I can barely stand to take my eyes off of her. My fingers trace the soft curve of her cheek, and she twitches slightly in her sleep, her little rosebud mouth almost forming a smile.
Ciara looks down at Nico, who is tucked against her chest. “Until your own baby arrives to give them a run for their money.”
I stare in wonder as Addison lets out the faintest little yawn. I could sit here all day and just watch her, memorizing every detail of her perfect face.
But my eyes flick back to Ciara, who is blinking slowly, clearly fighting off sleep. She looks utterly drained now that the adrenaline of the birth has worn off, so I slowly get to my feet and adjust Addison so that she’s cradled in my left arm, so I can scoop Nico into the other.
“Rest. Aunty Riley’s got this. You just close your eyes.”
Ciara cracks a sleepy grin as she leans her head back against the pillows and closes her eyes.
“Aunty Riley better be around in a few weeks when the sleep deprivation really starts to kick in.”
I chuckle as I gently bounce up and down to soothe the twins.
“You’ll have all the help you need. As much as you want, I promise.”
“You’re a good friend. I meant it when I said you’re like a sister to me.”
“You’re like a sister to me too.” An overwhelming surge of joy floods me as I look down at the twins again, marveling at how utterly small and vulnerable they are.
Addison shifts in my arms and makes a faint cooing sound. Nico follows suit, letting out a soft sigh as he nestles closer to my body. It’s a moment I want to imprint into my memory forever.
The world outside of these four walls, all of the chaos and the pain and the fear, doesn’t exist. Right now, all that matters is these two tiny humans in my arms.
A few minutes later, the door opens slowly, and Ronan peers around the side.
He catches my eye, and I nod in Ciara’s direction.
He glances from the sleeping twins in my arms to his sleeping wife, and his entire face softens.
“Well done on getting her to finally sleep,” he says quietly, and I grin.
“Has anyone ever told you that you have a very stubborn wife?”
“Once or twice.” He chuckles, opening the door wider to reveal Kieran standing just behind him.
When our eyes lock, I can’t stop the huge smile that breaks out across my face at the sight of him.
“Looks like you’ve got your hands full.” He eyes the twins in my arms, the way his lips lift at the corners makes me melt.
“I wanted to give Ciara a chance to rest.” I glance over to where she’s sleeping peacefully in the bed. “She’s been through so much.”
Ronan moves to my side and gently lifts Nico into his arms.
“I’ve got this little guy.” He smiles faintly at the tiny bundle in his arms.
Nico’s fingers curl around Ronan’s thumb, and for a moment, the man who can easily command a room without saying a single word looks completely disarmed.
“How’s Cormac?” I ask him quietly as Kieran moves to take a seat beside me.
Ronan shrugs, brushing his free hand through his hair in that familiar way that Kieran does when he’s stressed.
“Much the same. Brennan’s keeping an eye on him, so we’ll know if there’s any change.”
“I’m not sure leaving Brennan alone in a hospital full of nurses is a good idea,” I joke to try and ease the tension in both of the brothers’ faces.
Ronan seems so preoccupied with Nico that I don’t think he heard me, but when I glance sidelong at Kieran, he offers me a forced smile.
