The summer break keepsake

Where we're meant to be (33)

2 months later

Kelly's POV

It's wild how time slips through your fingers like sand when you become a parent, you really do blink and they've hit another milestone, summer is now about to turn 3 months old looking more like Stella everyday.

She was currently slumbered peacefully against my chest, it was the weekend so I made sure I got my cuddles in with her when I can, since I don't get to see her for majority of the days during the week since I started back school a couple of weeks ago.

Stella was home schooling online whenever she could mostly when summer was down for her naps so she wasn't missing too much of her education and we could both finish this semester together, meaning she wouldn't be held back a year, and we can graduate together next year.

Speaking of Stella, she was currently humming a tune to herself in the kitchen as she prepared a late lunch for us both, The wild chaos of the DCFS case and New York felt like a lifetime ago and we was still dealing with recurring nightmares thinking summer was being taken away again but we made sure to lean on each other and support each other.

Stella walked into my eye sight offering out a plate of food as I carefully sat up and transferred a still sleeping summer into her swing chair in front of me, before I took the plate from Stella "thank you, I guess I'm on washing up duty then?" I ask her as she smiled and sat herself down beside me "you bet" she responded as we both delved into the grilled sandwiches.

"Oh I forgot to tell you, her doctor emailed me yesterday, the date for her surgery is all set, they're happy to go ahead and fit her in, next week" Stella tells me as I look at her shocked, a mix of anticipation and anxiety washing over me. "Wow really?" I ask her as she nods "I know I wasn't expecting it to be so soon, but her results from her check up on Wednesday were really good apparently and they're happy enough with her bone density so atleast It means she can start her recovery and mobility training without too much delay to her development" she admits as I nod, knowing that was one of the things we were worried about most, if we had to wait too long, we didn't want her mobility development to lag behind too much.

"I agreed to meet with him Monday afternoon to go over everything and do her pre-op, if you can get out of school for an hour you can meet me there" she asks me as I nod "of course, of course I'll be there, what time is it at?" I ask her

"1:15 at med" she tells me as I nod, taking the last bite of my grilled cheese and looking over at summer, her face twitching into a smile almost like she knew we were talking about her. "I wouldn't miss it for the world" I say leaning my hand down and stroking her arm, the arm that was now out of the arm brace, with now only her legs left in a hip brace.

The rest of the day passed within a blur as we spent it lounging on the sofa together taking it in turns to comfort and nurture all of summers needs.

Stella was bathing her right now as I prepared some of the expressed milk out the fridge into one of her bottles. I warmed it up using the bottle warmer before heading upstairs to place it on the cabinet in summers room to wait for her. I could hear Stella talking and cooing from the bathroom as I made my way to go see how she's doing, I lean against the door frame as I watch her knelt down by the side of the tub singling the 5 little duck nursery rhythm to summer, squeezing the rubber duck every so often as I smile.

As she squeezes the duck on final time I hear a soft giggle coming from the tub, it was summer, her first laugh, I stood there in a mix of shock and awe, It was as if the universe had paused just for us, capturing that perfect sound "oh my god, did you just...did you..." I hear Stella say, chocking up a little "Kelly!" She shouts unaware I'm stood behind her as I move deeper into the bathroom "I heard...I heard it too" I say in pure amazement, Stella looking up at me, her eyes lighting up with just as much joy I was feeling.