Chapter 50
I wake hot and sweaty.It takes me a moment to work out where I am. We”re on the sofa. Me and Keaton entangled, and I have no idea how we have both fit. Well, Keaton is right on the edge. And I am naked. Brilliant. I sit up slowly, trying not to wake him as I look for his tee. It”s bunched on the floor over the other side of the room. I sigh, walking over and grabbing it. Pulling it over my head, I turn to look at Keaton and a small smile graces my lips. We really are good together.
I”m showered and feel a lot better than I did last night. I ache though, my stomach feels tight, and I feel exhausted. But I didn”t sleep much and the hot as fuck man on the sofa definitely worked me out. Padding across the room, I sit on the edge of my bed wrapped in a towel as I use the smaller one to rough dry my hair. I see my phone light up and I contemplate reaching for it, but decide I better. Scooting up the bed, I grab my phone and see three text messages from my dad. Hovering my thumb over the message notification, I inhale deeply as I open them.
Dad
Did you get home okay? xo
Ari, Sunshine... please, I don”t want to fall out with you over this.
Look who”s arrived.
My heart swells at the photo he has sent. Amora is holding the most precious, tiny baby and all the animosity has faded in an instant.
Me
Dad, what a cutie. Congratulations. How is Amora? x
He reads it instantly and types a response.
Dad
Amazing. If you get a chance, come down and see us. We would really like that. Xo
A small smile lifts the corners of my mouth and suddenly, I am desperate to get to the hospital. Locking my phone, I dress in maternity khaki cargo pants, a tight white tee that sits neatly over my bump. I brush my hair into a tight, slick bun and scowl at the band aid still stuck to my head. I spray down the stray hairs and smooth it out. I moisturize my face then add a layer of foundation and concealer to hide my dark eye bags. Dusting a light pink blush across my cheek bones, I finish my look off with a flick of mascara and soothing lip balm. Grabbing a crew neck white sweater, I slip my feet into my white sneakers and grab my phone.
Placing the coffee pot on, decaf of course, I wait for it to warm before lifting it and pouring myself a large cup. Adding creamer and sugar, I sit in the kitchen and enjoy the silence. It”s not often I sit in complete silence, but when I do, I feel at peace. Relaxed. Tranquil. I hate being alone, but to sit in your own company when it”s on your terms and you can enjoy silence, well, there is something so different about that. Taking a mouthful, my soul does a happy dance. Once finished, I reach for a bowl and grab some granola, yogurt and strawberries. My eyes fall to the freezer drawer and my mouth waters at the thought of ice, my stomach knotting and my clit pulsing at the memories from last night. My cheeks burn. Balancing my bowl on my palm, I use my free hand to pull the drawer open and grab a cube of ice, popping it into my mouth like a naughty kid snatching something they’ve been told not to touch.
“Still craving?” I hear his voice and annoyingly not his footsteps.
I spin to face him quickly, guilt all over my face but I play it down with a wide, toothy grin.
“Seems that way,” I say around the ice, letting my eyes drop and giving into the blood that runs to my cheeks.
“You”re dressed, are you going out?” he asks, walking past me and the smell of sex consumes me. He reaches for a cup then pours his coffee, drinking it black.
“Amora had the baby,” I say as I try and sit at the breakfast bar, huffing and getting frustrated. He gives me a sympathetic smile, walking over to me and he shouldn”t look this good in the mornings. Just fucked hair, toned and sculpted body wearing nothing but low hanging pajamas. Even his feet are sexy. Nothing like a half-naked man bare foot in your kitchen. He drags the stool out a little further and lowers it before helping me on, then, like the child I clearly am, he tucks me back in.
“Thank you,” I nod, taking a mouthful of my granola. Don”t even fancy it anymore, should have gone with cereal. My favorite. I pinch my brows.
“That”s amazing, boy or girl?” he asks, leaning across the breakfast bar and all I can think about is him leaning over the back of me whilst he pounds into me. Obvs, without my huge bump. What the fuck is wrong with me.
“Didn”t say,” I shrug, “I”m going to go to the hospital.”
“Want me to come?” He asks, and I can hear the vulnerability in his voice.
“I would love for you to come, sure dad would to,” Liar liar, pants on fire, “but please, if you don”t want to, I won”t be offended and I”m sure dad wouldn”t either.” That”s not a lie. Dad would definitely prefer his best friend, who happens to not only be fucking his daughter into next week, but also married her drunk in Vegas and possibly knocked her up with twins, to not come.
“You sure? I don”t want to encroach.”
I scoff a laugh, waving him away with my hand. “Of course I am sure.”
“Perfect, I’ll go and get showered,” he smiles, walking over to me and placing a soft kiss on the top of my head, mindful to not brush across the band aid.
“Cool,” I say through a mouthful of granola and now, because of my own stupidity, my anxiety hovers around a solid eight. Perfect.
