Ellie
“I’m perfectly capable of walking, Rafael.”
“Mm, I know. But I want to carry you.” He nuzzles his nose into my hair as he cradles me in his arms like an invalid. “Besides, I want to carry you over the threshold, wife.” I feel him smile against my neck. The moment I was able to whisper, “I do,” Rafael demanded we were getting married. I was in my hospital gown, no less.
“Mamma!” Oliver pulls the door open for us and motions with grabby hands toward Rafael.
“Just wait, buddy. I need to put Mommy in her bed.”
“Upstairs?” His words have been clearer lately, and I couldn’t be prouder. The time I spent recovering in the hospital gave me plenty of time to concentrate on helping him with his language skills. Rafael even had the staff put a cot in the room for Oliver to sleep next to me, as he refused to leave me.
The hurt my boys felt at my injuries must have been soul destroying, and I’ve done nothing but apologize to them, much to Rafael’s disapproval.
Oliver follows us upstairs. The pitter patter of his small feet has me smiling, and when the bedroom door opens to the familiar scent of freesias, I bite into my lip at the pure bliss I feel deep inside.
Rafael slides me onto the center of the bed, and Oliver clambers onto the end, crawling up. “Oliver, be careful. Mamma is still hurt.” Rafael snipes out, his body tensing at our son’s overexcitement.
“Mamma still owie.”
“Yes. Mamma still owie. So be careful.”
“Ohhh.” Oliver creates a huge O with his mouth, and he looks adorable.
“It’s okay, little man. Come here.” I hold my arms out to him, and he immediately settles against my chest.
“You missed Mamma, huh?”
He nods as I stroke his hair, and I place a kiss on top of his head.
“Look who we have here,” Rosalita calls from the doorway as she slips inside the room with Hudson in her arms. Although we agreed to no nannies, she’s been helping care for the boys while I’ve been recovering, and I couldn’t be more grateful. “We have Hudson!” she declares as our son blows bubbles. His silky dark hair stands spikey, and he looks as cute as a button. She bends and places a kiss on my cheek while slipping Hudson into my arms, then she leaves.
Oliver looks from me to Rafael. “We’re all here, Mamma,” he singsongs with a toothy smile.
“Yeah, we are, little man. We’re all here, exactly where we’re meant to be.” Rafael places a kiss on Oliver’s head, and I preen at how far he has come.
He’s becoming the man he wants to be, and I’m right by his side.
He takes my face between the palms of his hands and stares deep into my eyes. The love flowing between us sends my heart racing with an unexpected warmth, a feeling of completion, knowing I have everything I’ve ever wanted and so much more.
“I love you, Ellie.” My heart skips a beat, and tears threaten to spill from my eyes.
I chew on my bottom lip, fighting the smile threatening to break out, and when I scan over his face, vulnerability swims in his eyes while waiting for me to respond. Does he really doubt my feelings for him? Surely, he knows by now.
“I love you too, Rafael,” I whisper.
Then his lips touch mine, the softness of them a rarity, a tenderness shared only with me and our boys, and I relish it.
With each gentle swipe of his tongue, my body fills with a knowing feeling of possession we will forever be, Daddy and his little doll.