Ava Lee Criss-Colfer
It seems like it was just yesterday that Chris and I were sitting on the couch in our Upper East Side apartment dreaming of the day when our daughter would come home, but now the day had arrived and I was freaking out.
"Dare, Darren?" were the words I heard so softly, that they almost came out as a whisper "She's here and she's beautiful."
I turned around to see Chris, the most beautiful and caring person in my life, standing behind me with a look of worry in his eyes. I knew he thought something terrible was wrong with me so I decided to reply, "Yeah, I heard you, it's just that I'm a little nervous."
Chris came over and took a seat on my lap, "Why are you nervous?" he asked grabbing my fingers and interlacing them together with his own, "She's really ours Dare, and she's finally here!"
"I know, I'm just trying to take it all in." I said taking a deep breath and letting it out, "I'm a father, I have a daughter."
"Dare, it'll be fine, I'm here for you and we will do this together." Chris replied smiling and by looking at him a smile broke out across my face as well. He was just so cute sometimes, and just knowing that I get to wake up to that face every morning, I'm the luckiest man alive.
"I love you, you know that right?" I asked him leaning in to kiss those lips of his that I loved so much.
"I know, I don't know why you wouldn't?" was his reply
I gently pushed him up off me, and laughed "You're so funny Colfer!" He turned around and reached out a hand to me and I took it without hesitation, I knew where we were headed and I just couldn't keep calm.
"Dare, calm down, I'll be right beside you, okay?" he asked
I shook my head "Yeah, I know and I love you for it." I looked at him lovingly before we started walking down the hall and into the room, our daughter's room.
"That's her over there" Chris said pointing to a little crib along the back of the nursery "She's just so beautiful Darren"
As I walked over to see her I fell in love with her instantly. It was like all the worry and nervousness just melted away at the sight of her small face. She had Chris's glazed eyes and she even has some black curls popping out from underneath her little pink hat, and at this very moment I noticed that I had been crying the whole time.
"What's wrong?" Chris asked when he came and stood in front of me "Have you been crying?" He started wiping away my tears with his thumb before I took hold of his waist and leaned in for a quick kiss. "I'm fine, can I hold her?" I asked when we had pulled apart.
"Yes, you most certainly can" was his reply
As I sat down in the chair, and Chris handed her to me my whole life felt complete and that I now I had a purpose for living. She was the most beautiful thing that I had ever seen, and she was mine. I had started crying again by this point and when my little girl reached her hand up to me, I took it without hesitation.
"I'll give you two a moment" were the words Chris spoke as he turned to exit the room
"Chris, please stay with me." I replied almost in a begging tone "I don't have any idea what I'm doing, I need you"
"Dare, you'll be fine, just talk" he said and with that he walked out of the room.
I looked down at that little bundle of joy and I just started talking, "Hey there little girl, it's your daddy" a tear ran down my cheek, "I promise you that I will never let anyone or anything hurt you, and that I will never leave you when times get rough. I promise that you will always have a shoulder to cry on and someone to come to if you have a question or problem. Your other daddy and I love you with all our hearts and you're a part of us from no on, and no one is going to take you away from us."
By this point Chris had returned and when I looked his way he was all smiles, "Hey, how'd it go, daddy?" he asked
"It went great, but Chris?" I replied
"Yeah"
"I just realized that we can't go around calling her daughter or baby for the rest of her life, she needs a name." I told him with a concerned look
"You're right, what name were you thinking?" he asked me with a grin
"Um, what about Emma?"
"No, to common, how about Isabella?" he asked
I just shook my head and we both decided to think for a little while. After much pondering and name shouting it finally hit us "Ava Lee Criss-Colfer" we both said in unison and we knew that it fit perfectly. At that moment Ava began to stir, and without really thinking I started singing, "Baby, you're not alone, cause you're here with me, and nothing's ever gonna bring us down, cause nothing can keep me from loving you" It worked because she had drifted off into a deep sleep and didn't even wake when we put her back in her crib.
As I stood watching her sleep I felt a pair of hand wrap around my middle, and knowing they were Chris's made me all warm inside
"Dare?" he asked in a whisper "Are we going to be alright?"
I smiled, "Yes, yes we are"