Connie
She walked slowly from the home office into the den. She felt a little bit like a punching bag by the time the call was over. There had been a tremendous amount of back and forth, trying to settle on a schedule for her return to work. Callie had been surprisingly stubborn and she'd had to concede some things she hadn't wanted to. But she also had to admit that Callie had reminded her why she'd wanted to play Rayna Jaymes. She'd talked about story plans for Rayna for season 2 and, while she didn't love all of them, she felt like it would give her meaty material to work with. She'd have to talk to Chip though, about how they would navigate with Yoby and, particularly, with Ryleigh.
When she walked into the den, she saw Chip sitting on the couch, turned slightly towards the center of it, his head down and his arm on the back of the couch. When she got closer, she saw that Ryleigh was lying on a blanket on the couch next to him. She walked up behind him and leaned over, her hand on his arm. "Hey, you two," she said with a smile. "What are you doing?"
He smiled at her and she kissed him. "Just hanging out with each other," he said. Then he frowned slightly. "That was a longer call than I thought it would be."
She sighed and walked around to sit on the other side of Ryleigh. "Yes, it was," she said. "Callie was really kind of hard ass."
"How so?"
"Basically, I wanted to ease into things a little more, but she's not giving me a lot of leeway."
He reached his hand out and took hers. "Tell me."
"She wants me to come in two days a week until we're caught up. And do all my scenes in those two days."
"For an episode?"
She nodded. "Yes. She said it's no different than what we had originally planned, although that's not really true. But she insisted."
He raised his eyebrows. "Are you kidding me?"
"I wish I were. So, the first week I'll come in and film scenes in the hospital. The coma scenes, the waking up, and then sitting on the outside deck with Lamar. Then the next day we film all Rayna's flashbacks. Which is a whole different thing."
He smiled. "Well, I don't mind filming with you all day."
She smiled and gave him a side eye. "Well, true, but it'll be a very long day. We have to stay until it's dark to film the scene after the crash."
"On location?"
"Well, on a location. And then also at the house they picked for Deacon's cabin." She reached out and ran her finger down Ryleigh's face. The baby kicked her feet and looked up. She leaned forward so Ryleigh could see her face. "What am I gonna do about her?" She looked up at him. "That's what worries me."
"We take her with us," he said, making it sound simple.
"Chip, she'll just be seven weeks old," she protested.
He let Ryleigh grab onto his index finger. "Bring the nanny. She can watch Ryleigh and Yoby while you're on set."
"What about when we're at a location?"
"We'll make sure we have a van." He smiled at her. "We'll make it work, sweetie. You'll get to spend every second you're not filming with her."
She sighed. "it just feels...not right, you know?"
He leaned in and, bringing his finger under her chin, kissed her. "I'll be there too, how about that? And we'll figure it out as we go. She's gonna be fine."
She smiled at him. "I know you're right, but she's just so...young. I know I took Yoby with me but he was older."
"She's not going to remember, Connie. And she'll have you there, pretty much all the time. And sometimes me too."
She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. "Okay. You win." She smiled at him. "Now, let's not talk about it again until I actually have to work."
They both sat back against the couch. He looked over at her and smiled. "We could talk about my mom coming next week," he said.
Chip
He had just gotten the call from his mom that she and Cathy were on the way. He had told her he could pick them up, but she told him that was ridiculous. They would need transportation to and from the Airbnb, which was true, They would be staying just a couple of miles away, but his mom was firm. And he'd learned not to push. He jogged up the steps and down to the nursery. Ryleigh was still sleeping in his and Connie's room, but most of her things were in the nursery, including the oversize chair Connie liked to sit in when she fed Ryleigh. He peeked in but they weren't there. He headed down to the master bedroom.
"Connie?" he called out, stepping into the room.
"I'm getting dressed, babe," she called back. He walked over to the bassinette, where Ryleigh was sleeping. She was wrapped up, with the tiny pink cap on her head. He stood watching her sleep until Connie came up beside him. She put her hand on his back and smiled up at him. "Hey."
He reached his arm around her and leaned in for a kiss. "Hey. So Mom and Cathy are on the way."
She looked down at Ryleigh and then back at him with an apologetic smile. "She might be asleep when they get here."
"It's okay. I think they'll want to come up and take a peek though."
She smiled. "That's fine. So where's Yoby?"
"In his room." He took a look at her then. It was hot in Nashville and she was wearing a pair of shorts and a sleeveless button-down blouse. She'd already lost almost all her baby weight. He could tell, when he held her at night, that her stomach was almost flat. Her breasts were still larger, but he didn't mind that. He smiled at her. "You look pretty."
She smiled back. "Thank you. Except I have no makeup on and my hair isn't styled or anything."
He pulled her against his chest. "I don't mind. I think you look great with no makeup and not doing anything special to your hair. You're gorgeous to me, baby." She put her hand on his cheek and kissed him. He wrapped his other arm around her and pulled her close, kissing her hungrily. When he pulled his lips from hers, he breathed in. "You think you'll be...ready any time soon?"
