Silver Hammer Max

Chapter Fifty-Two

November 5, 2005

Maxwell's POV
After three and a half months in hospital, three minor infections, and one minor surgery, we were allowed to bring Elliot home. He was finally six and a half pounds, and twenty-one inches long- he was getting so big and I was so happy about it, but he was only acting like he was just born. At three and a half months, most babies were rolling over and putting their head up, but we were still cradling Elliot and he weighed the amount a newborn did.

"Oh, look at you, big boy." I smiled, taking Elliot out of the bassinet before holding him against my chest, patting his back while Elijah helped me get everything packed up- he got time off from the clinic, again, because we were bringing a baby home. He'd have three weeks with us. "Say hi to Papa, wave at Papa." I whispered, sitting him up then making him wave at Elijah.

"Hi, little lad." Eli whispered, smiling then kissing Elliot on the forehead. "Are you ready to go home?" My husband whimpered when he looked at the baby and I smiled at the two of them, kissing Elijah on the lips.

"We're ready to go home." I whispered and Elliot just stared up at me. "Come on, let's get him home." I hadn't gotten to feed my son yet, and I wanted to go home I could feed him.

Elijah and I thanked the nurses, giving them their gift cards, then we left the hospital. We had decided to give them gifts because they took care of our son for the first three and a half months of his life, they were there when we couldn't be- they were there for his surgery and all of his infections.

I sat in the back with the baby then I realized that we had too many kids. We had a mini van and I told myself I would never get a mini van but now we needed the two middle seats for Caroline and Elliot's car seats, and the back was for Madeline and Frieda. We had so many kids and it wasn't what I thought I'd have- I had kids that weren't mine, and kids that weren't complete siblings to my own kids. Like, Elliot was only a half-sibling to all three girls, but he felt like a complete brother- we weren't going to tell him that he was only their half-brother anyways.

Smiling, I looked down at Elliot and he gave me a little face before spreading his fingers in my general direction. "He needs mitts." I stated after noticing how long his fingernails were.

"He lost his mitts in the NICU somehow." Elijah informed me and I laughed down at the baby. "Lost a pair of socks and a pair of mitts."

Elliot cooed at me, as to confirm that he did in fact lose his clothing. "How did you do that?" I asked and there was another coo. "How on Earth did you lose all of your clothes when you were stuck in your little tank?" I giggled and Elijah glanced back for a second, smiling then turning back.

We got to the house and I took the carrier out of the backseat, taking Elliot into the house with Elijah following behind.

"Look who's home." I announced then the three girls got off of the couch and Dad followed them, smiling while he leaned against the wall. I set the carrier on the ground and the girls surrounded him, cooing at him when he opened his eyes to frown at them. "Give him some space- he's grouchy." I giggled, crouching next to the girls then taking the blanket off of him, so he could spread his legs a little bit.

"'ow come he's still small?" Madeline asked, softly.

Elijah huffed out a laugh from behind me then he crouched next to the four of us. "He's going to be small for a long time, just because he was so little when he was born." He explained and Maddy hummed, biting her bottom lip while she touched Elliot's foot. "Thanks for watching the girls, John." My husband smiled, standing up then shaking Dad's hand.

Dad just nodded but he kept his gaze on Elliot.

"What's going on, Dad?" I asked and Dad just smiled at me, blinking a few times then taking a deep breath.