"Addy...."
I looked over to my side and Elijah held a defensive pose. His hand on his gun and my brain wasn't focusing on the people in the door frame. All I could focus on was my daughter in my arms and the IV still stinging of medicine pouring throw my viens. I couldn't focus or gather any of my thoughts till my eyes landed on that once beatufiil man I knew. He was wearing black slacks that hugged his legs; a belt solid black and a black shirt with the buttons undone at the top. His dark hair was curled and his green eyes looked like he hadn't slept in months. For the first time in 5 months I saw my finacee in front of me. His eyes focused on the little girl wrapped up in the hospital blanket. Nothing could come from my mouth as my eyes locked on his for the first time in 5 months.
"Adeline." Grayson whispered. "Is that our daughter?"
"Stay back. She doesn't want you here." Elijah said.
My mind wandered with thoughts on what to do because I didn't know he was this close to finding me. I only knew he was in town and red was close by. My brain couldn't function or pull words out to save my skin. I didn't know what to do. I was only 18 with my baby in my arms and the man I loved in front of me. But he wasn't just the man I loved anymore; he was the man that threw away everything we had, the man that believed my own father and left me without a second glance. I didn't know what to do but at least I could bring him peace just for a moment because Adriana was right he deserved to know his daugther even if I still hated him for what he did.
"Hi Grayson." I whispered.
"Adeline I've been looking everywhere for you." Grayson said.
Elijah still had his hand on his gun and Grayson while focused on me still had his eyes on Elijah. Red stood in the doorway with his gun in his eyes. i knew if I didn't say anything my once perfect hospital room would turn into a bloodbath.
"Red would you do me a favor and take your hand off of that weapon in front of my daughter." I said.
"Yes Adeline if he lowers his."
While me speaking to Red Elijah had pulled his weapon out and had it aimed right into Grayson's chest.
"Elijah put down the weapon. How dare you try to make this room into a bloodbath." I yelled.
"Adeline you don't want him here why are you yelling at me?" Elijah exclaimed.
"Put the weapon down now and go into the cafe with Red. This moment and don't make me ask again." I yelled at him.
"Understood."
"Cmon champ I think these two need a minute to themselves without you." Red said.
"I'm not going anywhere without Adeline." Elijah yelled.
"Elijah."
I looked at him with anger in my eyes that this was not a reltionship issue this was a business issue at the moment.
"Fine I'll leave." Elijah said angerly.
As elijah and Red walked out the door the bigger issue stood in front of me with worry still in his eyes. He looked angry and defeated. But most importantly he looked upset. His heart looked broken. I motioned for him to sit in the chair that Elijah once sat in and he followed the command I laid out for him. He sat in the chair and just stared at our daughter in my arms. He didn't say anything but his eyes gave his thoughts away. It was like he couldn't do anything but jsut focus on what was in my arms.
"Grayson I'm assuming you came here to see her."
"I did. I've been looking for you for months Addy. You just disappear without a second word and leave a note for me that you don't want me to come find you."
"Grayson don't forget you left me. I wanted what was best for my daughter."
"Our daughter Adeline." He yelled. " She's my daughter too and I deserved to know where you were or if you were even safe."
"I know you did. I just couldn't face you after everything that happened."
"I don't want to fight with you Addy. I've spent months looking for you so I could apologize not to fight over what happened that night.
" I know.I knew you would find me sooner then later I just I didn't think it would be today. How did you find me?"
"Adrianna came and saw me 4 months ago and told me where to find you."
"You've been in town this entire time?" I questioned him.
"No. I've only been in town for about a week. I didn't know youre due date I guess I just did the math cause I wanted to be here when she came." She looks so gorgeous. Just like her mother."
"She has your eyes." I whispered.
"Could I? Could I maybe hold her?" Grayson whsipered.
"I don't know if that's a good idea Grayson."
"please adeline."
"Of course."
I sat up a little so Amara was in a better postion to get picked up and grayson stood up so close to me that I could smell his cologone. I missed the smell of his cologone for such a long time. He always smelt so good; like the forest. He gentley picked up Amara from my arms and sat back down holding her. He smiled like I've never seen it before. He looked so happy and so grateful that I let him. Amara started moving around and he adjusted his body for het movements. She looked so happy when he reached out finger and she latched around it like it was me. I couldn't help but stare at him as he held her. For the first time since I gave birth to her she nestled out a little noise and started smiling. I couldn't control myself and I started crying.