She opened her mouth slightly and gave him a look of surprise, but there was also amusement in her eyes. "Aren't we supposed to wait six weeks?" she asked.
He groaned. "Really?"
She laughed. "Well, that's what I read, but my doctor said really whenever I feel up to it." She lifted up on her toes and kissed him. "And I've been thinking about that."
He raised his eyebrows. "Oh? And just what have you been thinking?"
"I was thinking we could maybe start taking that creative stuff a little further and just see where it leads us."
He kissed her forehead. "I'm good with that. I've just missed you, baby."
She nodded. "I know. I miss you too." She slid her arms around his neck. "You aren't worried about Ryleigh?
He frowned. "Why would I be worried about Ryleigh?"
"She'll be here in our room. You know."
Now he knew what she was talking about. "Ah, okay. You're afraid she'll be scarred for life by the kinds of things you say when you come?" He grinned.
She turned red. "Chip! No. Oh my God, you're horrible. Besides, what you do is worse."
He laughed out loud and she quickly covered his mouth with her hand. He moved her hand. "I can't promise to be quiet, but you know you can't either. But she's a baby. She won't know what's going on."
"You better hope not." Then she wriggled out of his arms, went to check on Ryleigh and then walked out of the room.
He turned and leaned over the bassinette, looking at his sleeping daughter. "You don't care, do you, sweet girl?" he said softly. He breathed out. "I love your mama, sweetie, more than anyone else in the whole world," he whispered, feeling tears in his eyes and a lump in his throat. "I hope that matters to you when you start growing up. I'll do anything to make sure she's happy." He let his fingers brush very lightly across her cheek and then he turned to follow the way Connie had gone.
Connie
She and Chip were sitting on the floor with Yoby and his blocks, when Chip's phone buzzed. She looked up as he reached for his phone and then pushed up from the floor. "Hey, Mom," he said. He listened for a moment. "Great. I'll come open the door." He turned back to her. "They're in the driveway. She thought they should call instead of just ringing the doorbell."
She stood up as well. "That was really thoughtful." She grinned. "I can't wait for them to meet Ryleigh."
"And me!" Yoby shouted.
She turned back to him and laughed. "They already know you, Yoby." She reached out her hand. "Come on." He scampered over to her and the three of them walked to the door.
Yoby got unexpectedly shy when Chip opened the door to his mom and sister. She ended up picking him up and balancing him on her hip. After hugging Chip, Cynthia turned to Yoby and smiled broadly. "Hello, young man," she said. "Do you remember me?" Yoby nodded. Cynthia put her hands on his face and kissed his nose. "I'm so glad to see you again. And I can't wait to meet your baby sister." She then turned her eyes on her, still smiling. "Connie, I'm so glad to see you." She put an arm around her and they hugged. "You look wonderful."
"She does, doesn't she?" Chip said. She looked at him and he beamed at her proudly. "You'd never know she just had a baby."
"You haven't seen me first thing in the morning," she said, with a laugh, hugging Cathy. She put Yoby down on the floor. "We do want to introduce y'all to Ryleigh though. She's asleep, but I don't think she'll mind."
"We can't wait," Cynthia said. Chip put a hand on his mom's back and led her towards the stairs and the rest of them followed.
When they got to the bedroom, and Cynthia and Cathy crossed over to the bassinette, she got that pit feeling in the bottom of her stomach that she sometimes did when she stopped and stepped out of her body, thinking about what she and Chip were doing. It wasn't so much that she regretted loving him or regretted Ryleigh, because she didn't. she had never really believed in soulmates, but she had known, without a doubt, from the very beginning, that he was hers. The idea of possibly living without him had felt like she couldn't draw in a breath. But the knowledge that people had been hurt had been tough. Was still tough. Knowing she had all this – the love of her life, their daughter, their family – when it had caused pain for others could overwhelm her at times. Knowing she would never give it up could sometimes drive her to her knees.
Cynthia turned to them and it took her breath away to see the joy on her face. "Oh, y'all, I don't think I've ever seen a more perfect little being in my life," she whispered. "Pictures don't do her justice and those pictures were always precious." She hugged first her, then Chip. She put her hand over her heart. "She's perfect. I can't wait to really get to meet her." She turned back to the bassinette and leaned over it, ever so gently touching her finger to Ryleigh's cheek. Ryleigh twitched and screwed up her little face, but then settled back down without opening her eyes.
Chip looked at her with a mix of pride and relief in his eyes. He'd never indicated to her that he thought anything other than what they were seeing then was the outcome they would get, but it was apparent to her in that moment that he had, in fact, wondered. That was the thing about him – he was always positive, always confident to the point of cockiness, at times. Sometimes that was bravado though. It was just hard to tell when it was. She returned his look with an understanding smile.
