Chapter 10
Mireya is a few weeks old now, and I've fallen in love with motherhood. Yes, there's sleepless nights and dirty nappies, but it's totally worth it.
"Zoe, could you calm Mireya down please? I've just fed, burped, and changed her, but she won't settle." I wake up to the sight of Max holding our daughter, who is screaming the house down.
"Okay." I nod, holding my arms out. Max places our daughter into my arms, and she quietens. "Did you feed her the powdered or expressed milk?" I ask, rocking Mireya gently.
"The expressed milk, as per your instructions." Max says, sitting next to me.
"I think she prefers it when I breastfeed her, you should have woken me." I frown.
"You looked peaceful, you were up half the night with her anyway." My husband counters.
"True." I agree. "I love you."
"I love you too." Max smiles, giving me a kiss. "You're an amazing mum, you know."
"Thank you, and you're an amazing dad." I smile. "Did you know that Connie's back on Darwin?"
"Oh really? That's a surprise."
"Well, I had a talk with her about it a while ago, she must have listened to my advice."
"That's a first." Says Max.
"Oi!" I shove him in the ribs with my elbow. "She's alright underneath."
"I suppose." My husband says as I lay a now sleeping Mireya in her cot.
"It's been such a journey, hasn't it?" I ask, snuggling into him.
"How d'you mean?" He asks.
"Well, a year ago we were just getting used to living together- we never thought that one day we'd be happily married, never mind with a baby in a house of our own."
"That's true, a lot has changed." Max reflects.
"For the best, though. I'm the happiest that I've ever been in my life, Max." I smile.
He kisses my forehead. "Me too. Last May, I thought that I'd lost you..."
"But Mireya brought us together again." I smile, gazing at my daughter, who shifts in her sleep and relaxes again.
"That's true." My husband responds.
"All of our lives have changed, for the better. Things that we never thought possible, us being properly happy again for example..." I say.
"I agree. Zoe..." Max says.
"Yes?" I turn to look at him.
"I'm glad that it's you who's by my side. I'm glad that it's you who I'm going to grow old with." My husband informs me.
"Me too." I beam. "I couldn't ask for a better husband, and a better father for our daughter." I reply, kissing him on the cheek.
Mireya interrupts our tender moment with a little cry.
"Come here, sweetheart." I say to her, lifting her into my arms and rocking her gently. "You just want a cuddle, don't you? Yes, you do." I soothe her.
"She's definitely a mummy's girl." Max points out as I settle back into him.
"That's true." I agree as Mireya quietens again.
"Not modest, are you?" He teases.
"Oi, you said it first!"
"I suppose." Max agrees. "I love you, Zoe.'
"I love you too Max." I smile, turning to give him a kiss.
The End :-) x