She stares at him like she’s unimpressed by his authority.
“Good,” Julian mutters. “We have an agreement.”
I arch an eyebrow. “An agreement.”
Julian’s gaze flicks to mine, amusement and something deeper threaded through it. “Too soon?”
I smile, shaking my head and lean into him.
The doorbell rings, and my body goes stiff.
Julian shifts, and Charlie starts to squirm, searching.
“It’s fine.”
I exhale slowly. “How do you know?”
“Because Rowan texted me ten minutes ago,” Julian says, glancing at his phone. “He said Theo was bringing food andCaleb was bringing ‘useful things’ and Elliot was coming to get his Charlie fix.”
As if summoned, the doorbell rings again, longer this time.
Theo.
I can almost hear his grin through the door.
Julian kisses my forehead and then Charlotte's and stands, grabbing his shirt from last night.
"Take your time feeding her, and I will keep them occupied until you are ready to come out."
He walks off down the hall. I hear Julian open the door, and then Theo.
“Good morning, family,” Theo announces. “I brought carbs. And coffee"
Then, not thirty seconds later, "Hey, where's my baby and my Luce?"
I laugh as I hear Julian explain to Theo, not for the first time, that he is not allowed to come in and hang out with his wife, while she nurses his daughter.
I finish nursing my baby girl and then place her in her bassinet while I quickly make myself look less bedraggled.
We make our way down the hall.
Caleb arrives next with a box. Rowan stands back slightly, hands in his pants pockets, posture neutral but eyes sharp. Elliot comes in last, grinning like he’s already planning to ruin Julian’s day.
Julian takes Charlotte from me and settles on the couch, Elliot following behind him, complaining that it's his time with baby North.
Then Emily arrives, in a pretty yellow sundress, hair uncharacteristically down, face tired but bright in that way she only gets when she’s riding purpose instead of fear.
And beside her...
My mother.
It still takes me a moment to center myself when I get to see her out of the facility like this.
She moves more slowly than she used to. Her shoulders are softer. Her face is thinner.
But her eyes are alive.
She steps into the penthouse, and Julian’s posture shifts subtly, respectful, careful, like he’s bracing himself for the moment that matters.
