Autumn is a second spring

138. Custard apple

Sammy was sitting up in bed, her back propped against a mound of pillows. She looked much better—paler than usual, but peaceful. The hospital room was quiet except for the soft hum of the machines. When Fluke walked in, she looked up at him with a tired smile.

"Did you see her?" she asked, her voice gentle but filled with excitement. "My baby girl?"

Fluke's expression softened. He nodded with a smile that reached his eyes. "I did. She is beautiful, Sammy. She really is."

Sammy's face lit up. "The doctor said as long as she can breathe on her own and take oral feeds, there won't be any issue taking her home."

Boston, who was sitting on the couch nearby, let out a long sigh of relief. "Thank God it was a natural birth," he said, his voice heavy with sincerity. "If it had been a C-section like they warned during checkups, it would have been so much harder on you."

Sammy turned her head sharply toward him, her lips curling into a playful scowl. "Who said natural birth isn't complicated? I went through hell, Phi! I had tears—actual tears, down there!"

Boston blinked, panicking immediately. "No, no, that's not what I meant!" He fumbled his words, waving his hands as if to physically push his statement back into his mouth. "I just meant—uh—N' Soo told me about her C-section. She said the wound took weeks to heal, and it got infected twice! I just meant yours will heal faster—"

Sammy burst into laughter, watching her husband flail.

Fluke chuckled quietly from the side, the warmth of the moment curling in his chest. Boston looked so helplessly sincere, and Sammy, even exhausted, looked radiant. He had known the two for years—they bickered like teenagers, but their love always lingered between the lines.

Boston eventually dropped back onto the couch, shaking his head. "I swear, watching the delivery... I will never forget it. I don't think I have ever been that scared in my life. I just—thank you, Sam. For giving us our little girl."

Sammy smiled at him softly. "You were right there with me, remember? You held my hand through every contraction. I should be thanking you."

Fluke felt a familiar tug of affection in his chest. These two were family in every sense that mattered. He cleared his throat and asked, "So... have you decided on a name yet?"

Sammy's face brightened instantly. "Yes! We are calling her Noina."

Fluke blinked, then grinned. "Custard apple?"

Sammy giggled, the sound light and full of life. "Because I craved them every day for nine months. It just felt right!"

Fluke laughed heartily, shaking his head. "That's so you, Sam."

Still smiling, he handed the tablet he had been carrying to Boston. "I shortlisted a few postpartum care centers around the city—these have good facilities and private suites. I filtered the list based on the ones that might fit Sammy's needs best."

Sammy frowned slightly. "That's really thoughtful, Fluke, but it's not necessary. My mom and P' Ton's mom will be around to help."

Fluke's smile turned knowing. "Sammy, your mom still has that slipped disc. She shouldn't be lifting or bending much, right? And P' Ton's mom is... well, is aged and she deserves rest too. Even with a nanny, it will probably cost you the same as these centers."

Boston looked up from the tablet, listening carefully as Fluke continued.

"These places are equipped for both moms and newborns. Especially since Noina was a bit premature, a sterile environment for the first few weeks would be ideal. The staff there are trained for early infant care and postpartum recovery. It's usually a forty-to-sixty-day stay, but it makes a world of difference."