Colby walked into his home and saw his eldest daughter sitting at the coffee table, crayon in hand and construction paper spread out around her. When he shut the door she looked up at him and dropped the crayon and ran to him. He caught her as soon as she jumped up into his arms.
"Is mommy okay?" was the first thing out of her mouth and Colby kissed her head as he sat the little girl back on her feet
"Your mommy is great" he nodded "She's ready to see you"
"I missed her, mimi had to read my story" she said and Colby smiled with a nod to his mother
"Yeah, Mimi is gonna have to read you your story another night"
"When are you coming home?"
"Well, the doctor wants to keep your mommy for a day just to make sure she's all good and Riley needs to pass a few tests in the morning.. I'd say we probably will be home tomorrow or the day after"
"I wanna meet Riley" the little girl announced and he nodded
"That's why I'm here" he said "Your mommy sent me specifically after you, and toast" he said
"Mommy loves toast" Remi nodded and Colby laughed
"She does, I think she may like you a little more though" he said and Remi shook her head
"I dunno, I think it's a tie" she nodded
Once taking Remi to get food, Colby stopped by the coffee shop that was luckily still open and then they made the drive to the hospital, the entire drive was filled with Remi talking her father's ear off about everything she'd done since he'd seen her last.
They parked in the parking lot and walked into the main entrance and Remi broke from her father's grip on her hand and ran towards the elevator
"Do you even know where you're going?" he asked and the little girl looked at the list of floors
"This one" she pointed to the floor that said Labor & Delivery
"Oh so you can read" he nodded "but you make your mommy and me read a story to you every night"
"Yeah because I'm lazy" the little girl admitted and he laughed
"Same" he nodded as they got on the elevator
They got off the elevator on the labor and delivery floor and walked towards the room, Colby abruptly stopped outside the door and looked at his daughter
"Are you sure you wanna go in there?" he asked "I mean everything changes and you're no longer the only child once you go in" he said
"Daddy!" the little girl rolled her eyes "Let me go" she said trying to pull away from him and he laughed as he let go of her and opened the door slowly
Rebecca was siting up in the bed, scrolling through her phone and Riley was in the plastic bassinet beside the bed. Rebecca heard the door and open and put her phone on the table
"Remi!" she exclaimed with a smile and her daughter smiled
"Mommy" she said with a smile as she walked with Colby towards the bed, holding tightly to his hand almost like she was scared
"Did you get bigger over the last day?" she asked and Remi laughed
"Hi beautiful" Colby leaned down and placed a kiss on his wife's lips quickly and let go of Remi's hand and moved to the bassinet and picked Riley up in his arms "Hi princess" he said and Remi looked at her father with a strange and hurt look, Colby didn't catch it but Rebecca did
"Come here love" Rebecca reached her arm out for he daughter "Come see me" she said and the little girl climbed up on the bed
"Are you okay?" Remi asked as she looked up at her
"I am" Rebecca nodded "I'm a little sore but I'm okay"
"Duh a baby just ripped its way out of you"
"Wow" Rebecca said with wide eyes "I've never heard it put that way but it makes sense" she nodded "Do you want to meet her?" she asked and Remi nodded "Daddy you gotta pass her over" Rebecca said to Colby who was walking around the room with Riley
Rebecca gently moved her legs so Remi could sit in between them with her back against her mother's chest. She took Riley gently from her husband and brought her around so she laid on Remi's legs.
"Don't jostle her around Remi, don't move" Colby scolded and Rebecca shook her head at him
"What do you think?" Rebecca asked
"She's cute" Riley nodded with a small smile and Riley began opening her little eyes
"Look.." Rebecca pointed "See I told you she'd remember your voice" she said with a smile
"Do you think she remembers me telling her all about the matches?"
"And everything else you talked to her about" Rebecca nodded
"Plus you constantly screaming at her" Colby said and Remi moved closer to her mother if that was even possible
"I love her mommy" Remi looked up at her mother
"Good, I'm glad because we can't return her" Rebecca said and the little girl laughed slightly
Remi held her little sister for close to an hour before visiting hours were over and Colby had to take her home.
Colby made the drive back to the hospital and walked back into the room almost 2 hours later while Rebecca was feeding the newborn with a small smile on her face.
"Did you read her story to her?" Rebecca looked up at her
"My mom's got it" Colby nodded "Is she good?" he looked down at his daughter and Rebecca shook her head
"Colby" Rebecca glared "You can't do that" she shook her head
"Do what?" he asked confused
"Pick favorites" Rebecca said
"I'm not picking favorites" he shook his head and she glared at him
"Yes you are, the look on Remi's face when you let go of her hand and went immediately to Riley, when you called her princess.. I thought it was jealousy at first but watch Remi talk to her and hold her without wanting to let her go I realized it wasn't jealousy.. it was you picking favorites"
"She's new, she needs more attention" he said
"She does need attention but Remi needs just as much.. it needs to be equal"
