Falling Stars (59 page)

"What
are you laughing at?" I grinned.

"You,"
she smiled. It was the best sight I could ask for.

"Are
you okay?" I started toward her. She nodded. "What about Mia? What
about the baby? No one will tell me anything and –"

"I
wanted to be the one to tell you." She bit her lip. Moisture built in my
eyes and I dropped my head. "Christopher, would you like to meet your
daughter?"

I
snapped my head up. Mia slipped her hands under a large bundle of white blanket
and then cradles it in her arms. When the bundle moved and Mia shifted the blankets,
I could see the soft pink skin.

Walking
slowly closer I could see the top of her head and then the curve of her cheek. My
tears of fear had replaced with tears of joy. More joy than I could ever
imagine.

"Get
over here!" Mia laughed.

I
moved quicker and sat on the bed next to her. She handed the bundle out to me.

"I
don't think I –"

"Oh,
bullshit, put your arms out." Mia ordered and I did as she said. Placing
the tiny warm bundle in my arms, my daughter made small grunting noises.

"Did
I hurt her?" I panicked.

"No,
she makes noises." She laughed. Looking over my arm, Mia stared down at
her rosy cheeks and dark hair sticking out in all directions. "Tell daddy
hi, Maggie."

I
looked over at Mia who looked at me nervously.

"W-what
did you call her?"

She
swallowed hard.

"Umm...meet
Margaret Ann Mason, you're daughter."

I
couldn't believe she'd given her my mother's name. I was so thrilled I didn't
know what to say or do.

"Y-you
aren't upset are you?" She bit her lip nervously. Leaning over, I kissed
her hard. Pulling away from the kiss and pressing my forehead to hers, I
whispered.

"I
couldn't be happier. Thank you." She exhaled in relief and smiled.

The
nurse came in at one point to take Margaret, my daughter—I couldn't stop saying
it, even in my own head—back to the nursery for her check up with the doctor. I
rolled over and wrapped my arm around Mia.

"Owww,"
I jerked back when she gasped in pain. Her hands were clutching her stomach.

"What?
What did I do?" I shot up and panicked.

"Watch
my stomach." Then she unclenched her eyes and looked at my face. She
patted the bed next to her. "You have to avoid my stomach area for awhile."

"Oh
shit! I completely forgot. I'm sorry."

"Its
fine, just be careful."

Lying
back down, I took her hand in mine. Bringing it to my chest and holding it
there. We lay there together for a while in comfortable silence when another
nurse appeared.

"Time
for your check up."

 "Do
we have to?" Mia groaned. The nurse laughed.

"You
need to move mister." She smiled at me. I got up.

"You
may want to leave." Mia said in a warning tone.

"I've
been away long enough. I'm not going anywhere."

"I
warned you," she said as she lay back.

The
nurse pulled down the blanket and lifted up the hospital gown. There was a
large white bandage over her stomach, until the nurse moved it away. My eyes
widened when I saw the swollen red line of skin. It was puffy and there were
tiny clear strips about every half inch. Mia clearly caught my expression.

"I
told you," she laughed.

"Shut
up, I'm fine. I just didn't...expect that." I motioned toward her exposed
stomach. She laughed again, flinching from discomfort.

After
all the nurses and doctors had done their thing, we were back in bed together.
With our daughter in Mia's arms, she nursed her. I lay on my side with my head
in the palm of my left hand. The fingers of my right hand rubbed the side of
Maggie's head while she fed.

I
couldn't believe how amazing it was to watch Mia breastfeed our daughter. It
was beautiful, unreal, and overall sexy as hell. I wasn't sure when I could or
when Mia would even let me touch her again, but my body was aching.

The
next afternoon I arrived back to Mia's room after getting showered and changing
my clothes. I also had asked Jackson to stop and pick up some food on the way
over. The hospital food was killing me.

"Oh
my god, are those French fries?" Mia squealed in delight when I came in carrying
the familiar food bags.

"Yes
they are, but you aren't supposed to eat them." I scolded.

"You
can't bring those in here and not let me eat them." She pouted.

"What
about Maggie, huh? Do you want her to eat French fries?" I laughed.

"AhhGhh!
Why did I let you sit in while the nutritionist went over the restrictions for
breastfeeding?" She crossed her arms over her chest and scowled at me. "It's
not fair that I have to carry the child, give birth, have the scars and the
stretch marks, and now I can't even eat a French fry, while you do nothing."

I
laughed and shook my head.

"Okay,
I'll share my fries." I climbed on the bed next to her and handed over
some fries.

"Damn
those are good!" She exclaimed with a mouthful of fries.

"Hey,
watch your mouth. Our daughter can hear you." I nodded to the little
bassinet Maggie lay in next to Mia's bed. She smacked my arm. Then she cleared
her throat.

"We
need to figure out what we are going to do."

"About
what?"

"Well,
I'll be in Whidbey Island and you are obviously more than welcome there. But
that would be hard with the lack of space. Maggie needs her own room too,
eventually." she sighed.

"What
about my place?"

"Uh,
your place is a bachelor pad."

"Yeah,
true." I shrugged and realized what she was saying.

"I
would like to stay close to my family, so I'm thinking about just trying to
find another house in Whidbey Island." She shrugged and stole another fry.

"Uh...we
work mostly in Seattle, why wouldn't we go there?"

"Christopher,
I don't expect you to live there or to live with me on a permanent –"

"Are
you fucking serious?" I looked at her in shock. "Do you think I would
spend one day away from you and Maggie if I can help it?"

"I'm
sorry. I didn't mean anything...it's just we never talked about the after part."
She put her head back.

