“What’s her name?” My heart soars at her question, despite my previous tension. I glance over at Ashia and shrug, wanting her to do the honors.
“Come look at her name plate.” She taps the bassinet. Mom narrows her eyes at me suspiciously before stepping over to it and bending down to read it. When she snaps back around, her eyes are already filled with happy tears. She covers her trembling lip with her hand and double-takes just to make sure she read it right.
“Well, Leanne?” Dad asks with a tilted head. She uses her free hand to gesture him over, but he freezes. He looks around the room, eyeing everything but me, because he already knows what we named her… His stare crosses mine for only a split moment, but that’s all it took to make his face twitch with emotion. “It’s beautiful,” he forces out and clears his throat, then beelines for the bathroom.
“Don’t mind him.” Mom swats her hand and scurries over to me, already pulling out her phone before she speaks again. “Can I take some pictures?”
“No flash,” I warn her, but as I see the excitement on her face, it comes out a little too nicely.
“I promise.”
I lean down and kiss my wife, fighting back the butterflies in my stomach and flush to my cheeks.
“Let me know what Alex says?” She looks up at me with wide eyes when I pull away.
“I promise I’ll tell you everything.” Now that Serena is back, I can walk my parents to the lobby and call to check in with the guys. I need an update on their search for Satori and if there’s been another sighting. It’s not that I don’t want Ashia to hear whatever Alex has to say, but I want to be able to relay any newsto her in a way that won’t immediately upset her. “I’ll be right back, my love.”
“Okay, baby.” I kiss her again, then lean down to peck Emma’s little head as she feeds from her mother.
“Daddy will just be a few minutes, princess.” I turn away from them and instantly hate myself for it. Each step as I lead my parents out of the room feels like it might kill me. How am I ever going to go back to work? I’m going to be gone five minutes tops, and that’s already too long. I’m supposed to go back to being away from them for hours? In just six weeks? Maybe I should retire. Twenty-eight seems like a reasonable age, and I’m sure Zeke wouldn’t mind taking over permanently.
“Oh, honey. Take a deep breath. They’re okay.” Mom lays her hand on my forearm, snapping me back into the moment. The elevator dings and almost scares me to death. When the fuck did we make it out to the waiting room?
“She really is perfect, son. You have a beautiful family.” Dad grips my shoulder as we step into the elevator.
“Yeah, they are. They’re…” I take a deep breath as the door closes, feeling so overwhelmed with every emotion that I feel dizzy. “They’re everything. I’m just…so in awe, like this isn’t real.”
“Oh, it’s real,” Mom chuckles. “Just wait until she keeps you up for thirty-six hours straight or starts teething.” She cups my face in her hands, looking at me with so much joy that it’s crushing. “We’re so proud of you, sweetie.”
“Thanks, Mom…” The bell dings and we step off into the full hospital entryway. The late evening sun beams through the large main windows, reminding me of how much time has actually passed. The past twenty-four hours have been the most hectic, yet amazing time of my life. Wait a minute, when did Ashia eat dinner last night?
It hits me then.
She hasn’t hadanythingto eat in almost an entire day… I yank out my phone as we walk, and start looking through a dashing app for anything and everything she likes—while also considering what will get here the quickest. I’m not going to subject her to hospital food, and she doesn’t need a nurse telling her what she can and can’t have. My woman deserves a feast after what she’s been through, and she can have whatever the fuck she wants. I quickly find the perfect place, already knowingexactlywhat to order.
“When will the doctor let you take them home?” Dad asks, stopping us near the main doors. I place the order and glance up at him.
“Hopefully in a couple of days, but they won’t release Emma until she can regulate her temperature without being held. Plus, they want to watch Ashia’s blood pressure and make sure she doesn’t develop any complications or infections.
“Well, you two just let us know what you need, and we’ll handle it.”
My phone vibrates in my hand, stealing my attention and forcing it on a text from Zeke.
Zeke
Carter and I are on the way to visit. Hope that’s alright.
Jesus, as nice as his mom is, didn’t she teach him some manners?
In his defense, I’m surprised the text didn’t just say ‘I’m coming to see my sister, asshole.’ So, at least this issomewhatof a question?
Only if you pick up the food I ordered for your sister on your way here.
His response is immediate.
Zeke
Done. Be back in twenty.
