*Elio*
“She’s beautiful,” Cat sniffed, holding our baby girl in her arms.
I couldn’t tell if the tears falling from her eyes were her being overwheld with love and adoration for our baby or the sheer exhaustion of what she went through.
“Yeah,” I said shakily, sitting by her side and tightly holding her hand. I could tell from my reflection in the window that I was still pale.
The miracle of birth was just as beautiful as it was horrifying. Hearing her screams in pain for hours, unable to do anything but just stand by her side and have her nearly break my hand in half had wrecked my nerves through the roof.
I thought my heart had stopped when the doctors told us they needed to do an ergency C-section.
There had been so much blood, and I never really knew what childbirth or a C-section involved until they were using tal instrunts to push my fiance’s organs out of the way like it was nothing to worry about. I’d seen a lot of horrible and nasty things, but I still felt sick to my stomach after seeing that.
Even after the surgery was over and both our baby girl and Cat were safe, I knew I would never forget the grueso sights I had seen... not for the rest of my life.
The respect I had for my wife shot through the roof, and I realized that I had been acting like a stupid fool. If she could deal with all of this pain for our baby, then she could certainly put a bullet in whoever went after her.
Cat’s stitches were doing well, even an hour after the surgery, and had luckily stopped bleeding. The doctors inford us she wouldn’t be allowed to pick up anything heavier than five pounds, including baby Emilia.
Cat did not like that.
But luckily, there was a loophole. As long as Cat was sitting or lying down, she could hold the baby, which was good because five minutes after little Emilia was born, she burst into wailing tears.
The nurses helped to adjust Cat for breastfeeding for the first ti and I stepped out, giving her that ti alone as I spoke to the doctor. He inford that her recovery would be slow after the birth, and to make sure everything was okay, they would have to monitor her for the next few days in the hospital.
I had seen the long incision they had made across her belly and the following stitches to close it up, so I agreed easily though I knew Cat would fight on it.
I stepped back inside once Cat was finished, smiling as I saw the nurses holding little Emilia in their arms, her chubby hand plunged straight into her mouth as her wide green eyes looked around curiously.
Cat had fallen asleep, her face still pale and gaunt from everything that had happened. I gently moved to her side, tucking her in and placing a kiss on her forehead. She deserved a good night’s sleep.
Or however long Emilia would let her until the next feeding.
“She did so well with breastfeeding,” the nurse whispered to , passing Emilia. “Latched right on. She’s a pro at it already.”
“She is my daughter,” I boasted proudly, feeling shocked by how utterly tiny she was no matter how many tis I held her. She was beautiful still, like a perfect reflection of the two of us. She had Cat’s little button nose and my large ears that didn’t quite fit her yet.
The nurse was kind enough to take the ti to correct my posture, making sure I knew the sensitive areas to hold, and over the next few hours, they helped to show how to burp her and change her diaper.
I’d made sure to study as best as I could but my movents were still awkward. Emilia didn’t care but I endured quite a bit of teasing. But as ti passed and I swayed Emilia in my arms, hoping she would sleep, it beca incredibly apparent that Emilia had other plans.
She was a curious little thing, always wanting to be held at all tis and looking around with such wide eyes. She may have been a genius in breastfeeding, but everything else was a struggle with her.
She was fussy and also very stubborn, resembling the best and worst traits of her parents. Even the nurses were baffled as she stubbornly refused to sleep, no matter how many tis she yawned and no matter how exhausted she must’ve been. At one point, she was struggling to keep her eyes open so badly that she started just wailing uncontrollably.
I had to carry her around, her little head on my shoulder so she could see the world and eventually, she tired herself out. But this wasn’t just a one-off thing. After an hour, she was back up, crying anyti I tried to sit down and soon waking Cat up as well.
The first day went on like this in a blur, Emilia forcing herself not to sleep and then wailing until she passed out... feeding her, changing her diaper, and doing it all over again.
I rember my mom said I had been an easy baby, so I playfully blad Cat as she did yet another feeding. She only rolled her eyes in response.
Luckily Cat had quickly found out a trick, putting on cartoons on the screen for Emilia to watch which she seed to do, intently, though the nurses had explained that her eyesight wasn’t that advanced yet. I supposed she listened to the sounds. I was sure that Emilia must have known the cartoons by heart, considering how often Cat had played them for her in her belly.
