Hello Lovelies,
Hope you're all staying safe and well. As always, sending love to those who desperately need it in these difficult times.
I hope you enjoy this chapter. Who's ready to meet Baby Flynn? :)
Much Love and Stay Safe,
Chelsea x
Lavendarjade – Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying it. Much Love x
Reds77 – Thank you! Yes, another Flynn to love and cuddle! I hope you like this chapter. Much Love x
Tammi – Thank you! I think Christian will always be extra careful where Ana's safety is concerned, especially after what happened at Maitrise. But Ana knows and accepts this. She doesn't mind him checking up on things. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Much Love x
Paula White – Thank you! Hope you enjoy this one too. Much Love x
Jeangb – Thank you! We'll learn more about Carla and that situation very soon! I hope you enjoy this chapter. Much Love X
SuzB – Thank you! I hope you like this chapter! Much Love x
The second we learned that Rhian and baby boy Flynn were back home and ready for visitors, Christian and I jumped in the car and raced over to their house. Ever since the news broke, I had been desperate to smother my friend with hugs and congratulations, but also to get a whiff of that sweet newborn smell everyone seems to coo over. I wanted to know what all the fuss was about.
For the past few days I had scoured the internet for advice on what to buy a new mother. We had already bought a few gifts for the baby – some ultra-soft blankets, a cashmere cardigan and a plush teddy bear – but I didn't want to leave Rhian out of the mix. She deserves to be treated too, she has just birthed a human after all! After coming across various suggestions online, I decided to make her a gift basket, filling it with various lotions and potions and goodies for her to pamper herself with whenever she can grab five minutes on her own.
Christian also added a bottle of whiskey for Flynn. I guessed he was planning to wet the baby's head at some point this evening. My suspicions were confirmed when he asked me if I wanted to drive.
Rhian was curled up on the couch when we arrived, tucked into one corner with an array of cushions and pillows propping her up. She looked fresh-faced and spritely, her hair pushed back into a loose bun, her skin still glowing. Happiness was radiating from her.
There was a white and blue bassinet directly in front of her. The other Flynn children surrounded the new baby, each of their hands dipping inside to grab a feel of their baby brother.
The grin on Rhian's face as she watched them was like no other I had ever seen.
"You didn't need to buy me anything!" she shook her head when I passed over the basket, after saying my congratulations. Her eyes glazed over as she peeked inside. She sniffed hard, fighting back tears. "Jesus, look at me, crying over nothing. I'm such a wreck at the moment."
I quickly sat down beside her and enveloped her in a hug.
"Thank you," she gulped, composing herself. She blinked rapidly and looked up to the ceiling. "I really appreciate this. No one has ever bought me gifts after giving birth… Well, no one except John."
"Really?" I frowned. "But you need looking after too. After what you've just been through? You deserve to be spoiled rotten for going through that again."
"They don't call it labour for nothing," she snorted, cracking a smile.
As the children moved away and darted across the room, I stole the opportunity to ease forward and peek inside the bassinet. My heart immediately jumped into my throat.
"Oh Rhian," I sighed. My fingers crept to my mouth. "He's absolutely gorgeous."
The baby was wide awake, his enormous navy-blue eyes shifting this way and that as he rubbed the back of his head into the mattress. He had a light spattering of dark hair, the colour matching Rhian and Harriet's ebony locks.
I tentatively reached inside and stroked my fingers across his tummy. He twisted under my touch, wriggling for a second before expelling a yawn that tugged on my heartstrings.
I could feel tears building in my own eyes.
Keep it together, Steele. Whatever you do, keep it together.
Christian and Flynn ambled into the room, each carrying a tumbler of caramel liquid. They made their way over to us.
"He's beautiful," Christian said, glimpsing at the baby. "You two sure know how to create good looking kids."
A ripple of laughter circled the room.
"So, does this little guy have a name yet?" he asked the important question.
Rhian and Flynn shared a silent smile. Flynn gestured to his wife with a single nod, allowing her to tell us.
"Joseph Johnathan Flynn," she announced, grinning. "But we're calling him –"
"Joey!" Harriet squeaked.
