The tree glistened in the corner, standing tall next to the wall length window. Snow was settled on the outside window, as well as covering New York City like a blanket. Some might call it a winter wonderland.
Hanna sat by the tree in her Christmas onesie, watching Caleb cradle their sleeping daughter. Malia had been home for 3 days and Hanna had never seen Caleb so hands on with anything before. He barely left her side; he even stayed in her nursery as she slept.
It was Christmas morning, Hanna's favorite day of the year. It was the first Christmas she had spent in New York, the first Christmas she had spent away from her mom and Rosewood, and the first Christmas she had spent alone with Caleb – well as alone as you can get with a one month old.
"This one is for you, Han," Caleb said, passing a perfectly wrapped small box. He had placed Malia in a bassinet that was given to them by Claudia, Caleb's mother.
Hanna smiled and gratefully took the gist, eagerly unwrapping it. As she threw the wrapping paper to the side, she opened the box and gasped. It was a diamond ring that twinkled in the light.
"Caleb…" the blonde mumbled. Her mouth was still hanging open and she was staring at the piece of jewellery.
Next thing Hanna knew, Caleb was kneeling in front of her, carefully taking the ring from the box that was still in Hanna's hand.
"Hanna, will you make me the happiest man alive and become my wife?"
Thousands of thoughts blasted through Hanna's head at once. They were only 18. That was way too soon to be engaged, right? Although, they did have a baby together…but that was no reason to get married. It was crazy, the whole thing.
"Yes," Hanna whispered. Caleb's eyes widened and Hanna's heart melted. A smile grew across her face and the ring was slid onto her finger. Caleb wrapped his arms around his girlfri– fiancee and kissed her passionately. Hanna's mind finally caught up with her heart and she realized what she was doing. "One thing though," she said, pulling away from Caleb's kiss. "We don't have to get married straight away, do we?"
"Of course not," Caleb replied, still beaming. "I just want everyone to know you're mine. All mine."
Hanna smiled and cupped his head in her hands, pulling him back for another kiss. For a split second, the couple forgot that they had so much responsibility and acted as they used to, only a year ago. Malia didn't like that though, and reminded the pair that she was in the room with a sudden loud wail. Hanna silently tutted as Caleb shuffled over to the young infant. This baby was seriously an attention hogger.
"What's wrong, Lia?" Caleb said, speaking in a baby voice. He pulled her out of the bassinet and began rocking her from side to side. "Are you hungry? Do you want mommy?"
The blonde shot her eyes over to Caleb and willed that he wouldn't give the baby to her. It didn't work though, and Caleb was soon handing Malia over to Hanna. She awkwardly took a hold of her daughter but wasn't sure what to do. Malia seemed perfectly content just lying in her mother's arms, as for the first time ever, she stopped crying when Hanna held her.
"Oh my God," The blonde mumbled. "She stopped crying. She actually stopped crying!"
"You are her mom, Hanna. Why wouldn't she stop crying?" Caleb said, slightly laughing.
"She's never stopped crying when she's been given to me before. Normally I just make her cry more."
"Is this why you've been acting so odd since she came home? Because she cries when she's with you?"
Hanna stopped for a moment, looking at Caleb. She then proceeded to sit down on the couch, carefully keeping firm grips on the baby. "I didn't think it would be so hard to bond with her. I mean, she's my daughter, I'm supposed to be the one who sees to her every time she cries and I'm supposed to be the one who stops her from crying, not starts it."
"Han, if you think about it, she spent a month of her life seeing a specific nurse every day. The first time she saw you, she was over a month old and she had no clue you were her mother. Babies are smarter than you think," Caleb explained, perching himself beside Hanna and Malia. His hand gently stroked the baby's cheek and then Hanna's.
"So you were saying she thought the nurse was her mom? Bullshit. She's a baby for God's sake. She probably doesn't even know the difference between you and her teddy."
"Like I said, babies are smarter than you think. Anyway, look at her now," he said, directing his gaze at Malia Rose, who had now fallen asleep in Hanna's arms. Hanna looked down, and gave a small gasp when she saw her daughter. "She definitely knows who you are now."
Hanna glanced at Caleb and smiled warmly. She hadn't felt this happy in days, maybe weeks even. For the first time ever, she felt like Malia was her daughter, not just Caleb's. "I love you," she whispered to him.
"I love you, too," Caleb replied softly. He pecked her on the lips, careful to not squash the baby. "And you, Lia bug."