His skin was still sore from adding the coloring to the tattoo that covered his back. But it was worth it. He couldn’t wait to show her.
She was awake and playing with May when he returned to the bus.
“There’s Daddy,” Stella said, standing and lifting their daughter to greet him.
May chucked a rubber drumstick at him. He kissed her chubby hand. She smiled and his heart swelled in his chest.
What a miracle love was. It had a healing power he never would’ve believed in if he hadn’t experienced for himself.
“Where’d you run off to this morning, Mr. Ransom?”
He allowed himself a gentle kiss on his soon-to-be wife’s lips. Anything more and they’d have to get the nanny to take May for a few hours.
“I have something to show you. Both of you.”
His girls waited patiently as he lifted his shirt up, the same way Stella had once done for him.
The bus was silent except for Stella’s gasp when she saw it.
“It’s us. She’s looking down at us.”
He turned, wiping the tears from her eyes. Sid’s tattoo artist had added yellow sunshine streaming throughout his tattoo of Val. He’d also inked a small smile on her face as she looked down at the three new koi fish swimming together in the water beneath her.
“Watching over us. She must be. It’s the only way I could’ve gotten this lucky.”
“It’s beautiful, Van. I love it. I love you. God, I love you so much,” was all she was able to get out.
Recognizing that she was becoming less than stable, he took the twenty pounds of precious bundle that was their daughter into his arms.
“Breathe, cowgirl. I didn’t mean to make you cry. I just…” He placed a gentle kiss on May’s forehead. “You’ve given me so much. Hope. A family. Your heart. Light in the darkness.” His lips met hers gently. “I wanted to give you something in return.”
“I love it.” Stella stood on her tiptoes and kissed him once more. “I love it so much. But you already gave me something. Something I was empty without for so long.”
He nodded towards May. “Good point. She is pretty perfect. You’re welcome.”
Stella smiled at his playful smirk. “You gave me my soul, Van Ransom. And all the horses and ranches and platinum albums in the world don’t compare to that. Though the adorable daughter is probably a touch more valuable. But I like to think I had a little something to do with that.”
May gurgled some spit and giggled in his arms. “Yeah, you both drool all over me. She’s definitely got your DNA.”
“Wheels up, kids,” Devon, their bus driver, called out as he lumbered onto the bus. “Settle in. It’s going to be a long ride.”
Stella’s bright green eyes turned to him as she slipped her diamond ring bearing hand into his. “That’s what we’re hoping for.”