Chapter 37
thirty-seven
MAYA
It’s another day before I get to see Ellie.
As soon as I was discharged from the ER, Liam took me home, begging me to get a good night’s sleep and drink about a gallon of water.
We let Poppy sleep in bed with us. It felt right, to hold on to each other after the whirlwind of the day we’d had.
Poppy’s back in school today, so after dropping her off, Liam and I call Ezra to see if we can come back to the hospital and visit.
“She’s doing great,” Ezra says through the car speakers. “It’s kind of amazing how well, actually. Even her joint pain seems to have mellowed out. It’s the first day she hasn’t asked me for a heating pad as soon as she sees me.”
“That’s amazing. And the baby?” I ask. “Can we see him?”
“He can’t leave the NICU yet, but he’s doing really well. They just need to keep him there until he can regulate his own temperature.”
“All right. Thanks for keeping us updated,” Liam says. “We’ll see you in an hour.”
“Are you gonna tell her?” Liam asks me, after he hangs up the call.
“About the wish?”
“Yeah.”
“I don’t know. Maybe one day, once they’re all home and…maybe.” I like to think my wish wasn’t necessary, that everything worked out because Ellie and Theo deserved it. And if I did help them, I don’t need any credit for it. Maybe it’s better to just pretend it never happened.
After we park, Liam asks if I’d like to visit Ellie on my own.
“You don’t want to come in with me?”
“Of course I do. I just thought you might want some time to yourselves first.”
“I told her about us,” I admit. “Not everything from this week, but…I told her I was falling in love with you. I think she’ll be really happy to see us together.”
We both get out of his truck and he comes up behind me, reaching his arms around my body and tugging me in close. “Then let’s make her really happy.”
“Maya,” Theo sighs when we get to Ellie’s room. He rushes over to hug me. “Are you okay? I was so worried.”
“I’m fine, just a little scare.”
“Are you sure?” he whispers, so only I can hear. “It wasn’t because of…”
“I’m great,” I announce, pulling away from him. I turn to Ellie. “How’s my favorite mom of two?”
“Hi.” She winces when she pushes to sit up in bed. “I’m good, just counting down the days till I can hold my son.” Her voice cracks at the end. I can’t imagine what that pain feels like.
Theo explains why the baby can’t be taken out of the incubator yet. “But the nurse just said we’ll probably be able to hold him for short periods of time next week.”
I squeeze myself into the bed next to Ellie. “It’ll just be that much more special when you can. Do you have pictures?”
“Tons,” Theo says, his smile finally making an appearance. Liam crouches down next to me so we can all see the images on Theo’s phone. I hug Ellie’s arm as tightly as she’ll let me while I view the pictures of him in the incubator. He’s the tiniest little thing I’ve ever seen.
“Do you have a name yet?” Liam asks.
Theo and Ellie share a look.
“What?”
“Well,” Ellie starts. “We were planning on Caroline, after Theo’s mom.”
I can’t help but laugh. They were positive Stevie was going to be a boy and decided to name her after Theo’s dad even when they were surprised by the gender. This time, they were sure it’d be another girl. So much for a mother’s intuition.
“So now we need a new name,” Theo says, a twinkle in his eye.
“I don’t know. I still think we could make Carol work.”
“Ellie,” he pleads.
“But—”
“My mom will forgive you. And I was actually thinking, maybe we could name this one after Maya.”
“What?” I gasp, shocked by Theo’s words.
“It’s meant a lot to us, you being here. It feels right.” Theo catches my gaze, this little secret between us floating in the air.
I turn to face Ellie and she’s smiling, even if there are a few tears pooled in her eyes.
“Not to be a downer, but I’m not sure Maya is any better than Carol for a boy,” Liam offers.
I laugh. “I have to agree there.”
“I was thinking of Miles,” Theo says.
Ellie gasps like he just came up with the equation for world peace. “It’s perfect. Miles Carol Fox.”
“Umm, I’m honored. Truly. But, is anyone gonna say it? Miles and Stevie? Are you planning to have a musical family?”
Theo laughs. “My mom always wanted me to learn to play the piano. Maybe we’ll have to get one for the kids.”
After a little while, Theo leaves to go pick up Stevie from her grandparents’ house. Then Liam and I hang out while Ellie gets to go visit Miles in the NICU.
“I hope she can hold him soon. That has to be so hard. Maybe I can?—”
“Let’s let the doctors handle this one on their own, okay?” Liam urges. “They might get suspicious if they see too many miracles happening around here.”
“You’re right.”
Liam wraps an arm around my shoulders and pulls me into him. “So, did you decide what you want me to call you? What kind of label you’re comfortable with?”
“I don’t hate lady of the house.”
“Should we get a butler so he can announce it to all our visitors?”
“Hmm, I don’t know. It’s giving evil step-mother vibes. I’d rather stay Princess Maya.”
“Even if we get married, I don’t think Poppy will ever stop calling you that.” A second passes before Liam realizes what he just said. His eyes bulge, his lips parting in shock. “I didn’t—I just meant—it was only a?—”
“Hey,” I say, saving him for more rambling. “How about we start with girlfriend,” I suggest. “We already have one married woman in the house.”
Liam looks confused for a second and then he sighs dramatically. “I still need to look into an annulment.”
This makes me laugh. I know he’s being serious. He told Poppy that Beau can’t come over until their marriage is officially dissolved.
“But maybe,” I offer. “One day…”
His focus is back on me. “Yeah. Maybe one day. Come here.”
Liam tugs me until I’m in the chair with him, balancing on his lap. His nose brushes against mine, then his lips.
“Oh my god, it’s really happening.”
Liam and I pull apart at the sound of Ellie’s voice. I turn to find her being wheeled into the room by a nurse.
“Hey, El. How’s Miles doing?” I ask, trying to climb off Liam.
But he holds me tightly against him and whispers in my ear. “It makes her happy, remember?”
“He’s doing great. He’s just so tiny.” She sniffles a few times. “So, you two are…”
“Shall I do the formal introductions?” Liam asks. Huh? “May I present to you my beautiful girlfriend , and your official next-door neighbor.”
Ellie shrieks and jumps out of the wheelchair. The nurse immediately scolds her and makes her sit back down.
“El, be careful!” I say, finally leaving Liam’s lap. I turn to the nurse. “I’ll make sure she gets back in bed safely, okay?”
The nurse gives me a skeptical look but finally releases her hold on Ellie. I take her hands and help her into bed.
“Please don’t rip your stitches because of me. We just wanted to tell you the good news.”
“It’s great news,” she says, lying down. “The best news.” She yawns through the last word.
Liam comes over to the side of the bed and wraps his arms around me. “Why don’t we get out of here for a bit and let you rest. We have all the time in the world to celebrate the good news.” He drops a kiss to my temple.
“But where are you going?” she asks, her eyes already getting heavy. Her visit with Miles must have taken a lot out of her.
Liam and I look at each other and smile, our expressions mirroring the other. And we both answer exactly the same way.
“Home.”