Longing For The Beach Billionaire Daddy -
Chapter 207
*Shelby*
**One Month Later**
I watched as Michael gingerly carried Thomas and Amelia’s infant carriers down the hallway, away from the NICU where they had lived for the past month. I had never seen Michael so gentle. He held each carrier at an odd angle so he wouldn’t bump the babies against his legs. Thomas and Amelia were sleeping peacefully, not aware that they were finally coming home but hopefully completely aware of just how loved they were.
I smiled to myself and pulled out my phone to capture a picture of this adorable moment.
“So cute,” I said, looking at the picture that had turned out perfectly.
Michael and I had set up the nursery downstairs in the biggest bedroom of the townhouse. We had purchased everything in twos. Two cribs sat on opposite sides of the room with a twin bed in the middle, where one of us could spend the night if needed. Our bedroom was upstairs, and that was too far away from the babies for either of us to sleep there every night.
We also had two changing tables, two swings, two bouncers, and two of every blanket, toy, and bib. Everything was decorated in soft shades of yellow and green from the walls to their blankets.
We were as prepared as we possibly could be but still utterly petrified. At the hospital, there were doctors and nurses at the ready all day and night. Even though we had been there at the hospital with them, I still wasn’t confident in my mothering skills. I was terrified I’d do something wrong and accidentally hurt the babies. But the nurses assured us we would be just fine.
“Are you ready?” Nurse Jackie asked me.
Jackie had been with us through all of the long nights at the hospital and had quickly turned into someone I considered a friend. She was always there to answer my millions of questions or simply to give an encouraging ‘you can do this’ when needed. The most wonderful thing about all of the NICU nurses was how much love they put into their jobs. They were routing for your babies right alongside you.
“I don’t know. Can I take you with me?” I asked with a little smile. She probably thought that I was kidding, but I was completely serious.
“You got this, mama,” Jackie said.
Don’t get me wrong, I was excited to finally bring them home. Michael and I had switched back and forth staying at the hospital with the twins because I never wanted them to be alone. One of us would stay, doing as much skin-to-skin time as possible with each baby. I had read on so many different forums how beneficial it was to do skin-to-skin with your babies, especially if they were born prematurely. It seemed to work because the babies were thriving.
It had been a long month of switching shifts at the hospital so one of us could go home and take a proper shower and get some rest. I spent a lot of my spare time pumping. I was so relieved that both babies were taking so well to breastmilk. I was even on a special diet to make sure I had enough milk for both of them. Luckily, I was able to supply them with all that they needed.
“Are you two ready? Your mama and I have waited a long time for you to come home and even longer for you to get here,” I heard Michael say softly to the twins as he opened the front door of the hospital.
“I know this feels like a lot, but just remember to rely on your support team. I have to say, after getting to know you and Michael over the past month, you two make an amazing team,” Jackie said, holding the door open for me.
The sun felt so bright as we walked out of the hospital. I had to shield my eyes at the sudden change in light, and Jackie did the same. She was there to make sure that the baby’s car seats were installed correctly before she would let us leave. It was the hospital’s policy.
One of the black SUVs was waiting for us right out front, with Bruce smiling widely from the driver’s seat. He quickly jumped out of the car and opened the back door, where the car seat bases were already installed.
Jackie grabbed Ameila’s carrier, allowing Michael an extra hand to get Thomas situated. As Michael and Jackie worked together getting the babies settled, Bruce wrapped me into a one-arm side hug. I leaned into him, feeling the way I imagined it would feel to be hugged by my father on such an important day.
“This is a really big deal, Shelby. I know that you two have had a rough go of things the past month, but you guys did it. It’s a really big day, and I’m so happy for you both,” Bruce said, intently watching Michael double-check the buckles on Amelia’s car seat.
“It is a huge day. I didn’t know if we were going to make it, to be honest,” I said softly. “Thank you for being here, Bruce. You have no idea what it means to me.”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world. You two mean a lot to me. Well, I guess I should say you four now,” Bruce said, chuckling and letting me out of the side hug.
