Don't Let Go
Chapter 16
It had been the longest six weeks of both their lives. It had become their routine morning and evening ritual to spend time at the hospital, watching their baby girl progressing well as the doctors said. They'd spend the afternoons holed up in their shared office at home, Lucas trying to catch up on his articles and Peyton using her sketching to distract her from the clock, which seemed to tick away slowly teasing her until the time came to leave again for the hospital.
It had been during one of those morning visits, their eyelids still feeling heavy from another sleepless night, when Emily had surprised them awake by opening her eyes for the first time. They had been the standard shade of blue most babies were born with but both Peyton and Lucas had found them to be the most beautiful color of blue they had ever seen.
The first day they had gotten to hold Emily was the best they could ever remember. When the nurse had placed her gently into Peyton's waiting arms Emily stirred quietly and stared back at Peyton, her blue eyes piercing her mother's. And Peyton had been sure she had never seen a smile so wide cross Lucas' face as he held onto his little girl, her tiny frame protected by the strong arms of her father.
Peyton could only describe the feeling that came over her as she watched Lucas carefully latch Emily's car seat into the back of their car, as euphoria. Emily was finally on her way home.
On the twenty minute drive home Peyton couldn't stop turning around to sneak a peek at her sleeping daughter tucked safely into the car seat that she still wasn't big enough to fill out.
"I can't believe she's coming home with us, after all that time it started to feel like this day would never come." Peyton said softly, turning back to face forward in the passengers seat. She rested her hand on his shoulder and ran her fingers over the short, recently trimmed hair above his ear.
"It feels good you know, having our little family home together finally." He grabbed her hand from his shoulder and kissed it.
Making the familiar turn onto their street, Lucas noticed a few familiar cars parked in front of their house. Peyton noticed them seconds after him. "Is that you mom's and Keith's car?"
"Looks like it." He pulled into the driveway and was quickly out of the car unhooking the car seat and carrying Emily inside, Peyton followed steps behind with a diaper bag slung over her shoulder.
They were surprised to see their small family gathered in their living room, a few pink balloons scattered around and a banner welcoming Emily home was taped above the doorway.
"Surprise." Haley offered up with a smile, as the surprised parents made their way inside.
"What's going on Hales?" Peyton dropped the diaper bag near the door and gave Haley a warm hug.
"We just figured Emily deserved a little fanfare for her first day home." Karen walked up and kissed Lucas on the forehead before giving her daughter-in-law a hug. Keith and Nathan also made their presence known.
"Thank you guys so much for this." Lucas smiled. "This is a big day for us and I'm glad you're here to share this with us and Emily."
"I just wish you guys could hold her," Peyton saw Haley's face fall. "Sorry Hales, doctor's orders. She can't be passed around just yet."
"Yeah sure, you just want to keep her all to yourself." Haley joked. "Can we at least fawn over her like she's the most beautiful baby ever."
Peyton smiled as she gently lifted Emily from her seat, supporting the weight of her head like the nurses had shown her and cradled her in her arms. The small group gathered around her.
"She really is the most beautiful baby I've ever seen." Haley cooed. "I want a baby."
"Don't get any ideas Haley." Nathan cautioned. "But she is cute."
"You two did a good thing with little girl." Keith said in only the way he could.
"We're proud of you both." Karen grinned.
After the cooing had subsided, the guys settled into the living room to watch a basketball game. Karen, Haley and Peyton were gathered around the small kitchen table with Emily resting comfortably in her mother's arms.
"I can't believe how natural you look holding her." Haley remarked, peering over the rim of her coffee mug.
"It's only because I made the nurse show me the correct way to hold a newborn a few dozen times before I even held her myself." Peyton peered down at the sleeping figure in her arms. "I was so scared that I wouldn't do something the right way with her, that I was somehow going to break her."
"Believe me Peyton, it's completely natural to doubt your abilities as a parent at times. I did the same thing with Lucas, always wondering if I was doing something wrong with him. But eventually the worry becomes less and the doubt fades." Karen gently reassured her. "You and Lucas are going to do a good job with Emily, I know you will. And for those moments of doubts you know you can always call me."
"And if you ever need a break I am more than willing to baby sit for you guys, and my services are free of course." Haley offered up willingly.
"Thank you both, but I think we've got everything under control for now." Peyton smiled, hoping that she seemed as confident as she was projecting.
Hours later, after their family had filed out of the door leaving behind a few pink balloons and more reminders that they were only minutes away, Peyton and Lucas watched over their sleeping daughter as she lay in her crib.
"She looks even smaller in that big crib." Lucas observed with a grin.
"I almost don't want to be away from her tonight." She said continuing to peer over the side of the crib.
"Peyt, we have the baby monitor plugged in. We'll be able to hear her just fine if she wakes up."
"I know." She responded slowly before a smile lit up her face. "I'll be right back."
She came back into the nursery minutes later with two pillows and a blanket spilling from her arms. "We'll sleep on the floor in here."
Lucas gave her a look. "Just for tonight, I swear." She stared innocently at him.
"Just for tonight." He said, trying and failing to sound stern.
On the floor beneath their daughters crib, wrapped up in a blanket is how they spent the week following Emily's arrival home. While sleeping on the floor for that amount of time hadn't been good for her back, Peyton felt secure knowing that her daughter was only inches away from her.