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December 2004 (four months later)
Leo opened his eyes at a soft sound that had become strangely familiar faster than most would have guessed. He stared at Amelia’s sleeping face a few inches away and smiled.
The perfect way to wake up every morning.
Slipping quietly from the bed, he walked to the room across the hall and peered over the edge of the crib.
His son.
Alejandro stared up at him with a small frown. Left to his own devices, the greedy darling would become convinced he was never going to eat and release a single blood-curdling scream.
Leo typically had to be peeled off the ceiling.
“Good morning, sweetheart.” He gathered him carefully - less worried about breaking him than he’d been the first couple of weeks - and snuggled him close to his chest. “Hungry?”
Stroking his hand over Alex’s tiny head of curly black hair and down his back, there were no words to describe Leo’s gratitude for the opportunity to do so.
“That scream has me trained, son. Daddy is willing to do just about anything to avoid it. How did you sleep?” Kissing the top of his head, Leo returned to the master suite and crawled back in bed beside Amelia. “Darling…”
She blinked sleepily and smiled at them. “Well, hello there.” Releasing a soft chuckle, she murmured, “He was about to make the scream.”
“I can’t take it…”
“Give me that starved baby.” Opening her arms, Leo placed Alex in them and she pulled down her loose tank top to remove her breast. His son latched on instantly and suckled rapidly. Amelia stroked her fingers over his back. “I know, darling. We’re heartless. Five whole hours since you last ate. Little piggy fell asleep trying to get just a little more.”
Head in his hand, Leo watched her feed their child and pondered at what a difference a year made. He had his soulmate and the baby they made together in bed with him.
Nothing short of a miracle.
“I always know when you’re replaying everything in your mind. How all the pieces came together to this moment.” Raising her gaze, Amelia used one of her hands to pull Leo to her for a kiss. She released him enough to say, “Kissing the father as I feed the son. A circle of life, of completion, I never believed I’d have.”
He used his fingertip to trace her face. “I love you.”
“I love you, Leo.”
Laying down, he slipped his arm under her pillow and watched in fascinated silence as their son ate his breakfast.
Alex’s pink bow lips held her nipple firmly while his tiny fist opened and closed on the slope of Amelia’s breast.
Leo had taken more than a thousand pictures of his family since Alex’s birth. He itched to get the camera and take another ten.
“He looks more like you every day,” she whispered.
“I hope his eyes lighten like yours.” Already, the dark eye color Alex had been born with was getting lighter and the familiar caramel of his mother was beginning to show. “Thank you for being brave enough to have him, Amelia.”
“You thank me every day, Leo. Thank you for not giving up on me.” He sifted his fingers through her hair. “Did you take today off?”
“Of course. You asked me to but never told me why.”
“It’s a surprise.” She looked down. “He’s done and sleeping like a rock again.” Alex barely had her nipple in his mouth, using it more like a pacifier. “He’s so funny.” She sat up and lifted him to her chest, patting him gently until he burped. Laying him on his back between her legs, she checked his diaper. “Just pee. Aren’t you easy on Mommy first thing in the morning? Let’s get you changed.”
“You rest. I’ll change him, Amelia.”
“Leo, you work. He’s my full-time job right now so you don’t get diaper duty.” Alex opened his eyes and made a little raspberry sound. “Alex! You aren’t on Daddy’s side already?”
Leo chuckled. “He knows you’re the one that keeps everything running. Besides, I love playing the can I get the new diaper over him before he starts to pee game. He hit the wall last time, Amelia. It was awesome.”
She made a face and said, “Boys are gross. Yes, even you, Alex.” She laughed and kissed both of them before standing and walking to the bathroom. Turning back to remind Leo about the diaper rash cream, she caught him staring at her hungrily. “It shouldn’t be too much longer.”
