Innocence of Love (12 page)

Carefully, she watched the nurse bring Kacey out of her incubator. Fear took over her to the tiny little bundle, hoping to God, she doesn’t harm her. Arms ready to cradle Kacey, who had a few tubes coming from her, one attached to her tiny foot with a red light. The machine started going crazy.

“Don’t worry, it’s because we are moving her.”

Fear struck her for a few seconds, but once reassured it never fazed Sophie. Her daughter came closer, slowly but surely Kacey became wrapped in her arms, with hardly any weight to her. Her thick dark hair stuck up, her large chocolate eyes wide-open. She kicked and flapped her little arms and legs, just for her to have this chance to hold her daughter was the best feeling any mum would experience.

Tears rolled down her cheeks, words lost. The nurse wrapped securely a blanket around them both, holding her even closer to her chest, just holding her little tiny bundle of joy was sensational. It had almost been two weeks she’d only touched her through the doors on the incubator. She wiped her tears away with the back of her hand when Calvin passed her some tissues. He knelt to her left side to look at Kacey, placing the palm of his hand gently on her thick hair.

“Wow, this is amazing,” she told him crying tears of joy while smiling.

“I bet it is,” Calvin replied, as he stroked Kacey’s head.

“Would you like to have ago at putting her to the nipple, while I feed her though the tube, unless Dad would like to do it? What we’re trying to do is get Kacey to associate milk with the nipple,” the nurse informed her. “Would you like to do it, Dad…don’t look so worried I’ll show you what to do.” She laughed.

Sophie lifted her head up to see Calvin smiling, but she could imagine what face he had.

“Are you ready to feed Kacey, Sophie?”

“Of course, I’d love to,” she stuttered, lifting her head to smile at the nurse. She glanced at Calvin observing him admiring her little bundle.

“We will let Dad have a hold soon,” the nurse added.

“Oh, it’s okay…I’m just happy Sophie is finally getting to hold her. Can I take pictures?” he muttered unsure.

“Go on then, but make it snappy,” the nurse mocked.

“Did you want to feed Kacey through the tube?” she asked Calvin again.

Sophie gazed up to him, unsure what he wished to do.

“Is it okay if you do this one?”

“Of course,” the nurse replied.

Sophie bet she could guess why he declined betting he needed her permission first before agreeing to anything, after all he wasn’t her father, but as good as.

Sophie pulled down her bra, nervous about the whole idea of Calvin seeing her bare breast, however, what mattered was her daughter, nothing else, hell dignity went out the window years ago when having Sabastian.

Kacey was on her nipple while the nurse assisted her with her feed. Her daughter kept licking her nipple and rubbing her nose against it, making her giggle. Sophie glanced up to Calvin for him to be stood a few feet back, she bet her was uncomfortable to see her chest, but at the end of the day it was all natural, her daughter was getting the best.

Sophie covered her boob, but enjoyed the sensation of having her daughter so close and snuggled, appearing content.

“Would you like me to take pictures?”

“Yes please,” she answered guessing he felt more relieved her boob had been put away.

Calvin produced his phone. He started taking a few pictures of her holding her daughter, smiling, even though she’d been crying, but she would always remember those pictures, being the first time she held Kacey.

“Would you like to have a hold, Dad?” the nurse mentioned.

“Erm…”

Sophie stared at him, smiling. “You can.”

“Yes please.”

Calvin pulled another chair closer to the incubator. He sat down shuffling his bottom getting comfortable. The nurse laid down a blanket on his lap to keep little one warm. The nurse took Kacey from Sophie and moved her to Calvin. She watched him intently, observing the joy on his face. She noticed tears forming in the corners of his eyes.

It was such a glee to see her tiny frame snuggled into his chest fast asleep, clearly the feed had made her tired.

Sophie took a few pictures using his phone. The way he gazed down to her daughter admiring her features, sent goose bumps around her body. His eyes engaged to her tiny bundle, like he’s her father, boy Sophie wished he were. In fact she wished for much more.

Sophie left Kacey in his safe arms while she went to express her milk.

She sat on the chair expressing, thinking about Calvin, and how perfect she bet their lives would’ve been all those years ago, wishing now she’d grown some backbone and argued back at her mum, let alone gained the courage to knock in the halls door.

He’d have made the best dad ever!

****

Calvin was beside himself holding the tiny little girl. He could not get over how tiny she was and all curled up dainty on his chest, no weight to her, yet her dark spiked hair was sweet. She slept after Sophie had fed her. What a joy that had been for him to witness, only embarrassed to see her boob. He had no idea where he was meant to look, not that Sophie appeared all that bothered as otherwise she’d have told him to leave. How he had managed to hold his emotions together he had no idea. Speechless while she cried with such joy. The sight had been enough to make his heart skip beats.

He sat still admiring the tiny little girl, as she laid still, clearly lost in such comfort.

“Ah, hello, Calvin,” a male voiced. He turned his head to see Alan.

“Mr. Richards, how are you?” He lifted his voice glad to see him.

Alan arrived by his side to look down and find Kacey snuggled into his chest.

“I am very well, are you holding Kacey?”

“Yes,” Calvin replied lifting his brows, stating the obvious, however wasn’t prepared to upset Alan.

“And she’s been moved rooms?”

“Yes, off all those silly machines and now they are going to try and get her to hold her own body heat.”

“That is truly wonderful news. Where is Sophie?” he blurted whilst scanning the area.

“She is expressing her milk for Kacey,” he informed him, turning his attention back to Kacey.

“I see. I thought you had headed back to London?” Alan mentioned.

“I had,” he replied, raising his head to peer at him. “I arrived a few hours ago, wanted to come and check they were both doing well,” Calvin told him.