She had materialised next to Christian, her hand reaching up to grab his. She clutched his fingers hard as she bounced on the spot.
"We called him Joey because he's small. Daddy said baby kangaroos are called Joey."
Christian passed his glass to Flynn and leaned down to pick up Harriet.
"That's right, they are called that," he smiled at her, settling her on his hip. "But he doesn't look like a kangaroo to me."
"Nooooo, silly," she chuckled. "But Mummy carries him in a pouch, so that makes him Joey."
I twisted my head to Rhian. She rolled her eyes.
"I have a carry sling," she clarified. "But, yeah, he's Joey for short. Originally, we thought about calling him JJ, but Joey seems to suit him more."
"It's a great name," Christian nodded. He narrowed his eyes at Harriet. "Although something tells me you want to take all the credit for naming him, huh? You little monster!"
Harriet laughed and threw herself into his shoulder, wrapping her arms tightly around Christian's neck.
He began spinning her on the spot, twirling her several times before carting her out of the room. I assumed they were heading for the kitchen, ready to load up on sugar. Flynn followed quickly in their wake, the twins trudging behind their father.
I slowly returned my eyes to Joey, something about him demanding my attention. I could hardly bring myself to stop looking at him, trying to take in every last detail of his perfect face. His round cheeks, his dark eyelashes, the small pucker in his lips.
I had never spent much time around babies before, but I could hand-on-heart say he was the cutest baby I had ever seen.
"He's going to be a heartbreaker when he's older," I smirked. "He's just so…"
There were no words. I simply shook my head and shrugged.
Rhian shuffled forward, moving to the edge of the couch. She winced, but it didn't stop her from reaching over and scooping Joey out of the crib.
She held him up, shushing his moans, and then turned him over to me.
I raised my hands, matching her son's protest.
"I've never held a –"
"Now's as good a time as any to rectify that," she dismissed my objection and proceeded to settle Joey into the crook of my left arm. She positioned him close to my body, his head nestled in my elbow. "There you go. There's nothing to it, all you have to do is make sure their heads are supported."
She bowed her head to his and kissed his hair, smoothing her fingers down his plump cheek.
"Is he okay?" I checked. "Am I…?"
"He's fine," she smiled. "Don't worry. Relax."
I exhaled a deep breath and tried to drop my shoulders.
"He's so tiny," I whispered. "And lightweight. I guess I assumed he'd be heavier."
"He was 5lbs 11oz," she said. "The doctors think he would have been a big boy if he'd decided to stay in 'til term. He'll gain weight soon enough. He's already a good feeder."
"It's not a problem then, with him being premature?"
"No," she smiled, shaking her head. "They checked him over immediately after he was born, and they gave him a clean bill of health. We had to stay in hospital for them to check us both over, but we're fine."
She edged back into the cushions, her movements slow. She gave another wince.
"Are you in pain?"
"I'm sore," she laughed. "Just two stitches this time around, thank god!"
I screwed up my face in sympathy, my legs instinctively pressing together.
"His birth was much easier than the others'," she continued. "The twins were four weeks early, and they were an emergency c-section after the labour stopped progressing. I had Harriet naturally, but I was in labour for three days. I was overdue with her. That stubborn little madam did not want to come out!"
"How long did it last this time? The labour?"
"About six and a half hours," she shrugged. "Not long at all. My contractions started sometime after midnight, my waters broke around 3am, he popped out at 6:57."
"Wow…" I glanced down at him. "You were eager to arrive, weren't you?"
He grizzled in response, blinking up at me slowly.
"Was it painful?" I wondered. "I know it's obviously a stupid question, but –"
"There's no such thing as a stupid question," Rhian cut over me. She rested her hand on my upper arm, drawing my eyes back to hers. "Ask whatever you want. You haven't had kids, so you wouldn't know about these things. But yes, it was painful. Extremely. Hence why John's getting the snip."
I chuckled. "I think you're amazing," I said. "I don't think I could do it."
"Every woman thinks that at some point," she shrugged again. "It's just fear. It's the unknown. But the body knows what to do. It takes over, all you have to do is go along for the ride. Let it do its thing and trust your doctor."
