First and Ten

Chapter 17

                                                        Blair

I got Leena tucked back in under the covers and sat beside her as she tried to fall back to sleep. "Are you feeling better?"

"I'm better now that you and Daddy came in here. I don't feel sweaty anymore either."

"That's good. Are you ready to go back to sleep?"

"Are you gonna stay in here with me for the whole night?"

"Of course I will. I'll be right here to make sure you don't have any bad dreams again tonight."

"Good. That makes me feel better too. Thank you, Blair."

"You're welcome."

"Did you and Daddy have fun at the fancy party?"

"We did. There were lots of beautiful costumes and good food. Emelise's mommy and daddy put on a show on the dance floor for everybody too."

"What did they do?"

"They are both really good dancers, and everyone loves to watch them."

Leena smiled as her eyes began to get heavy with sleep. "Blair, I'm glad you and Daddy are friends," she yawned.

"Me too. You know what makes our friendship even better though?"

"What?"

"That we get to share it with you, Cowen, and Hadley Grace."

Leena smiled as she snuggled down a little more. I got up to go sit in the chair by her window, but she placed her hand on my arm telling me, "Blair, don't go over there. Stay beside me please."

I sat back down on the bed and situated myself so that I could lean back against the headboard and got the blanket from the end of her bed to cover myself up with. Leena drifted back to sleep peacefully as I began to drift off as well tired from what had been a magical evening.

I felt a soft kiss on my cheek and opened my eyes to a sunshine filled room. Jax was sitting on the bed beside me already dressed in his suit pants and white button down, and Leena was still sleeping on my other side.

"How is she?" he whispered.

"She was fine the rest of the night. She asked me to stay beside her and then went right to sleep. Did you sleep?"

"I did. I can't thank you enough for taking care of her last night. You have no idea what that means to me."

"You don't have to thank me. I'm a mommy. That is what we do," I shrugged.

"I mean it, Blair. No woman I have ever been with before you would have stayed up to take care of her like you did."

"A child having a bad dream during the night is real life. For those of us that don't have a nanny or whatever, we stay up with our kids and take care of them. I think even if I did have a nanny I would still want to be there for my children to comfort and soothe."

"That is because you are a wonderful mother."

Leena rolled over smiling at Jax climbing right into his waiting arms. "Good morning, Daddy. I didn't have any more bad dreams."

"I'm so glad."

"Blair took good care of me."

"I knew she would."

"I'm hungry. Let's go eat breakfast before we get on the airplane."

Jax and I laughed as she grabbed her unicorn, bounced out of his arms, and went running out of her room down the stairs to the kitchen where I could hear Jax's parents making coffee.