“Okay, couldn’t you have called her?” Alan bluntly suggested.

“Sorry,” Calvin mumbled, shocked out his outburst and more importantly, he wanted nothing harsh being said with Kacey present.

“Your father gave me the distinct feeling that you had plenty of work on and you were needed there,” Alan added standing before him folding his arms.

“Oh, I do have plenty to be getting on with, but I wish to also make sure Sophie is okay,” he thought to say without going into too much detail and making him aware of how much he loved Sophie.

“I see, she never mentioned you were coming?”

“No, I never told her. Wanted to surprise her,” Calvin added, hoping Alan wasn’t about to lecture him.

“I’m taking Sophie to view some houses.”

“Arh yes, she’d mentioned it briefly earlier.”

“Would you like to come?” Alan asked, changing his tone, lightly.

“That would be wonderful.” He smiled at Alan, delighted with the suggestion.

“Good. I will wait in the living area, and grab a coffee, would you like one?”

“Yes, yes please that would be wonderful,” Calvin added, pleased her father had changed his tone he certainly wasn’t in the mood for a lecture he wondered if he was going to leave it, until maybe later. The problem was Calvin loved Sophie and there was nothing Alan or anyone else could say to him to change his mind. Only one person had his heart and soul— Sophie, and he would fight until the end of the time if need be.

Sophie soon re-appeared. Calvin engaged in deep eye contact with her, adding a smile as she smiled back at him, wow she so elegant and beautiful.

“Your father is here, making coffee, and invited me to view houses with you both shortly,” he thought to tell her.

“Brill, I forgot we were viewing houses, with me holding Kacey…speaking of which, how is she doing,” she asked curious walking toward him. She bent forward to admire her daughter.

“She is doing great.”

Sophie was too close, too close for him to contain himself craving to kiss her on her left cheek that faced him. He admired the contours of her face, marvelling her fine features, wishing he could appreciate for a longer space of time. Sophie turned her head to look at him. Their eyes met. He could feel her breathe on his face, his mouth filled with saliva while a large lump dominated his throat. He swallowed heavily while she stared at him. Their faces so close, he could feel his heart skipping to the dozen, longing to lean forward and kiss her on her delicious lips, soft pink, eager to pout his and make impact, how he craved for them to be touching his.

“The coffees are made, ah Sophie.”

Sophie straightened up her body much to his annoyance. He watched her move quickly to her father. She wrapped her arms around him for a cuddle. Calvin came over with serious jealously, wanting to be that person to have her holding him tight and kissing him on the cheek. Then again Sophie missed her dad, that was clearly noticeable and now he was going out his way to help her to make sure everything was set-up for his daughter. Calvin turned back to glance down at Kacey, wishing he meant more to the family than
just Calvin!

“I have invited Calvin to join us in viewing some properties, if that is okay?”

“Of course,” Sophie chirped up. “The more the merrier, after all, with Calvin’s knowledge in real estate and you being a wonderful dad, what more could I possibly wish for?” She giggled.

Calvin couldn’t help but smile.

The nurse arrived to place Kacey back into the incubator. Calvin felt gutted his time holding the little bundle was up, but he guessed there would be other times, and he would make sure of it.

Once they were already to leave the hospital to go and view some houses, Sophie became hesitant about leaving her daughter.

“Hey it’s okay, I have told them at the desk if they need you to contact you on your mobile and we’ll rush back,” Alan reassured her while Calvin stood back watching him comforting his daughter.

“Sorry, Dad, it’s the furthest I have been away from her.”

“It’s only going to take an hour or so. And we need to get you a nice house for you and Kacey to be safe in.”

Sophie looked at her father and grinned. “Come on then, what we waiting for?” she chimed to skip off down the corridor waving at the nurses on passing. Alan stared at Calvin, they both hitched their brows.

They all bundled into Alan’s Jaguar to head to the first destination, with the navigation set taking them to the properties. The first house was dismal and had far too much damp, there was no-way Calvin would wish her to live in such a house especially with a small baby. They moved to the next house, the back garden overlooked by far too many houses leaving her no privacy whatsoever, and not only that the garden was gravelled and too tiny for Kacey to play safe in. They went to the last property, located not far from Monks Cross, ideal side of the city being closer to the A64 to Malton, also having plenty of shops on her doorstep and a good local school.

They all walked around the new build house, three double bedrooms, one with an en-suite, tastily decorated throughout in cream. It also had a lovely lawn back garden, ideal for Kacey when she gets bigger and an attached garage.

They wandered around with him following Sophie to the kitchen door. She stepped out into the garden having countryside views from the rear.

He spent a few seconds idolizing her.

“Do you like this one?” he thought to ask with her being so quiet.

She turned around to gaze in his direction. He sensed her more relaxed in this property, more homely, more functioning, more his style, maybe on the much smaller scale he’d prefer.
This is about Sophie not you!

“Yes, yes I do, it’s ideal for me and Kacey and it’s well within the budget I had set, even if dad argued with me,” she mocked.

He stepped put the house to stand alongside her looking at the well-matured trees and shrubs, a few flowerbeds, needing some TLC and color which he was sure his mum would help with. The garden had clear privacy and safe enough for Kacey to play in without harm

“I think it’s the perfect location for you both, far enough from trouble and noise, yet you have the main shops on your doorstep. You could move in now, tastefully decorated and modern, after all you don’t need to be worrying about decorating with Kacey so small, she will need all your divided attention.” He gave a side smile at her.

“Yes, yes, that is true. It certainly is homely. I just have no furniture to put in the place.”

“Yes, but it’s within a good budget, I am pretty certain your dad will help you out, and I could get you a few bits, like a bed and wardrobes.”