Sophia

Chapter 73: Going Home

August 7th, 2014

The dawning light broke through the hospital window shortly before six in the morning. I broke my gaze from the bright light and looked over at the two silent sleeping babies in their cots. My eyes did not leave them through the long hours of the night. I had not slept at all, even though Tristan urged me to at least rest my eyes and promised that he would watch them, but I just could not calm my thoughts.

Kali had been able to trick me into handing her one of my newborn daughters with her disguise as a nurse. I had fooled myself into thinking that my inner warning bells had been wrong and blamed it on anxiety. While I had plenty to be anxious about, I would not make that mistake again in the future.

I had thought we were safe, finally. But, of course, we weren't. My children and I would never be safe from the Devil and his mischievous plans. Especially now that I had two fragile newborns, it would only take the death of one of them by his hands for our cause to be lost completely. I had been foolish to bring them into this world knowing that their lives would never be safe. Maybe I should have ended my pregnancy when I found out.

As if hearing my thoughts, young Elizabeth let out a small whimper in her sleep. I swung my legs off the bed to bring my body into a sitting position on the edge. I looked at their peaceful faces and immediately felt a sharp pain in my heart. I couldn't wish them away even if it would be for their safety. I loved them completely, so much it made my heart ache.

"Oh my darlings. I will protect you both with my life," I whispered to their slumbering bodies.

I sat up straighter and looked at myself in the mirror on the wall across the room. My eyes were bloodshot from the lack of sleep, and my hair lay limply in a braid along one shoulder.

"Get a grip, Vaughn."

The reflection in the mirror looked more determined. I carefully moved one leg and then the other trying to gauge the pain in them. While they were definitely sore, I was almost positive that they would hold my weight now. I carefully touched my feet to the floor, gripping the mattress while I slowly brought myself to a standing position. When I was sure they wouldn't give out on me again, I made my way across the room to the couch that Tristan lay asleep on. I gently nudged him and said, "Babe."

He awoke with a start, and his eyes scanned the room quickly.

"What's wrong? Are the girls okay?" He asked as he jumped into a pounce like form.

"Nothing is wrong. The girls are sleeping. I just wanted you to be awake while I took a quick shower."

He visibly relaxed and his shoulders slumped slightly with exhaustion.

"Of course. But the doc should be here within the hour."

"I won't be that long." I moved quickly to the attached bathroom and shut the door silently.

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"Do we have everything?" I ask for the tenth time this afternoon.

We were currently getting ready to leave the hospital and my nerves were on end. The paparazzi that had been camped outside before the front doors all night long had been finally been pushed back to the entrance of the road leading to the hospital by the police. Tristan had switched cars with my dad, and thus we now had the SUV with the windows that were so tinted no sunlight could get through. It was the car he used especially on the sunny days that occurred in Ireland, far and few as they were. I had heard from our nurse that other couples would be leaving the hospital at the same time, so the paparazzi would have no clue which vehicle to follow.

"Discharge papers, car seats are installed in the car, your bag and the babies. I think we are good."

Tristan made one more turn around the room before turning to look at me sitting in the wheelchair holding Gabrielle and Elizabeth safely in my arms.

"Then let's get our girls home." I smile brightly and gently kiss the brown curls of each head.

Tristan wheels me out of the room, and into the elevator halfway down the hall. The rest of my family is waiting at home, I insisted it just be Tristan and I for this experience. Our first real moment out in the world as a family.

When we reach the ground floor and make our way towards the front glass doors, I see my dad's black SUV sitting right in front.

Tristan stops the wheelchair and locks the wheels before coming around to lift Gabrielle out of my arms. He goes around to the opposite door to place her in the car seat, while I stand up and do the same with Elizabeth before getting into the backseat myself. I'm positioned between both carriers and double check that both chest straps are at the right place on each baby.

Once Tristan is in the drivers seat, he twists around to ask," Ready to go home?"

I nod my head in assent and he starts the car. And I was ready to go home, on top of not sleeping at all the night before and being incredibly sore I was more than ready. It had been a hard one battle to even allow me to be released, and now that I was apprehension was sinking in causing me to think back on our earlier conversation with Dr. Bader.

"You've had a very traumatic birth Sophia. I would feel much better if you would stay under our observation another night."

"I'm perfectly fine. I've been able to stand since this morning, I've showered and used the bathroom by myself, the girls are latching on extremely well and we are ready to go home."

I see him glance pleading at Tristan wanting help to convince me. He just shrugs with a motion of 'I've already tried.' He had definitely tried, scared by the severity of my experience giving birth to the girls and the experience last night. He would rather I stayed in the hospital, but knew how extremely unsafe I felt, as did he. He was fighting with his own emotions as he wanted me home in a safe place out of Kali's reach, but also wanted to be sure I was fine health wise.

"You need to rest Sophia, and it's unlikely you will be able to with two newborns to take care of."

"I have plenty of help at home, help that won't be going away anytime soon, and besides I can tell you wholeheartedly I will get no rest here fretting over the safety of my children. Which we all know you cannot provide for them."

His eyes turned downcast and his shoulders hunched before him. He knew I was right, and he cared deeply for my family. We both knew he would not push the point further when their safety was in question.

"Fine. I'll sign the discharge papers, but I want to see all three of you in my office in a week, and you have my cell number if you need me before then." I smiled and nodded as I pushed the papers back into his reach.

Bringing myself out of my daydream, I had to agree with him on one point. I did need rest. While I outwardly showed a smile on my face, my insides felt like I was being torn apart. My body ached every where from all I had endured, and falling hard on the floor last night did not help matters. That wasn't even including how drained my magic felt and I honestly didn't think I could move a spoon let alone protect myself or my children.

But I knew once we were inside the safety of the border surrounding my parents home I would be able to finally relax my body and nerves to finally rest. Tristan was quite adept with the girls, and my parents would be there to help him if need be.

I sighed at the thought of getting to sleep for a full two hours before the girls would need to be fed, and then I would be allowed to sleep as soon as their hunger was appeased. This knowledge alone would give me the strength I needed to get to my bed and I smiled brighter at the thought.

I caught Tristan's eyes in the rearview mirror as he turned onto our long private driveway. He smiled at me and looked about to say something before both of our mouths fell open because where I had imagined to find peace and quiet at our home. We instead found multiple cars parked in the front yard, none belonging to my family.

I groaned outwardly as realization dawned on me. My friends and Tristan's family had taken it upon themselves to decide to throw a coming home party, which I knew I could not skip without coming off extremely rude.

I would have to be a gracious hostess.....to a party I didn't even ask for.

-Sophia