“Don’t worry, sweetie, Larry here is just gonna check your little girl over and get her cleaned up, she’ll be back in your arms in a jiffy.”
I sat forward, watching every step Larry took away from me, but Kyle pulled me back against his chest.
“It’s okay, princess, they’re just doing their job. She’s perfectly fine.”
I sighed, and waited, impatiently, as Sarah left to get a wheelchair.
Kyle helped me into the chair and again onto the gurney.
Those small movements left me shattered and I struggled to keep my eyes open.
The last thing I remembered, before my eyes closed, was Kyle’s soothing voice in my ear. “I’ll hold her. I’ll keep her safe. Sleep, princess.”
*****
Kyle
It turned out we were only a thirty minute drive from Jefferson Central Hospital, and only two hours away from home.
After both Lee, and the baby were examined and checked out at Jefferson, the doctor had agreed-it had taken a hell of a lot of pressure- to have them transferred immediately to St. Luke’s Hospital in Boulder.
I needed Lee around her own doctors, that knew her medical history.
Lee slept the whole ride back to the Boulder, and she’d only woken once, in the three hours we’d been back, and that was to nurse.
I was sitting in the chair beside Lee’s bed cradling my daughter in my arms when there was a tap on the door.
“Hey,” Cam whispered quietly as she stepped inside and walked over to me.
From the way she was hovering over me, I knew she was dying for a cuddle, but I wasn’t ready to give her up just yet.
I didn’t think, I ever would be.
“Have you guys picked a name yet?” Cam asked, stroking my sleeping baby.
I shook my head. “No, we haven’t had much time to talk. We had a couple of names picked out, but mostly boys names.”
I stretched out my legs in front of me, and nestled her into the crook of my arm.
“Hope.”
I turned around to find Lee awake and smiling at me.
“Hope?” I asked, tossing the name around in my head.
Hope.
“Hope sounds pretty, damn perfect to me,” I agreed, smiling.
She pulled herself up in the bed, stretching stiffly. “I mean, it’s your decision too, of course. But Hope just feels kind of fitting, considering everything we’ve been through. Maybe it’s silly, but the name’s kind of stuck in my head. Of course, we could go with something else if you would prefer?”
I stared at Lee, drowning in the emotion I felt for her.
Leaning over, I kissed her softly, before looking down at my daughter. “Hey, baby girl. Mommy and Daddy finally picked you a name, and it’s something you represent to us.”
“Oh Kyle, please, I can’t wait anymore,” Cam whined, holding her hands out to hold Hope.
Lee chuckled and nodded encouragingly.
“Fine, but sit down so you don’t drop her,” I said, standing up carefully.
Cam glared at me, but sat quickly in the chair I vacated.
“Support her head,” I instructed, placing Hope into Cam’s arms.
“Wow, overprotective much, dad?” Cam muttered under her breath.
Choosing to ignore her, I settled myself down on the bed, pulling Lee into my arms.
She sighed happily as I kissed her head.
“Hello, baby girl,” Cam crooned. “I’m your Aunt Cam. I’m the cool one. Mommy and Daddy are pretty cool too, but Uncle Derek is a douche. Yes, he is. Oh, we’re gonna have so much fun, Hope Bennett.”
“Carter,” Lee corrected, and my heart stilted.
“You’re sure?” I croaked.
Lee nodded, and leaned over to stroke my cheek.
“Absolutely,” she replied. “Besides, look at those dimples. Apart from my hair, she is all you, Kyle Carter.”
“I hate to admit it, but Lee’s right,” Cam added, not taking her eyes off Hope. “You’re packing some pretty powerful genes, in your jeans.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Lee
Hospitals were becoming a habit of mine. But this time, it was for all the right reasons.
Hope had just had her six week checkup with the pediatrician, who confirmed she was perfect.
I’d to practically wrestle the buggy from Kyle this morning, eventually using emotional blackmail in a bid to get him to go to work.
“Do you not trust me with our daughter,” I’d asked, pretending to be upset.
Kyle had immediately conceded, apologizing repeatedly.
It was pretty terrible of me, but Kyle was obsessed with being involved. He was like a clucking hen, fussing over me, as well as Hope.
I also wanted to pick up something special for tonight.
Dr. Ashcroft had cleared me with a full bill of health, which meant, my man was getting some tonight.