"We should probably go downstairs," Cathy said quietly.
About an hour after Cynthia and Cathy arrived, Ryleigh's cries came through the monitor. She started to get up, but Chip put his hand on her arm. "I can get her," he said.
She smiled. "She needs to be fed though. Can you do that?" She stood up then.
He gave her a sheepish smile. "I guess not."
She looked over at his mom and sister. "I need to feed her and get her changed and dressed and I'll be back down."
Cynthia had sat forward on the couch and had a huge smile on her face. "I can't wait to see her."
It had been close to 45 minutes when she came back down with Ryleigh. She was wearing the little pink cap and the little pajamas she'd come home in. They were still too large, but looked a little better on her than the day she'd been released from the hospital. She headed for Cynthia, leaning down to place the infant in her arms. Cathy leaned over and smiled at Ryleigh. Cynthia couldn't stop smiling. "Hi there, sweetie. I'm your grandmother. But you can call me Nana." She leaned over and kissed Ryleigh's forehead. "And this is your Aunt Cathy and we're so happy you're here." She looked up. "She's precious, y'all. And so sweet."
She fought off the desire to laugh. "Not always sweet," she said. "She fights having her clothes changed. I almost gave up. She's surprisingly strong and determined when she doesn't want to put her arm in a sleeve."
Chip laughed beside her. "It's true. I feel like she's going to throw a little tantrum. I predict she will be a diva."
Cynthia smiled, but shook her head and then leaned down towards Ryleigh. "You would never do that, would you, precious?" she cooed. "Tell your daddy not to call you a diva." Ryleigh stretched out her arm as though she were reaching for her grandmother.
"I think she's a fan, Mom," Chip said, with a laugh.
She stood off to the side, watching Cynthia fawn over her granddaughter a little longer before handing her to Cathy. "You know, Connie, you're so lucky Chip loves his daughters. She very definitely is a daddy's girl." Cathy turned her so that she could balance her on her legs. "I'm just so in love right now."
Chip reached for her hand and smiled. She wanted Chip's family to accept Ryleigh into their family and it felt like they were getting off to a good start.
When Cynthia and Cathy left, just after dinner, she felt exhausted. Chip, on the other hand, was energized. "They loved her!" he exulted.
She smiled. "Of course they did," she said. "I didn't expect them not to." She breathed out.
He frowned. "What?"
She shook her head. "I was just...worried. Like maybe they would..."
He put his arms around her. "Sweetie, they love you. When you took Ryleigh upstairs to put her down, Mom told me you were such a great mama. She knew you were already, with Yoby, but she loved seeing you with our girl."
She looked up at him. "Really?"
He put his hands on her face and kissed her forehead. "It's all good, baby." He smiled. "You look like you could use some sleep."
She nodded. "I really could. I think I've just been nervous."
He put his hands on her arms and looked deeply into her eyes. She knew he knew what her real concerns were. "It's all gonna be fine, baby. I promise."
Chip
When he came out of the bathroom, she was laying on the bed on her side, her knees drawn up slightly and her hair spread across her pillow. He smiled. She had been up and down every night since Ryleigh had been home. She wanted to do everything herself, but he could see that it was running her ragged. He walked over to the bassinette and saw that Ryleigh's eyes were open. As he hovered, her eyes trailed over to him. He could see tiny movements underneath the swaddling blanket and he smiled. Whenever she saw him, or Connie, she would wave her tiny arms and kick her feet and he knew that's what she was trying to do now.
"Why do we do this?" he asked Connie, at the hospital, about the swaddling. He and Patty hadn't done this with their kids, so he wondered what the benefit was.
She smiled at him indulgently. "Well, for one thing, it makes her feel like she's still inside me, wrapped up in a safe little cocoon, and since she missed some of that, it's good for her. She feels comforted. Plus it helps her to feel warm."
"What if she wants to roll over?"
She laughed. "Newborns don't roll over. That comes later. But it helps them to sleep better. You'll see."
Turned out she was right. Ryleigh seemed to sleep a little longer and fall asleep more easily. She made a soft noise and he looked over his shoulder at Connie, to make sure she didn't wake up, then looked back at Ryleigh. He leaned over. "You wanna get out of there, baby girl?" he said softly. He slid his hands under her, lifting her up and resting her against his shoulder. He walked carefully across the room, then walked out, closing the door behind him.
When he got to the kitchen, he noticed it was midnight, and knew that was one of the times Connie normally got up to feed her. Holding Ryleigh in one arm, he opened the refrigerator door and pulled out one of the bottles of breast milk. He then put it in the bottle warmer for a bit. He checked the temperature and then turned around and headed back up the stairs, to the nursery. He settled into the chair and rearranged Ryleigh, unwrapping the blanket from around her. She was already fussing just a little and he didn't want her to wake up Connie. He reached for the bottle and touched it to her mouth. She took it in and started sucking.
