Page 171 of Eternally Yours
“Oh, Silas.” I capture his lips to mine. A promise of eternal love through our kiss.
Dante.
Chapter forty-eight
Epilogue
And they lived happily ever after... except for Greyson.
CECILIA
~ Ten Months Later / November ~
Dante stayed in the hospital for a total of fifty-four days. Even though I was discharged after three days, I got to stay by his side every step of the way. After three weeks, he was allowed to stay in the private room I was given for NICU parents around the clock in a little bassinet.
He stopped needing the ventilator after four days, and only had a nasal cannula for one week. Although he’s a premature baby, it didn’t take him long to catch up in weight and height.
Silas found it hard going back to hockey knowing we were still in the hospital. Away games were the hardest for him. Honestly, the whole process was hard for both of us.
I hated not having my baby with me in my room for the first weeks. I found myself spending all my time in the NICU, and only left to take a shower, eat, and sleep. I cried so many times during those fifty-four days.
It was all emotionally draining, but I had amazing support from my friends and family. As well as all the nurses and doctors at the hospital. Whenever Silas was away at games, we would video call with our son whenever he could.
And when Silas was home, he’d stay in our hospital room with me. I’d sometimes wake up during the night to find him gone. Then I’d wander over to the NICU and see him cuddling up with our boy.
Aubrey ended up staying in our home for those fifty-four days. Since no one was there and we needed someone to watch over Milo, she offered right away. I have a feeling she’s really over living with Greyson.
She’s also used my new car to get around since the other was totaled in the crash. Silas was too impatient to wait for the insurance, so he bought an identical brand new one the next day.
Dante is now ten months old. Every month, we have a tiny celebration for our little warrior. Morgan, Aubrey, and I are currently in the kitchen preparing food and desserts. While Silas, Clay, Greyson, Gabe, and Noah play video games in the living room quietly, since Dante is upstairs in his room taking a nap with Milo before dinner.
The minute we brought our baby home, Milo found a new best friend and rarely ever sleeps with us anymore. He’s always with Dante. No matter where I put him down, Milo is there.
“Where’s Em? She’s not coming?” Morgan asks from the other side of the kitchen island.
“Nope, she hasn’t been returning my calls or answering my texts...” Emma and I had a falling out after I gave birth to Dante. I tried to keep in touch, but it now makes three months that she’s stopped responding.
She ended up quitting her job at Wilson Events and is now doing nothing with her life except for serving her piece of shit boyfriend.I hate that man with everything I have in me. But not as much as Silas does.That day at the hospital changed things between Emma and I, and Silas was ready to murder Tommy.
They had come to visit us and see our baby. Everything seemed fine until Tommy made a not-so-subtle flirtatious comment to me, stating that if every woman looked as sexy as me after giving birth, he’d gladly be knocking everyone up.
Silas lost it the minute the words left his mouth. Picked him up by the collar, threatened him, then threw him out of the room. Emma defended him, obviously, saying it was a joke, and left with him. Since then, she’s been cold every time I try to tell her that he’s no good for her. And now she’s just gone silent.
Morgan gives me a worried look and I shrug. There’s not much we can do if she won’t listen to us. Aubrey, being the ever-loving peacemaker, changes the subject quickly.
“You know, I’m still mad at you for what you pulled at your gender reveal party,” Brey says in a hushed voice.
I look up from the tomatoes I’m dicing with a frown. “What did I do?”
Her eyes dart to the boys quickly, then back down to the brownie mixture she’smaking.I never lost my brownie craving after giving birth.“Forcing me onto Shane! It was so awkward. I had no idea what to say to him. Then when he asked about the things I baked, I went on to name every ingredient in them like an idiot!” She frowns and shakes her head.
“By the time I was done, he looked like he didn’t understand a word I had just said. It was so embarrassing. I can’t even see him anymore without losing my cool and stuttering like someone who’s never talked to the opposite sex before.” She huffs when she’s done, like it was physically draining to say all of that.
Morgan and I look at each other, then both throw our heads back and laugh. Aubrey tells us repeatedly to be quiet while looking back at the boys in the other room, who are now staring at us with narrowed eyes.
I finally settle down and clear my throat. “That was like a year ago! And I didn’t force you onto him. He was looking for an excuse to talk to you, so I just helped. Trust me, he’s as much a stuttering mess as you are. When are you guys going to do something about this attraction?”
“There’s nothing there. You’re all seeing things,” she says, not looking up at us but blushing madly.
