David let out a giggle. “They will know him, Garrett. You will make sure that they know him. You’ll talk about him often, and you’ll share stories and advice he gave you. They might not be able to physically know him, but they will know him.”
I quickly wiped a tear away and smiled. “David, I don’t think I’ve ever really thanked you.”
He turned and looked at me as he raised his eyebrow at me. “Thanked me for what?”
“Everything you did for me and Mama after Daddy passed away. Thank you for helping with the ranch while I was in school and for showing me everything my father would have shown me. Thank you for loving my mother. I really am glad you two found each other, and I know Daddy would want her to be with someone he trusted and loved.”
I held my breath as I saw David’s eyes fill with tears.
He reached for me and pulled me in for a hug. “You’ll never know how much that means to me, son.”
He slapped me hard on the back, and then he sat back and wiped away his tears. “Now, Garrett, I’m going to give you some advice my daddy gave me when Billy was born.”
I nodded my head. “Okay, I’m listening.”
“Help Emma out as much as possible. This baby took two to make, and it will take two of y’all to raise. You do your part in helping out with everything. That means, if you have to scrub your own britches, you scrub your own britches, so she can rest.”
I nodded my head. “Yes, sir.”
“Now, here is the big one—write her a letter.”
I pulled my head back and looked at him with a confused expression. “A letter? What kind of letter?”
He smiled a crooked smile. “A letter telling her how you’ve felt—from the moment she told you she was having your child to watching her belly grow, and most of all, to holding your child in your arms for the first time. Write it down while it is fresh in your memory, son. Then, after you get home, when it feels like the right time, you give her that letter. Take the baby and go for a walk, so she has some time alone when she reads it.”
I smiled and asked, “Did you write one to Mama after Lily was born?”
He chuckled. “Yes, I did. And let me just say, when I got back with Lily, your mother was…well…some things are best kept to oneself.”
I shuddered. “Oh Lord, thank you for not sharing.”
We both started laughing.
David stood up and put his hand on my shoulder. “My advice is to write it as soon as possible.”
I stood up and reached my hand out for his. “Yes, sir. I’ll do it right away.”
As we made our way back into the hospital, I stopped at the nurses’ station and asked for paper and a pen. I made my way back up to Emma’s room. When I walked in, my mother was saying good-bye to Emma, and Jim was sound asleep in his bassinet.
“Are you leaving already, Mama?” I asked. I looked over at Emma, who seemed to be struggling to keep her eyes open.
My mother giggled. “Yes. We are staying the night with Charles and Maria, so we will be back tomorrow. I think Emma needs some rest.”
My mother gave Emma a good-bye kiss on the cheek and then made her way over to me. She brought me in for a hug. She moved her mouth up close to my ear and whispered, “Just speak from your heart.”
I pulled back and smiled. I was sure she knew David had told me about the letter. “Always, Mother. You raised me right.”
She winked. “You bet I did.”
I walked my mother and David out into the hall and talked to them for another five minutes.
When I walked back into the room, Emma was sleeping. I walked up to her and gently kissed her on the lips. I whispered, “Sleep, Buttercup.”
I took the pad of paper and pen and sat down to begin writing my letter.
My dearest Emma,
I always thought that the day you said yes when I asked you to marry me would be the most amazing day of my life, but I was so wrong. Then, I thought the day you became my wife was surely the happiest day of my life. Yet again, I was wrong. Then, the day you walked into the barn, I knew from the look on your face that our family was about to get a bit bigger. Oh, yes, I thought, this was the happiest day of my life by far. I was proved wrong again. Watching your stomach grow day after day with our child—I thought nothing would ever top that. I was wrong again.
Today—the birth of our son—is one of the happiest days of my life by far, but it is not the happiest day. It finally dawned on me why. Every night, when I lay my head down next to yours, I thank God for another day with you. Each day I’m with you is the happiest day of my life, Emma. Every waking moment we are together, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.
When we make love and we are completely one with each other, when you laugh at my silly jokes, or when you hold me as I feel like my world is about to come undone—these are the happiest moments of my life. When I walk in and see you standing at the kitchen sink, doing a little dance while listening to the radio and fixing dinner—my God, Em—I feel like my heart is going to burst from happiness.
Thank you, Emma, for giving me so many moments that I will treasure forever. Thank you for loving me. I pray every night that I make you as happy as you make me.
I’m sitting here right now, looking at our son, and I’m already thinking of our grandchildren. We are going to be kick-ass grandparents, Em. I’ll teach them all there is to know about the ranch, and you will teach them to love one hundred percent with their hearts.
I can’t wait to see what our future holds together. Always know you are my love, my life, and my forever.
Now, I’m going to stop writing this letter, so I can watch my beautiful wife sleep. I’ll love you forever, Emma Rose Mathews. Never forget, our love is a forever love.
Love,
Garrett
“Should we wake him up, Mrs. Mathews?” the nurse asked.
We both looked down at Garrett sleeping in the chair.
I shook my head as we made our way out of the room. “No…let’s let him sleep for just a bit.”
I walked the halls of the hospital and tried like hell not to show the pain I was in. I was sure my son had ripped me open from one end to the other, but no way would I tell Garrett that. He would treat me like I couldn’t do a thing if he knew I was in so much pain.
“The walking will help, Mrs. Mathews. I know it hurts. Would you like more pain medicine?”
I shook my head. “No, thank you. I don’t like the idea of taking it while breastfeeding the baby.”