I had heard so many horror stories from mothers at SIP, overhearing them discussing the painful, gruesome details of their respective births. It was enough to make anyone want to permanently seal their legs shut.
"Definitely no more kids after Joey then?"
"Oh nooo," Rhian shook her head, her eyes widening in horror. "We've already had this chat and the first chance he gets, John's getting fixed. I'll do it myself if I have to. I am not going through this again. Four is plenty."
I grinned, trying hard to restrain myself from laughing too hard, not wanting to disturb Joey as he started to snooze in my arms.
"Do you think you and Christian will ever have one?" she asked, dropping her voice to a whisper.
"I think so," I nodded. "In a few years maybe. Not anytime soon."
I stared at Joey as he slipped soundly into sleep, watching the way his chest rose and fell. The urge to kiss him was unfathomable, prompting me to lean down and peck his cheek.
I took a deep breath and sighed.
"Oh my god…"
"His smell?" Rhian asked. I nodded, snapping my head up. "It's amazing, isn't it? I wish we could bottle it. There's nothing else like it."
"I could eat him up," I groaned. My chest began to swell, a warm, tingly feeling oozing through my torso. "He's so perfect. I love him already."
Picking up one of his hands, I marvelled at the way he wrapped his fist around my index finger, gripping me.
"I'll be back in a minute," Rhian said, pushing forward again and rising to her feet. "I need to grab some water before I feed him again."
"I can –"
"No, you stay there," she urged, holding up her hand. "He's happy where he is, and you're doing a great job… Besides, it's good for me to keep moving. I'll become a part of that bloody sofa if I sit on it for too long."
Before I could say anything else, she was out of the room, passing Christian on her way through the door.
"She's left you holding the baby, huh?" he smirked, sauntering over to me. He took up Rhian's space. "He's a handsome little guy."
"He is," I nodded.
Christian brushed the back of his fingers across Joey's forehead.
"It's hard to believe any of us used to be this small," he muttered, shaking his head. He raised his gaze and smiled at me, his eyes fleeting between my own and my lips. "You look great."
He brought his mouth to mine and kissed me, the act so light and tender that it caught me off guard. I shivered, my skin prickling.
It sounded like there was more to his sentence, something left hanging on the end of his words. I didn't press him, though. He was too busy dipping to take a whiff of the baby, as I had done moments before. The sigh that he exhaled made the hairs at the back of my neck stand up.
I was sat cross-legged on the floor, playing with the twins. Thomas and William, with their light brown hair and long limbs, were the image of Flynn. They were side-by-side and rolling trucks along the carpet, bashing them together.
Harriet was next to me, quietly fussing over her toy cat. She leaned into me, her head on my arm.
"Auntie Ana?" she asked. I waited for her question. "Do you like playing with us?"
"I love it!" I exclaimed, wrapping an arm around her dainty shoulders. "I love playing with you guys. I wish I could come over and spend more time with you."
"Do it," she replied, throwing her head back and staring at me with her sapphire eyes. "You could live here with us."
"I don't think that would work, sweetheart," I shook my head. I lowered my voice. "Christian says I snore, so I don't think you'd like that very much."
"No, no snoring," she chuckled. She wriggled up onto my lap, tucking herself into me. "I wanted a baby brother."
"You did," I smiled. I brushed her hair back from her face. "Are you happy now?"
"Yes," she nodded. "I wished every night Joey would be a boy. I really wanted a brother because that means I'm still the only girl."
"Do you like being a big sister?"
"It's okay," she shrugged, nonchalant. "He doesn't do anything but sleep and cry, but Mummy said he'll get bigger soon. Then we can play together."
I longed to see the four of them all playing together, rolling around on the floor, laughing and giggling.
The twins usually stick together, but they do include Harriet in their games now and then. I wondered if, when Joey is older, whether he and Harriet will team up against their older siblings. Two against two.
"Do you have a brother?" Harriet asked, nudging me in the stomach as she spoke. "Or a sister?"
"No," I shook my head. "No, I don't. It was just me when I was growing up."
"You were on your own?"
"Yeah, not like you."
She pondered this for a moment.
"Were you sad? Because I would be sad if I didn't have Thomas or William or Joey. I would be very sad."
