Zayn's Maid

Chapter 61

Perrie's P.O.V

Niall and Zayn left together which made me feel like I had accomplished something at long last, all by myself. But the loneliness kicked in after a while and I couldn't wait till visiting time at four just to see some normal human beings. For the first time I went for a wander around the ward, my bare feet cold against the Lino.

Soft wails came from a large window and I shuffled slowly, peering in at the fresh faces with chubby little cheeks. My throat went dry and I pressed my hand against the glass, my lip quivering as a baby boy stared at me from under an oversized hat. He smiled and I laughed, a nurse inside noticing my stare and peeking round the door.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

I nodded and kept my gaze on the cute little newborn through the window, she stood by my side and looked herself.

"He's beautiful, isn't he?" she sighed, smiling sadly.

I nod again.

"Poor little thing,"she says sadly, "his mother, too ill to look after him."

"Wh-what?" I gasped.

"Oh...oh dear I've said too much," she said, biting her lip.

When I eventually look at her, I realise just how young she is, possibly a midwife in training.

"That's not very professional," she mutters a few times.

"Can...can I hold him?" I ask.

She twirls her thumbs for a while before saying, "I don't see why not..."

She leads me into the room, the smell of talcum powder and sudocrem clinging to every baby's bottom.

"What's his name?" I ask as she carefully cradles him.

"We've named him Noah, the mum- uck I need to stop giving out confidential information," she laughs, holding him out to me.

I gasp and bite my lip, feeling guilty for feeling so much affection for a child that wasn't even mine...like I was replacing my own.

"It's okay," she smiled.

I hold my hands out and she places him carefully against my chest, wrapping my arms around his tiny frame. He blows raspberries and reaches his hands in the air, clawing at my nose with his blunt fingertips. I laugh and rub circles into his dark wispy hair, bobbing up and down.

"You're good with him," she grins.

"I watched one born every minute," I laughed, a tear running down my cheek, "what's going to happen to him?"

"They've found a foster home for him, for now," she tells me, attending to other screaming kids.

I look down at his little innocent face, so oblivious to the rocky start in his life. His huge blue eyes melted my heart and I kissed his forehead, sitting down on a chair while patting his back gently. Little boats bobbed around the rim of his blue hat and I noticed how every child's cot contained a different toy to amuse them while being examined, except Noah.

"Do you mind if I come back later?" I asked, placing Noah back in the empty cot.

"No, of course not. And I'm sure Noah would love it," she said.

I smiled and waved to Noah before waddling down the corridor quickly, gasping as a girl stood at the window in my room.

"Jade...?"