Walking into the hospital,I fight with myself to not take Keaton”s hand in mine. I mean, I want to, but feel like I shouldn”t? Labor ward is quiet, and we can easily sneak through to where Amora was last night. The blinds to her room are shut so I gently knock on the door. We”re not waiting long before my dad opens the door, eyes all glassy and a wide smile on his face. He looks exhausted. Won”t tell him that though.
“Hey Sunshine,” his voice is quiet as he places a kiss on my cheek. Want to have it out with him. Won”t though. Wouldn”t ruin this moment for Amora.
“Hey Dad,” I whisper, stepping past him and making a beeline for Amora. “Wow,” I smirk, “it should be illegal to look this good after giving birth!” Shaking my head from side to side. I”m not lying. She looks radiant and glowing. Skin all dewy. Eyes glistening. Hair wavy and long.
“You”re too kind,” she smiles at me, a blissful sigh leaving her as she looks at me.
“How was the labor?” Why did I ask.
“Horrific,” her smile slips for a millisecond. Blink and you would have missed it.
“Oh,” because, what am I meant to say to that.
“But, all went well,” she nods, reaching for a tissue off the side unit and wiping a stray tear. “Damn hormones.”
“Hey, hey, no tears,” my dad says, walking over and kissing the stray tear away as he sits on the edge of the bed. “I love you so much.”
“I know, I just keep thinking about how perfect she is,” Amora sniffles. “And I love you too,” her voice whines as she begins to cry again.
“She?” I blink, eyes batting between both of them.
“Yup,” they say in unison and my heart swells.
“Can I go and see her?” Excitement fills me as the question rolls from my tongue.
“Of course, I’ll take you down to see her,” my dad says as he stands up from the bed and walks towards the door.
“Grandpa,” I hear Xavier say to my dad as he walks through.
“I”m dad, not Grandpa, that”s you,” my dad scowls, wrinkles apparent on his face.
“You will be, might as well get used to it,” he chuckles as he walks over to his daughter and gives her a gentle kiss on the forehead, lingering for a moment, “anyway, I want to be called gaga, and mum wants to be called nanny, not grandma. I am under very strict orders to tell you that,” and Amora laughs. My dad on the other hand just rolls his eyes.
“Idiot,” I hear him rumble as he steps outside the room. “Won”t be long,” he calls out to Amora, smiling proudly at her.
She returns his smile with a nod.
Stepping out into the hallway, I side eye Keaton who is sitting on the chair, elbows resting on his knees, head dipped.
“What is he doing here?” my dad growls and I roll my eyes.
“I drove Arizona,” Keaton rolls his shoulders back, cocky smirk on his face as he sits back into the chair.
“Surprised you didn’t crash and hurt her again.”
“Low blow,” Keaton shakes his head.
“Didn”t want you here.”
“Dad,” I snap, swatting him.
“It”s fine baby,” and the way my dad fucking stiffens when he hears the pet name roll off Keaton”s tongue.
“What did you just call her?” he steps over to Keaton, towering over him. Keaton doesn”t move or flinch. I move quickly, well, as quick as a heavily pregnant woman can move and step in front of Keaton once again.
“Dad, please.” I press my hands to his chest and that”s when Keaton stands up behind me in some form of protection.
It takes my dad a hot minute to break his angry gaze from Keaton and finally settle on me, anger and frustration melting away within seconds.
“Can we go and see my baby sister?” and the words cut a little deeper into my heart, a weird warming sensation coating any other emotion that was currently pulsing through me.
“Sure thing, Sunshine.”
Keaton places a soft kiss on the top of my head before stepping aside and resting his hand on my dad”s shoulder and suddenly, I can”t breathe.
“Congratulations,” and my weak heart breaks, cracking into pieces and crumbling into my hollow chest. I watch as Keaton squeezes his shoulder then walks out of the labor ward.
My dad doesn”t move. His jaw is clenched, eyes gazing forward into Amora”s room, and I know how much that meant to him. He just wouldn”t admit it.
He says nothing, just turns on his heel and begins walking and I take that as my cue to follow him. We don”t talk. Just walk the narrow hallways. Nerves vibrate deep in my stomach, he has never once asked about work since I have been married to Keaton, yet he would always ask me before. This is where I did my internship, well, in his eyes, should still be doing my internship but he hasn”t asked a single question about how it is going. Keaton wouldn”t have told him? Surely? No, of course not. He would have told me. I shake the negative feeling that settles deep inside my chest as we round the corner to the nursery. My heart swells when I see all the beautiful newborns wrapped and swaddled in their plastic cribs.
My dad stops outside, looking through the large glass window and just stares.
“All okay?” I ask, turning and looking up at him. I can”t read him. His face full of emotion but his eyes emotionless.
“Yeah,” he rolls his lips, snapping out of it and pushing a smile onto his lips. “Ready?”
“More than ready,” I nod, and he opens the door before we”re dressed in shear pink gowns.
I watch as dad talks to the nurse before leading me towards my little sister’s crib and my heart swells in my chest as he scoops her up delicately and holds her in his large arms.
