Page 81 of Pieces into Place
“I’m so proud of you.”
“Thanks, Mom. She’s beautiful.”
“So are you, honey.” Isla tenderly tucked Blake’s hair behind her ear. She was wearing the gown she’s gotten for her postpartum time, and Isla knew without asking that Melanie had ensured Blake got to wear it so she’d be comfortable. “How are you feeling?”
“Tired and sore and itchy.”
“Itchy?” She directed the question to Melanie, who walked over to the bed. Melanie put her hand on Blake’s head in the most tender and comforting way.
“The epidural can make some people itch. We gave her some Benadryl, so it may make her a little sleepy.”
“I’mverysleepy,” Blake chuckled.
“She was waiting to see you before she’d go to sleep.” Alexis stood on the other side of the bed, still holding the baby in her arms. She looked down at Blake as she carefully handed her the baby. “Do you want to introduce her?”
“Absolutely.” Blake beamed with happiness as she held her baby for a moment before looking up at Isla. “We’re keeping herwholename a surprise until Mama can be here too. But this is Amelia.”
“Amelia,” Isla put a hand to her chest. “I love that name.”
“Do you want to hold her?”
“Absolutely.”
Slowly and carefully, Isla took Amelia from Blake. She held the baby in her arms as she looked down at her. Amelia was sleeping, her mouth slightly open in the most adorable way. It was most likely Melanie that had wrapped her in the matching swaddle to Blake’s gown.
“She’s perfect, Blake. Congratulations, you two.”
“Congrats to you too, Grammy.”
Isla savored her time with Amelia, Blake, and Alexis in the recovery room until Blake was moved to a postpartum room. A cot had been set up in the room for Alexis, and she laid on it doing skin-to-skin with Amelia as Vera sat on the edge of the cot. It was clear to Isla she was making sure Alexis didn’t fall asleep, and that gesture made Isla smile. Melanie had prepared the bottles of milk from Mason for Amelia, and Blake had given Amelia her first feeding before falling asleep herself.
“Mom?” Blake was almost asleep as Isla sat by her bed, holding her hand. Isla instantly reached for the water bottle by the bed.
“Are you thirsty?”
“No,” she shook her head as she scooted over a little in the bed. “Can you hold me while I sleep?”
Isla’s heart melted as she nodded. She kicked off her shoes and carefully got into bed beside Blake. Vera hurried over to help make sure Blake’s IVs and monitors weren’t in the way as Blake snuggled into Isla. Kissing her head, Isla remembered back to the night she had Blake and the firsttime she kissed her head. A wave of emotions crashed into her, but there was one that overwhelmed her the most.
Peace.
Not only with the fact that Blake and Amelia were okay, but for the fact Isla’s heart finally felt whole again.
“I love you, Blake.”
“I love you, Mommy.”
Chapter 28
Blake
Every inch of Blake’s body was exhausted. She didn’t even want to open her eyes after her mid-morning nap because it seemed like too much effort. Palmer Thompson, Blake’s current day shift nurse, had woken her up the first time at eight a.m. She had told Blake she’d been back at ten to help her get up and go to the bathroom, but Blake wasn’t looking forward to that. Blake had barely been out of the bed since the afternoon before and her body was still sore from the surgery.
The bright spot in all the pain, though, was Amelia. She was nursing and looking up at Blake as Blake cooed at her and marveled at how perfect she was. It seemed like forever ago that Archer and Reese were as tiny as Amelia was, and yet it was almost three years ago.
Alexis had gone home to shower and see the kids before coming back to the hospital with them. They’d let Harper skip school to celebrate the birth of her new sister, and Alexis had said Harper was beyond excited. Blake was as well. She hadn’t known when she’d kissed Harper goodbye before school the day before that she’d wound up in the hospital having a baby only hours later.
After much convincing, Isla and Vera left to pick up lunch at Carlson’s Cafe. Blake had been craving a deli meatsandwich for nine months and could almost taste it. And the donuts she’d asked Vera to pick up as well. They’d reluctantly left a few minutes prior, leaving Mason in charge of watching over Blake and Amelia.
