Chapter Twenty-Nine

Atlas

I keep waiting and waiting for my girls to make their way down the staircase, but every time I think it is their turn, someone else walks down them. First my mom, then Amara, then Asia, they all look beautiful, and I make sure to tell them as I lend my hand to help them off the stairs, but I want my girls now.

I think this is it, this next person is going to be the—Emerson, fuck, I thought she already came down. I give her the same treatment, giving her my hand, kissing her cheek, telling her she looks beautiful, then send her on her way.

Zander and Silas have made their way over, as they are Haven's so-called dates. I told them to cut that shit out calling it a date, she is fucking four, and we do not need that right now. Let our baby stay a baby a little longer. They both looked at me with goofy smiles on their faces.

"What the fuck are you two looking at me like that for?" I snap.

"You said our baby. Not Haven, not princess, not Indya's daughter. You said our baby," Silas said, slapping me on the shoulder. My face relaxes and I smile, I did say that didn't I. I just shrug because, she kind of is our baby.

Just as I am about to say fuck it and go up there and get them myself, and enchanting melody begins to play. I know I have heard this one before, it sounds familiar. It is from Cinderella ; the lyrics are filled with hope and the promise of dreams coming true. My eyes move up the staircase, and there they are. My princess Haven has her crown atop the bed of curls that are pinned up in a way that I know will take forever to take down. Her dress has wildflowers all over the top and there are some in the skirt that look like they are floating in the air. Layers and layers of that mesh material are in different shades of blues and purples that match her crown perfectly. As her foot hits the step below her I see her shoes. I begin to laugh, and Silas and Zander look at me confused.

"Check out Princess Haven's kicks, boys."

They both move their eyes to her feet, and they start laughing too. My girl is wearing a pair of high-tops Converse, which are a blend of every shade of blue. The best part—where the patch is located on the side has been customized, and there is a baseball bat beneath the Converse logo. She looks beautiful as ever. God, I hope she never changes.

"Get a peek at your girl, Atlas," Zander whispers, then he and Silas get a little closer to the stairs as they both wait for Haven.

My green eyes meet clear blue ones which are even brighter with the stunning dress she is wearing. The top looks like white shiny satin, and it is tight, like a corset. At the waist, the skirt flares out, almost like a ball gown you see in the princess movies. Except her dress is made up of layers and layers of what my sister calls organza material with layers and layers of the mesh stuff. She looks breathtaking.

I hold out her hand to help her down the last stair, and I see her satin star dusted heels, which must be at least six inches high. She turns to the side, and I see the lavender satin ribbon lacing up her back. Jesus, she is trying to kill me tonight.

"You look breathtaking, Indy. I am actually speechless over your beauty," I whisper, though I don't mean to.

She just smiles and says I look like a prince, and we head into the ballroom.

After we have all ate and the speakers have spoken, my mother comes up to us and gives us both hugs.

"Where is Haven, I have barely seen her tonight," mom says, looking around the room trying to pinpoint where Haven could be.

"She is with Silas and Zander. More than likely she is on the dance floor, shaking what her mama gave her," I say laughing, just as Indya slaps me in the stomach.

"I was going to head out and wanted to see if she wanted to come along. I think I know the basics enough to get her into bed, without any communication issues, if you don't mind," mom says looking at Indya.

"I'm sure she will be passed out before you even get her back to the hotel, but no I have no problem with you taking her if she is ready to go. If you ask her and she says she isn't ready, just let her dance a little more." Indya tells my mom, and my mom goes on her search for Haven.

"Dance with me, Indya?"

She places her hand in mine, her head on my chest, and sighs.

"Have I ever told you that my mama knew I would find you when I was seven years old?" she asks, not moving her head from my chest.

"No, you didn't. How did she know if I lived on the other side of the country from you?"

"When I was seven, she wanted to talk to me, this was the night she died. She told me that she wanted me to remember everything she told me at that very moment. I asked her how I would know when I found the one, and she told me that I would feel it. I would feel the current of energy between us, and I would feel whole," she says and then brings her eyes to mine. "You make me feel whole and I feel this pull towards you that I have never felt in my entire life. You are my one. My prince. My other half."