“She”s so tiny,” I whisper, eyes welling. Little button nose, and full lips. She”s a mini Amora.
“Susan,” my dad calls out to the midwife, “could you follow us to my wife”s room?”
“Of course, let me just get Bree in,” she gives a sweet smile as she slips out the back door.
I stroke her tiny hands with my finger and she locks her grip around it and I feel my throat thicken as I choke out a tear.
“Okay, you ready?” Susan asks as she pulls the baby”s crib out and my dad nods, eyes on his newborn and I reluctantly pull my finger away. Missing it instantly. We walk slowly towards where Amora is resting and her eyes light up when she sees her husband walk round the door with their little bundle. I look down the hallway, but Keaton is nowhere to be seen and I rub the ache from my chest.
“Amora,” I breathe, walking into the room, “she is beautiful.”
“She really is, isn”t she.”
I nod. “And so tiny,” my voice is a little higher as a permanent smile graces my face.
“She weighed six pound four.” Amora tells me as dad hands their daughter into her arms. Amora kisses the top of her head, and she stirs, a little squeak leaving her.
“And her name?” I wait.
“Twyla,” Amora says softly and I look at my dad then back at her.
“Twyla?” I repeat.
“It means Twilight,” and then it clicks. My dad”s favorite time of the day and Amora, his wife”s, nickname.
“Oh, it”s perfect,” I clasp my hands and Amora turns her face towards me.
“Would her big sister like a cuddle?” and I have never held my arms out as quick as I just did.
“Do you even have to ask?” I laugh, scooping her up and making sure to hold her head as I let her rest in my arms.
“Hey princess,” I coo, sniffling. I hadn”t even noticed the tear that escaped is now rolling down my cheek. “I”m your big sister, I promise to always be there for you, promise to always be the cool one when your mum and dad say no...” and as I flick my eyes up to my dad he raises his brows, “I’ll be your best friend,” and my heart thumps against my rib cage.
“Plus, you will have some friends to play with soon,” I blink back another wave of tears and swallow the apple sized lump.
I stroke the soft and delicate skin of her cheek with the side of my index finger and an all-consuming love prickles over me.
“I love her so much,” I look at my dad and Amora, “thank you for taking the job dad and thank you for doing all the stuff I don”t want to think about you doing, so you could have her,” they both laugh, and my dad is at Amora”s side, scooping her hand in his and planting a soft kiss on the back of it.
“Bet your mom and dad are over the moon for their first grandchild,” I sigh, slowly rocking from side to side.
“They are, I mean, it”s not what they wanted for their twenty-five-year-old but,” Amora laughs just as Xavier and Royal step into the room.
“What didn”t they want?” Royal”s brows raise, “Hey Arizona.”
Amora ignores her mother’s question.
“Hey,” I nod and Xavier knocks my dad out the way and presses a kiss to the top of his daughter’s head and I let out a low chuckle.
“Morning Arizona,” Xavier stands, folding his hands into his pockets, “where is your husband?”
“No idea,” I throw a scowl at my dad, “he was sent away, was told he wasn”t welcome,” venom seeps through my voice.
“Well, that”s not ideal is it.” He turns to face my dad. “Titty, you should treat your son-in-law with how you would expect to be treated by your own father-in-law,” and I don”t miss the condescending tone.
“I do, I treat him like shit because that”s how you treat me,” my dad snipes and Amora sighs, Royal shakes her head from side to side.
“Now, now boys,” she mocks, placing her hand on her husband’s forearm, giving him a look that only he knows.
“Fine,” Xavier rolls his eyes in an exaggerated manner. “As far as son-in-laws go, you really aren”t that bad. It could have been a lot worse.”
“No shit,” my dad scoffs and that”s when the room fills with a piercing little cry, and everyone falls silent. I step towards Amora and hand her over to her. She soothes her and Titus is there helping her remove her top so Twyla can latch on.
“Titus, close your eyes, stop looking,” Xavier booms across the room as he turns away from his daughter so she can nurse in peace.
“Dad!” Amora shouts at him and Titus chuckles, shaking his head.
“I”m going to take that as my cue to leave,” I smile, reaching up and undoing the tie on my gown and discarding it into the bin in the corner of the room.
“Sunshine,” my dad looks at me confused, Amora facing me too, perfect brows pinched. “You don”t have to leave.”
“I know,” I smile, rubbing my own bump, “but I’ll see you a bit later yeah? thanks for inviting me to meet Twyla.”
My dad stands tall and walks towards me, pulling me in for a hug, lingering for a moment or two.
“Love you baby,” he kisses the top of my head and I give him a squeeze.
“You too,” I step back and give Amora a kiss on the cheek. Waving to Xavier and Royal, I walk out the room and that”s when I see Keaton.
Standing at the end of the hallway with a crooked smile on his face and looking as handsome as ever. We walk towards each other, my arms throwing around his neck as his lips slant over mine.
“Take me home,” I whisper.
“Always, Blossom,” he kisses me once more, “always.”