Total pages in book: 180
Estimated words: 182075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 182075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
“Boy or a girl?” she asked.
“Girl,” he croaked.
“Oh. A girl.” She let out a small sob. “Safe?”
He took her hand in his and wrote in the palm of her hand using his finger.
S.A.F.E
He did that long after she fell back asleep and the others had arrived to check on her.
They all stood vigil over her, watching her every breath, worried and on edge.
None of them had really slept or eaten. They were a mess.
Rock drew out his phone to type out a message to them all.
Rock: Indie already suggested it, but I really do want to start using sign language again to communicate.
Why was he so nervous?
“Good,” Slade said with a nod. “Like I said before we’ll all start learning it again.”
“About time,” Spencer said. “It’s a waste of my natural skill not to use it.”
“I will look into the best ways to learn it. There’s likely an app now to help us all,” Quaid said, already tapping away on his phone.
He’d been in research mode ever since Button was born. Looking into everything the doctors and nurses told them about Indie and the baby’s conditions.
“We’ve been waiting for you to be ready, Rock,” Slade told him. “We’re all glad you want this now.”
Thanks to their girl.
His phone buzzed. Quaid had sent them all a link to an app to download. He settled in to refresh his memory and watch over their girl.
65
Indie sat in the wheelchair, feeling unsure and nervous. The guys were all with her as Slade wheeled her into the neonatal unit.
Apparently, they’d secured a private suite in the hospital while Button was here. This place was like a freaking hotel. It was amazing and she was so grateful that they’d organised it so she could stay close to Button once she was discharged.
Which would hopefully be soon.
At least you’re off the magnesium drip.
And even though she was sore and exhausted, she felt more alert and less nauseous.
Today was the day she got to meet her baby. She was both excited and terrified. The guys kept telling her that she was doing well. But she just needed to see her with her own eyes.
Both of them had nearly died.
A small whimper of pain escaped her. Slade stopped moving to lean down over her. “What is it, Little one? Does something hurt?”
She shook her head. Well, no more than usual. She’d placed a pillow over her stomach to protect her incision.
Her baby was no longer inside her.
Sure, everyone had told her that. But it wasn’t until the fog really lifted that the reality hit her.
Hard.
She was no longer pregnant. She’d had her baby.
And she couldn’t remember any of it. That felt like something that might haunt her for a while. Because it was still hard to process.
Button wasn’t safe in her belly. She was out and she was fighting to survive and it felt like Indie couldn’t do anything to help her.
“Are you scared?” Slade asked.
She nodded. Yeah.
“You don’t need to be scared with us here,” Quaid said, crouching in front of her. “She’s where she needs to be. I’ve been keeping on top of everything that the doctors and nurses tell us. Her treatment, what she needs, and we have the best of the best looking after her. Okay?”
Indie nodded again. She didn’t even care how much it was costing them. Just that they were taking care of Button.
“She’s so beautiful,” Spencer added. “Perfect. Sure, she has to have a few extra things to help her. But she is going to make it. She’s a fighter like her mama.”
Indie sniffled. Right. She didn’t feel like a fighter right now.
Rock grasped hold of her hand and moved his finger around on her palm.
S.A.F.E.
She breathed in deep and let it out. She’d noticed that they were all using hand signals more. They hadn’t mentioned it to her, but she’d seen Slade practicing some signs that he was reading on his phone.
She stared into Rock’s face as he gazed back steadily at her.
God. She wished she could suck on her thumb right now. But this wasn’t a safe place to let her Little out.
“Rock is freaking out already about keeping boys away from her,” Spencer said. “No doubt she’s going to be stunningly beautiful, just like her mama.”
She had to smile at that. Spencer always knew how to make her feel better.
“We’re going to take care of her and you,” Quaid declared.
It felt like a vow.
A promise.
Finally, she let her fears drift away. Well, most of them anyway.
The NICU was so quiet except for the constant hum of machines. It all looked so technical and a bit sterile if she was honest. Very white and clean, but not exactly homey. But that didn’t matter.
All that mattered was making sure that Button was all right.
They entered a room with an incubator that looked like something out of a sci-fi movie. There was a nurse close by who smiled at her. “Hi, Indie. I’m Anna, one of your baby’s nurses. I know everything looks scary. But she really is doing well. She’s linked up to a few monitors to make sure she is okay. She has a feeding tube and also needs some oxygen.”