Leaning over the bed, I kiss first her, then her mother. I place a hand on both of them, willing myself to remember every facet of this moment—the pink of Tess’s cheeks as she cries, the clicking of the machines above her head, the metallic smell of lemony hospital cleaner faint in my nose, the shape of my daughter’s tiny body under the blankets. I’ll remember this later as the moment I first felt like a father. I’m not just Ryan Langley anymore, and I haven’t been for a long time. For over two years now, I’ve prided myself on being Tess’s partner, someone worthy enough to claim her and love
...more
SOBBING
