The broken doctor (book 2 of 'Doctor' duology)

Twenty seven

After Niccolo left I got ready and went to Hera's room, I sat in the rocking chair watching her sleep. I'm kinda afraid of her reaction when she wakes up. But I'm staying positive, I know that whatever happens I just need to give her time.

The door of the room opened and mama got in with a mug in hand, she walked to me and gave it to me.

"Morning. Sugar?" I whispered if she made the coffee as she does to Niccolo I can't drink this.

So fucking bitter, I don't understand how he does it.

"Good morning. Yes, I know you only drink coffee with sugar." She whispered back.

"Do you think she will cry when she wakes up?"

"No, babies know their mothers. I'll be downstairs, she's starting to wake up." Mama said, and she got out of the room. I looked at Here's crib and she was indeed starting to wake up.

She started kicking the blanket back and her eyes opened, I got up from the chair and walked to her, her big light eyes looked at me and she just stared.

Those eyes.

"Hi, baby." I cooed , I thought that she was going to cry bit  she smiled instead.

A big toothless smile that brought happy tears to my eyes, she stretched her arm and made grabby hands. I picked he up, pulled her against my chest, and hugged her.

"Let's get you ready." I said.

We spent the next 45 min alone, I gave her a warm bath and got her dressed, she looks so good in purple.

And the smell of her baby lotion makes me want to eat her.

I love her so much.

I picked her up, put her on my hip and went to the kitchen, and sat her on her high chair.

"I made some fruit puree. Let me get a spoon." Mama said, she walked to the drawer and took a pink spoon out.

I sat next to Hera and feed her while I and mama talked, same times Hera would get excited and spit the food everywhere.  I wanted to spend all my time with her, my baby was almost nine months.

"There's a blanket outside in the garden for both of you. Enjoy the sun, I need to go grocery shopping but Alessandro is in the office if you need anything."

"Thank you." I cleaned Hera's face and hands and picked her up, and went outside.

I spent almost all morning with her alone, I laughed and made her laugh, seeing her reaction every time she crawled out of the blanket and touched the grass was hilarious.

The love I feel for this little human is bigger than anything. It's obvious that things weren't easy for us, but I'm so happy for not taking that plan B pill.

Her first months were horrible but she's happy now, and even though I will remember every last detail of our time there, she won't and I'm thankful for that.

"Here you are." Papa said from behind us.

"Hi, nonno." I say and wave one of Here's little hands. He came to the blanket and sat, Hera crawled to him.

"It's time for lunch." He said.

"Already?"

"Yes, you've been here for a while. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I am." I say with a smile.

It's true, I have my moments but I never felt better since I got out of there.

"Show me that ring. " He said and pointed to my hand.

"It's beautiful." I said looking at my hand, there's a large pink diamond in the middle and it's surrounded by tiny clear diamonds.

Niccolo said that the pink diamond represents our baby girl.

"My son did well. " He said and patted my hand.

"Alessandro, would you walk me - "

"It would be my honor." He said before I could finish making me chuckle. He's like a father to me, there's no one else I would choose to walk with me in my wedding day.

"Thank you." I said, he got up with Hera in his arms and I followed.

"Let's go eat, I bet Sienna is already searching for a wood spoon to hit us for being late."

"Italian temper." I said and we laughed.

"Finally Sandro, when I said to go get the girls it meant to get them not sit with them and have a tea party." Mama said when we sat at the table.

"It was just a few minutes love, we were having a moment. " He said, he sat Hera in her high chair and walked to his wife.

I can feel the love they have for each other from the other side of the room. Even though she mourned him for years and he thought he would never see her again their love didn't die.

If anything, they love each other even more. And don't mind showing it to everyone in the room with an intense kiss.

"There are children here." I said and they both look at me.

That's the kind of love I want, and I think that it's the kind of love, me and Niccolo have.

"She doesn't understand." Mama says.

"But I do." I say quickly, and that was the moment my daughter made kissing noises, showing everyone that maybe she understands more than we think.

The four of us had lunch while talking about everything and anything, Hera was still doing kissing noises and would clap her hands full of soup and splash it everywhere.

When we were finished we heard the front door open and close, a minute later Niccolo and Andrea showed up.

"Are you hungry? I can heat some lunch for you." Mama asked.

"I can eat." Niccolo said, he walked to me and kissed my head then he went to Hera.

"I'm not hungry. I'll be in my room. " Andrea said, he gave me a small smile. The kind of smile that said he wasn't fine, and then walked away.

"Is everything okay?" I asked Niccolo.

"He was the one taking care of Sam." Niccolo said. When I heard that I knew that he needed me.

"Do you need me for anything?" I asked the people around the table, when everyone said 'no' i kissed Niccolo and Hera and made my way to Andrea's room.

It's been a while since we talked with each other, it wasn't our choice with everything that happened but I hope that he still feels comfortable speaking with me like we used to talk.