Maya's POV
Nurse Caroline was back ten minutes later like she said she would to take Holden back for his newborn testing. Lucas and I sat together in a happy silence while the baby was out of the room, just holding each other's hands and communicating through our eyes.
"Ready for a year of non-stop screaming?" I asked jokingly but so serious at the same time.
"Never, but I can't wait to try," he said, stroking the top of my hand with my thumb.
"Look who's back!" The nurse called to get our attention from the doorway. She had Holden bundled in one arm and a clipboard tucked under under her other arm. She walked in and handed me my squirming son. "He has very high bilirubin levels, which is concerning in a baby so small so we gave him some light and will be back to do that again tomorrow. His hearing is great, and no detected disease or anything else so we should have you out of here in the normal for days.
"Thank you very much," I said and Lucas nodded in agreement.
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I was fast asleep on our second night in the hospital, Lucas collapsed in a chair and Holden also knocked out in his bassinet in the corner. I woke up to the shrill beeping of a monitor and the persistent pattering of footsteps nearing. Lucas jumped out of his chair and looked over Holden's crib. I pushed up into a sitting position, careful not to rip any IVs out.
"What's going on, Lucas? What's wrong?" I asked, sleep still blurring out the edges of my vision.
"I don't know, Maya. He looks fine, are you okay?" Lucas came over to me and rested his rough hand against my forehead.
The nurses finally entered the room swarming over to Holden's little bassinet. The kept their voices low and their conversations between them. They unlocked the wheels on the small bed and rolled him out of the room without a word to Lucas or I.
"What's going on? Where are you taking my baby?" I called after them, but no one answered. I looked at Lucas and shook my head like I was about to explode. He sat down in the bed next to me and wrapped his strong, sure arms around me and pressed a long kiss to the side of my head.
"Ms and Mr Friar?" A nurse asked poking her head into our room. I had to fight the urge to correct her but nodded instead. "Holden just came out of surgery. We are very proud to inform you he is doing very well and is in fighting shape."
"Surgery? Surgery for what? What happened?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrow and looking at her demanding answers.
"Well looks like Holden fell into a severe sleep apnea fit, stopped his breathing for longer than the monitor was okay with. He had massively inflamed tonsils so we removed them. He may have to stay longer now so we can keep administering his pain meds, but I assure you two, everything is ok."
"Oh thank god, we were so worried. Thank god," I repeated over and over again. The nurse gave me an assuring smile and left the room.
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"He's going home today! Our baby is coming home today, Lucas!" I said, tapping Lucas' arm incessantly as we stood in front of the check-out desk.
"I know, I know. You know I listen to what the doctors say too, right?" he asked, pressing his hands down on my shoulder to stop my bouncing.
"I know, I know. Oh look, Lucas there he is," I said, pointing to a older volunteer who was carrying Holden towards us.
He had definitely grown in the month he had to stay at the hospital. But he was caught up to where he should be age wise and healed completely from his surgery. The volunteer took Holden around to behind the desk where the check out nurse weighed and measured him one more time. She smiled and had Lucas and I sign some release forms. She handed us an envelope with our son's birth certificate and papers and then handed over our soon. I had to push up onto my toes to reach how high the nurse was holding him.
But when I finally had him in my arms I showered him in kisses and pretended not to notice when Lucas pulled out his phone and started taking pictures.
/||\\/||\\/||\
TWO MONTHS LATER
"Wakey, wakey, Momma. Can you say that Holden?" I heard Lucas say from over me. "Wait no, of course you can't you're like two months old."
"Morning my loves," I said, yawning and looking around Lucas'/my/Holden's room. I reached up and took Holden, curling him up against me for an early morning cuddle.
Eventually, Lucas joined us and then even latter we got up and wandered downstairs.
"Morning, Mrs Friar," I said, setting Holden into his highchair. "Happy Mother's Day."
"Happy first Mother's Day to you, Maya," she said, kissing my cheek and then ruffling Lucas' hair. She pulled a bottle out of the fridge and put it on the tray in front of the baby. "Did you see Holden's onesie?"
"No?" I said around a bite of peach. I put my fruit down on the wooden table and lifted Holden up. I gasped when I saw the onsie my baby was wearing. It was a blue-grey and had black block letters that said 'Happy First Mother's Day! Love, Holden Ryder.' "that's the cutest thing ever," I remarked.
