‘How do you feel? Do you need to rest instead of...?’ His voice trailed off, a deep furrow creasing his brow.
‘I’m good,’ she assured him.
‘Are you sure—?’
‘Leo.’ She took his strong, familiar jaw between her hands and gave him a reassuring smile. ‘I promise you I
’m one hundred per cent healthy.’
But she understood his sudden caution, the dark glimmer of anxiety in his eyes. Beneath her own excitement lay a shadow of apprehension. A fear that she would lose this child as she had lost Lucas.
But even that flicker of fear could not eclipse her joy or hope for the future.
Because this time she was not alone. This time she had Leo by her side. This time, whatever ups and downs life had in store, they would face them as one.
* * *
He was perfect. Ten fingers, ten toes, a fine thatch of black hair and the loudest, gustiest cry the nurses said they’d ever heard from a newborn.
Not for the first time since his son’s miraculous arrival into the world two hours ago, Leo thought his chest might explode from the torrent of emotions coursing through him. Pride. Elation. Relief. And, of course, love. So much love it threatened to overwhelm him.
It had certainly stolen his ability to find words for such a momentous occasion. To tell his beautiful, incredible wife in the wake of her ten-hour labour how proud he was of her. Of their son.
He looked up from the tiny bundle in his arms. Despite the rings of exhaustion around her eyes Helena was radiant, her glow of happiness reflecting his own. He shifted on the edge of the hospital bed and gently laid their son in her arms.
For a long moment he stared at the woman and child he would spend the rest of his days loving, supporting, protecting. ‘I love you.’ He dropped a kiss on her mouth, another on his son’s downy head. ‘I love you both.’
‘I love you, too.’ She smiled at him through her tears. ‘No regrets?’
He looked at his sleeping son—the most amazing sight in the world—then back to his beautiful wife.
He smiled. ‘None.’
* * * * *