Page 9 of Finn's Future

Noah cried harder. My eyes burned as tears welled up and ran silently down my cheeks.

“I’m trying,” I whispered to Noah, even though it came out sounding more like I was trying to convince myself.

Finn stood slowly. I thought he was going to leave the room, or yell, but instead, he walked towards me awkwardly, stopping just in front of the bed.

“Lemme try.”

I blinked up at him. “What?”

His expression tightened immediately, like he already regretted offering. “Kid probably just wants somethin’ different.”

I hesitated, but not because I thought he’d hurt Noah. Handing my baby to someone else still felt wrong. I was Noah’s mother. I was supposed to be the one who comforted him.

Finn must’ve seen it on my face because he shook his head. “Forget it,” he muttered, stepping back.

“No, wait.” I carefully passed Noah over. “Sorry. I just . . .”

Finn nodded once like he understood more than he said.

The second Noah settled against his chest, the crying stopped. The room went completely quiet except for Noah’s tiny hiccupping breaths.

Finn froze.

I stared, my mouth slightly open.

Noah blinked up at him with wide eyes before reaching up and grabbing hold of his chin.

“Oh, you’ve gotta be kidding me,” Finn muttered.

A laugh burst out of me before I could stop it, half exhausted, half emotional.

Finn shifted awkwardly, clearly unsure what to do now that Noah had apparently decided he belonged with him.

“You were screaming two seconds ago,” he told the baby.

Noah answered with another tiny coo, still gripping Finn’s chin like he’d claimed him.

“Yeah, alright,” he muttered. “Guess we’re friends now.”

Another laugh escaped me before I could stop it. Real that time. It felt strange after days of fear and grief.

Finn shifted awkwardly, bouncing Noah once against his chest like he didn’t quite know what to do now that the baby had apparently decided he liked him.

Except he did know what to do.

I noticed it in the little things. The careful way he supported Noah’s head without even thinking about it. The slow sway of his body while he stood there. The way his voice automatically dropped softer when he spoke to him.

Like instinct had taken over before his brain caught up.

Caleb had looked natural holding Noah too.

That thought hurt, sharp and sudden. Finn must’ve seen something change on my face because his expression tightened.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothing.” My voice came out thinner than I wanted.

His eyes narrowed like he didn’t believe me, but he didn’t push. Noah yawned dramatically against his chest.