I lean down and kiss her lips.

"I feel and felt everything you just described since the very moment I laid eyes on you. I had never in my life felt like that with anyone, not even baseball. If your mom was here, she would be so proud of the woman you became, Indya, your dad, too. Even though you only got them for seven years of your life, I feel like they still guide you. They sent you to me, and I will thank them in every prayer that I pray for the rest of my life. Then, in the afterlife, I will find them and thank them for all eternity. Because I will love you and Haven for all of eternity," I tell her as I catch a tear that slipped from her eye with my thumb.

"I love you, Atlas. Thank you for loving me and my daughter, for making us whole."

"I love, Indya. Thank you for allowing me to love you both and making me whole."

Just as I press another kiss on her lips, she does something to her dress and the damn thing lights up. Little lavender lights are scattered all over the skirt, making her look like a fairytale come true. My fairytale.

We move to the middle of the dance floor, a lot of people have left but our families are still hanging around, even Haven talked my mom into staying longer.

"One more dance before we go?" Indya nods, wrapping her arms around my neck as I pull her close to me by her waist. There is no room between us, not even air is getting between our bodies right now.

The intro to the song I requested be played, begins, The Luckiest by Ben Folds, begins as we move our way around the dance floor. When he gets to the part where he is telling her he loves her so much but never found the right words to say to her to express just how much he loved her, I release her and step back. She looks at me confused, since the song is still playing. As I sink down and get on one knee, her eyes go wide and immediately fill with tears.

"Indy, you are my entire world, you own my heart, my soul, my entire being. My life has changed for the better since meeting you and Haven and having you both in my life. I am the luckiest man to ever walk this earth, just because of the two of you. You make me feel whole, like I can take on the world. Loving you and having you love me in return is a greater high than winning the World Series. Would you put me out of my misery and be my wife?"

All she can do is nod yes, she is crying so hard she has the sniffles, just like Haven. I slip the three stone platinum engagement ring onto her finger, before I can stand, she has launched herself at me, hugging and kissing my face.

Everyone applauds and whistles, yelling their congratulations. The next thing I know, I see a tiny blur of purple and blue running across the dance floor. I bend, just like always, when she gets to my arms I toss her in the air, hearing her husky giggle gets me in the heart every time.

She looks between Indya and me and then signs, Are you going to be my daddy now?

My eyes instantly fill with tears, I look at Indya to see her reaction, she is smiling but the tears are still falling, she gives me a nod of encouragement, stating she will sign while I talk, so I don't have to put Haven down.

"Didn't you know, Princess Haven. Your soul and my soul are connected. We can't have signs without signals or signals without signs in baseball or sign language. We were connected before we knew each other. I would be proud to have you as my daughter, I would love nothing more for you to call me daddy."

Haven focuses on my words and then looks to Indya, and says, daddy said we are connected ‘cause he needs my signs and I need his signals. That makes us family. We are already connected, mama, just like your mama told you would happen. Dreams do come true!

Her calling me daddy, melts my entire being into a puddle of goo. Fuck, I am going soft. This little girl is making me soft and mushy, even in my own thoughts.

I honestly don't think my life could be any more perfect. I've got a World Series Championship Cup under my belt, the best daughter a man could hope for, and a woman, who has been through hell in her young life, who has agreed to be my wife. Nothing can top this, nothing. Then I think to myself and grin, A baby. I will be accomplishing that dream next.

Without learning their signs, I would not be able to communicate with Haven on my own. The signals I give them on the field are my way of telling them I love them, and they are with me.

Indya has grown so much in the past couple of months, as a mother and as a person. She doesn't see how amazing she is, not when she is used to getting no attention or affection from the people who should have showered her with those things.

She will no longer long for the hug of someone who cares about her and loves her until the end of time. She will no longer need to be scared around certain people because I will be there to protect her.

From this day forward, Indya will be loved, cherished, and appreciated for the rest of her life. I will cheer her on from the sideline while she continues to build her clientele, making her own dreams come true.

I will love her big, love her hard, love her for eternity.

I swear.