Eric walked around the room with Alyssa in his arms before switching and taking Patrick. "Hey little man, daddy's got you now." he started, "Hey, hey buddy! I see your eyes. I'm your daddy." Patrick let out a tiny noise as if he understood and accepted that Eric was his daddy. His big blue eyes gazed up at his father and he seemed to chuckle for the first time, hooking his father immediately.
Calleigh and Eric spent a good five hours looking at their twins and admiring them, watching their every move and laughing when the slightest noise made one or both newborns startle and flail their arms out to the side. They marveled at how they were so similar to each other, but also like Adriana.
Eric saw that Calleigh was really trying to stay awake and offered to put both twins in the tiny beds the hospital provided for them so she could sleep. He carefully placed Patrick, then Alyssa into their bed together and sat in the chair next to Calleigh. He noticed her eyes were already closed. He gingerly stroked her face and then ran his fingers through her hair, getting a few tangles out without even the tiniest movement from Calleigh.
"I love you." He whispered in her ear. His face inches away from hers.
Eric swore he hadn't stared at Calleigh for as long as he had, but the next thing he knew, an hour had passed. He lifted up from the position he was in, stretched and looked over at his tiny twins. Alyssa was awake and seemed to be happily looking around the room. Eric knew she couldn't see far away yet but it made him smile, thinking she was just relaxing and taking it all in on her first day being born.
"Hey, little girl." He said, lifting her up and bringing her close to his chest. He sat down on the couch and lay back, allowing Alyssa to lay in the crook of his arm. "Did you have a good nap?" He asked her. He flipped on the television and put the volume low. He watched the news until Calleigh woke up.
Calleigh smiled at Eric and turned to her newborn son who was asleep in his little bed. She gingerly moved herself to a sitting position and picked him up.
"Patrick," she whispered. "Hey there, cutie, whatcha doin'?" She asked him. She admired his tiny hand as it poked through the top of the blanket he was wrapped in. Another staring contest was on; as Eric had stared at Calleigh earlier, Calleigh stared at Patrick, marveling at him and how he looked like a tiny version of Eric, but with lighter hair.
Eric watched in awe at his family. He felt like his heart had grown some too that day. He didn't think he could be any happier than he was just then. All he needed was for Adriana to be there and it would be complete. He dialed his mother's number and asked if she could bring Adriana to the hospital to meet her new brother and sister. He and Calleigh had some time to relax and now he really wanted Adriana to be there. Eric's mother said they would be there soon.
30 minutes later, Adriana and Eric's mother came into the room. Adriana was very quiet and reserved for a while. She wouldn't even speak to Calleigh and hid behind her grandmother's legs. She finally climbed onto the bed with her after Calleigh told her for the tenth time that "Mommy was okay and that she really, really wanted Adriana to sit with her."
"Mommy," whispered Adriana. "You are okay?"
"Yes sweetie, mommy is more than okay. Mommy is very, very happy that you are here to see your new brother and sister." Calleigh told her, lifting up Patrick from his bed. "This is your brother, Patrick. See how little he is. Daddy is holding your sister Alyssa."
"Can I touch him?" Adriana asked.
"Of course you can." Calleigh said softly. "Here Adri, touch his hand."
"Oooh," Adriana said, still quiet. "His skin is soft."
"Do you want to give him a kiss?" Calleigh asked.
Adriana smiled and bent over to kiss Patrick. She lifted her head up and asked Calleigh. "Are they coming home today?"
"No, sweetie, mommy, Patrick and Alyssa are going to stay in the hospital for another night or two at least. Daddy is staying tonight with me, and you'll be with grandma until daddy gets home, okay?"
This seemed to please Adriana. She must have been having a great time at her grandma's house to not even whine about having to be away from her parents for a little while longer. She kept her gaze on Patrick for a little bit before sliding off of the bed to sit next to Eric. Sucking her right thumb, she gently touched Alyssa's head and stroked her tiny newborn sister's hair.
"Hey Adri!" Eric said. "Meet Alyssa!"
"Hey, Lyssa." Adriana said quietly. "Daddy can I give her a kiss too?"
"You sure can." Eric answered, lowering Alyssa for Adriana. "You looked just like this when you were born, see her tiny curls?"
"She's pretty, daddy." Adriana said.
"Just like you, princesa." Eric told her, kissing her hair. "I love you, my big girl."
"Love you too, daddy." Adriana told him, making his heart melt.
So there they were, the complete Delko family; Eric, Calleigh, Adriana, Patrick and Alyssa. Eric's mother took their first family photo, trying to hold back tears as she was very proud of her son.
