Growing Together

Chapter 30

It had taken them almost another hour before the nurse came to escorted them upstairs to Kao's room.

As they walked in, Pete noticed the nurse was helping Kao tie his robes back up but his eyes had gone to Kao's face. He looked so worn out, the bags were even more visible beneath his eyes but he looked happy cradling their son in his arms. Mrs. Karn, Gift, and his father had already made their way over to his bedside to get a glance at the baby.

"I'll give you all a moment a privacy. I'll come by to check on Mom and baby a little later," The nurse said to Pete before she was excusing herself from the room to give the family some privacy.

"Goodness, look at you sweet baby," Mrs. Karn said with a soft smile as she laid her eyes on her grandchild for the first time. "It just makes me remember when you and Gift were born."

"He's so tiny," Gift said with a huge grin as she reached over to touch In's little hands.

"Congratulations, Kao, he's beautiful," Nick said with a smile as he, too, watched the baby so peacefully sleep in his mother's arms.

"Thank you," Kao said with a smile as his fingers gently wiped away the remaining traces of milk from the corner of his lips. In was just so tiny and fragile that it was hard to believe that this was the little baby that had been kicking his bladder just a couple days ago.

"The nurse was teaching you to feed him?" His mother asked when she noticed Kao wiping away the milk.

"Hm," Kao had hummed nodding his head, "She was showing me some tricks to get In to latch on. It's not like how I imagined it would be." Everything was far different in real life than it was in books he had read.

"I'm sure it is, every baby will be different," Mrs. Karn said with a smile as she reached over to caress Kao's head, "I'm so proud of you Kao."

Kao couldn't fight the blush tinting his cheeks at his mom's words, "Do you want to hold him?" He offered trying his best not to linger on that thought.

"I want to hold him next," Gift said eagerly as Kao handed In to their mother.

Just like Mrs. Karn had said, these kinds of moments had a way of reminiscing to when it was your child being born. He turned towards Pete and seeing his son smile had Nick smiling just a little wider. He reached over to pat Pete's shoulder. "Make sure you take good care of them," His dad said.

"I will," Pete said with a smile before he turned towards Kao when he noticed him shift a little on the bed to sit a bit more comfortably.

They had stayed with them for a good while before Pete's father had decided that he had stayed long enough, and Kao could use the rest. Even Mrs. Karn had agreed and kissed Kao before she was urging Gift to come along.

Once they were alone, Pete had gone to sit beside Kao's bedside. At some time during the evening in the room, he had moved the chair closer to the bed so Kao's mother wouldn't have to be standing. It was the same chair he was sitting in now, with In in his arms. "Get some sleep, I'll watch In." Pete said with a smile.

Finally, after everyone had gotten to hold his son, he was able to carry In again. The first time he had seen him, he was red from crying but now his son looked like every other baby. So tiny and so calm. The more he looked at In, the more he could almost make out his features.

In looked so much like Kao, especially his little nose and lips.

Kao had only watched him for a moment seeing how Pete seemed so fascinated with their child, and it just made Kao's heart beat a little faster. He never imagined Pete would be here with him when the baby was born. He wanted to fight sleep just to look watch them a little longer, but he just couldn't stay awake anymore.

"I want to spend time with you and In too, but I'm so tired..." Kao managed to groggily say before drifting off to sleep.

Pete had felt his cheeks heat up a little just hearing those words. The smile on his face had soften a little just watching Kao's eyes flutter close before he turned towards In's little sleeping form. He had ever so gently lifted his little hand to press a kiss to it, "In, your mom is very cute." He confined in his son.