"I
know," I said quietly. "I didn't mean to snap at you." I kissed
the back of her hand. "I just need you to know that I'm here. I'm not
going anywhere." I watched a single tear fall over her cheek. I wiped it
away and kissed her. "Thank you." I whispered against her lips.

"No,
thank you." She whispered back and then pressed her lips to mine.

Mia
fell asleep not too long after we talked. We hadn't resolved anything and she
was leaving the hospital in two days. Climbing off the bed, I walked over to
the bassinet. Cradling Maggie in my arms, I sat down in a chair with her.

As
I sat taking in every curve of her face, the way her mouth puckered when she
slept, and how her breathing felt against my arms, I found solace and
inspiration. When the idea popped into my head, I kissed my little muse before
placing her back in her mobile bed.

It
took everything I had in me to leave, but I did it. I kissed Mia's forehead
before I headed out the door. There were people to call, arrangements to make,
and things to get done.

I
made sure I was back before she woke up the next morning, but I told her I had
some errands to run in the afternoon. Arriving back before dinner, I spent the
rest of the evening with her and Maggie. Gwen wasn't happy, but I completely monopolized
my daughter.

The
following morning we woke up and prepared for Mia and Maggie’s discharge from
the hospital. Mia was antsy to get out of the hospital. She was trying to dress
quickly, but couldn't do it without a little help. Watching the pain on Mia's
face with each step she took crushed me. I hated she was hurting and I
especially hated that I was the cause.

The
nurse helped her into a wheelchair after she dressed Maggie in a bright pink
Onesie with the picture of a guitar and 'Let's Rock' printed underneath. Then
there were the little black and white striped pants and bright pink shoes, all
courtesy of Aunt Laney.

When
Maggie started to grunt in protest of the shoes, Mia informed her that Aunt
Laney had gone through a great deal of trouble to find her the perfect outfit
for a rock princess. Maggie grunted again. I bit back a laugh.

Once
my little girl was a little rock princess, Mia strapped her into a car seat. I
picked up Maggie's seat while Jackson, Kat, Serena, and Elliott grabbed the
bags, the flowers, and the gifts. We headed to the awaiting car.

To
avoid the reporters and photographers camped out at the hospital exits. We arranged
with the hospital to use a private parking floor of the hospital garage typically
reserved for doctors only. Mia was relieved Maggie wouldn't be subjected to all
of the photogs just yet.

I
helped Mia into the car and then helped her strap Maggie in beside her. I
climbed in on the opposite side of Maggie. Mia and I stared at Maggie while
holding hands during the car ride.

I
figured it would take at least an hour before Mia got curious, but she'd been
distracted by Maggie and she dosed off for a bit. So it ended up being an hour
and a half before she started looking around out the windows and turned to me
with a confused expression.

"Christopher?"
She narrowed her eyes at me.

"Yes,
dear?" I fought a grin.

"Where
are we going?" She looked a little worried.

"It's
a surprise." I winked and put my head back on the seat.

Chapter
Twenty-Nine

We
pulled up to the familiar scenery and my curiosity reached its peak.

"Why
are we going here?" He didn't respond. "Christopher?"

"What
about surprise don't you understand?" He grabbed my hand lying on the side
of Maggie's car seat.

"I
already know where we are going. Now I asked why?" I pursed my lips and
raised my eyebrow at him.

Sounds
of voices yelling for us took my attention away from the conversation.

"Is
it a girl or boy?" "What did you name the baby?" Even with the
tinted windows, I got nervous and draped a blanket over Maggie's seat.

The
driver passed by the photographers quickly through the opening gate. Phillip
smiled widely when we pulled up to the house. The car stopped.

"We're
here." He smiled and got out of the car before I could say another word.

Christopher
opened my door and helped me get out. My abdomen was still sore as all hell and
it was clear I needed another painkiller. I swear I was going to track down
those baby book authors and pull their teeth out. This shit wasn't in any of
the chapters I read. Neither was the grossness of the incision area.

"You
okay?" I nodded. I held onto the open door while he got Maggie from the
car.

"Christopher...?"
I whined. He kissed the side of my head and walked us toward the house. "Are
we staying here longer?" I wasn't objecting, but we would need to get the
baby stuff sent to this house.

Christopher
walked us to the front door and held up a large silver key chain that read
HOME. I furrowed my brow.

"Here's
your key." He smiled widely.

"My
key?" Maybe it was the drugs or the recent childbirth, but I wasn't
catching on. "Christopher I –" His lips pressed to mine.

"Welcome
home, Mia." He whispered and pulled back.

"You
bought the house?" He nodded with excitement though there was a touch of
nervousness. "You bought the house." This time I whispered a
statement, not a question.

"I
bought us the house. Maggie, you, and me, our family, this is our home."
His eyes moved to Maggie. The love that filled them made tingling warmth spread
through my chest. He was so in love with his daughter.

"Christopher...I
don't know what to say." My heart swelled. Wrapping my around him, I
pressed my lips to his cheek. I immediately cringed from pain in my abdomen. He
wrapped his arm around me to keep me up.

"Easy
now," he smiled. "Let's get my girls inside." Leaning my head on
his shoulder, he guided us into the house. Our house.

"Oh..."
I stopped short just after we entered.

"What,
what's wrong?" Holding tighter onto my waist, he looked me over.

"We
need to call Serena so she can have the baby stuff brought here and I'll
definitely need the bassinet, at least, for tonight. He started to chuckle and
nudged me to keep walking. "What's so funny?" We stepped around the
corner of the entry.

"Welcome
Home!"