Coming Home

Chapter 32

I woke up just as Cayden pulled up in front of our house. I slowly sat up, turning around in my seat to look in the backseat. I smiled as I saw Cain and Asher fast asleep. Each one had a hand in Aubree’s car seat as if they had been trying to comfort her. It was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen and I pulled my phone out to quickly take a picture of it. I quickly sent the picture to Tegan before climbing out of the truck. I grabbed my bag and shut the door before opening the back door and gathering a still sleeping Cain into my arms. Looking across the back seat, I saw Cayden gathering Asher into his arms before reaching across to unbuckle Aubree’s car seat. Once he got it unbuckled, he picked it up and brought it closer to his body, shutting the door behind him with his hip. I reached forward and grabbed Aubree’s diaper bag before turning and making my way to the house.

“Let’s put them to bed,” Cayden said, setting Aubree’s car seat down on the coffee table and heading towards Cain and Asher’s room. I followed behind him as Cain shifted in my arms.

Cayden flipped on the light as he walked through the doorway and went straight to Asher’s bed. He pulled the blankets back and gently set the toddler on the bed before tucking the covers around his small body. Once Asher was settled in bed, he walked over to me and grabbed Cain out of my arms. Cayden leaned down and gave me a quick kiss before turning around to tuck Cain in. I started to walk towards my sons when I heard a cry from the living room. I guess Aubree was awake.

I turned around and walked to the coffee table where Aubree was thrashing around in her car seat. I smiled as I leaned down and unbuckled her before gently gathering her in my arms. As soon as she was nestled against me, her cries quieted to whimpers. I smiled down at her, suddenly overcome with a sense of peace. Holding Aubree in my arms made me that much more anxious for my own baby girl to enter the world. I was still smiling down at the tiny baby when I felt arms wrap around me from behind. I smiled as I leaned back against Cayden with the baby still nestled in my arms.

“She’s so tiny,” he whispered as he lifted his hand to softly brush the back of his finger against Aubree’s cheek.

“She is. Just think, Aubree’s this tiny and she’s a month old. Imagine how small our baby is going to be when she’s born,” I responded softly, smiling as Aubree’s small lips began to search for her bottle that wasn’t there.

“Let me take her while you make the bottle,” Cayden suggested softly as he unwrapped his arms from around me and moved to stand in front of me. Cayden reached forward and gently took the baby from my arms, nestling her in the crook of his arm. I smiled as I imagined him doing that with our own baby.

I placed a soft kiss on Aubree’s forehead before making my way into the kitchen to make the bottle. I turned to look at Cayden, knowing this was something that I still had to teach him how to do. I was just about to call him over when I saw him sit down in the armchair, his eyes never leaving the baby in his arms. I decided to leave him be. We had Aubree for the weekend. I could always show him later.

Once I was finished making the bottle, I walked back over to Cayden, shaking the bottle to ensure that it was all mixed up. I stopped in front of Cayden and put my arms out to take the baby from him but he shook his head and took the bottle from me. Training his eyes back on the baby, he guided the bottle to her lips and smiled when she started eating. I stood in front of them watching them with my hands resting on my stomach. Aubree’s eyes were open and she was staring up and Cayden and I thought it was such a precious sight that I took a picture of it.

“Go to sleep Kenzi. I’ll be there once she’s done,” Cayden advised a few moments later after I suppressed my yawn for the sixth time.

“Okay,” I said before bending down and kissing Aubree’s forehead.