Nothing Like Us

Chapter Nineteen

Two days after the C-section, Demi was allowed to go home. She couldn't really bring herself to be happy about it. Of course being home felt good, but she would've preferred to take her son with her. She took the time to get a good few hours of sleep and a relaxing bath to calm her nerves a little after the last two days. André was as supportive as he could be. He made her something to eat and made sure she stayed hydrated when she got lost in her thoughts again and wouldn't pay attention to her own health.

Even though she knew Theo was in good hands at the hospital, she had the urge to be around him 24/7 to make sure he was okay herself. It was probably normal to feel that way as a mother. After eating and getting ready, the couple immediately headed back to the hospital to be around their son again. They did that every day. Waking up, getting ready, and going to the hospital. It was such a precious time they shared with him and Demi wouldn't wanna miss more seconds than necessary in his young life.

Five days after Theo was born, André and Demi sat by his incubator, talking to him, watching him. Just like they did the days before. André would take pictures of the baby and Demi sang to him every now and then. She wasn't a doctor and she had no idea what all the numbers on the monitors meant, but she had a feeling that it calmed Theo down a little. The constant beeping of the machine that pretty much kept him alive right now was slowly driving her crazy, so hearing her own voice was a good distraction.

The nurse checked n him every now and then and one time, her face worried Demi. "What is it?" Demi asked and sat up straight, looking at the blonde woman as she pushed some buttons. "What's wrong?"

The nurse turned and looked at the young parents, smiling a little. "His heart rate was increasing immensely. I'm making sure it's all good."

André shifted on his seat, swallowing hard. "C-Can I hold him? I-I read a lot the past few days and I heard that the skin on skin contact can be good for babies. If I remember correctly, it's called Kangaroo care or something" he said and the nurse looked at him, pressing her lips together.

"I'm sorry, I can't decide that. I'll talk to a doctor though." she smiled and left the room. André stood up and opened the lid of the incubator, running his fingertips over Theo's tummy. The little boy was breathing heavily, or at least that's what it felt like to the model. He knew it was probably normal, but seeing his little, fragile body fighting so much hurt him.

Demi leaned on top of the incubator and ran her hand through her hair. She was exhausted from worrying so much. Her heart was trying to hold on to all the hope she had left, but the more time passed and the more his condition seemed to get worse, the more she lost her hope that Theo would be one of the miracles she heard so much about.

The doctor came in to talk to them about the past few days and Theo's condition. He wasn't giving them much hope either, but at least he allowed André to hold their child. The doctor actually liked the idea and experienced cases before in which Kangaroo care helped the child a lot.

"So...I can hold him?" André said and for the first time since Theo was born, Demi saw a genuine smile on the model's face. The doctor smiled back and nodded.

André sat down on the chair, opened the hospital gown he was wearing and unbuttoned his shirt a little. The doctor opened the incubator and Demi could feel her heart beating faster in her chest. It was the first time she's get to see her son out of that damn thing that separated them from their baby boy. André took a deep breath and swallowed hard as the doctor turned around, holding the tiny body in his hands.

He placed Theo down on André's chest, the tubes and wires placed beside him. The doctor pulled André hospital gown over Theo's boy and stepped back a little. André looked down on his son and placed his hands that were so big compared to the baby on his back and the diaper that seemed way too big for Theo.