"I knew she'd like it,"Mrs Friar remarked and places a plate of eggs and hashbrowns in front of Lucas and I.
"It's perfect, thank you guys," I said and sloppily kissed Holden's cheek.
/||\\/||\\/||\\
TWO MORE MONTHS LATER
"Morning, morning," Lucas said as he hopped down the last few steps.
"Morning hun," I said. I wiped a spot of peach baby food off Holden's cheek. "Hey, can you grab me another towel."
"Sure thing," he said and tossed a towel in my general direction.
"Did you hear from the university?" I asked, making exaggerated plane movements with my hand to get Holden's attention on the food.
"No," he said glumly.
I didn't look away from the baby I was attempted to feed but shook my head a little. "I'm sure there was a good reason. There's always next year too," I assured him.
My laptop - which was sitting on the counter and open - chose that moment to beep. The alert startled me and Holden, which caused him to start wailing and me to whirl around and check it.
Maya Hart,
It is with our greatest pleasure to inform you that
You have been excepted into the 2018-20 class of
NYU's teaching Associates program.
Sincerely,
NYU admissions staff.
"Momma got into NYU. momma's gonna be a teacher!" I exclaimed dropping the spoon of baby food I was holding.
"Maya!" Lucas exclaimed and I don't know exactly what he meant by it but I leaped into his arms and kissed him on the lips squarely.
"Momma's gonna be a teacher! I exclaimed again when we pulled away. I picked Holden up and spun him around.
We held our impromptu dance session until Mrs Friar walked in and looked at us with a baffled expression.
"Maya got into NYU!" Lucas exclaimed and Mrs Friar gasped so loudly I swear all the glasses cracked a little. She jumped up and down and kissed my forehead and then joined us in semi-organized dancing around the small kitchen.
/||\\/||\\/||\\
EIGHT MORE MONTHS LATER
"And sign here and then the house will be yours," The suited man said handing me an absurdly heavy pen. His gaze was expectant, demanding me to sign the contract that my hands were laying on.
I looked at Lucas who was holding a squirming Holden. He nodded and I took a deep breath. I signed my name on the line and slid the papers back to the agent.
He flipped through the stappled packet one more time and then nodded. He dug around in his pocket and then slid two keys forward. "Congratulations on your new home, Maya and Lucas," he said, standing and leaving us alone in our new house.
/||\\/||\\/||\\
NINE MORE MONTHS LATER
"Come on Holden, hold still so Mommy can dress you," I said, trying to hold the squirming toddler down long enough to pull pants on.
"Nooooo," he wailed, starting to kick his legs. Very, very close to my face, if I can add.
"Sorry that took so long, babe. I think the cold is still bothering him," I said to Lucas handing over our soon so I could pull my jacket on.
"Aww poor baby. Are you feeling sickey?" Lucas said in a playful baby voice to Holden who only wailed in response.
"We should take him to urgent care on the way to your mom's house," I said, grabbing the keys to Lucas' truck and opening the door.
Lucas nodded in agreement and tried to wrangle the screaming baby into his carseat.
Finally we got to the urgent care center, where I had to check in and then take an iPad to answer a questionnaire on. Fifty-two questions later, I handed the iPad in and then was told to wait a few more minutes. I was bouncing Holden on my knee trying to get him to stop the tears. Soon, he started wet gurgling, a sound I noticed all to well. Vomit exploded out of his mouth.
"Oh no baby," I said, rubbing his back.
Lucas reached into the baby bag and grabbed some wipes and a cloth. He was starting to wipe us down when Holden threw up again.
"Oh Jesus," I mumbled under my breath.
"Will you marry me?" Lucas blurted out.
I started laughing uncontrollably and tears pricked at my eyes. "Of fucking course," I said.
Holden threw up again and Lucas and I bursted out laughing all over again. A few people clapped and hollered, and the nurse finally came and called Holden's name. We stood up and I swear I saw her sway on her feet a little. I laughed again to myself and couldn't help how thinking how much this felt like home; Lucas, Holden and I together. They were my home.
A/N: And that's a wrap. Thank you so much to everyone who read, liked, followed reviewed. It meant so much to me. Thank you for reading and feel free to leave constructive criticism in the comments. 3