He stepped away to help Michael, clapping a hand on his shoulder and leaning over to take a peek at the sleeping babies.
“I don’t know if I have ever released babies that were going to be driven home by a personal driver,” Jackie said, the corners of her eyes brimming with a few tears. “Each time I send a baby home, I promise myself I won’t cry. I fail miserably every single time.”
“Well, I promised myself no such thing,” I said, feeling the tears well up into my own eyes.
I wrapped Jackie into a tight hug, “Thank you so much for taking care of my babies. I don’t know how to even begin to tell you how much everything you’ve done for my little family means to me.”
“This is what I live for,” Jackie said, pulling back and wiping at her eyes with the backs of her hands. “Now get those little babies home and enjoy every minute of them.”
The drive home felt scary, even scarier than the one where I had gotten into an accident and ended up in the hospital. I sat in the back row of the SUV, leaning forward to watch Amelia and Thomas for any signs of distress. They both slept soundly, blissfully unaware of each bump that I so keenly felt.
“Alright, little ones,” I said softly so I didn’t wake them. “Are you ready to see your first home?”
Bruce pulled up to the front of the townhouse and pulled to a stop. With the three of us, we managed to get inside the house, setting the infant carriers in the living room with their sleeping occupants dreaming away.
“Well, I don’t want to intrude. I know how long you two have waited for this moment. Just remember, if either of you needs anything, I can be here in less than ten minutes,” Bruce said.
“We’ll be just fine,” Michael said, clapping Bruce on the back. “Thank you for all of your help today.”
The door clicked closed behind Bruce, and suddenly, the house felt so quiet. We were finally home with our babies. All alone.
It felt good and scary all at the same time. The birth had been scary itself and then the babies had to stay in the NICU which was even more nerve-wracking. I was glad the back and forth between the hospitals was ove, and I felt like we could really start our lives now.
I sat down on the couch and stared at Amelia and Thomas. Were they that little in the hospital too? They seemed so unbelievably small now. Michael came and sat next to me and started rubbing slow circles across my back.
“What do we do now?” I asked. “They can’t just stay in their carriers forever, but I don’t really know what we’re supposed to do with them.”
Michael laughed softly, “I don’t really know. I haven’t ever really done this either. I imagine we’ll get the hang of it pretty quickly, though. They’re sleeping now, but we both know that won’t last long.”
As if on cue, Thomas started moving slightly in his seat. I jumped up to check on him, and he made soft little grunts as he started flailing his arms around in uncoordinated movements. I started unbuckling him from his car seat and pulled him gently to my chest. He held his little legs scrunched up to his body as if he had forgotten he was no longer squeezing to fit in my stomach.
“I bet this little guy is hungry,” I said, softly patting Thomas’s back as he nestled into me.
Amelia immediately started to squirm, hearing her brother’s whimpers, likely reminding her that she, too, was hungry.
“I’ve got her,” Michael said, a soft smile lighting the edges of his lips. “You get settled with Thomas, and I’ll make sure Amelia has a clean diaper. Then I’ll switch you babies, once Thomas is full.”
My heart swelled at just how eager Michael was to be a dad. He was so gentle as he took Amelia out of her car seat. I watched him as he carefully pulled back each of the straps and made sure her head was fully supported before picking her up.
With Amelia in his arms, I could not take my eyes off him. There was nothing that could make an already attractive man completely irresistible like watching him gently cradling a baby in his arms.
‘I am one lucky mama,’ I thought to myself as I leaned back and brought Thomas to my breast. He closed his eyes and suckled happily. Again, I was amazed at how capable my body was at taking care of these little human beings.
Watching Thomas eat, I was reminded how precious life really was. Marmie was dead, which was still hard to believe. I could’ve died more than once, but I was still there. And this precious baby in my arms felt like a miracle.
“Honey, Amelia had a blowout through her clothes. The mess is everywhere!” I heard Michael calling from the nursery. “But don’t worry–I’ve got it!”
I laughed softly to myself and kissed the top of Thomas’s head. He smelled like baby soap, and his fine hair tickled my lips.
“Let the crazy begin,” I whispered to my son.
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