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I roll my eyes. “Of course she’s not mad, Bubs. Most people realize the whole world doesn’t revolve around them. Tina knows you’ve been busy. You need to chill. You need to take care of yourself, I’ll do the rest.”
When she doesn’t acknowledge my words, I look straight ahead to Bobby protectively snuggling my baby. I smile. “You need to wash your hands, then we can go to her.”
“Where’s her chair?” Bobby walks toward us casually, like he’s out for a Sunday stroll. Fucker thinks he’s a pro now, walking around all willy nilly and carrying my daughter like she’s a football.
I’d snatch her away if I could, but I promised not to let Iz fall on her face. Besides, I’m pretty sure Iz has first dibs. Counting those stitches earlier, I have to concede she kinda gets first dibs on everything for the rest of our lives.
“I can do it,” she stubbornly grumbles her displeasure as I help lower her into a chair beside Bean’s crib. She grunts as soon as her weight touches down. I grunt. Her eyes water, my balls shrivel up and die.
Yep, dibs for life.
“Morning, Izzy.” Kit steps forward and presses a kiss to her still wet hair. “You look nice and fresh. How do you feel?”
I take the baby from my brother’s arms and smother her in twenty-three million kisses in under three seconds. Then I turn and pass her to Iz. Immediately, Bean springs to life and starts whipping her head around in search. She knows who her mama is.
“You hungry, baby?” Iz’s brows pull into that V, but this time it’s simply love and concentration. Kit and I watch closely as they work on latching together, but Bobby turns away to allow her privacy.
“Sleep well?” Kit turns to me with a smirk. I still can’t decide if I’m ashamed for having slept so solidly for so long, or if I’m just happy and rested. I got to hold Iz all night, even if I didn’t realize it.
“Thanks for staying overnight.”
She smiles. “You’re welcome. It was fun. She’s just so cute, and quiet as a mouse.”
I look around our tiny cubicle. It’s not like he can hide. “Where’s Jack?”
“Over there.” Bobby nods across the ward.
My gaze follows the direction he indicates, and I balk at the sight of him holding a baby. A stranger’s baby “Dude! He can’t just keep them. Whose baby is that?”
Kit laughs, likeI’mthe weird one for freaking out. “A lady had her baby a few weeks early. She’s a single mom and has another kid at home.Shewas discharged, but her baby, his name’s Isaac, can’t go home for another few days. Jack volunteered to snuggle with him for an hour while she ran home.”
“That’s,”weird,“generous of him.”
She snorts. “It kinda needs to be in context. He didn’t just go and acquire a random baby.”
“We were chatting with the mom,” Bobby adds. “It gets quiet in here at night, so we got to hang out. She had to run home to her daughter, but she was gutted about leaving him here. Jack was pouting, since I wouldn’t give Bean up, so he volunteered.”
By pouting, I suspect he means my daughter learned new swear words overnight. And possibly watched her first pro fight. But that’s her life now. She’s a Roller. She’s one of us.
She’s hungry.
Like they’ve been doing this for years, the girls get their latch perfect. Bean’s eyes close with contentment as her lips suckle like mad. And Izzy simply relaxes into her chair like the suckling baby trades opium in exchange for the milk.
Kit’s phone rings in the mostly silent ward. Snapping our eyes over as one, we watch her face light up.
And Bobby’s eyes narrow.
My brother doesn’t like his wife’s eyes lighting up like that for other people, it would seem.
“Tina!” she answers excitedly. I laugh when Bobby’s face relaxes. He needs to work on his poker face. I’d never be so obvious. “Yep, she’s up and dressed and nursing now.”
“We had Jack bring back some stuff for you guys. Toothpaste, deodorant, that sort of stuff.” Bobby nods to a plastic bag sitting in the corner. “I figure you’re feeling a little rough around the edges.”
“Perfect, thanks.” I go to the bag instantly and find what I need. Taking the hairbrush, I move behind Iz’s chair and pull her long chestnut locks from between her back and the chair. I’ve wanted to do this for a long time. As soon as the brush touches her scalp, her tense shoulders relax and her breathing turns to a purr.
“Yeah, come up. One of us will take Evie to the cafeteria for five minutes so you can snuggle.” Kit scoffs into the phone. “No, we don’t mind! Come up. Or Nelly’s home. I bet she’d love to spend a Saturday morning with Evie.” Kit’s smile turns up a few notches the longer she listens. “Perfect! Bring her here. We’ll make it work. Hurry. We’ll see you soon.”
“You’re a bossy boots, you know that?”
