Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 114467 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 572(@200wpm)___ 458(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114467 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 572(@200wpm)___ 458(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
“Oh my God,” I whisper and go closer to her. Right before I am about to take her, the nurse comes back in.
“Okay, let’s get you back into your room, so we can clear out the hallway,” she says. “We are going to make an exception for one hour, but then your family has to leave and come back tomorrow,” she says, and I roll my eyes at her. She pushes the bed, and when the doors open, I see that everyone is exactly where I left them. Justin is now there in his suit, and he just looks at us and smiles.
“Figures you couldn’t just give birth and be on the down low.” He laughs and comes over to hug me, and I try not to cry. Matthew is the next one to come to me when the coast is clear.
“Are you okay?” he asks me quietly. “I know you two are two peas in a pod.”
“Yeah,” I tell him and hug him around his waist. “Not going to lie, I almost throat punched the nurse.”
“We heard,” he says, putting his hand around my shoulder, and we walk into Zara’s hospital room.
My parents are beside her bed, my father watching my mother and Zara bonding over the baby. His chest is puffed out, which he does when he’s super proud. Karrie and Allison talk in the corner with Justin. “Come and hold her,” Zara says, smiling through her tears. Evan stands beside Dad, doing the same puffed-out chest.
I walk over, and my mother places Zoey in my arms, and I swear she reaches out of her blanket and waves at me. “What are you naming her, besides princess?” Matthew asks beside Karrie now.
“Meet Zoey with a y,” Evan says, and my father laughs and hugs him around his shoulders.
“You never stood a chance,” he says, knowing that even if Zara wanted to name her after the solar system, he would have gone with it.
“Hello, little Zoey with a y,” I tell her while I rub her soft cheek with my finger, and she opens her mouth as if to say hi. I’m smiling through my tears as she blinks her eyes at me and opens and closes her perfect plump lips. I’m lost in the moment of having her in my arms. Lost in the unconditional love she brings out in me. I will do anything for her, and then I look over at the door and see him. He stands there in jeans and a jacket with a stupid beanie on his head and in his hand is the Burberry bag I packed as a backup. All I can do is smile. I don’t know why he’s here, but it doesn’t matter. Nothing at the moment matters except for Zoey.
“Hey,” he says softly, walking in beside me, then turning to look at Zara. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you,” she says, leaning back on the bed, her face showing her exhaustion.
“Thank you,” I tell him when I see the bag in his hand. “You didn’t have to.”
“It was nothing,” he says and then looks at the baby in my arms. “She’s beautiful.”
“She is,” I say, smiling. “This is Zoey with a y,” I introduce her, and he just smiles. Zoey starts to make noises now, and the nurse comes back in.
“Okay, folks,” she says. “It’s time to clear out. She can have two people stay with her.” I look at my mother who just smiles at me.
“Mom, why don’t you stay with her?” I tell my mother. “We can switch in the morning.”
“Are you sure?” my mother asks me. “I don’t mind coming back tomorrow either.”
“Nah,” I say, kissing Zoey, who is not happy at all. “You know what to do. I’ll just threaten people to make it happen.” I laugh, and my mother just shakes her head.
I hand Zoey off to Zara and then kiss her head. “Call me if you need me,” I tell her and then hug Evan. “Text me if you need anything.”
“Will do,” he says and looks at Zara. We walk out, and everyone is making plans about where everyone is sleeping tonight. My head just replays everything that has gone on in the last four hours. “Zoe.” I hear my name being called and look up at Viktor who is walking beside me.
“Sorry, what?” I ask and see that everyone has gone in their own directions. “Where is everyone?”
“Your father went to get his car,” Viktor says. “I was wondering if we could talk.” I look at him as he puts his hands in his back pockets. “I know now is not a good time, but there are things that need to be said.”
“What?” I look at him. “We really don’t have to do this,” I tell him, my neck starting to get hot, and my heart speeding up. “I think I got the picture crystal clear,” I say without thinking.