“As her brother, you have to protect her. Make sure no one picks on her or treats her badly.” He sat on the edge of the bed and adjusted the pillow on Jack's lap. “Definitely keep her away from boys.”
Kate cackled as she put her hand on Nick’s shoulder.
“Like you're going to let any boy she isn't related to get within a ten-mile radius when she grows up.”
“Well, no, but I can't be everywhere. My son needs to be my backup. Think you can do that?”
A grin split Jack's mouth as he nodded.
“I can do that, Dad.”
Nick kissed the top of Jack's head.
“I knew I could count on you. She's going to look up to you, too. So, you have to stay the good kid that you are. Okay?”
“Okay.” Jack gave Nick a resolute nod. Nick and Jack fell into father and son with no effort at all. Anything Nick asked, Jack jumped, and vice versa.
PJ fussed in Jack's arms as her face crumpled into a wail.
“I didn't do anything!” Panic spread across my poor son’s face.
“She probably needs to eat.” Kate scooped her up and handed her to me.
“Or maybe she doesn't want to wear a tutu home.” Nick smirked at my sister.
Kate glared back and she took Jack's hand.
“Come on, Jack. Let's get something to eat, too.”
My sister and son strolled out of my hospital room. The second I opened my nightgown, the baby latched right on.
“I'm going to stay here tonight. The nurse said the chair reclines.” Nick's heavy eyes stayed on the baby as he settled into bed next to me. “Kate said she'd stay with Jack.”
“He can play with the new tablet I see peeking out of the bag of tutus.” I laughed until I clutched my abdomen in pain.
“My little warrior,” Nick whispered and kissed my cheek.
My head dropped to Nick’s chest as Patricia Jane finished her meal.
“I like hearing Jack call you ‘Dad’.”
A smile curved Nick's lips. “I like hearing it, too.”
The baby passed out with her mouth open, milk dribbling down her little chin. Before I could move, Nick dabbed at her tiny bow-shaped mouth with a burp cloth.
“You're a good dad. You’re a good everything.” I turned to press a kiss to his collarbone.
“This is true.”
I giggled into his neck before I fixed my gaze on my daughter. She was so sweet and innocent. I wished I could wrap her in a perfect little bubble where she wouldn’t get hurt or disappointed or lose the one thing she loved more than anything else in the world. But that wasn’t living. Some of the worst hurt came from the greatest love. And a life without love, wasn’t a life at all.
Nick groaned as he draped his arm around me and rested his forehead against mine.
“I know, baby,” I said on a yawn as I leaned into him. “It’s been a long day.”
“The best day, even if it started at three o’clock in the morning.”
My water broke in the middle of the night—two weeks early. We went from panicked to terrified, to blissfully elated all in the matter of a couple of hours. The rise and fall of adrenaline depleted both of us.
