Family Life-Part 1-Hope

"I can't believe that she's finally here." Zoe Walker-Hanna beamed, gazing down at her and Max's newborn baby girl.

"She's as beautiful as her Mummy." Max smiled, taking Zoe's free hand and giving it a squeeze.

"I love you." Zoe informed him.

"I love you too." Max smiled.

After their terrible wedding, and months of dancing around each other, Zoe and Max hand finally gotten back together. A few months later, they renewed their vows on Holby beach, with only Robyn, Lofty, and Dylan in attendance, with a reception in the Hope and Anchor afterwards, which many of their colleagues attended after they'd finished work.

Then, a while afterwards, Zoe discovered that she was pregnant, much to her and Max's surprise. A worrying 9 months had followed-Zoe hadn't had an easy pregnancy, she'd suffered very bad morning sickness and had gone into false labour twice.

But, finally, third time lucky, Zoe went into labour at about 3 in the morning, much to Max's dismay, and by 8AM, she was born.

"We still don't have a name for her..." The consultant mused. "Well, I do have one in mind, but I'm not sure if you'll like it."

"Go on."

"Hope." Zoe said, rocking the baby girl as she fussed. "It's okay, little one."

"I like it." Max said. "Because, sometimes, hope has been the only thing that we've had to cling onto." He dipped his head, remembering an incident a few months ago- Zoe had suffered a fall and had almost lost her baby.

"Exactly. What's the matter, Max?" Zoe asked worriedly.

"Just bad memories." Max lifted his head to gaze at her, tears glistening in his eyes. "So, Hope."

"Hope." His wife agreed.

"How about Emily for a middle name?" Her husband suggested.

"Hope Emily Walker-Hanna. I like it!" Zoe grinned, gazing down at the bundle of joy in her arms. "Hello, Hope Emily Walker-Hanna." She whispered, smiling as one of Hope's starfish hands wrapped around her finger.

"She knows her Mummy." Max smiled.

"She does." Zoe agreed.

Max placed a tender kiss on his daughter's head. "She's our little miracle."

"She certainly is. I'm so lucky to have her, and you. Someone up there in the clouds must be looking favourably on me."

"And me." Max chipped in. "I feel like the luckiest man alive."

"That makes me the luckiest woman, then." Zoe smiled.

Connie came in, interrupting their tender moment.

"Ah, Zoe. You should be able to go home soon, I'll do your final obs and then you can get dressed." Said the Clinical Lead.

"Okay, thank you." Zoe nodded.

"Also, the others are desperate to meet your little one, but if you don't want to be overcrowded, I can tell them that you don't feel up to it?"

"No, it's okay, we'll see them for a couple of minutes before we go home." Her colleague and friend responded.

"I'll go and pacify them whilst you get ready." Max said to his wife as Connie began to do her obs.

"Okey doke." Zoe leaned forward to give Max a kiss. "I love you."

"I love you too-both of you." Her husband smiled at Hope, and left.

"Here, I'll put her in the cot." Connie held her arms out.

"Thank you." Zoe smiled as the other woman took Hope from her.

"She really is beautiful, congratulations." The Clinical Lead smiled.

"Thank you." Zoe beamed. "It hardly seems real, you know? Like a dream."

"I get you." Connie answered, turning back to her.

Over the course of Zoe's pregnancy, she and Connie had built up a strong friendship. Connie was always there to offer Zoe reassurance, she'd been present at some of the scans, and had helped Zoe through Hope's birth. The two women had a connection-perhaps it was because Connie's own pregnancy hadn't been easy, neither had Grace's birth-so the older woman knew how scary it was for Zoe.

"Connie, I've been thinking."

"Hmm?" The brunette asked with a smile.

"Would you like to be Hope's Godmother? You've always been there for me during my pregnancy, and I want you to be in her life because you're a good friend, to myself and Max."

"Zoe, I don't know what to say... I'd be honoured!" Connie grinned.

"So that's a yes, then?"

"Of course I will." The other woman beamed, and the two shared a hug.

Connie left to let Zoe get dressed.

"Okay?" Max asked, entering the side room just as Zoe was getting her jacket on.

"Yes thanks." Zoe smiled, giving him a kiss. "I have some news."

"Oh?"

"Connie has agreed to be Hope's Godmother." She smiled.

"That's great news!" Max smiled. The two had talked about it before, and they were planning to ask Connie a few weeks ago- but Zoe had gone into false labour so that plan had been scuppered.

"It is." Zoe agreed, gazing down at her daughter, now asleep in the cot. "She looks so peaceful."

"Yep." Her husband smiled tenderly.

Zoe gently lifted Hope up, snuggling her against her shoulder as she fussed. "Where's her pram?"

"Oh, it's in your office." Max responded.

"Okay, can you go and get it, please? Also can you ward off anyone who wants to see Hope, I don't want to disturb her."

"Of course." He replied, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

A while later...

Zoe, Max, and Hope were finally home.

Zoe was in her and Max's room with Hope, whilst her husband made her something to eat.

"Here you are." Said Max, setting the tray down in front of Zoe and holding his arms out for Hope.

"Thank you." Smiled his wife, gently placing their daughter in his arms.

Hope opened her eyes briefly to look at her father, and then closed them again.

Max chuckled. "Comfy, are we?"

"Like you, she goes to sleep anywhere." Zoe said through a mouthful of toast.

"Manners!" Her husband pretended to scold her.

Zoe smiled in amusement, and took a drink of hot chocolate that he'd made her. "I'm going to feed her after I've finished this then get some sleep-she'll be awake again in a few hours!"

"Why don't you try expressing some milk tomorrow?" Max suggested. "Then I can help with the night feeds, I don't like waking you up."

"Maybe in a few days, but for now I'd just like to keep things as they are." Responded his wife.

Her husband nodded in understanding. Zoe had never even dared to dream that she'd be happy in a relationship one day-let alone married with a child. "Okay, I get you." He smiled.

A while later...

"She's in the land of nod." Zoe informed Max, climbing into bed beside him.

"Good." Max smiled as Zoe laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes. "You're amazing, you know that? You carried our child and gave birth to her-despite everything, you've been so brave."

"Thank you." Zoe kissed him."That means the world."

"It's the truth." Her husband answered. "I can't believe that I'm married to someone as gorgeous as you, or that we have a daughter."

"Less of the charming, Walker!" Zoe teased, leaning over him to switch the bedside lamp off. "That's a complete ditto, though." She whispered into the darkness.

Max grinned and pulled her closer. The two fell asleep in each other's arms, dreaming of a happy future as a family.