He didn't get to do this often. Connie wanted to do actual breastfeeding and he couldn't blame her. Once she was back at work, she wouldn't be able to do that as often, so he was fine with letting her. But he loved the times when he did get to hold Ryleigh like this and just be a dad. He'd done this with Taylor, Chase, and Addie and had found it to be a time when he felt closer to them. Holding them when they were so small, dependent on their parents for everything. He had never given a thought to doing this again, but he was happy to have the opportunity.
He thought back to when Connie first told him she was pregnant. He'd felt bad about how he had handled it, walking away from her like he had. But he'd been so taken off guard that he could hardly process it. It had made Connie feel like he'd abandoned her, that he wouldn't be there for her, which had not at all been the case. He watched Ryleigh, as she continued to take the bottle, and knew without a doubt he'd made the right decision to choose her. And her mama. It had been a hard time, with hard decisions to make. He'd caused pain and anguish and anger. He still didn't know if his kids would ever completely come around, although he still believed Ryleigh could be a bridge.
Connie had cautioned him. That's a lot of pressure to put on a little baby. I guess it's a good thing she's unaware of all those hopes depending on her. He sighed and refocused his attention on his daughter. She pulled away from the bottle and looked up at him. He set the bottle down and lifted her to his shoulder, where he'd placed one of the burping cloths Connie always had available. He rubbed her back and pressed his lips. gently to her head. "I love you, precious girl," he whispered. "I'll never stop." He sat back in the chair, rubbing her back until he heard the soft burp, and then he smiled.
Connie
She woke with a start. She didn't know what caused her to wake up, but she was definitely wide awake. The room was dark and she peered at the clock by her bed. It was almost 1:00. She made a frustrated noise and rolled over, but Chip wasn't in bed.
"Chip?" she called out softly, wondering if he might have been in the bathroom. Nothing. Then she noticed the bedroom door was slightly open. She got out of bed and slipped on her glasses. She walked softly to the bassinette, but Ryleigh wasn't there. She frowned and then headed towards the bedroom door. As she stepped into the hallway, she saw that there was a faint light coming from Ryleigh's nursery. She approached quietly and, when she got to the open door, she could see Chip sitting in the chair holding Ryleigh. The light on the table next to him gave off a soft light yellow glow. She could feel all her emotions rushing to the surface as she watched him with their daughter. Oh God, I love him so much.
She walked in the room and he looked up. She slid onto the chair next to him, one leg underneath her. She put her hand on his arm and leaned in to kiss him. "Hey," she whispered. Ryleigh's eyes were open but she looked like she was edging towards sleep.
"Hey." He smiled. She saw the empty bottle then on the table.
"I don't remember hearing her cry."
He shook his head. "She didn't. You were asleep and when I checked on her, she was awake, so I took her downstairs. That's when I realized it was feeding time, so I just got a bottle and came back up here."
"You could have woken me up," she said.
Ryleigh stirred just a little, as her eyes trailed over to her mother. She smiled, running a finger down her cheek. "I wanted to give you a break," he said. "And it gave us a little daddy-daughter time." He had her protectively in his arms and she thought about the fact that he rarely got this chance. She decided, now that Ryleigh was home, that she needed to give him more opportunities. She watched as the baby's eyes slowly closed. It was nice, sitting together, the three of them, just wrapped up in each other.
She leaned against his shoulder, letting her fingers gently stroke Ryleigh's leg. "I hope when she grows up, we have a really close relationship. Like my mom and I had. I want her to feel like she can explore her dreams, even when they're small, and I want her to always feel like she can be curious. And then tell me all about everything she learns."
"I think it'll be that way," he said. "I mean, after all, you're..."
She sat up and put her hand over his mouth. "Please don't say I'm Connie fucking Britton," she said with a smile. "it's not that simple. And I'm not that perfect or infallible."
He grinned, then leaned over and kissed her. "You are, though. You just don't totally realize it," he said. "Ryleigh's lucky she's gonna grow up with you as her mom." He kissed her again. "And not because of your name, but because of the kind of human being you are." His face turned serious. "I mean that. I mean, yes, you are Connie fucking Britton" – she smiled a little – "but you're so much more than that. I know how much this means to you, how seriously you take this. I do. I'm in awe of the sense of responsibility you have, how much it matters to you that you raise good people." He shook his head and smiled wryly. "It took me awhile, when I had kids, to figure it out. I mostly felt scared, in the beginning, and incompetent. But I just tried to always be present and involved and they've turned out pretty well anyway. And now" – she thought she caught a little mistiness in his eyes – "I just want them to like me." His voice faded to a whisper. She thought it might have been the first time he'd truly acknowledged that it wouldn't be as easy as he'd hoped.
