“I’ll explain later.” I brushed her cheek as she nursed. She reached up to me and when her little hand grasped my finger I felt something strange in my eyes. I blinked a few times trying to get it out but when I touched my face I realized I was crying. Me? Crying? For real? What?
“Thank you…for her…for you…thank you,” he whispered, kissing the top of my head.
I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t. I wiped my face and nodded.
I watched her feed, feeling myself slowly give into the exhaustion. I just needed to close my eyes for a little bit.
I’d done a lot of hard things in my life, but nothing compared to this.
Sunday, March 10th
“Calliope? Calliope?”
I heard the voice. I heard my name and I think I knew it was him, but I felt so confused and dizzy. I pulled the blade from my hair and held it out to attack but he gripped my wrist quickly. The weapon nearly grazed his eye, but he wasn’t scared. He just squeezed my wrist tighter.
“It’s me, la mia anima, it’s me,” he said softly. “Relax.”
I slackened immediately, and he took the weapon from me. He reached over and put it in a drawer. I looked around the room, panic rising again.
“Where is she?” I shot upright.
“Relax,” he repeated, nodding to a small white and gold bassinet beside me on the rather large bed. There she was, fully cleaned, dressed in a light pink onesie and matching hat, even a blanket over her. I reached over to touch her cheek, smiling.
Looking around, I noticed we weren’t in the attic anymore. It looked like another luxury hotel suite, with its own small living room, kitchen, and bathroom. However, the monitors and IV as well as the call button made our location obvious.
“You brought us to a hospital?”
“You need to eat. She’ll wake up soon wanting food too.” He spoke in a hushed tone. He placed the tray of food he had at his side, which I hadn’t noticed until now, over my lap. Chicken and rice soup, a bowl of fruit, and a large Italian salad. My gaze shifted to the kitchen, some of the same food on the counter, and then back to him. His tie was gone and his shirt was unbuttoned, the sleeves rolled up at the elbows. His dark brown hair was uncharacteristically tousled .
He cooks?
“Yes, I cooked.” He answered like he could read my mind and handed me a spoon. “No chef here, but it’s good enough to be eaten. And yes, this this a hospital. But no one comes to this floor and no one can get in this room unless they have a code, or you push for help. This room specifically was where my grandmother would hide away after getting a few…facial updates, as she calls them. Believe me, it is secure.”
“You brought us both here, cleaned her…” I glanced down at the light pink silk robe I now wore, “and me without anyone noticing or me waking up?”
“What?” He grinned. “You thought only you could be so sneaky? My brother and I have done much harder things growing up. Now eat.”
I took the spoon, eyeing him carefully before lifting the soup to my lips. I took a sip, kind of hoping it would be horrible, but sure enough it was very good.
“You’re full of surprises, Mr. Callahan.”
“You’re one to talk.” He moved to the other side of the bed, taking a seat beside the bassinet. He placed his hand on it and rested against the head board. He stroked her stomach gently. “We still need to name her.”
I lifted the bowl and leaned back as well. “I can’t think of anything. I just feel like calling her beautiful.”
“So, Bella then?”
“God no, it reminds me of my sister.” I grimaced at the thought of her being anything like Bellarose. “But it should be something Italian, seeing as her last name is Irish.”
He grinned, looking down at her and speaking softly. “Your parents are off to a bad start, aren’t we?”
I smiled, taking another bite and really trying to think. “I want something strong, beautiful, that stands on its own but has a family feel to it. Something Italian so people know she is both Italian and Irish…technically more Italian.”
“Why don’t we just name her Italy?” He rolling his eyes at me.
“Fine.”
He frowning. “No. I’m not naming my daughter after a country or a car. Those people grow up to be snobs.”