The Phone Call

Chapter 10

The next few weeks passed as the team learned what it was like having newborns in their home and while they were exhausted, they didn't complain once. Veronica was trying to allow them to step up and help but at the same time it was hard to give them that privilege. She was really trying but a huge part of her was waiting for the resentment and anger to surface. The men knew she was waiting for something to happen, but they didn't know how to show her that they weren't mad at her other than just keep helping when they could. They could tell her, but they knew they had to prove it to her.

Veronica woke to one of the girls crying. "Shhhh, Mommy's coming," She mumbled as she sat up in bed and braced for the pain to shoot through her. She took a few steps and bit back tears. "Shhh Mommy's coming Little One," she said through clenched teeth.

"What are you doing out of bed, Princess?" Victor asked as he came into the room.

"She needs me," Veronica whispered.

"And I will bring her to you," Victor said softly. "Hold on, one of the guys will be here in a second to help you back to bed."

"I'm fine," Veronica shook her head and took another couple of steps. "I can get her."

"You need to heal, Beautiful," Marc said as he gently put his hand on her lower back. She flinched and he frowned, "Let me go get Doc for you."

"I'm fine," She glared as she finally reached the crib. "Give me Asteria," she said softly. "She's hungry."

"Get back in bed, Princess," He said softly. "Please, I don't want you to fall while holding her from hurting so much. I promise I'll be right behind you with her."

"Just give her to me, she needs to feed. She's crying, Victor," She said through clenched teeth.

Victor sighed, "Fine but I'm helping you back to bed."

"Whatever," She mumbled as she removed the nursing pad from her nursing bra and held her daughter where she could easily latch on. "There you go Little One, Mommy has you. You are okay, Mommy's here," She whispered as she watched Asteria nurse.

"Come on Princess, back in bed," Victor said just as Marc and Sean walked in.

"Why are you out of bed, Pookie?" Sean asked confused as he came over to her. "You know we will come get the girls and give them to you."

"I can get them," she murmured as she continued to watch Asteria nurse hungrily. "I need to walk anyway. I'm fine."

"You flinched when I touched you, Beautiful," Marc shook his head. "You are hurting and it honestly hurts us that you won't let us care for you."

"All you need to do is help care for the girls," She shook her head.

"How can she be so hungry?" Victor asked, "She just ate an hour ago."

"They are 3 months weeks old so must be cluster feeding," Sean shrugged as he sat a bottle of pain reliever on the nightstand. "She needs to eat, Marc."

"I've already got it," North yawned as he came into the room. "Here you, Baby."

"I'm fine," she shook her head as Selene started crying. "Come on Little One, let's go get your sister."

"Stay," North shook his head. "I got her."

"I'm fine," Veronica glared, "I can get her."

"Baby, please," North sighed, "I know we hurt you but I promise we aren't going to hurt you and the girls. Please just stay in bed, I will get our daughter."

"So persistent," she mumbled as she sighed. North brought Selene over and Marc adjusted the boppy pillow so she could hold both girls better.

Asteria fell asleep and broke off the breast. North gently lifted her up and held her for a few minutes before putting her back in the crib. Once Selene was placed in the crib along side her sister, Veronica shifted and winced before masking her face but it was too late, they already saw it.

"Please eat and take your medicine, Vera," Sean whispered. "I know you don't completely trust and forgive us yet but I hope you know that we are truly sorry for breaking your heart and will do whatever it takes to show you that we are here for you and the girls and want to be a family."

She rolled her eyes then closed them, "you're only saying that because of the girls. If I wasn't pregnant with them you probably wouldn't have even shown up at the hospital when the officer called you. You would have just let another doctor care for me. It's fine, Sean," she sighed, "we can just continue to co-parent and once I'm healed enough I'll go work with Uncle and save up for my own place. Now please just go, I want to sleep as much as possible before they wake again."

"That's not true, Pookie," Sean whispered as he stood. "We were looking for you the entire time you were gone but we couldn't find you. We have the proof to show you."

"Whatever Sean," she murmured, "Please just go."

Sean sighed sadly then left the room with the rest following. She wiped away a tear then shifted to get as comfortable as possible before falling asleep.