Whiskey 'n Lace

~ Chapter Forty-Two ~

"Are you sure we're ready to go home?" Olivia questioned as Rafael slipped the three car seats into the back seat of their car.

"We're going to do just fine, mí amor, " he smiled making sure all of the babies were snug in their seats, "plus Mamí is going to meet us at the house and stay with us for the first couple of nights to make sure we settle in, and so you can adjust."

"Right, we've got this, " Olivia sighed softly, running her hand over her hospital wrist band.

Rafael could see it written all over his wife's face, she was nervous. He knew this was a huge step for both of them, they'd always been responsible for themselves and each other, now they were responsible for three, little tiny lives, and that scared him too. More than he ever cared to admit, but he knew they were going to be great parents. 

Rafael placed his hands on both of his wife's shoulders and placed a gentle kiss on her lips, "we've got this, Livvie, we're not alone in this either. We have a huge support system and no matter what comes our way next we'll be okay, I promise."

"You promise?" Olivia questioned, sniffling from her husband's sweet words. 

"I promise, " Rafael smiled, placing another soft kiss on his wife's lips, "now let's get the four of you home."

"Let's go home, " Olivia nodded as Rafael helped her into her seat.

///

"Let me carry something or someone, " Olivia whined as her mother-in-law and husband loaded their arms with babies and hospital bags.

"Carry yourself, honey, " Lucia smiled, "you just had three babies you don't need to be putting any strain on your body."

"I'm okay, really, please let me at least take Atlas, " Olivia countered, reaching her hands out to the little boy snuggled in the crook of his daddy's arm.

"You can have him as soon as we get upstairs, mí amor, " Rafael smiled, redirecting his wife to the front door of their building.

Olivia sighed and rolled her eyes, she knew they were just being protective and truth be told she was sore all over and just wanted to curl up in her bed or on the couch to relax her body. Once upstairs she allowed herself to move right to the overstuffed couch while her mother-in-law headed for the kitchen and her husband got all of the babies situated near her in their swings.

"You okay, baby?" Rafael questioned, noticing his wife had pulled a blanket over her body and that she wasn't fighting rest.

"Just sore, do you think you could get me something to drink?"

Rafael cracked a half-smile and kissed his wife's forehead, "of course I can, what would you like?"

"Iced water with lemon please, " Olivia smiled tiredly as a whimper broke their moment.

"Interruptions start now and will last the next eighteen years, " Rafael chuckled, reaching for Genevieve.

Olivia quickly checked the time on her phone before reaching out for the tiny baby, "it's feeding time."

"Do you want a blanket to cover with?" Rafael questioned genuinely, causing a sweet giggle to escape his wife's lips.

"No baby we're good just whipping it out, " Olivia smiled, "your mom watched three babies come out of you know where a few days ago, I don't think my boobs are going to offend her."

"Nothing I haven't seen before, " Lucia smiled, placing Olivia's water bottle within reaching distance, "do you want your nursing pillow, hun?"

"Please, " Olivia nodded.

Olivia positioned Genevieve at a comfortable angle and allowed her daughter to latch, which immediately silenced the little one's cries. Genevieve suckled, her hazel eyes looking into her mother's. Rafael watched the interaction between his wife and daughter in awe. He'd fallen even more in love with his wife in the first three days of his children's lives and he didn't think it was possible to have that much love for one person.

"What are you looking at, Mr. Barba?" Olivia questioned, watching her husband stare blankly at her and their daughter.

"I'm looking at my beautiful wife provide for one of our three amazing children and I'm watching a beautiful mother and daughter bond form before my eyes."

"Who knew becoming a Dad would make you so soft and sentimental, baby, " Olivia smiled, wiping a few stray tears from her cheeks.

"I think you're both going to be extra soft these first couple of weeks, " Lucia smiled, sliding the pillow under Olivia's arm and around her belly.

"I think it comes with the territory, " Olivia giggled.

"I think you couldn't be more right, my love, " Rafael smiled, rubbing his wife's knee gently as his son began to stir.

"I think Atlas is calling dibs, " Lucia smiled, scooping the little boy into her arms.

Olivia smiled tiredly, looking at her mother-in-law. Atlas was slid under her other arm and Olivia was able to get him situated to feed. She was thankful to have her husband and mother-in-law with her because without them right now she'd be lost.

///

Later in the evening after all three babies had been fed, changed, and rocked to sleep the three adults sat together in the living room. Olivia practically nodding off to sleep in her husband's arms on their couch.

"Olivia, do you want to go up to bed?" Rafael questioned as her eyes fluttered closed once more.

"No, your mom's here, I don't wanna be rude, " she whispered, her eyes heavy with sleep as she tried to open them.

"Mí amor, Mamí is going to be here for several days to help. And you're going to need to be up in a few hours for another feed, come on, I'll come up and lay with you, " Rafael sighed as his mother pushed up from the chair she was sitting in.

"The two of you head to bed, I'm going to shower and do the same, " Lucia smiled with a soft yawn. 

"A shower, " Olivia sighed, looking up to her husband.

Rafael chuckled, pushing stray hairs that had fallen from her bun away from her eyes, "would you like to take a hot shower before bed, mí amor?"

Olivia nodded and hummed, "just a quick one, my body hurts, " Olivia whined softly.

"Okay, short hot shower and sleep, mí amor."

"Mmhm, goodnight Mamí, " Olivia hummed, hugging Lucia before heading for the stairs.

"Goodnight, sweetie, " Lucia smiled, hugging her son before he jumped to his wife's side to help her upstairs to bed. 

///

Slowly but surely Olivia and Rafael made their way upstairs and into the shower. They showered together, Rafael helping his wife wash her hair and keeping her upright as she tried to stay awake. Once they finished rinsing off, Rafael helped his wife get dresses and comfortable in bed before sliding in beside her.

"We can snuggle again, " Olivia yawned, snuggling into her pillow.

"Of course we can, " Rafael slipped behind his wife and gently wrapped his arm around her body.

"Goodnight, " Olivia yawned once more.

"Goodnight, mí amor, " Rafael smiled, placing a soft kiss to the crown of her head as she began to quickly drift off to sleep.