Epilogue
CeCe is holding Isla cautiously when they go into the house for the first time since she's been born. She's still—she's still tiny and small and fragile, and CeCe can't really—she just feels like she needs to be holding her all the time. The dog barks from under her feet, and CeCe says, "Gunther!" quietly. Gunther puts the car seat on the floor and dumps the diaper bag next to it, and then grins and grabs the pup and lifts him up.
The dog whines and stretches out from his arm, trying to sniff at the baby. CeCe jerks back at first, but then, slowly, and carefully, brings Isla close enough that pup can smell her, practically pushing his nose against her face. "Dubs, meet Isla. Isla, meet Dubs. You two are going to be best friends as soon as you're allowed to get up to no good together," Gunther says quietly, grinning. He pulls Dubs back and the dog sneezes. CeCe holds back a laugh and Gunther shakes his head, putting the dog back on the floor.
"Put her in the crib?" he says, whispering. She nods back, and slowly makes her way up the stairs, into the little room next to hers and Gunther's. Or, well, hers—Gunther doesn't technically live with her, she's not really sure how that's going to work out. She settles Isla down in the crib, thankful that the wrap the nurse had put her in is still in-tact, because she's not sure she'd be able to repeat it. She turns on the baby monitor and slowly backs out of the room after pushing a short kiss to Isla's forehead.
When she gets back downstairs, Gunther is sitting on the couch, all spread out, looking exhausted. He smiles lazily and she sits down next to him, groaning a little. The stitches from the C-Section still hurt, but she doesn't mind when Gunther tugs her in closer, under his arm. "I love you," he says, eyes closed.
"Mm," CeCe agrees, half-asleep already.
Of course that's when the baby monitor comes to life and a little cry filters out through it.
"And the pain begins," Gunther mutters, and CeCe hits him in the arm as she gets up.