Legacy

Chapter 33: My Baby

When I finally wake up again, I'm in our bedroom, and it's almost night, judging by the purple tint to the sky. I will myself to sit up and see Michael sitting across the room, rocking our baby gently in a chair that had not been there yesterday.

My eyes can't look away from the tiny baby sleeping so soundly in his arms.

"Girl or boy?" I manage to ask in a dry whisper as I prop my back against the headboard. My body groans at the aching in all my muscles, but I try to ignore it.

He looks up and smiles before standing up and coming over to the bed. "It's a boy," he answers quietly with a smile as he adjusts the baby so he can hand him off to me. "We still need to give him a name," he reminds me.

I take my son lightly in my arms and look down at his sleeping face. "He's so tiny," I whisper.

"Gets it from his mama," Michael teases, kneeling down beside us. He brushes some stray hairs out of my face and tucks them behind my ear. "We never settled on a name."

The baby squirms in my arms, pushing one of his hands out of his blanket before settling again with a yawn.

I manage a tired smile as my finger lightly traces over a tiny tuft of dark hair on the top of his head. He will definitely have Michael's hair color.

"Wanna name him Ender? Like in your book?" Michael asks, picking up a glass of water and angling the straw towards my lips.

I gulp down about half the glass before shaking my head. "That book was just a phase..." I breathe. My fingers trace across my baby's soft face. "How about..." I frown as I glance out the window, going back to that first morning I woke up in this bed.

"Robin?"

Michael smiles wide. "You know, he does look like a Robin." Then he stands up. "I'll be right back."

I simply nod and keep looking at my baby.

Robin. My little Robin.

After everything that's happened, I never thought we would ever get to this point. I thought Michael would have already killed me for sure. Especially after the birth.

But here I am. Holding my son. Our son... Will he turn out just like his monster of a father?

I frown and adjust the baby so his head rests on my chest. The smell of him is such a gentle sweetness that I close my eyes and kiss his head, inhaling softly.

Robin squirms a bit and makes a small noise.

I stiffen and hold my breath as I glance toward the open door. No sign of Michael yet. Not even a glimpse of his shadow.

The baby settles down and I allow myself to release the breath I had been holding.

Then I hear Michael coming up the stairs. But I don't see his face beyond the video camera he has pointed at me.

My whole body tenses. The only times he ever has the camera out is when he's torturing me.

"September, can you hold Robin up for the camera?"

A frown crosses my face, but I adjust myself so I'm holding the baby up, just so the camera can see him better. Michael smiles and keeps videoing.

After a few moments of filming, Robin squirms again and starts wailing. I cringe and gently try to rock him.

"September," Michael says softly. As my eyes meet his he whispers "I think he's hungry." Before I can respond, he has already set the camera aside and sat down beside me. I don't even protest as he takes Robin so I can unbutton my shirt.

"I think I got it," I mutter, taking the baby back in my arms and angling his head so he can eat.

As he latches on tightly. I gasp and hold that breath at the sudden pain. "Son... of a bitch!" I groan, gripping the quilt puddled around me until my knuckles turn white.

"I've heard it's uncomfortable at first, but you should get used to it soon," Michael assures me, placing a firm but gentle hand on my shoulder.

I shoot him a sour look. "How soon is soon," I grunt through gritted teeth.

He just smiles and kisses my forehead. "Soon is... eventually," he chuckles with a cheeky grin I don't get to see nearly as often as the smirk.

I roll my eyes. "Pass me the water," I mutter. Michael obediently picks up the glass and lets me have a drink. The straw gurgles as I drain the glass. I pull back and glance over Michael's shoulder. "Where's Nancy?" I ask, trying to distract myself from Robin's grip on my nipple.

Michael sighs. "Would you believe I told her to go home and never come back?"

I frown. "Not in the slightest."

He sets the cup aside and sets his head on his folded arms that are now propped on my legs. "She knew too much."

He doesn't need to say anything more. I know what he means. She had to die...

What does that say about me if the only reply I can think of is 'Good riddance'?

"How did you do it?" I ask, forcing myself to meet his eyes.

"Invited here downstairs for a drink after we put Robin down to sleep. It killed me to act like I wanted her... but it was the best way to catch her off guard. I pictured you in your blue dress and kissed her." He squeezes my thigh softly. "Then I opened my eyes and slit her throat." A smile crosses his face. "It wasn't easy for me. But I couldn't have her trying to kill you again."

Michael's hand comes up and caresses my cheek and then down to my chin. His eyes flick down to my lips as he leans in.

Before he can kiss me, I turn my face away. But that doesn't seem to turn him off in the slightest. He settles for planting a kiss on my cheek.

The feeling of his lips makes me clutch our baby tighter.