Valeria leaned her head against Kc's shoulder, laughing as they watched Kim transform the space with a complete baby-shoot session of pastel rugs and twinkle lights."She's got a village," Valeria whispered.Kc looked down at her. "And she's got us.""Forever," she whispered, slipping her hand into his.As the camera clicked, and the baby bleated from her blanket den, and the sun poured golden light across the lawn, Kc and Valeria both understood something:This wasn't our love story anymore.It was the beginning of hers.Of Celeste Skye Page—born of madness, healed by love, and raised on laughter, truth, and way too many waffles.And somewhere deep in their hearts, Kc and Valeria knew…The best was yet to be.Six months later – Page Mansion, Sunday MorningIf someone had told former untouchable model Valeria Jayne that her valued accessory at 8:00 a.m. on a Sunday morning would be a pineapple-printed burp cloth—she might've called security.Here she was, however, barefoot in the kitc
Valeria whispered a soft, exhausted laugh. "I don't think she exists.""I do," Kc said. "She has your lungs.""She has your chin," Valeria whispered, kissing the baby's smooth cheek. "And your obstinacy. She screamed like you at the wedding toasts."Kc laughed, wiping his eyes.The nurse swept Celeste away to weigh and bathe her, leaving Kc and Valeria in a circle of wonder, silence, and golden light.When the wails subsided and Celeste was wrapped again and returned to them, Kc sat on the bedside, his arm around his wife, the other one around their child."This is the first day of her life," he whispered. "And already the best of mine."Valeria leaned against him, watching their daughter's tiny chest rise and fall."She was worth everything.""Yes," Kc breathed, nuzzling her temple."Every moment. Every scar. Every heartbreak.""Because now we have her.""And we'll take care of her," Kc vowed. "Forever."They sat there together, skin to skin, soul to soul, and their daughter slept in
Months Later.The morning was normal—sweet and savage.Valeria sat at the marble counter in one of Kc's sweatshirts, spreading almond butter on toast and humming off-key. Her belly had dropped significantly the last few days. The due date was still seven days away, but her feet felt like potatoes and her back like it had gone to law school personally.Kc appeared behind her, in dress pants and a half-buttoned shirt, tie slung over his shoulder, eyes sleepy but warm.“You’re humming again,” he said, kissing her neck.She turned. “Is it annoying?”He smiled. “It’s adorable. Like a whale in a Disney musical.”Before she could retaliate with a throw pillow, her body froze.A wet gush of warmth splashed down her legs.Both of them stared down at the puddle that formed at her feet.Kc blinked. "Is that…?"Valeria stared in horror, then bliss. "MY WATER JUST BROKE!"She grabbed her bump, gasping. "OH MY GOD. Kc!"He wrestled. "Okay! Okay! Operation Baby Girl is a GO!"8:11 A.M. – En route to
The following day"Why are baby socks so small?!" – Kc Page, Esq.It started innocently."Let's just pop in for a few basics," Valeria had instructed, pulling on Kc's hand as they entered Petit Boutique Baby & Beyond, Manhattan's most upscale baby boutique.That was two hours ago.Now, Kc was stuck in the middle of a pastel dreamland, his arms laden with alpaca stuffed animals, three types of bottle sterilizers, and what looked to be a wipe warmer in the shape of a golden duck.Valeria, her oversized sunglasses and flowy maternity garb hollering glam, held up two swaddles frowning between her eyes."Okay," she grumbled. "Clouds or stars?" "Stars," said Kc hastily, trying to keep pace.She turned. “Why?”He blinked. “Because she’s named Celeste Skye. Space theme. Duh.”She slowly nodded, impressed. “You have been paying attention.”“I’m literally carrying your entire zodiac aisle,” he deadpanned, motioning to the baby constellation mobile tangled around his neck.They reached the ones
Kc suspended mid-sentence as Valeria burst into the living room, clad in maternity overalls, bunny slippers, and the sort of blaze in her eyes that would compel grown men to admit to crimes they didn't do.He blinked. "We're. breaking out a piñata?"She gestured dramatically in the direction of the double doors. "Yes. Llama-shaped. Pastel pink. I e-mailed you the P*******t board three weeks ago.“You sent me… a P*******t board?” he asked, holding up his phone. “I thought that was ironic.”“I am never ironic about piñatas,” Valeria replied, deadly serious.Kc stood slowly. “Okay. I’ll get the piñata.”“You have four hours,” she warned, already pulling out her baby shower itinerary labeled Operation: Adorababy. It had a color code, glitter stickers, and a section titled “Emergency Macarons.”Just then, the doorbell rang.Valeria gasped. “They’re here!”She glanced at Kc, her eyes wide with concern. "Am I huge? Honest. Huge? Hippo? Hindenburg?"He moved closer, cupping her cheeks in his h
The following day.Valeria was paralyzed in front of a wall of pale crib bedding, one hand grasping her bump, the other theatrically clutching a piece of "Moonlight Mist Lavender" fabric."This is war," she breathed.Kc, already clutching three registry clipboards and what seemed to be a musical giraffe, blinked. "I think we were just choosing a crib?"Valeria spun slowly around, eyes wide. "Kc. We're creating our daughter's aesthetic legacy."He bent in closer. ".Does the giraffe assist with that?" She looked at him, stone-faced. "Only if it performs lullabies in French."Kc inspected the tag. "Uh… it sings the ABCs in what I believe is a British accent?"She sighed like a general of war whose troops were disappointing her. "Add it to the maybe pile."This one has an anti-roll mattress, a built-in baby monitor, and it adjusts to three levels as the baby gets bigger," chirped the saleslady.Kc, prodding the crib rail doubtfully, grumbled, "Does it pay taxes too?"Valeria was holding