Chapter 151
Chapter 151
Ten Weeks Later
OG
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Sutton stood in the hospital corridor, her hands shaking slightly as she buttoned the last snap on Miles‘ going–home onesie. It was soft blue with tiny stars printed across the chest. She didn’t know why she was so nervous; she had dressed him so many times. Today she had more people watching her because today was the day… it had finally come. She was overjoyed that finally they were taking their son home.
Miles squirmed a little, his fists pumping the air, his eyes fluttering open for a second before drifting shut again. His face was rounder now. Healthier. He wasn’t the fragile little thing he’d been the night she almost lost him. He was still tiny. But so much stronger. It was amazing to think that he should have only been born around now, but instead, he was almost
twelve weeks old.
He was now strong enough to come home, and she was more than ready to have him there. The last two and a half months had been draining on her, not being able to check on her son at night and feed him. She had gotten to know other mothers at the hospital, and her heart felt for the ones who had been there longer. They were among the lucky ones. Miles didn’t seem to have anything major affecting his health, and a baby born at twenty–eight weeks was a small miracle.
Sutton sank into the chair beside the crib as the nurse handed her the discharge papers. Her breath caught. She nodded, eyes stinging. This was it–the final stage of discharge. She looked around to see Luca outside, pacing and on the phone. Probably the security team–again. He’d had cameras installed at the penthouse, and over the last ten weeks, he’d been keeping tabs on Nicole. She hadn’t made any moves to come back to the US. Thank God. She’d ask him for an update once they had put Miles to bed. They would get him home, and it would almost be time for his sleep.
When he hung up, he came straight into the unit and over to her, kneeling down beside the chair, his hands on her knees. “You okay?” he asked quietly.
She nodded.
“It doesn’t feel real,” she whispered. “I’ve been waiting for this day for months, but now that it’s here… I keep thinking something’s going to go wrong. They won’t let us walk through the doors.”
He didn’t tell her not to think that. He just nodded, resting his forehead against hers.
“it’s not going to go wrong,” he said. He’s ready. And we’re ready.”
She let out a shaky breath. “Are we?” They hadn’t been up for a 2 a.m. feed yet. She wondered if Luca would feel they were ready after a week of sleepless nights… She stood and Luca stood beside her as she reached for Miles, picking him up.
“Yes,” he said without hesitation.
Sutton looked down at the baby nestled in her arms. This was their son. And he was coming home.
Luca handed over the paperwork she had completed to a nurse.
The nurse gave them a quiet goodbye. She had tears in her eyes too. Everyone on the ward had come to love Miles. He really was a cute baby, but they loved him for his fight and his strength. One nurse had even knitted him a blanket in shades of blue that Sutton had made sure to pack.
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19:08 Wed, 30 Jul
Chapter 151
G
48%
Luca took the brand–new car seat from the corner, setting it down, carefully taking Miles from her. Luca gently buckled Miles in, his hands steady. He had checked the strap lengths before today to make sure there would be no delays. He looked up at her and offered a small smile. “You ready to take our boy home?”
3#
Sutton didn’t trust her voice. She just nodded, tears stinging her eyes. He had the car parked close, so it only took them a
few moments to reach the car.
Luca opened the back door, adjusting the base before locking the seat in. Sutton slid in beside it on the other side,
refusing to take her eyes off Miles for even a second. This first trip, she wanted to sit in the back with him.
Luca reached through the front seats to hold her hand at every traffic light.
It didn’t take long to reach the apartment complex because it was outside of peak hours. When they finally pulled into his parking spot, he sat there for a second.
Sutton reached across the console and touched his arm.
“We got him home,” she said softly.
Luca turned his head. “Yeah,” he whispered. “Well… almost. I wouldn’t call this home, but close enough.” Then he got out of the car before helping first her out and then reaching for their son.
Inside the house, the new nursery waited; everything was new and freshly painted. Sutton fed Miles first, knowing he would want to sleep after. Luca sat there and watched as Miles drank from Sutton’s breast. She wasn’t shy because feeding a baby was normal and natural. After bringing up his wind, Sutton changed his diaper. She got up and headed to the nursery…
Sutton stepped in first, carrying Miles with both arms, while Luca turned on the nightlight and lowered the blackout. blinds.
She walked to the crib and stopped.
“I don’t want to put him down,” she said, her voice breaking.
Luca came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. “Then hold him,” he said into her hair. “He’s home. You can hold him as long as you want.”
Tears spilled before she could stop them. She let them come.
And when she finally did lay Miles down, her hand lingered on his chest just to feel it rise and fall.
They stood there a long time in silence, arms wrapped around each other, watching their tiny miracle, they’d fought so hard to keep.
He was home, where he belonged.