Her heart hurt for him then. She put her hand on his cheek. "I don't think they don't like you, babe. I think they have a lot to sort through. I'm not sure how good either of us would have been at their ages with handling all the upheaval in their lives. It's probably going to be something they think about every time they see us from now on. I do feel like them wanting to come see Ryleigh is a start. For you. She connects to you and to them. You're all blood. And I think that will matter, in the end." He didn't say anything, just breathed in deeply. She took Ryleigh's tiny hand, being very gentle so she didn't wake her. "I think Ryleigh will be a daddy's girl anyway."
"What?" He looked surprised.
She nodded. "Oh yeah. Haven't you seen how she looks for you when you come in a room? The way her whole face lights up?"
He smirked. "No, I haven't."
She smiled. "Well, she does. And I happen to think it's because you're Charles fucking Esten." She sat back and watched him. He put his hand over his heart and then put it on the back of her neck and pulled her in for a kiss.
"And now I can't believe that these great parents of hers have just used the f word multiple times in front of her," he whispered against her lips and she smiled.
"We'll just have to hope she won't remember that kind of thing later in life," she said, with a grin. She patted his arm. "We should all go back to bed. You have to work tomorrow and your mom and Cathy will be back in the morning." She stood up and he handed Ryleigh to her before getting up himself. They walked back to their bedroom and he waited while she gently reswaddled the baby and laid her back in the bassinette. She turned back towards him. Seeing him sitting in the nursery with their daughter had felt emotional. She really wanted him. Wanted to be close. She wasn't sure if it was the emotions of being alone together in the middle of the night with their daughter. Or maybe it was that they'd said 'fucking' so many times. Whatever it was, she felt that need deep down inside. She put her hand on his arm. "Chip," she said softly. He took her in his arms then and kissed her deeply. She let herself relax into the kiss and, when she felt how aroused he was, she realized she was as well.
She stepped back and took his hand, leading him to bed. He put his arms around her and pulled her close. "I don't want to hurt you," he whispered. "Or rush you."
She shook her head. "You're not rushing me. But we can take it a little slow and see how things go." She bit her lip. "I just want to be close to you. I miss that."
He nodded. "I miss you too." Then he kissed her again, letting his hands trail over her skin. And he let her lead, slowing down when she asked, staying attuned to her needs. She hadn't known what to expect, but he helped make it easier. And afterwards, as she lay in his arms, she knew she couldn't have asked for a better partner, one who would care more about her needs than his own and who was considerate of her comfort. It wasn't what they were used to, but she could feel some of the tension drain from her body. She closed her eyes, feeling warm and safe in his arms, and fell into a deep sleep for the first time since Ryleigh had been born.
Chip
When he opened his eyes, Connie had rolled away from him and he could hear her even breathing. He smiled, thinking about the night before, or more accurately, very early that morning. Sitting together with their daughter, talking about her, thinking about raising her together, had stirred up a need in both of them. He'd tried to make things comfortable for her – and she told him everything was amazing – but he knew it would take some time before the intimate part of their life got back to normal. He was okay with that. He was the man who got to live with her and love her, sleep in the same bed with her, and share a family with. He was the man she loved, the man she wanted in her life, and it still overwhelmed him a bit.
I'm the luckiest guy. He was and he knew it. It had been a little over a year earlier that they had first met and the connection had been immediate. So much had happened in a year that it almost made his head spin. He looked back at her and breathed in deeply. He sat up in the bed, trying to be careful not to wake her. She had slept so soundly that she'd missed a couple of Ryleigh's feedings but he hadn't wanted to wake her. Besides, he was happy to do it for her. He reached for his shorts and pulled them on as he stood up. He padded over to Ryleigh's bassinette and looked in, but she was still asleep. He walked out of the room, pulling the door shut behind him, and went down to the kitchen for some coffee.
He had a long day.
Connie
Cynthia and Cathy came over every day at 10:00, almost right to the minute. They had been such a help with Ryleigh by feeding her and changing her and keeping an eye on her so that she could take a nap each day. The daily nap had been such a gift and she felt like it had helped her relax and feel more like herself. The initial hesitation she had had over letting others take care of Ryleigh was ebbing. Chip kept telling her she didn't need to do it all herself, and she knew that, but she felt she needed to, since the baby had been born so early.
She rolled off the bed after her nap and walked into the bathroom. She peered in the mirror. The circles under her eyes had faded some. She still got up in the middle of the night when Ryleigh needed to be fed, so being able to take these naps was a gift. Cynthia had told her to make sure to nap when the baby did, but she'd be going back to work in a couple of weeks and all that would go out the window. She frowned at herself, then made herself stop. She knew once she was back in the swing of things, she'd fall into a routine and it would all be okay, but she was starting to worry about things like when she'd be able to fit into Rayna's skintight pants and slim fitting stage outfits, although she was hoping there wouldn't be a lot of that for a woman recovering from almost dying. And my boobs. She put her hands on her breasts. They were still larger, since she was still breastfeeding. She sighed. There was no way she was giving that up, so there was that.