I got what little sleep I could, taking care of both Cat and Emilia as they both recovered. We wouldn’t be allowed ho until they were both strong enough, much to Cat’s ire, but she was easy to coax.
Emilia was even more stubborn.
Matilde beca a huge help in this area as Cat was only allowed to hold her daughter while she was sitting down in bed, which Emilia loathed. Luckily, Matilde adored her granddaughter, carrying her everywhere when Cat couldn’t, narrating everything she took an interest in.
She especially liked the doctors who ca in and out.
Seeing Emilia calm in her grandmother’s arms, I leaned over to Cat. “Hey, I need to go to the office and deal with so work stuff. I won’t take long and I’ll be back, if you’re alright here?”
“Why?” She frowned, concerned. “Did sothing happen?”
“Nothing like that, I promise,” I assured her, “I just want to go over security for our house and make sure nobody can touch you or Emilia. I’ll make sure the hospital is guarded before I leave, but it’s better to do this now so we can leave when you’re ready.”
She narrowed her eyes, searching my eyes for the truth. The fact that she doubted hurt a little bit, I had to admit, but considering everything, I didn’t bla her one bit.
“Okay.” She finally nodded with a small smile. “Thanks for thinking of us, Elio. And being honest with .”
“Of course,” I leaned forward to kiss her on the forehead then solemnly promised, “Nobody will get close to you or our child. Not while I’m here.”
She bead, but I could see how utterly exhausted she still was. I kissed her goodbye, calling my n to make sure the hospital was fully protected before I left. I waited until the double guards I’d ordered were standing outside her room. Only doctors or family mbers were let inside.
So of my n were disguised, making their rounds and watching for anything suspicious. Even the hospital entrance was under surveillance, screening every person who walked through the doors.
I wasn’t taking any chances.
Once I felt they were properly protected, I left with a renewed purpose. I was tired, not having slept at all last night, but I was determined to get the house properly protected before Cat and Emilia ca ho.
As soon as I arrived in the driveway, I spotted Franky and Leo’s cars along with several of our tech guys all ready to go. I parked, getting out with my ga face as I approached the n.
“Hey, Daddy,” Leo called out teasingly. “How’s the baby?”
“Call that again and I’ll dock your pay,” I said easily, giving him a grin as his face fully fell in dismay at the thought.
“That’s rude,” Leo huffed, but Franky seed to agree with , a look of disgust on his face at the na.
“I’ve got a team installing brand new security caras and sensors on every window and door.” Franky jumped straight into business, walking with as we entered the house. Sure enough, the n were hard at work in the windows and doorways, ladders everywhere as they installed everything.
Franky, as the one who knew the most about the tech, gave out the orders on the installation while Leo and I designed a new guard route and map. We opened up the concrete and steel shelter we had installed on the property, making sure all the passageways were working and accessible.
The shelter could probably survive a nuclear bomb and be okay, but that wouldn’t an much if it wasn’t still fully stocked and locked.
We pulled out every trick in the book, doing construction until late and readying the guards for our new plans to make sure that no one could even co a foot inside of our driveway without being identified and captured.
Once I had done everything I needed to, I grabbed so things Cat might want for the next few days, things to keep her busy like her tablet, so puzzles and books, and her favorite fluffy blanket and pillow. I stopped by the store to get so flowers for her and then made sure to pick up dinner from Cat’s favorite restaurant.
She didn’t have dietary restrictions but just to be safe, I picked so healthier options that I knew she loved. It was too greasy for my tastes but Cat didn’t know that. I’d do whatever she wanted to keep her happy, even if it ant scarfing down so greasy pizza and pasta.
As I got back into the car, loaded up with things to carry into the hospital, I noticed a text from Cat asking when I’d be back. Visiting hours were almost over and Matilde had to go ho soon. I texted her back that I would be there soon and then a picture of her favorite food.
She was quick to send a picture of her holding baby Emilia, swaddled up in her new blanket with tiny color fish on it. Her green eyes were identical to Cat’s.
I smiled, loving them both more than I could put into words.
I was going to keep them safe no matter what.
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