Page 55 of The Golden Hour

Mason’s face twitches and tears pool in his eyes, but he nods his head.

“Okay, Honey,” Mason murmurs. “Whatever you want.”

The fact that she’s surprised that he’s actually hearing her pisses her off too.

So she shoves that down as well.

“Do you want more water, Honeybee?” Phil asks, placing a hand on Mason’s shoulder and moving him away from the bed so he can get next to Honey. Melissa stands by the open door, keeping an eye out for Daisy.

“No, thank you, Daddy.”

She smiles at him, and it widens when he places a kiss on her upturned forehead. Her parents are here. They will be with her every step of the way. And that brings her true comfort.

The twenty minutes it takes to go get Daisy are some of the longest of her life. Her mother and father try to get her to lie back on the bed, or drink more water, but Honey cannot relax until her daughter is in her arms. Her womb feels empty, and her arms feel empty too. It’s this feeling of missing some vital piece of her.

Rob and Marlene slip into the room, both pale and tearful, careful not to crowd Honey’s bed. Marlene kisses Honey’s forehead and whispers that she is so proud of her, and that she and Rob are here for anything Honey needs. Rob drops a kiss on Honey’s hair and then stands near Mason, one hand briefly squeezing his son’s shoulder before he lets go again.

She sits and waits and sits and waits.

Then she hears it.

Crying.

Baby crying.

She’s never heard that cry before, but she knows. Her soul ignites as she hears it come closer and closer. Her mom smiles at her from the doorway, then Dr. Farah is walking into the room, followed by a nurse pushing a transport isolette.

Honey feels her breath catch in her throat as it is rolled into the room and positioned next to her bed. The cries are so loud now, and Honey cannot tear her eyes away from the tiny, squirming baby inside.

Her baby.

Her little flower.

Her Daisy.

Honey feels warm, but she never even realized she was cold. It’s not a physical feeling, not really. It’s an emotional one. It spreads through her entire body, energizing every single atom as she looks at her daughter.

“Hi, Daisy,” Honey laughs wetly, tears overflowing from her eyes. With a shaky hand, she reaches toward the isolette and places it on the cover. “Hi, little flower. It’s me. It’s Mommy.”

The most incredible thing happens then.

Daisy’s cries settle, but do not disappear, and she turns her little head toward Honey, searching for the source of that voice.

Melissa sniffs and covers her mouth with both hands. Phil, with wet eyes, buries his face in Melissa’s blonde hair, his shoulders shaking. Marlene and Rob stand behind them, smiling so wide it looks painful.

Mason stands near the edge of the room, watching, his eyes wide and his mouth slightly open in awe, as if he is witnessing something holy.

But Honey’s eyes are all for Daisy.

“This little miss has a very healthy set of lungs, as you can hear,” the nurse, Heather, tells Honey with a smile. “She’s very impatient to meet her mommy.”

Dr. Farah, with gentle hands, lifts the baby from the isolette, and Honey’s heart pounds as the doctor brings her daughter to her. Heather helps open Honey’s hospital gown down to her chest, then helps her recline back a little. Mason’s hands twitch at his sides like he wants to help, but he knows Honey does not want him near.

He’s listening.

Too late.

“Here we go,” Dr. Farah murmurs to the crying baby as she gently places Daisy against Honey’s chest. “This is what you needed, huh? Just needed your mommy. There we are.”