Louis POV
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"Dad, pleaseee," Angel groaned, sounding almost angry. "It's been like a year now!"
I blinked, absentmindedly rubbing Jo's palm and still not looking away from the baby blue eyes staring up from Carter's cradling arms, wide awake.
"He should've fallen asleep by now," Carter whispered, "Right?"
"Absolutely," I murmured, just as captivated by what his mother and I created as he was. I brought her hand up to my lips. "Absolutely."
"Daddy," Angel whined again, sounding on the brink of tears and successfully gaining a glance from me.
"Angel, Christ, would you shut up? You'll get him in a second!" Brianna shouted, making Jo give the tiniest of rustles. She settled her cheek further into my chest when she realized it was there, and I ran my thumb over her shoulder, pressing my lips to her temple.
I was well aware of how touchy I was, but I didn't stop. I needed to keep touching her or I'd lose my sense of reality because it still felt like this was a dream. On the other hand, I needed to touch her because she was my wife and she'd yet again made me the happiest man on earth, and I needed her to wake up so I could kiss her til our lips went numb.
"I love you," I told Jo in her ear while our kids argued, kissing her repeatedly where I spoke. To my pleasure, with her eyes still closed, she drowsily lifted her head up for another kiss, and I chuckled, firmly kissing her on the lips.
My hand came up to hold her cheek, refusing to pull away. I kissed her and then kissed her some more until I started to feel her smile matching mine. She pulled away with a groan, mumbling, "you're happy," as she settled her cheek back against my chest. "You're so happy."
I kissed the top of her head in response. Words couldn't do me justice.
"I don't miss my stomach being pudgy."
I felt her hand moving around under the sheets, and I grabbed it with mine again. "Don't you even start."
It was her absence of a response that unfortunately forced my attention onto Angel who was still feeling emotional.
"..and it's just not fair. Everyone else has gotten to hold Sammy longer," Angel continued.
I took in a breath. "Angel, you'll have plenty chance to hold the baby at home..."
"But I wanna now."
"Well your mother's awake now, and I'm sure she wants to hold him more—"
The painful swat that came to my chest happened so quick that I barely had time to react before my previously smiling wife had my chin in her hand. I suffered her glare before her words.
"Her!" she corrected me. "We've only been calling her Sammy for 9 months, Louis!"
She lets go of my chin.
While I blink to readjust to what just happened, she shifts herself, sitting up slowly with tired eyes and directing her gentle words to Angel, "Bring her over here, honey."
As it finally registers what just transpired, I can't help the painful chuckle of realization that escapes.
Angel jumps up, eagerly taking Sammy from Carter and slowly walking towards Jo while making baby faces at him. I feel her anticipation as she reaches her arms out, eagerly wiggling her fingers.
