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I lay back against the pillows and watch. My body feels no less exhausted than the first time I gave birth. The only thing I want to do for a while is lay still and sleep. I want to hold and feed Serena and continue watching Salvatore be the wonderful father that he is.
My eyelids grow heavier before I realize they are. I catch myself nodding off as Salvatore cradles Serena close and then sets her down to rest in her bassinet.
Knuckles tapping against the door are what wake me. Stitches stands in the doorway holding the tiny hand of Dominic. Our toddler, just a couple weeks shy of two, wobbles alongside Stitches as he leads him into the room.
He tries to hide behind Stitches’s leg the closer they make it. His big eyes—eyes that have over time become as blue-green as Salvatore’s—blink shyly at us.
“Aww, Dom, c’mere,” I say, suddenly wide awake. I open my arms to show him he’s welcome.
He lets go of Stitches and then rushes over. Salvatore steps in, hoisting him up high enough so he can climb onto the bed. He crawls over to hug on me.
“Careful, Dom. Mommy’s very sore right now,” Salvatore says, stroking his head of curls. “Do you want to meet your baby sister?”
Dominic hugs me tighter as if needing a second to consider.
It’s amusing because he’s been excited for the baby. A night hasn’t gone by without him asking about the bump and the new baby that was inside. He even volunteered one of his favorite stuffed animals for Serena’s nursery, a gesture that warmed our hearts.
Salvatore picks Serena up from her bassinet and brings her over for Dominic to see. Serena’s fast asleep, bundled up in her blankets and beanie, her rosy round face vacant.
“Baby sister!” Dominic exclaims, his eyes widening. “Daddy, baby sister!”
“That’s right, my boy. That’s your little sister. You have to be careful with her. She’s very small and delicate. You were this small once.”
Dominic’s wide eyes flash with surprise. He looks from Salvatore to Serena and then over at me as if his mind’s been blown.
We smile and try to keep from snickering at his innocence and amazement.
Eventually, Stitches leads Dominic away to take him home.
The nurses return to check on Serena and me and help me prep for another feeding.
Our girl eagerly eats before she’s out again.
I’m just as sleepy. My lids are growing heavy like earlier as I settle in bed.
Salvatore sits at my side with no intention of going anywhere. He’s watching me in the same way I had been watching him with Serena—in silent contentment, as though he could spend hours doing what he is.
“Two children,” he says, his voice low and husky. He leans over to fluff my pillow and give me a kiss. “You’ve given me two healthy children, Phi. You’re amazing.”
I savor his warm lips against mine. It’s a feeling I’ll never grow tired of, even after thousands of times. Nor will I ever grow tired of the way Salvatore looks at me. The swirl of blue-green eyes that focus on me and only me and stare at me like I’m the shining star in his night’s sky.
Salvatore pushes back my curly hair and caresses me as he does. Love and safety wrapped into a single moment that has me slipping off to sleep in no time.
I don’t wake for hours. It’s late morning and the nurse on shift gingerly prods my arm to get me to stir. I need to be checked and Serena needs to be fed. We do both over the course of the next thirty minutes.
“Your husband went home to shower and change and check on your son. He said he’ll be back shortly.”
I smile softly. “Thank you for letting me know.”
“You have a visitor. We told him we weren’t going to let him through without your approval.”
As she helps me toward the bed, I freeze. “A visitor? Him?”
“Yes,” she answers, nodding. “Your father. He’s here to see you and the baby.”
24
delphine
