was good, wasn’t it?
The doctor pulled the foot. “See how easily it bends back to normal? You can work with it, helping it to bend correctly while she’s eating or when you’re holding her.”
Mark glanced at the young mother. Even in her exhaustion, there was no denying her beauty, especially now. “The baby is beautiful, Juliet. Just like you.”
“Thank you.” She beamed at him, turning him inside out. “I don’t know what I would have done without you, Mark.”
A warm glow lit his heart, causing his chest to swell as though he’d had a hand in creating a miracle, as though he’d actually done something to bring this precious child into the world.
After the baby had a sponge bath and was bundled up like a little burrito in a flannel blanket, the nurse handed her to Juliet. “Let’s try to get her to nurse.”
Mark might have stayed for the birth, but he thought it would be best if he slipped out for a while now. “I’m going to get a cup of coffee before the cafeteria closes.”
“You may as well get something to eat while you’re there,” Beth Ann said. “We’re having dinner brought up to the new mommy.”
“All right. I’ll be back, Juliet.”
After having the Salisbury steak special and a slice of chocolate cake, he savored a cup of coffee, taking time to reflect on the awesome experience he’d just had.
If Mark were a church-goer, he might whisper a prayer of thanksgiving. But he wasn’t. Still, he couldn’t quell a sense of wonder, of awe.
“Hey,” he whispered, his voice raspy with emotion. “Thanks. For the miracle.”
Then he put his plate, cup and utensils in the plastic receptacle and headed back to maternity to tell Juliet that she’d done a great job. That she’d make a wonderful mother.
When he stepped into the birthing room, the baby was nestled in Juliet’s arms. The doctor had gone, and Beth Ann was preparing a little bassinette near the hospital bed.
Mark plopped down on the chair, although he wasn’t sure why. Moments later, Beth Ann left them alone.
“Are you going to stay?” Juliet asked.
He glanced up. “Here?”
“You don’t have to.”
Did she want him to spend the night? He tried to read her expression.
She bit on her lip, then clicked her tongue. “It’s just that I was thinking about what the orderly said. About that woman trying to steal a newborn. And I know they’ve got security and all.” She glanced at the sleeping baby in her arms. “But I’m not going to rest very well tonight. I’ll keep looking at her, checking to see if she’s breathing. Checking to see if she’s still here.”
He figured it was just a typical case of maternal anxiety. Both mother and child would be safer here than anywhere. But he wasn’t going to tell Juliet she was a worrywart. Not after what she’d been through.
“I’m sure you’ll both be fine. But I’ll stay, if it makes you feel better. And I’ll keep an eye on you both.”
“Thanks.” She offered him an appreciative smile. “It may sound weird, but this is the first time she hasn’t really been a part of me. And it will make me feel better if you stayed.”
He nodded. “You try to get some sleep. If she cries, I’ll wake you.”
Juliet chuckled. “If she cries, I have a feeling I’ll hear her.”
“Maybe so. But just in case, I’ll stick around.”
She stroked the little girl’s cheek, then looked at Mark. “Can you lay her in the bed?”
What?
Hold her?
Well, he supposed it would be tough for Juliet to maneuver. And maybe she wasn’t allowed out of bed. “Okay.”
Juliet handed him the tiny bundle. The sleeping baby, still warm from her mother’s embrace, felt like a bit of nothing in his arms. An empty bundle of flannel.
He tried not to spend too much time fawning over her, marveling over the healthy pink color and the way her mouth made little kissing movements, but it wasn’t easy. He actually had to make himself place her in the bed.
Then, without thinking, he brushed a kiss across Juliet’s brow, an affectionate gesture he hadn’t planned.
It didn’t seem to bother her, which he supposed was good.
“Don’t worry,” he told her.
“I won’t.” She smiled, then nestled her head into the pillow and closed her eyes.
He watched her for a while, saw her grow easy and suspected she’d fallen asleep. He’d promised to watch over her and the little one.
And he would.
He just hoped to God that he’d been right when he told her not to worry. That nothing would go wrong.
Especially on his watch.
Chapter Seven
Juliet sat up in the hospital bed, a tray of breakfast before her. Mark, bless his heart, had gone to the cafeteria. But he’d stayed with her the entire night.
He had to be exhausted, because each time she’d wakened for a feeding, he’d handed the baby to her.
She couldn’t believe how helpful he’d been, how supportive. Nor could she believe how much she’d grown to appreciate having him near. Or how his smile could make her feel as though she didn’t have a worry in the world when that wasn’t the case. Her finances were still shaky, especially since she would need to hire a sitter after her disability ran out.
The baby whimpered, and Juliet turned to see her daughter scrunch her sweet face. Throughout the night, Mark had called her Sweet Pea, referring to the crawling infant in a Popeye cartoon. But the little girl needed a real name.
Over the past few months, Juliet had tossed around some ideas. At one time, while contemplating girls’ names, she’d thought about calling the baby Manuela, after her brother. Or maybe Maria Elena, after her abuelita. But before making a final decision, she’d decided to wait until her daughter arrived.
It seemed logical to make sure the baby looked like a Manuela or a Maria before dubbing her with a name that would stick for the rest of her life. And now that Juliet had seen the baby and fallen in love with her, neither seemed to fit.
But around two o’clock in the morning, she’d gotten another idea. Something that felt more appropriate and more fitting.
The door swung open, as Mark entered the room. He carried a newspaper and a disposable cup she assumed was coffee.
“Looks