"Addy are you okay?" Grayson whippered. "I'm sorry. I can give her back."
"No no it's okay. I'm fine. I think it's just the hormones." I said as I kept crying.
"Addy."
He looked at me with pleading eyes. He looked like he was about to cry.
"I'm so sorry for everything I put you through. I knew your father was lying about you leaking the information. I guess in that moment I just was using you to figure out the real leak. I found him and I took care of it. By the time I figured everything out you were gone. I tried so hard to get you back. All I've wanted was you back home with me."
"I know Grayson. I'm sorry for taking her and leaving I just didn't know what else to do." I said as I start sobbing.
Grayson carried Amara into his little crib in the hospital room and placed her down gently. He moved the crib over to us and need stood next to me.
"Could I please hold you. I hate seeing you upset?" He asked.
I nodded my head. Grayson carefully crawled next to me in the hospital bed and I let my body shift into his. Everything hurt and nothing felt right in this moment. I grabbed the collar of his shirt and just cried into his chest. He placed his hand on my head and held me close to him. I didn't know what I wanted in this moment. I didn't know what to do with my life or with my daughter's life. I couldn't think of anything. All I could do was just cry into Grayson's chest.
"Your safe with me Addy. You've always been safe with me." Grayson whsipered.
He kissed the top of my head as I kept crying. I don't remember how long I was crying. All I know is I couldn't think and jsut peacefully drifted to sleep for the first time since I gave birth to Amara.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You know as soon as he apolgizes to her for everything she's going to come back home with us." Red said to Elijah.
The boys were in the caferteria. Elijah didn't want to be there but was only there because Adeline had ordered him to do so. She looked at him like his boss in the moment and not as a boyfriend. Elijah hated the fact that Grayson was here and they were in that room together talking about god knows what. It drove him insane. It made him angry. Red and him sat across each other at one of the small,wobbly, white tables. Their were families surrounding them and they both knew better then to say something snarky. Sadly red already opened that door for thier attutides to give way.
"what makes you so positive that she would leave with you when her mother, her brother and myself are here for her?" Grayson questioned.
"Boy what makes you think she would stay?" Red questioned. "They both run huge businesses and could afford to have her mother move to North Carolina. She has no reason to stay here now that Grayson is back."
"She has every reason to stay here." Elijah yelled.
"Buddy remember were in a hospital calm down."
"She will not believe a word of Grayson's lies. She knows what's good for her and Amara dn she will stay here where she belongs."
"Let's be honest for a minute mate. You mean nothing to her. Once Grayson apolgizes she'll come back home where she belongs. She doesn't love you. She loves him."
"Red youre lucky we are in a hospital right now or I'd shoot you in the eyes for saying something like that to me."
A muffled noise came from behind the boys, as if someone was trying to get their attention. they both swong their heads around to look who was there. Behind them stood a little boy about 1/2 years old and a woman with black hair just peering at them like they were in trouble.
"Miss Byers it's so good to see you again." Red exclaimed and stood up.
"Miss Byers it's nice to see you." Elijah exclaimed and stood up as well.
"Hello boys. So I see Grayson finally found where my daugher was."
"Yes maam he did." Red said.
"So I'm assuming that means my lovely grandchild has arrived and grayson is with her."
"Yes maam. He's in the room with her now." Elijah growled.
"Perfect why don't you boys show me the way to the room then I would love to meet all of them."
Elijah, Red, and Adeline's mother made their way back to Adeline's room. You could tell their was tension with the boys but they knew not to say anything in front of the child next to them. Adeline's mother knocked on the door but their was no answer. Elijah became worried and walked in. He eyes dropped to Grayson and Adeline laying in the bed and his mouth widden and his eyes grew black.
"Yeah buddy remember in this moment you mean nothing to her." Red whispered.
Elijah's eyes grew blacker and his frusration grew heavy he was pissed off and angry that Adeline would be so dumb to let him back into her life. He spent months at her call and did everything possible to show that he loved her. Nothing was good enough. He felt enraged and left the room by slamming the door. Grayson heard the comotion and woke up then went to his daughter that started crying after she woke up from the noise. Adeline's mother went by her daughter who slowly started to wake up and hushed her back to sleep. Adeline closed her eyes again and went back into her peace. Grayson pulled his daughter out of the crib and rocker her back to sleep as he held her in his arms.