That night back home in Chicago was everything I hoped Valerie needed. Great food had been prepared for us, courtesy of Niamh. While we ate, we had some honest and open conversations about our feelings.
We also shared our opinions on topics ranging from the band's needs to our personal ones about the baby and where we were going to live after the birth. That night I felt closer to her than ever.
Afterward, I ran my girl a warm sudsy bath, lit the candles that had been put in there by the interior designer that I'd sworn I'd never use, and slid in behind her.Cradling her in my arms while I stroked her satiny wet skin really grounded me and I thought, This is what matters. I thought the experience was as soothing for me as it was for her. I held and stroked over her growing belly and wondered for the umpteenth time how the hell I'd gotten so lucky.