“Hmmm, don’t get used to it,” I murmur, which makes her giggle. Leaning down, I place my lips on hers and almost groan at the contact. While I’ve held her, rubbed her back, placed kisses on her forehead and tried to bring her comfort through her labor and the time after, days between kissing her like this have felt far too long.
Tommy’s fussing has us stopping before we can get carried away, and we both turn and look at the back seat, where he looks comically small for the luxury car seat I had professionally fitted yesterday. It’s one of the things that kept me from her for a longer time than it should’ve when that so-called pastor walked into her room and made the birth of a beautiful boy all about him and his beliefs. My jaw tightens thinking about it now.
“Time for a feed, I think…” I reluctantly let her go and move to open the back door. Leaning in, I see him as snuggled as he was when we left the hospital. Earlier than what the doctors wanted, but after the visit from the pastor, who looked more like a serial killer, I didn’t want to stay another night.
I unclip the seat belt as Savannah stands nearby, looking over my vast green lawns and my Whispers house.
“So you designed and built this? From scratch?” she questions, and I hug Tommy to my chest.
“I did.” I nod as I steer her inside, my hand at the small of her back, Tommy held tightly in my other. She’s moving slowly, but she’s in perfect health. Tommy’s restlessness has stopped now that he’s in my arms. The kid is cute. He has Savannah's big eyes and button nose.
I look at my place and try to imagine it from her eyes. Two stories, stonework, and timber. Large windows allow a lot of natural light inside and a picturesque image of the outside. It’s a little cold. Certainly no color, no flowers or decorations of any kind. I open the front door, and we step inside.
“Wow.” She stops suddenly, taking it all in. I stand a little taller at her reaction. “You have a chandelier!”
Glancing up, I spot the large crystal light Victoria said I just had to have. The one I forget is even there.
“Oh my God, your sofa is white!” She whips around to face me, her expression alone telling me that I’m crazy. I can only nod, because it is. It’s yet another thing Victoria said I just had to have. “Griffin!” she whisper-yells at me this time, and I frown in confusion as Tommy starts to fuss again.
“What?” Brow furrowed, I watch her take a few tentative steps, like she’s too scared to step inside.
“Have you lost your mind?” she asks me seriously, hand on her hip.
My eyebrows shoot to my hairline. “What? Why?”
“This is the most amazing, luxurious place I’ve ever stepped into. And you brought a new baby in here!”
I shake my head. “I’m not following…?”
“You have floors so clean I can literally see my face in them…” She walks around, looking down at her feet as she moves across my polished timber floors, seeing her reflection.
“That's good. No germs,” I tell her simply. I called in a cleaning crew while we were at the hospital. They were tasked with removing every speck of dust they could find.
“That rug in your living room… it looks expensive…” She swallows, looking at the living room like there’s a barricade between her and that open space and she can’t walk in.
“It’s soft. Soft enough for Tommy to lie on when he needs tummy time.” I’m pretty sure Victoria sourced that Persian Rug exclusively for this space.
“Lie on?!” Her eyebrows find her hairline. “Oh my God.” She slaps her face, and if I wasn’t so confused, I’d grin. She’s so damn cute. “Griffin, we’re going to ruin your beautiful house. Babies puke, spill things, throw food. Not to mention, diaper explosions… and then, there’s me… Have you seen me bake? I literally spill flour everywhere… all the time!”
I shake my head, not concerned with my material things being ruined. “Let me show you his room.” Taking her hand, I lead her up the stairs, going slow, ensuring she’s not in pain and moves slowly. “In here,” I tell her, opening the door and stepping inside. I hear her gasp behind me, and I turn to look at her. Her eyes are glassy and open wide as she looks around.
“This room is bigger than the whole apartment at the bakery…”
Decorated in whites and soft blues, the windows are large and let in a lot of daylight. I didn’t know what she would like, so I have a few basic furniture items. I'll get her more, though. Whatever she wants.
She moves straight to the crib and looks over it.
“This is beautiful…” she murmurs, her hands running over the curve of the timber.
I swallow roughly. “I made it.”
Her head whips around so quickly she almost stumbles. “You made this?” Seeing her in awe like this makes my chest expand. Fuck, now I want to make her more things.
“I did.” I nod. “I started a few weeks ago. Before I left…” I don’t need to explain myself; she remembers me leaving for a week or so. Running. Like I always do. Like I always used to.
“It’s amazing…” Her voice drifts off as she takes another look around the room. I have a changing table set up, fully stocked. There’s a walk-in closet, full of baby clothes, blankets, and other items. Off to the side is an en suite. I got baby shampoo and soaps and those little bamboo washcloths. Inside the enormous tub, I have a baby bath ready to go.
“If there’s anything missing, anything you need…”
