Face Your Fears

Chapter 32

We were able to take baby Milo home two days after his birth.

Since Hadley had refused an epidural - thanks to a fear of needles - she had been released with a clean bill of health. 

Sophia had begged us to stay at their house for the next few days, to give Hadley a chance to rest up and for Milo to get as much sleep as possible before being in the city. Hadley had graciously declined, claiming that she wanted to go home more than anything. 

I could hardly blame her, but I was a little concerned for her health. 

"Archer, I swear, I'm fine," Hadley said again as she slipped into her jacket. "If I thought I needed to stay I would."

 "I know, I know," I said, holding my hands up in a defensive gesture. "It's just that we're about to go on a three hour car ride and I don't want to end up having to call an ambulance." 

 "You're such a worry wart." Hadley scoffed. "I'm fine, and Milo is fine, and honestly, I am so ready to go home you would not believe it."

 Oh, I was fairly certain Hadley didn't quite understand just how ready I was to go home, too. 

"All right," I said defeatedly. "I trust you. Let's get outta here, then."

"Now you're speaking my language."

I finished going about the room to make sure I had all of our odds and ends picked up and packed into the suitcase while Hadley carefully buckled Milo in to his car seat. 

If there was one thing I had learned about my son since his arrival, it was that he loved to sleep. Seriously. The kid could give a teenager a run for his money. We kept having to wake him up every two hours or so just so he could eat, and even then he could barely keep his eyes open.

I didn't think the ride back to the city would be too perilous, but I was paranoid about driving in the car with Milo. People could be assholes on the road. I had a feeling I would be driving at least fifteen under the speed limit the entire time.

 There was a knock on the door just as I was zipping up the suitcase and a nurse in purple scrubs stuck her head in, giving us a wide smile.

"Just about ready in here?" 

 "Sure are," Hadley said, smiling in return. 

"Great. I've got your discharge papers right here and follow up instructions for when you go back to your primary OB and pediatrician, okay?" 

I took the papers from the nurse and tucked them away while she went to help Hadley with the car seat. 

It had taken an act of God to somehow convince my family that they didn't need to constantly hover around the hospital like vultures and that we would visit them all with the baby once we had settled in at home. Our escort out of the hospital was comprised of only one nurse, and for that, I was thankful. 

Peace and quiet was what we needed. Not rapid hand gestures and blabbing in Italian. 

I felt myself going weak in the knees as I buckled Milo into the SUV. I was going to break out into a nervous sweat. 

If I was going to become a paranoid wreck any time we traveled with Milo, then I shuddered to think of what a mess I would turn in to anytime we had to take him out in public or something equally as heinous. 

With any luck, Milo would stay asleep for the entire ride and wouldn't notice his father becoming hysterical. 

"Is this really necessary?" Hadley grumbled as I wrapped an arm around her waist to hoist her up into the SUV. "I can walk."