valerie’s heart was so full, she felt like it might explode. She went to sit down with Nikita in a chair opposite Rose’s bed.

Valerie decided to broach the tricky subject. “Will your parents be okay with you still being a part of Nikita’s life?”

Rose lifted her chin. “They had better, because if they’re not, then they’re not getting me back in their life. They’re welcome to kick me out again; I’ll just come back to live with you.”

“I’d pay good money to see their faces,” Ella chuckled. “Thinking they’re leaving you with nothing only to have us pick you up and take you to live with us and our daughter. You will always be welcome to live with us, you know that, right?”

“Well, hopefully it won’t come to that. They miss me as well, and they want to make things work.”

“You deserve a good relationship with your parents, Rose. Valerie and I will help in whatever way we can. If you want us to try to talk to them, we can do that. If you ever want to call us just to talk, we’ll be here. And if you do get kicked out again, or even if you simply want to spend the night with Nikita, our door is always open.”

Rose blinked back tears. “Thank you. You’re both like second mothers to me, and I know you’re going to be amazing moms to Nikita. She is the luckiest baby alive.”

Ella took Valerie’s free hand. “You know, I think we will.”

They stayed with Rose chatting and cuddling Nikita. They were about to leave when Valerie got a call.

“Hi, Valerie, it’s Sarah. I’ve got good news. Your adoption papers are all stamped and signed. Nikita is officially your daughter. You can take her home whenever is convenient for you. I’ll email through a copy of the papers now.”

Valerie’s heart swooped. “Thanks so much, Sarah. You’ve been amazing through all of this.”

“It’s what I do. Seeing babies and children go to good homes like yours is why I got into this business.”

“Well, you’re certainly talented at it. Thanks again.”

Valerie grinned widely at Ella. “She’s ours. Officially.”

“Does that mean we can take her home?”

“It does.”

Valerie looked to Rose. “Are you ok for us to take her, Rose? It is ok if you want more time with her? Or you want to wait until tomorrow when you get discharged and you can come with us and see her settle in?”

Rose nodded. There were tears in her eyes. “I promise you guys, I’m more than ok with it. I’m not crying because I’m sad. I’m crying because I’m happy for her and for you. I’d actually love to get some sleep tonight and I know for a fact that will be easier for me without her here. I love her. I always will. But you guys are her future. Please, take her.”

Ella went to grab the car seat that they had been keeping in the car for just this eventuality.

They strapped little Nikita in - she looked so tiny in it. Tiny with a little screwed up face. Valerie wondered what she might look like one day- their daughter. She carried her to the nurses’ station, where they checked her out of the hospital officially.

The drive home was short, and before long, Ella and Valerie were putting Nikita in her crib next to their own bed.

She was sleeping peacefully now, though Valerie knew it wouldn’t be for long. She and Ella were fully prepared for several months of sleepless nights. They had both taken a year ofmaternity leave- they wanted to be able to give Nikita everything they had- there would be time in the future for plenty of saving lives.

They would probably hire a nanny at some point when they went back to work, but Valerie and Ella had decided to see how it went with Nikita before taking that step.

Valerie hoped that at some point, Rose’s parents might want to meet their granddaughter. She knew that was probably a long way off, but they had time.

Even though Nikita was right next to them, Valerie checked that the baby monitor was working half a dozen times before finally conceding that it wasn’t faulty and joining Ella in bed.

Ella wrapped herself around Valerie, and Valerie settled happily into the embrace.

“I can’t believe we’re actually parents,” Ella murmured. “I expected to be terrified, and I am, but mostly, I’m so in love—with you and with Nikita. I have the best family in the world.”

Valerie nodded. “She really is perfect. As is my beautiful wife.”

They fell asleep in each other’s arms, only to be woken about an hour later by screaming. Thankfully, Nikita just wanted to be fed. Valerie took that turn, and Ella took the next one.

So far, so good. It was only in the early morning that things got truly challenging.

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