Elliot was holding Nora so Liv could eat breakfast. The second time she started to nod off into her oatmeal, Elliot put Nora into her bassinet. She gave a surprised little whimper. "I know love," he murmured, "I know you'd rather be held. But right now your mama needs some support." "Liv," he said gently, coming over to her. "You are exhausted. You need to sleep today."
"But I don't want to miss time with Nora," she protested.
"I know you don't, but you gave birth two weeks ago, and you're nursing every three hours. You need a break."
"I feel like that makes me a bad mom," she admitted tearfully.
"You are an amazing mom. But you have to take care of yourself too. Nora is going to have a daddy day. You're going to sleep and rest, ok? I know you have to get up to nurse her and you can relax with us, but you have to get some sleep first."
She nodded, reluctantly. Eight hours later, Elliot had woken her twice to nurse, given her food to eat while she'd nursed, and both times she'd fallen asleep again immediately.
She came into their bedroom, where Elliot was holding Nora, reading her Good-Night Moon. "Feel better?" he asked, smiling at her. "Look who woke up," he said to Nora, "mama's here!"
Olivia sat down next to them. "Thank you, El," she said. "I didn't know how exhausted I was. I missed you though," she cooed to Nora. "I missed my baby girl."
She picked her up and snuggled her. "Let's finish hearing daddy read, Nora."
Elliot picked the book up and finished reading it to Nora, watching his fiancée and daughter over the top of the book, his eyes filled with love. "I think we all need a snuggle," he said. "What do you say, love?" he asked Nora.
Liv laid Nora gently down on the bed between them, and they curled next to her. "Love you, Nora," Liv said, kissing Nora's nose. "Love you, El."
"Love you too, Liv. Love you, owlet," he answered.