Chapter 38
Laura woke before Robbie the next morning. They had slept in a tangle of arms and legs. Any time during the night if she moved away from him, he pulled her back. She slowly disentangled herself and kissed him lightly. She watched him sleep and thought about the prior night.
She had finally told him. Those three little words had been on her tongue so many times over the past few weeks. She had planned to not tell him until he said it to her. But as she lay in his arms crying, she knew that she had to tell him. He needed to know why she stayed. She gently got off the bed and collected her things. She headed to the bathroom.
She stared at her body in the mirror while she waited for the water to heat. Her fingers traced the mark he left on her body. Of all of the times they had been together he had never left a mark on her. She smiled as she touched it. He might not have said the words to her last night but this mark told her all she needed to know for now.
Laura showered and dressed then headed back to the guestroom. In the hallway she bumped into Tim. He was holding a bottle. She smiled at him and reached for the bottle. "Do you mind if I do that?"
He shook his head and handed her the bottle. "Go ahead. Truthfully he'll probably prefer you. He's a might bit fussy this morning."
She took the bottle and quietly dropped her clothes in the guestroom. Robbie was still asleep. She turned back to Tim. "Why don't you go back to bed? I'll take care of him. Perhaps we will go for a little walk."
He smiled at her. "The pram's in the garage if you decide to do that."
She nodded and headed for the nursery. Matthew was just starting to cry when she appeared at the side of his crib. She smiled down at him as she scooped him up. "Now why exactly are you being fussy angel?"
The minute he saw her he smiled. She walked to the chair and settled them in for his feeding. The two were lost in one another as she fed him. After he finished it, she burped him and decided to get him dressed. After the second outfit she tried was a little too small she smiled at him. "I think someone needs a wardrobe update."
She finally found an outfit that fit. She picked him up and took him downstairs. She found the pram easily and they set out for a walk. She talked to him all through their walk. As they were rounding the corner returning home, he yawned widely. "I think someone is sleepy. It's a good thing we are almost home."
Laura returned the pram to the garage and carried a sleepy Matthew in the house. Based upon the silence in the house, everyone was still asleep. Matthew nuzzled his head against her neck and was quickly asleep. Rather than return him to his crib, she curled into the couch.
She listened to his light breathing and was enveloped by his smell. Within minutes she too was asleep.