You looked back a few years ago when a whole new chapter of your life started. You were dating this guy. He was good-looking, polite, and cute. You really thought he was the right one.

One morning, you decided to take a pregnancy test because you were late, your back and chest were killing you, let alone the cravings. And you just knew that the test was going to be positive, and you were very happy about it even when it wasn’t exactly planned.

But this happiness just vanished as you saw your boyfriend’s face when you told him about the pregnancy. You remembered that look on his face, the shake of his head, and the words, “I can’t do this, I don’t want a kid.” He packed his things quickly and left you without a goodbye.

And since that day, you did everything alone, the pregnancy, decorating the nursery, and making the house baby-safe. Sure, sometimes your mom came over to help you, but she didn’t have much time.

You were very thankful that you had an easy pregnancy and birth. You gave a little girl into this world, you named her Ella.

She was an easy baby, barely crying except when she needed something, and you didn’t have to get up much at night. The cutest and most exhausting thing was how clingy she was — if she wasn’t near you, it felt like her whole world would fall apart.

The next years were beautiful. You watched her cry and giggle, her first steps, her first words. And even despite the fact that you raised her alone, you were proud of yourself because you handled all of this pretty well.

A few weeks after Ella’s third birthday, you allowed yourself to go out for one night because your mom wanted to have some bonding time with her granddaughter.

During your first free night after three years, you met Drew. You two talked a lot, and you figured out fast that you two had an amazing connection.

Since that night, Drew started taking you out more often. By the time you became a couple, you told him about your daughter, and he didn’t mind at all. He smiled every time you mentioned her. You were a bit nervous when it was finally time to introduce them.

You saw how she was acting around Drew, how she was looking up at him, and how she always clung around his leg when he came over. It felt so good to see them like this — it made your chest flutter.

After eight months of dating, Drew practically lived in your house. Sure, he still had his own place, but he stayed over almost every day.

Right now, you were standing in the kitchen, cooking a meal while Drew played or drew something with Ella. You could hear her giggles every time Drew said something she found funny — it made you smile too.

After you put the noodles into the water, you joined them in the living room. Ella was laying on the floor, and you sat with Drew on the couch.

That’s when she spoke up and walked over to Drew to climb on his lap. “You want to see my picture?”

“Of course I want to. Show me,” he said in his soft, calm voice.

“Look!” Ella beamed and started to describe her drawing. “This is Mama, me, you, and our house!”

“You drew that so beautifully,” Drew said to her, his eyes still on the drawing.

And then Ella stood up on Drew’s lap, wrapping her tiny arms around your neck and tried to get you as close as possible.

“I love you, Mama,” she pressed a kiss on your cheek. “And I love you, Daddy,” and pressed a kiss to Drew’s cheek.

Drew froze, and so did you, because it was the first time in all those months she called him Daddy. After the realization set in, you both had a big smile on your faces.

“I love you too, sunshine,” Drew muttered as he pressed a light kiss on the side of her head.

Then he looked at you. You could tell he was still shocked about what she said, but it wasn’t a bad kind of shock — it was a good kind.

“So, guess you’re kinda stuck with us now,” you said to him.

“Yeah, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

You both leaned into Ella’s hug again, and for the first time in a long while, you felt like a complete family. And Ella finally had a Dad who truly loved and cared about her.