Her Sempiternal (Sequel to Oliver's Smile)

My Final Breath

The night before the wedding...

"Waaaaa," Chelsea Brook's soft cry echoed through the baby moniter that rested on my night stand. I sighed and carefully flipped the blankets off my. Oli didn't stir, as usual. I smiled down at his sleeping figure. He would always tell me he would take care of the baby when she woke, yet he never moved when she squaked. I glanced over at the clock on the nightstand and sighed. 

4:08 AM

In just a few hours, the house would be filled with people and total chaos, all getting ready for my wedding.

Chelsea Brook's soft cries got steadily louder. I sighed and stood up, grabbing the pair of shorts that I had on earlier and slipped into them. 

The soft glow of the elephant nightlight in Chelsea Brook's bedroom illiminuated the small room. She was sitting up on her crib, her pink little cheeks flushed with heat as little tears streaked down her face. 

"Oh, what's the matter baby girl? Can't sleep?" I asked. She instantly stopped crying, waving her hands above her head, making soft little coos. 

"Come here, baby girl," I whispered, scooping her up and craddling her close to my chest. I felt her head tuck close into my neck, sucking her thumb. 

"Let's go get you a new bottle," I said. We walked into the dark hallway together and down to the kitchen. Her rocker was propped up on the counter. I carefully placed her in it and handed her a rattle, which she started shaking furiously. 

"You are so loud. It's a good thing your daddy sleeps like a rock," I said. She giggled loudly and continued to shake her rattle. I shuffled over to the counter to get the formula, scooping it into the bottle. Chelsea Brook squwaked loudly from her chair, banging her rattle loudly.

"I'm coming," I mutered, shaking the bottle furiously. She gawked at me, grabbing at me with her tiny hands. I couldn't help but to smile. "You act like you're starving all the time," I said, giving her the bottle. She quickly took it and started downing it. I shook my head and picked her back up, cradling her close. Her breathing became slow and steady once again. 

I carried my sleeping child up the stairs once again and laid her back down. She was already sound asleep, now that she had her bottle. I covered her up with the blanket that Oli's mother made for her. It had little monkeys chasing butterflies on it. Her steady snores made me smile again. 

"Good night, little one," I whispered. I quietly left the room and headed back to the bedroom. The light was on, making me raise my eye brow.

"Oli?" I called quietly. I heard him chuckle as I opened the door. 

"Who else would it be?" he asked. I smiled again. He was sitting on the bed, staring back at me. He still had a pillow crease on his cheek, and his soft brown hair was sticking up on the side of his head. 

"What are you doing up?" I asked, slipping out of my shorts and crawling back into bed. His strong arms wrapped tightly around me, squeezing me tightly. 

"Because my soon to be wife forgot to wake me up so I could take care of our beautiful daughter," he whispered into my hair. I giggled and rolled over to face him. His brown eyes stared down at me, a gleam of happiness shiining in them.

"Well, you looked so cute sleeping there," I said, snuggling closer to his warm chest. 

"Brodie, she is my daughter too. You really should wake me up," he muttered. I couldn't help but to laugh. 

"Oli, you sleep right through her cries. How am I supposed to wake you up if you don't even hear her in the first place?" I asked. He sighed heavily and rolled over on top of me. I grunted and squirmed, trying to get away.