Melwood's Miracle

Chapter 26: Leaving the Hospital

Melissa's POV

I wake up this morning filled with excitement knowing that we can now take our little Willow home.

When I step out of bed and look around the room, I see the remains of our stay in the hospital the last week and a half. There's clothes draped on the door handles, on the back of chairs and couches. Snacks, eaten or not lay in or around a grocery bag that sits next to Chris's couch of a bed.

I get off the bed carefully, so that I don't wake Chris and start cleaning our mess up.

"Melissa," says Chris's voice, startling me from behind. "Have you gave Willow her bottle yet?"
"No," I whisper, feeling guilty for not thinking to do that.
"It's okay, I can do it," he says, pushing his blankets away and goes to get Willow out of her bed.

I finish cleaning the room and lay back down, sighing from exhaustion.
I groan, pushing back tears and cover my face with my hands so Chris won't notice.

"Melissa," Chris whispers, sitting on the end of my bed. "What's the matter?"
"I don't know," I tell him, not looking up from my hands.

"Do you want to hold her?" he asks.
"Yes," I whisper.
"Okay," he says, getting up. "Here."

I adjust myself with her in my arms. Her kind little face looks up at me and she lifts her arm towards my chin. I laugh a little and tears of joy escape my eyes, making my vision blurry.

Chris sits next to me and places his arm around my back and sighs.

Chris's POV

"Okay, you guys are all good to go," says the nurse.
Melissa is holding Willow in her arms and I have all the bags and suitcases.
"Thank you," I say and the nurse nods, smiling slightly.

I lead Melissa to the car, that I parked in the parking garage a couple days ago.
Then it hits me.

"We never got a car seat," I say.
"I ordered one," Melissa points out.
"Well, I'm going to need to go get one because we can't drive anywhere while you're just holding her."
"Okay well we barely made it out of the hospital without someone noticing us," she says.

I don't say anything and pull my phone out of my pocket.
The phone rings a couple times before my sister picks up.

"Libby," I say.
"Chris, hey. What's up?"
"We forgot to get a car seat for the baby. What should we do?" I ask her.
"How far is your place from the hospital?"
"Not that far."

"Chris. I trust your driving skills. So, Melissa just sit in the back and make sure you hold on to the baby carefully."
"Okay, thanks Libby," I say.
"Anytime."

I hang up and tell Melissa what she said.
We get everything in the car and then head home safely.

—
I typed this on my laptop so it might look weird until I fix it tomorrow morning on my phone. Hope y'all enjoyed!

-E