“Are you sure?”
“Never surer of anything, Sloane.”
Her bottom lip quivers a little, but she pulls it together and cleans up, covering the paint in the tray so it doesn’t dry up while we’re gone, and skips out of the room. I follow a little slower, reveling in the skip in her step and the general lightness about her now. And yeah, I’m damn proud to be part of the reason it’s there.
We drive across the city and pull up to the hospital twenty minutes later, parking beside Killian’s Audi. It doesn’t look like Bast is here yet, but he’s a little farther away than the rest of us. We find out what floor she is on, but Sloane insists on heading to the little shop first, selecting several items on her way through. A few little things are for the baby, but most of the things she gets are for Olivia. I pay at the front and bundle everything into a bag, and then we take the elevator up to the fourth floor. Her hand slips into mine as we walk down the long corridor, the sound of crying babies filling the air. Olivia is at the very end, in a private suite that looks better suited for a hotel than a hospital.
I should hardly be surprised when it comes to Malakai.
Malakai stands at the window, a swaddled bundle in his arms, while Killian and Savannah cuddle up on the couch beside him, and Olivia is in the bed, her skin a little pale, but she looks happy. A little tired.
That’s where Sloane goes immediately, taking Oli’s hand in hers.
“How do you feel?” She asks.
Something softens in Olivia, “I’m okay. Tired.”
A low whistle sounds from Sloane, “I bet.”
I watch them from a distance for a moment and then come up beside my girl, leaning down to kiss Olivia’s cheek before I pass the bag of gifts over.
“I got you those aloe pads,” Sloane begins to rush out, “I’ve no idea how good they are, you know, no babies here, but I have heard really good things about them. If you put them in the freezer first, apparently they work wonders.”
Olivia chuckles, “Thank you.”
“And there’s chocolate. I was going to get you wine, but I had no idea if you’d want it, or if you wanted to breastfeed or drink at all.”
She’s rambling, and it’s adorable.
“Sloane,” Olivia grasps her hand, “I’m really happy you’re here.”
“Fuck,” Savannah hisses from the other side of the room, drawing everyone’s attention, “I’m going to cry.”
“Do you want to meet him?” Olivia asks. “His name is Wyatt.”
“Can I?” Sloane blinks rapidly.
“Of course you can,” Malakai answers for her, coming up beside us with the bundle in his arms. The sleeping baby is so small, too small, surely. Was this how big Lily was when she was born? This fragile?
He carefully pulls the blankets away from the baby’s face, letting us get a good look at his son.
“He’s so beautiful,” Sloane strokes a finger down his cheek and looks back at Oli, who watches the whole thing with tears in her eyes.
Bast turns up a couple of minutes later, a whole bundle of balloons in one hand and a giant teddy bear in the other, whileWillow pushes a double stroller in, the baskets side by side with Hope and Lily inside.
“Did you buy a double just for Lily?” I ask, and Willow widens her eyes and shakes her head frantically, but it’s too late. Olivia has clocked it, completely ignoring Sebastian and his bouquet of balloons.
“Why do you have a double stroller?” She demands of her best friend.
“Uh,” Willow stammers.
“Did you see the bear!?” Sebastian attempts to distract, but Olivia has her sights set.
“Willow.”
She doesn’t answer.
“Oh my god. You’re pregnant!” Oli squeals and then winces, prompting Malakai to step closer, but the baby in his arms stops him from reaching for her.