"I was a little sad," I admitted. "But not anymore. Not now I'm grown up."
She fell silent again and then swiftly nodded her head, giving me a defiant look that was pure Rhian seeping through.
"I'll be your sister," she declared. "You can be my sister and you won't be sad ever again."
For the second time this evening I felt myself tearing up.
These damn kids…
"That's lovely, thank you," I hummed, pulling her tighter into my chest. "Boys –" I gathered their attention, their matching dark eyes shooting to me. "Come here. I need a hug."
They left their trucks and crawled over on their knees, crashing into me and Harriet, throwing their arms around us.
"I love all of you," I told them, kissing each of their foreheads in turn. "I want you to know that, okay? I'll always be here for you guys."
"Love you, Auntie Ana," the boys mumbled in unison.
"Love you too," Harriet whispered into my chest.
I closed my eyes and savoured every second of their embrace, enjoying the feel of their tiny bodies against mine. Their love was given so freely and without restrictions. They had a lot of love to give, and they were happy to share it with whoever is around.
Pulling my head back from the huddle, I glanced back towards the couches. Christian had been sat over there with John and Rhian, the three of them talking amongst themselves. But now it was just him.
His chin was dipped, his attention on his arms as he gently bounced them up and down. My lips parted, my jaw hanging open, as he rocked Joey. His mouth moved but I couldn't hear what he was saying, his words reserved for the baby.
The way he was holding him, with such ease, no tension or worry in his face…
He's a natural.
All of this picture seems so natural. Like it's meant to be.
"Why are you crying?"
Harriet's voice sounded in my ear, breaking my focus. I returned my focus to her, noticing that the boys had already moved away and were now back to crashing their trucks into each other.
I rubbed my cheeks, finding tears streaming down them.
"Mummy's been crying too," she added, quietly. "But Daddy said it's okay. It's more-moans."
"Right," I smiled.
"Are more-moans making you cry?"
"I think so," I nodded. I pecked her thick mass of black curls again. "I'm not sad, I promise. I'm happy. These are happy tears."
Content with my answer, she dropped her eyes to her cat and began hugging it close to her. She spoke to him as if he was real, her own baby that needs taking care of.
A light tap on my shoulder made me look to my left. Flynn was crouched beside me, grinning like a mad man.
He gestured to Christian and Joey.
"It's quite something, isn't it?" Flynn hummed. "Quite a sight to behold."
"It is," I nodded, blowing out a hard sigh.
"He goes from not unable to stomach anyone being near him to gladly holding a baby," he snorted. "Talk about doing a complete 180!"
"He was really excited to come meet the baby," I said. "He was probably just as excited as me."
"He's a changed man," Flynn nodded. "He's matured so much in the last few months. Well, he must have if he's this eager to finally settle down. I never thought I'd see the day, that's for sure."
I don't think anyone in the world has anticipated the infamous Christian Grey ever settling down. He was a confirmed bachelor to some, a closeted gay to others. An enigma to everyone.
"I know you'll both make wonderful parents one day," Flynn observed. "You have what it takes. Both of you. The patience, the love, the compassion. It's all there in droves."
His eyes darted from Christian to me, his dark gaze rounding as he met mine.
"Luckily, you're going to get a lot of practice with our herd," he laughed. "Rhian and I will definitely be calling on you for babysitting duties. I already know this lot is going to drive us bananas."
"You can count on us," I grinned. "Any time."
He placed his hand on my back.
"I'm pleased Christian found you," he said, his voice turning a hint more serious now. "You are the breath of fresh air he needed. I'm glad you got the chance to see him for who he is, not who he wants the world to think he is."
"He had to let his guard down sooner or later," I shrugged. "It's just by chance he did it with me."
Flynn smiled and patted my shoulder, pushing back up to his feet. He walked over to the couch, resuming his place beside Christian.
My fiancé tore his stare from the baby as his friend sat down, the two of them sharing a quiet word before his gaze shot towards me.
His brows pulled together for a second as he mouthed 'are you okay?'.
I nodded my head and smiled, wiping away the remaining tears trickling down my cheeks.
Happy tears, I mouthed back to him. I'm happy. Really happy.