She would have the nanny, who would watch Yoby and Ryleigh when she was on set. Chip would be there some of the time, when they had scenes together. The first episode had a number of Deacon and Rayna flashback scenes, so he would definitely be there for that filming day. She threw her hands up then. She just hoped everything went smoothly. She ran a brush through her hair and then turned and walked out of the bedroom.
Cathy had taken over Ryleigh and it left her alone with Cynthia. They hadn't had much time to talk, just the two of them, the whole week. She pulled tea out of the fridge, thankfully made by Chip, and poured two glasses, then brought them out to the deck. It was shady in the backyard in the afternoon, since the house faced west. It was the beginning of August and it was hot and humid, but there was the tiniest breeze outside which helped. She set the glasses down on the table and Cynthia smiled. She sat in the chair opposite Chip's mom.
She picked up her glass. "Chip made this," she said. "He sure makes a damn good pitcher of sweet tea, I'm sure thanks to you."
Cynthia smiled. "I can't take credit though. It was always his job to make the tea. It's just one of his many natural talents." She took a sip of her tea and leaned slightly forward. "I'm glad we have some time alone for a change." A flicker of anxiety hit her stomach. "I wanted to tell you how much I've enjoyed getting to spend time with my new granddaughter. And I appreciate that you've been so generous to both Cathy and me in letting us probably take advantage of that."
She relaxed a little, smiling at Cynthia. "I'm just so glad you're both here. I want Ryleigh to spend time with family. Family's important to both Chip and me. And I'm also grateful that you've been so welcoming to Yoby. I think it would be easy to put him in a different corner."
Cynthia frowned a little, then shook her head. "We adore him. We have from the second we met him. I really consider him to be my grandson." That surprised her, but touched her heart. "You know, it hasn't been that long since we've seen you but in so many ways it feels like so much time has gone by."
She nodded. "I know. It was just about 5 weeks ago." She shook her head a little and smiled, taken aback a little by saying it out loud. "Wow. It was just a couple days after we came home that Ryleigh was born."
"I remember," Cynthia said. "Chip was so worried. When he called me he told me how scared he was that he'd upset you so much that you went into labor."
She had practically forgotten how angry they'd been at each other then. "I think it really scared us both and emotions were so high. She was so early and I was so not ready. And then I was afraid he was blaming himself." She laughed a little. "I was not a pleasure to be around those first few days and I don't think he knew what to do about me." She sighed and shook her head. "I never blamed Chip. It was just how it was going to happen. I actually blamed myself, for the choices I made, for being old."
Cynthia smiled sympathetically. "You're not that old."
She laughed. "Well, in pregnancy terms I am. 'Geriatric'. That's what they called it." They laughed together then.
Cynthia's expression turned more serious. "You know, I think I really understood how important you are to him when I listened to him those first few days. I could hear his concern for Ryleigh, of course, but I think he was always convinced she would be fine. He would tell me that it wouldn't be fair for you to go through all this only to have it taken away. He was just so focused on you." She smiled, almost apologetically. "He is a good man and he's carried all this around with him, trying to do right by everyone. And I'm his mother and I've certainly had my say, more than once, but I saw it at the beach and I see it here. The family you're building together. And it makes me happy to see it." She paused. "It's hard not to like you, Connie. You're smart, funny, compassionate. You've given me two new grandchildren. Most of all is that you love my son and you make him very happy. I see that most of all."
She felt tears in her eyes and a lump in her throat. She tried to smile. "Thank you, Cynthia," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "That means a lot."
Cynthia took another sip of tea. She had the hint of a smile on her face. "Another thing I wanted to tell you is that Cathy and I are going to babysit tonight so you and Chip can go out together, by yourselves. Maybe just for dinner because, since you're a mom, you're not going to want to leave that precious baby for long, but really for whatever amount of time you like." She smiled. "I feel like you both need a break. Or maybe it's just you, since Chip does have work as a distraction. I hope you both will feel like Cathy and I are suitably mature and responsible enough to take care of your children."
She saw the teasing look in Cynthia's eyes. "That's so nice of you to offer. And yes, I think I can speak for Chip and say we definitely think y'all would be the best babysitters." She grinned. "Now I'll just have to think of where to go."
Cynthia had been right. She and Chip had needed a night out, just the two of them. As she sat back in the chair, feeling Ryleigh tugging at her nipple, she thought about how nice it had been to get dressed up, although dressed up had just meant a nicer pair of jeans and a blouse loose enough to cover the tiniest of stomach pooches. She'd been proud of being able to get into one of the looser pair of her jeans without feeling like she was trapped in a girdle. She'd put on a small amount of makeup – just a little blush to enhance the pinkness of her cheeks, lip gloss and some mascara – and jewelry, brushing her hair into loose waves.
Chip had come up behind her while she was brushing her hair, putting his arms around her, his hands pressed against her abdomen. She saw the sparkle in his eyes as he smiled, reflected back to her in the mirror. "Looking pretty sexy tonight," he said, placing a light kiss on her shoulder.
