“Hey, don’t, okay? We don’t know anything until they tell us.” Gwen put her arm around Nina’s shoulder and pulled her in for another hug. Nina was courageous and tough, the person Gwen turned to for strength. It was hard to believe things could all turn out okay if Nina was crumbling. “Do you want coffee? Some fresh air? Can I run out and get anyone anything?”
Nina shoved her hands into her jeans pockets. “No, Shelly asked. I…no one wants to leave until we hear something.” They walked back toward the waiting room. “Part of me wishes Max wasn’t here,” Nina whispered. “Devon picked him up from school.”
Gwen understood her concern for Max, but he was nearly grown, and this was his mom. He wasn’t much younger than Gwen had been when she lost her own mother, and she wouldn’t have left the hospital for any reason when her mom was ill.
“I’m going to sit with Max.” Nina walked across the waiting room and sat in the chair across from Max. He lifted his head and the two of them started quietly talking.
Leo angled toward her. Deep breath. Really, she couldn’t avoid Leo. She was much too close to Aubrey and Nina and, by extension, Leo’s family. They would always bump into each other, although, God willing, she prayed that the next time would be at a happier event.
“Hey.” His smooth, warm voice still felt like a caress. Damn, she wished he didn’t have that effect on her still. His eyes reflected the worry she felt for Aubrey and the baby.
“Nina said it’s been more than an hour?”
Leo nodded. “I brought Justin. They took him in to be with Aubrey as soon as we got here. We’ve been waiting for word since then. Let’s sit down. It might be a while yet.” She nodded. He reached out and clasped her elbow.
Heat shot through her body with his touch. He steered her to a chair close to Shelly and Nina. She started to sit when the doors that led to the operating suites opened and Justin emerged, still wearing a loose set of white paper coveralls and elasticized booties over his shoes. Everyone rose and rushed toward him, the mood of apprehension vanishing as they saw his face. His eyes, his wide smile, said everything.
“They’re both fine. The doctors said that because of the way the umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby’s body, when Aubrey’s water broke and she went into labor so fast, the cord was compressed. That slowed the baby’s heart rate down. But there won’t be any lasting harm. Aubrey is tired but fine.” Justin grinned. “And my daughter, Adrianna Natalia Travati, definitely has a very healthy set of lungs.”
“I have a sister?” Max asked, his voice shaking with relief.
“You have a sister.” Justin clasped his hand around the back of Max’s neck and pulled him close. “And everyone is good. Very good.” He pressed his forehead to Max’s. Tears started to stream down both their faces.
Gwen pressed her hand to her mouth. My God, thank God. A new baby, and Aubrey was fine. Nina walked over and put her arms around Max and Justin. After a moment Justin straightened.
“I have to get back to Aubrey in post-op. As soon as they move her to a room then she’ll be able to have visitors.” He put his arm around Max’s shoulder.
Max nodded and watched Justin disappear back through the doors. His uncles surrounded him, slapping his back and congratulating him on becoming a big brother. Another Travati had entered the world.
Chapter 20
Aubrey and the baby had been home from the hospital for over a week before Leo managed to get over to the apartment to see them. He told himself that he was waiting until their initial mob of visitors had thinned out, but really, he admitted to himself, he hesitated because Gwen might be there. And he wasn’t sure if that would be good or bad. The nanny Justin had hired to help Aubrey until she had fully recovered let Leo in and led him to the living room, where Aubrey sat with the baby in her arms.
“Leo, I’m glad you came by. Do you want to hold her?”
Leo did, but he didn’t. Adrianna looked so fragile, so breakable, as though one false move and she’d crack like an egg.
“You won’t break her, don’t worry,” Aubrey said, as though reading his mind. “Sit right there, I’ll give her to you. Just be sure to support her head.”
He sat on the couch, and she got up from her chair to hand the precious bundle over to him. The baby had a definite heft, and yet was light as glass. Her grey-blue eyes opened and a tiny furrow appeared between her brows. But she didn’t cry. No, she simply stared up at him, as though examining her uncle’s face.
Had he ever held a baby before now? He must have, he had two younger brothers, but he didn’t remember either of them coming home small and fragile like this. He remembered them yelling and kicking and tearing through the house with him. How funny, he had no recollection of any babies in his life. Ever.