You Fill My Heart
A Lope drabble based on the song of the same title by Jason Walker.
A smile plays at his lips as he watches his pregnant wife cradle his eldest daughter. She gently rocks the baby back and forth, back and forth. The tot slumbers on her rounded shoulder; content in her dreams, whatever they may be.
Hope presses a soft kiss to Kelly's temple and Liam's heart swells with affection; a depth of love he didn't know he had the capacity to feel for anyone else in the whole world; let alone two people. Seeing his two girls together ... This moment means everything to him. And to think, soon enough, their family will be truly complete when their new baby, little Beth, comes into the world.
He wonders what little Beth will be like. Let her have Hope's smile, her eyes, her innocence. Her inherent goodness, Liam thinks. Just let her be ours forever.
Hope's belly is round and full. She's carrying high and that huge, swollen lump beneath her flowy peasant blouse makes his heart beat faster. Hope continues to bless his life. She has done so ever since they first met years ago - back when he was just a lonely computer geek with a borrowed last name, and no ties to hold him down, no family. She gave him a family; she gave him a home.
Hope smooths a hand through Kelly's soft, downy curls and looks over at Liam. Her lips turn up in a beautiful smile. As their eyes lock, he knows he's never been happier.
"Thank you," Liam whispers hoarsely. "Thank you so much."
"For what?" Hope asks.
Liam moves over to Hope and Kelly. He slips down beside them on the sofa; gently presses his hand to Kelly's back as he meets Hope's eyes. "For loving my daughter the way you do."
"Of course. How could I not? She's not only super precious; she's a part of you. I will love her for always."
"You're amazing, Hope. Truly amazing. The way you love people, including me... It's humbling."
Hope leans into him as he gathers her and the softly snoring infant into his arms. "I love you with all that I am, Liam. I always will."
"I know. And I feel the same way about you. You ... You fill my heart with this intensity... This feeling that I really can't put into words... I love you so much that it honestly scares me sometimes... Because loving someone so much; that's when you have the most to lose."
"Don't say that, Liam. I'm not going anywhere. Neither is Kelly, or this baby we made together."
"Promise me we'll grow old and gray together."
"I promise you that in a time far in the future, we will be sitting side by side in matching rocking chairs, toothless and wrinkled, watching our great-grandchildren play together."
It's actually a beautiful image; one he will always hold sacred in his quiet heart. "I love you, Hope Spencer. I promise you that I'm going to be worthy of you and our little family."
"You already are, Liam."
"It took us so long to get things right."
"I know, but deep down, I never stopped believing we would end up together someday."
"You know, I didn't either," Liam admits.
Liam offers her a smile that is just a touch watery. He runs his fingers over her knuckles and kisses the inside of her wrist. Conversation ebbs away like the tide and a powerful, poignant silence settles it. Words become superfluous.
He sees his home, his hope, his future in her eyes. Things worked out just the way they were always supposed to.