The room seemed to hold its breath as the doctor guided Riley through one last, exhausting push.
And then, piercing the tense silence, there came a tiny, high-pitched wail. My heart swelled with a mixture of awe, relief, and a joy so fierce it nearly knocked me off my feet.
The doctor held up the first of our babies, the small, delicate form wriggling in her hands.
The little one's skin was flushed, and as the nurse began to clean her, I could see her soft brown hair with fiery red streaks, a tiny miracle of contrasts.
But what truly took my breath away were her eyes—one a deep, molten red and the other a rich shade that seemed to dance between amber and crimson.
Little horns, barely the size of my fingertip, protruded from her forehead, making her look like a tiny demon princess.
"She's perfect," I whispered, voice breaking as I stared at our beautiful daughter.