She smiled back. "Thanks, sweetie," she said. She put the brush down and turned in his arms, putting her hands lightly against his chest. "You're looking pretty sexy yourself." He did. He'd grown out his scruff a bit while the show was on hiatus, but his facial hair was back to the right amount of Deacon scruff and he'd slimmed down a little from the summer.
He kissed her. "You decide where you want to go?"
She nodded. "At first I thought just some hole in the wall, but then I changed my mind. I want to go somewhere a little more special. So I thought Sinema." It was a place not far away – not super upscale, but a nicer place with a comfortable vibe.
Of course it was also a place where they'd be more visible, but she decided not to let it bother her. The food was delicious, the drinks were solid, and, while there were plenty of surreptitious looks throughout the time they were there, it had been a nice evening. They had promised each other not to talk kid talk – and they had mostly managed that – and focus on grown up conversation. He talked a little about work, until she decided that wasn't good dinner conversation either. They had laughed – a lot – and for a little while she forgot about everything except the two of them. They had made out in the car in the garage and she'd let him feel her up a little before they had reluctantly gone inside.
After Cynthia and Cathy had left and Ryleigh had been fed and put down, the good feelings from the evening lingered. Chip was still being a little handsy and she liked it. They had kissed and he had pressed her against him so she could feel how much he wanted her. The truth was, she was incredibly aroused. By him. And he knew it. She made a little noise deep in her throat as she thought about it. Things had probably gotten a little more heated and lusty than they should have, and the vague soreness she was still feeling was a result of that, but it had also been incredibly satisfying. She smiled as she thought about it.
"Your father is really...awesome," she whispered to Ryleigh, thinking that she could really never have that kind of conversation with her about Chip. But she did hope she could one day talk to her daughter about waiting for the right man, the one who would love and cherish her at the same time he respected and was proud of her. She wanted Ryleigh to have a man like Chip, to be her partner in life. Ryleigh pulled away then and looked up, smacking her lips a little. She smiled and rubbed her thumb over the baby's cheek. "You are really the prettiest, cutest baby ever. Did you know that?" she said with a smile. Just then Ryleigh's eyes opened wide and then had an amused look to them, her lips parted in what she decided was definitely a smile. She opened her mouth and shook her head a little as she looked at her baby. "You're smiling, aren't you? Yes, you are." She smiled broadly. "Just wait until I tell your daddy. He'll be so jealous that you gave your very first smile to your mama, won't he?" She cupped the back of Ryleigh's head with her free hand, lifting her slightly so she could kiss her forehead. "I love you, sweet baby," she whispered.
She padded back into the bedroom quietly and laid a sleeping Ryleigh in her bassinette. She stood for a moment and looked down at her daughter. A year ago, she would never have believed this would be her life. She had always assumed that one day she would have a husband and a family, not because it was 'supposed' to be that way, but because she truly wanted that. But she had also wanted a career and friends and her own interests, so that husband needed to be a partner, someone who complemented her and supported her and sometimes might even put her needs or interests or career first. That man had never arrived, nor had the family she'd hoped to have. So she decided to create her own.
First there was Yoby, who made her a mom. It had been scary and wonderful and hard and rewarding, all at once. She'd learned so much about herself and her capacity to love another human being. It had completed her. Or so she thought. Because then there was Chip. And that had been messy and hard and painful and beautiful. He was that partner she'd hoped for. Sometimes he challenged her and sometimes she challenged him. They'd fallen in love quickly, fallen hard for each other, in a way that sometimes left her gasping, both from the hugeness of it and from the beauty of it.
And then he'd given her this gift. This baby, lying asleep in the bassinette. This baby they'd created together, who she'd carried inside her for not nearly long enough, but who was thriving. Her heart felt full and she put her hand on her chest. Then she finally turned away and looked at the man, asleep in the bed, who held it all together, and she was grateful for him. She walked over and slid under the sheet, feeling his warmth as she curled up beside him, on her side facing him so she could watch him sleep. Before long, her eyes closed and she drifted back to sleep.
Chip
After hugs all around and then multiple kisses and hugs and tears for both Yoby and Ryleigh, he and Cathy were finally on the way to the airport. She was still wiping her eyes with a tissue as they headed for the highway. He glanced over at her. "You know you can always come back," he said quietly.
She looked over at him. "Oh, I know," she said, her voice sounding a little shaky. "But they'll never be this age again."
He laughed. "Well, that's true. They all eventually grow up." He reached over and squeezed her hand. "Thanks for coming."
"And miss seeing my new niece? That just wasn't going to happen." She rubbed under her eyes with her fingers. "She's just an angel, Chip."
He kept smiling. "Thank you. I give all the credit to Connie though."
Cathy shook her head. "It's not all her. You know that." She breathed in, then let it out. "I hope the kids will be fair about this."
He knew she meant his kids, who were coming out in just a few days. "I do too."
