"I'm sorry they yelled at you babe." I kiss his cheek while we obsess over the child that I'm not allowed to hold. I breastfeed her but Shawn has to put her in place for me. I can't lift her she's over five pounds, she's seven and it makes me sad. "I'm sure they were just stressed out." I kiss his cheek and stand picking up the toys and baby things covering the floor of our house.
"I was stressed out too," he sighs laying our sleepy baby girl in her swing.
"I know you were," I press a soft kiss against his cheek. "How lucky are we?" I smile hugging him while we stare in awe of our baby girl. Neither of us ever want to leave her more than a few feet away.
"We're more than lucky." He mumbles kissing my head. "I feel spoiled, I got both of you and they convinced me I could only have one."
"You got especially lucky." I hold onto his big shoulders. "But we are all just as grateful." I nod assuring he understands. I got lucky, being able to be here and see my daughter, we got lucky to be able to have her. No words can explain how grateful I am for the hospital staff that saved both of our lives, after telling Shawn he could only have one of us.
"I know," he kisses my forehead. "I know." He lays his head on top of mine while we watch. We watch our baby girl stare at us so confused like, we watch her little fingers move, but barely. We wait for our parents to arrive. His mom wants to stay and help for the week, she said she'd clean and cook while we tend for our baby so we have all of the time in the world for her. "My parents are here," he whispers at the ding of the elevator.
"And so are mine," I sigh at the sound of their voices, they're yelling at Shawn's parents.
"Hi," he smiles at my parents who push him aside. I just sigh while he moves grabbing our daughter to show to his parents, no ones seen her yet. "Look at her," he smiles at his parents. "Isn't she precious," he doesn't wanna let her go, he's holding on to her not letting his parents yet but mine want their turn to hold our daughter.
"Gimme," my mom pushes his family out of the way and he pulls the infant closer. "Shawn," she challenges almost and he shakes his head softly looking at me with begging eyes.
"I don't think anyone should hold her just yet," I nod at my parents.
"Well anyone else I suppose but we should get to." They were so supportive and they really liked him in the beginning. It's sad that they don't accept him now.
"No mom, just let him hold her for now, there's a lot we haven't talked about." I explain cautiously. There really is a lot, about her health and a lot of other things we need to talk about.
"Let's eat how about?" He suggests and I nod while he leads me to the table before headed back with our daughter to grab her swing. He made dinner, helped me feed her, put her down for a nap, cleaned most of the house, and set up the spare rooms for our parents. I wasn't allowed to help with any of it. I'm not medically cleared.
"Shawn cooked," I smile at my parents. "He made your favourite, and I taught him how to." He gives them smiles.
"But I also made," he swallows and stops himself before he says anything else, they already look unimpressed.
"Here are the plates," he smiles setting them out and then the dish with the pasta in it. "Can I get anyone something to drink?" He pops himself a bottle of wine and I sigh a little. He doesn't drink a lot but I think he's stressed.
"Water," my parents shake their heads at him looking at the meal I watch him take gulps of wine straight from the bottle.
"Come on," I kiss his cheek softly. "You'll be alright, drink some water, and sit down." I take the bottle and put it in the fridge. He didn't drink a lot, so he should be alright. "I will get the waters," I nod my head against his trying to offer him reassurance.
"You're making my daughter do this? After all she's gone through?!" His parents haven't spoken, his sister hasn't moved and all mine have done is criticize him.
"I've got them," he sighs taking the cups from my hands and getting the waters for my parents and tea for his.
"I'm not useless you know?" I scoff a little at my parents who then begin to scold Shawn.
"I'm gonna put her in her crib, she's tired." He mumbles lifting our baby girl and walking off.
"Stay," I grab his arm forcing him back, I don't have much strength. "Just sit and we'll talk about our baby girl, and then you can go." I kiss her temple.
"Where do you wanna start?" He smiles down at the infant in his arms. He often holds her bare body against his because skin to skin is supposed to help them bond better. So neither of them ever have clothes on. He's always in his boxers.
"How about her condition?" I pull at the blanket and he tries to stop me. He gets very self conscious for our little girl, he just hopes everyone can accept her because she's so amazing.
"Alright," he gives unwrapping her blanket but still using it to cover her while he holds her against himself.
"When she was born, her umbilical chord wrapped around her neck," I explain slowly. "And her leg," I move the blanket showing them her missing limb.
"Oh my," his mother's gasps but they don't seem to bothered by it. My parents however look like they're preparing to disown us all.
"She's hideous," I open my mouth but Shawn won't stay for it, he lifts our little girl takes her blanket and walks away.
"She is nothing less than beautiful, and if you can't see this please escort yourselves out of my home." He shakes his head at them before he walks off.
"She is still our daughter mom, and we didn't ask for that to happen to her, and Shawn blames himself day and night. But we've come to accept it, she's still our beautiful baby girl she's just a little more fragile." My voice goes softer and I can hear them both crying, he's trying to silence the little girl but I think she's worried.
"I'm gonna go check on him," his mom stands but I give her a look of horror almost.
"Could I?" I plead hoping she'll let me.
"Of corse love, make sure he's alright for me." She nods sitting back down while they patiently wait for Shawn to return to start eating.
"She's, she's not asleep yet." He sobs rocking her back and forth in the rocking chair. "I think she's hungry can you?" I nod grabbing my feeding pillow.
"Baby I'm sorry," I whisper to the little girl he lays on the pillow, I sit on his lap, and she rests on mine.
"I guess she was hungry," he mumbles laying his head against my shoulder in tears. My poor boy, he's so upset for her. She can't defend herself yet, so he's gonna do it for her.
"I'm so sorry about what they said." I kiss his head as best I can while our little girl starts falling asleep.
"They can't talk about her like that." He begs crying harder. "I told you she'd get made fun of." I promised him when she got it amputated that everyone would love her.
"I didn't think we'd have to worry about it for years." I sigh while he lays her in her crib.
"I can't go back out there." He shakes his head and I nod. "I just can't not when they disrespected my family like that." He sighs again looking me up and down. "I wanted that dinner to go differently, so I could make up for two days ago." He kisses my forehead.
"I'm sorry it didn't go as you'd hoped."
"I wanted to do this in front of everyone, but just you is perfect." He nods getting onto his knee. "I had a whole speech, but it got ruined, and I wanted to,"
"Yes," I nod he giggles a little but hushed me.
"Can I ask?" He chuckles.
"Yes," I barely let him open his mouth before I respond again. "Yes." I nod and he chuckles.
"Will you marry me?" He questions quickly before I can answer again.
"Yes!"
