Chapter 52

"Woody, I meant what I said in the hospital. I know it wasn't probably the best or most romantic way to tell you, but I did mean it. I had been having feelings about you that I couldn't or wouldn't let myself identify, but in that moment when you looked down at Riley with such love and then at me with the same look as you placed him in my arms I suddenly knew that those feelings were love. I love you Woody Hoyt!"

He felt like he should ask someone to pinch him! This couldn't really be happening! Jordan loved him?! At long last?! He had never believed that this would come to pass no matter how long he had hoped for it. Then he realized she was waiting for him to say something. "Jordan, I have loved you almost since the first moment we met and if this is really true you have made all my dreams come true!"

"It's true. I'm just over the moon that you mean it!" he exclaimed.

She probably had intended to say more, but when she opened her mouth to do so all that came out was a yawn. He grinned at her and helped her to her feet. Gently he questioned, "Jordan, I know it will be several weeks before we can be together and I guess that I am even presuming that you will want that, but I was just wondering if you sleep with me tonight? I would really just love to hold you in my arms."

Jordan lightly punched him on the shoulder as she replied, "Of course I want to 'be together with you' when these stupid six weeks are over, and I would love to sleep in your arms tonight, but we will need to move Riley's bassinette into your room for when he wakes during the night."

"Wouldn't it just be easier if we shared your bed so we don't have to move him while he is sleeping?" Woody asked softly.

Rolling her eyes for not thinking of that herself, she sleepily nodded and they walked to her room arm in arm.

It wasn't the passionate night that one would expect after a declaration of love that had been so long in coming, rather, it was a sweet tender romantic night that suited them just fine at this point.

When Riley woke in the middle of the night to be fed Woody enjoyed a moment of staring into his wife's sleepy face before he got up, changed the baby's diaper, and brought him to Jordan to be nursed. He watched this tender act with loving eyes and when Jordan caught him staring almost blushed when she winked at him. It was so hard to believe that after all this time loving her in what he thought was in vain, that she now returned his love! He didn't know how he could be any happier.

While Evelyn was making breakfast and Jordan was giving Riley his morning feeding, Woody went out to get the morning paper. Each apartment had a cubbyhole located under the enclosed box where their mail was delivered. The newspapers, business and sales circulars, as well as local flyers could be put in the cubby in the lobby of the building. Names were clearly marked on these places so everyone knew who they belonged to. Woody thought nothing of this everyday fact as he collected the paper and re-entered the elevator to go back up to the apartment.

At least that was the case until he unfolded the paper to check out the morning's headlines and found something he was not expecting. Something that put a chill down his back and fear in his heart for Jordan and the baby!

To be continued…