I'll Be There

42 | all night

Spencer knocked lightly on the front door of the Baker's house and waited. A few moments later, the door creaked open, and Laura's warm smile came into view.

"She's upstairs today."

There was no crying or sounds of movement as he climbed the stairs. An unclear sign that the day had either gone smoothly or been harder than usual.

In her old room, he found Olivia curled up on one side of the bed with Hailey tucked in between her and a fort of pillows. They were both asleep. The two loves of his life, side by side. Alive and healthy. After the nightmare of a night, that was all he could ever ask for.

Quietly, Spencer pulled his shirt over his head and made his way to the other side of the bed. One by one, he set the pillows down onto the floor. By the time the last one was out of the way, his five week-old daughter had opened her eyes and was staring blankly in his direction.

"Hey mama," he whispered. Sliding his hand under her head, he pulled her from her spot, and as soon as Olivia sensed the open space next to her, she stirred.

Her eyes snapped wide in panic. "Hai–"

"Hey, hey," he murmured, "it's just me."

Olivia's body fell back against the mattress, and her face scrunched up as she resisted the urge to cry. The sight of him after a long five days without a single appearance hit her like a ton of bricks.

Most evenings, he tried to stop by after training if only for thirty minutes, but too often, his schedule didn't allow him to make the drive out to Beverly Hills.

"Come here." Spencer patted the spot next to him as he held their newborn to his chest.

Olivia shook her head. "I need to shower. I'm disgusting."

"You know I don't care. Come here."

She looked down at her old t-shirt, covered in milk stains and remnants of the dinner her mom had brought up for her. She didn't even want to think about what her hair looked like.

"Olivia."

"I—"

"Are we going to do this again?"

Crawling towards him, she relented. "I missed you. So much."

"I missed you both," he murmured, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head.

"Today was hard," Olivia whispered, brushing her thumb along Hailey's cheek as her daughter stared back at her.

"Tell me."

"It was just one thing after another. And the whole time I didn't even know if I was doing anything right. Every time she cries, I don't know if she's hungry or uncomfortable or tired or... or if she hates me."

"She definitely doesn't hate you," Spencer chuckled as Hailey began to open her lips against his chest.

"Well the fact that she won't let me have the only time I get with you makes me think she does." Sighing, Olivia sat up against the headboard and reached for Hailey. "Let's go, baby girl."

Spencer adjusted the pillows behind her back as she lifted her shirt up and helped Hailey latch on. After a few failed attempted, Hailey finally began to suckle.

Olivia's head fell back against the wall. "When she's not crying, I'm worried about whether she's breathing or if she's cold or too hot or if there are stray hairs wrapped around her fingers. It's so draining, Spencer."

"I could stay and help more."

Olivia was quick with her reply. "No."

"I want to help you, Liv."