She shifted in her seat so she was looking more towards him. "I hope this goes well, but you know it could end up being a shit show."
He frowned. "I don't want to go into it thinking it's gonna be a shit show, Cathy." He could hear the edge in his voice.
"Well, I know you don't. Which is your general MO."
Now he felt annoyed. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"You know how you are, Chip. You're always incessantly hoping for the best. Which I don't disagree with, to be fair, but you have to be prepared." He was silent. "You might not want to hear this, but those kids are kind of shellshocked right now. There lives were going along pretty well and then, bam, out of nowhere, it's all gone to shit. What does that sound like?" She looked at him pointedly.
He kept staring out of the windshield. "When Mom and Dad got divorced," he said, his voice flat.
"Exactly. Only we were a whole lot younger. And it wasn't the same circumstances. But let's be real. Pretty much out of nowhere, you go bouncing off to Nashville for this job and your wife and kids are back in LA, supporting you and cheering you on and being all Team Dad. But what's dad doing? Acting like he's not."
He reached out and grabbed her arm. "That's not true, Cathy!" he snarled.
She jerked her arm away. "Hey, I'm just trying to make a point here," she said.
"Well, you're doing a pretty damn poor job of it."
"Which is my point." He was confused by that, but also still angry. "Chip, that's how they look at it. You left and, really, never came back. Yeah, I know you still went back almost every weekend, at least until you told Patty, but your heart wasn't in it. And they're old enough to realize that, in hindsight. And it hurts, for them. It might take them a really long time to be able to separate the dad who left them for someone else with the dad they love. And even longer for them to accept the woman who took you."
He pointed his finger at her. "It's not on her. I take the blame."
"I know you do, but it's not all on your shoulders. You didn't force Connie to do any of this. And I get that you love her and this is different. But this isn't going to be easy. Or simple. Just because they're coming doesn't mean they're ready to forgive. I'm actually kind of shocked they want to see Ryleigh. But I think a lot of that is because she was in the hospital when she was born and, even though she's okay now, that's kind of a scary thing." He clenched his jaw. "You just need to have some patience, which is not something you normally have. This is a marathon, Chip. There's a lot of work to be done." She shifted back to sitting facing the front of the car. "Mom and I are just pushovers, because we actually like Connie, like her politics and her passions. We love being around her. But Patty was part of our family too. That's probably not going to change. She's the kids' mom." She paused. "She was gracious enough to let the kids come, you know." He glanced over at her. "She wasn't going to, you know. At first she was going to tell them they couldn't, but she decided it was more important that the four of you have a chance to try to heal." He swallowed over the lump in his throat. "Look, I'm sorry I was so blunt. I just want to be sure you're not wearing your usual rose-colored glasses. As you do." She reached over and put a hand on his arm. "Mom and I can see you and Connie truly love each other. We can see now that you weren't really happy before, because now you really are. We genuinely like her and we want to be welcoming and not be all pissy and hurt. Because this is your life, not ours. We might wish there had been a softer way to do this, but we would always want you to be happy over being miserable."
"Thank you," he said quietly.
"We love you, Chip. And we can see how much Connie loves you. I know she went through a lot to have Ryleigh. We support her." She gave him a long glance. Then she punched his arm. "You need to make sure you stay worthy of her."
"Damn, Cathy. You hit hard." He couldn't help but let a smile start to come through. "But thanks. For loving my daughter, for giving Connie a chance. Even though sometimes you suck at pep talks."
She grinned. "I do, don't I?" He nodded, but still gave her a smile. "Treat Connie like a goddess," she said, pointing a finger at him.
He laughed. "I try, every day. Sometimes she won't let me." They had gotten to the airport and he pulled up to the curb and parked. They both got out of the car and he pulled her suitcase from the trunk, setting it on the curb in front of the Southwest terminal. They hugged and he held her tight for a long moment. When she stepped back, he smiled at her. "Thanks for coming, Cathy. I'm glad you got to spend a lot of time with Ryleigh."
She raised her eyebrows. "And Yoby."
He nodded. "And Yoby."
"You have a beautiful family, Chip. I see how happy you all are together and that makes me happy too. I want the rest of your family to come around to that, but just be patient."
He smirked. "I keep hearing that I'm not patient," he said.
"Well, you're not," she said with a laugh. "But this is when it matters, so make it count." She reached out and hugged him again and he hugged her back. "I love you, Chip," she said, her voice muffled against his shoulder.
He stepped back. "I love you too, sis." He knew there were tears in his eyes, but he didn't care. "Safe travels. And come back."
She nodded. "I will." She pulled up the handle on her suitcase and, with a final wave, headed into the terminal building.
He stood for a moment, until she vanished inside, feeling a little beat up, but also grateful that she knew she could always tell him the truth. He waited another second, then walked back around the car and got in. As he started the car and headed out, he knew she'd given him a lot to think about. In two days Taylor, Chase, and Addie would be there. He needed to be ready.