Begin Again

| Chapter Thirty-Eight |

Raffo's fingers soothingly traced soft circles into Ruth's washed back, brushing the suds on and off her skin as they both laid with each other in the bathtub. Ruth's cheek rested tiredly on his chest while gazing absentmindedly at the bubbles slowly disappearing on his upper biceps. For just a while, she'd been stuck in her own world somewhere deep inside of her mind, where she wondered why life consistently threw curve balls at her.

Raffo, the lovely being that he was, had drawn her a bath the moment they got home. They took a quick shower first, and when Raffo was going to give her some time to think while taking her bath, she all but begged him to stay. It took no convincing, much to her relief, and he hasn't let go of her since.

Ruth was quiet the entire ride to the apartment. She didn't know what to say or talk about regarding her parents. Sorry you had to meet them like that? Well, she didn't know they were going to be there in the first place. My mother is a lot to handle? He already knew that. I'm so embarrassed that the entire situation happened in the first place? He probably knew that, too.

Ruth moved her lips to his skin, sighing softly.

"I'm sorry you couldn't meet your godson today," she whispered, glancing up at him through wet curls.

He frowned, brushing the strands out of her eyes. "Don't be sorry. It wasn't your fault today happened, Ruth."

"I know," she admitted. She bit her lip after meeting his brown eyes full of so much understanding, that her chest ached. "I'll be okay here, Raff, if you still want to meet him. I doubt the nursery is closed yet."

"I don't want to leave you like this while you're still upset. I can just meet him another ti—"

But Ruth was already shaking her head. "I'll be fine, I don't think I want to talk about what we both already know. And besides, I want you to meet your godson. It wouldn't be fair to him or Mirana if you stood them up for another week. I'm probably just going to take a nap, anyway."

Raffo tucked his fingers into her curls and drew her forehead to his soft lips. "Are you sure?"

She nodded, trying to sound perkier than how she was feeling. "I'm more than sure. Andrés is waiting to meet you, and I don't want to take up anymore of his time. Babies have a full schedule, you know."

He playfully rolled his eyes. "What schedule? Pooping and eating?"

"And burping, bathing, sleeping, yawning, getting pricked with shots, and meeting a bunch of weird looking people that are constantly being shoved in their faces. It's a lot of work to be a baby."

"Sounds like it," he said, dryly, then paused. He pursed his lips thoughtfully. "I don't think I've asked you before, but have you ever considered . . . having one in the future?"

Ruth shrugged. "I've always known that I'm going to adopt one one day. Kids used to annoy me, but after working the prenatal unit, I realized I wouldn't mind having an alien or two. As long as I get to adopt, that's all that matters to me."

Raffo smiled in response. "I like it, Semple. You would make an amazing mother to a child out there. I've never considered fatherhood because I had to help raise my sisters and the father figures I've seen have been jackasses, but I think . . . I don't know, maybe someday I'd want a kid."

She moved her hand out of the water and wrapped her warm palm against his cheek, drawing his attention to her. "And you'd be an amazing father because of what you went through, Raff. Any child would be lucky enough to have you as their dad. I think you'd blow any man on earth out the water."

Raffo was the entire package. Husband material, father material, and godfather material. She knew without a doubt that he'd treat every child in his life with love and attention, even if he didn't get that from a father figure growing up. He was so attentive to Ruth's needs and his sisters, she couldn't think of a finger man than Raffo Leflore.