Chapter 59
Three months later
The SUV pulled up to the front steps of the mansion with much more care than normal. Josiah pocketed his phone and stepped from the front seat of the vehicle to open the back door. He was fairly vibrating with excitement. He reached in to release the car seat from the base while Jake helped Rossalyn from the back seat on the driver's side.
"Just because I just gave birth doesn't mean I'm paralyzed." Rossalyn snapped pulling her hand out of Jake's grasp as she got out of the SUV, though she did move a little more gingerly than normal.
"Sorry ma'am." Jake said though he couldn't hide a grin which earned him an eye roll from Rossalyn.
She came around the back of the vehicle to find Josiah already holding the car seat and diaper bag slung over his shoulder. She couldn't help but grin at him and taunt him a little. "You look very domesticated, Dad." She said sweetly and burst out with a laugh when he glared at her playfully.
"I am not domesticated." He grumbled as he took her hand and started up the steps to their house.
"Sure, sure. As long as you don't pee in the house." She said then gave him an irritated glance. "We already have one puppy peeing everywhere."
"Well, can I sneak up on you anymore?" He retorted and when she didn't respond he went on, "Then don't complain about the potty training process."
He opened the door for her and stood to the side to let her through the door first. Once she was inside there was an uproar of "SURPRISE!" from the crowd gathered in the hall in front of the door.
Rossalyn froze, shocked to see the number of people gathered to welcome them home for the first time as a family. She stepped to the side and let Josiah join her in the entry with their sleeping baby.
"Thank you all for coming to welcome our bundle of joy home for the first time. I'm sure you guys are anxious to see her so we're not going to make you wait." Josiah said once everyone gathered in the ballroom that had been decorated with banners and many other babygirl-themed decorations.
Josiah put the carrier on the couch and stepped aside for Rossalyn to take their newborn daughter from the carrier. Once she was out and being cradled in Rossalyn's arms she turned to face the room and smiled.
"We'd like to introduce you to Seraphina Grace Roja." Rossalyn called out to the room and with her daughter's head in one hand and bottom in the other held her up so the whole room could see her. The baby barely twitched at all the attention she was receiving from the adoring room.
The next few hours Rossalyn was retired to a comfortable armchair and waited on by the other women in the family. Seraphina was passed around from one person to the next, allowing everyone to hold her and coo over how beautiful she was. Any time she fussed she was brought to Rossalyn until her needs were met and she was lying happily in the next person's arms.
After everyone went home, Rossalyn and Josiah took the baby upstairs for them to settle into their first night at home with Seraphina. "You should get ready for bed. I'll get her settled into her bassinet."
"Alright." She said with an anxious glance between Josiah and Seraphina.
She was less than a day old but Rossalyn already had a hard time letting Seraphina out of her sight. She knew that she had to fight those urges or she'd be a helicopter mom and give her poor kid a complex. So, though it was reluctantly, she nodded and went into the bathroom, though she didn't close the door. Half an hour later she emerged showered and changed into loose fitting pajamas. She found Josiah sitting on the bed with the bassinet pulled up close to him so he could see inside it. She joined him and found that Seraphina was sleeping soundly.
"Is it strange that I feel like I've known her my whole life?" She whispered without looking at him.
"No, I feel the same way. Like she's someone I've waited my whole life to meet. She's perfect." He responded though he did look over at Rossalyn.
"What do we do next?" Rossalyn asked, finally looking over at Josiah.
"Well, whatever we want to do. Raise our little girl and do our best to make each other happy. That is all we need to do." Josiah said and gave her a big smile.
"I think we can do that." She said and leaned over to kiss him.