Chapter 257

The baby’s mewling cry woke her, and she once again heard Richie talking to his son. “Hang on Peanut. Let me get these jammies on you that Nana brought, then we’ll get you some dinner.” He could have had any of the women in the waiting room do it for him, but he wasn’t ready to share the care of his son yet – except with the baby’s mother - for more than a few minutes.

Tori smiled at the sight of Richie struggling to get the sleeper on the baby. “Do you need some help?”

Richie’s head snapped up. “Hey. No. I’ve got it. Changed his diaper too.” At her raised brow his lips twisted and he was forced to admit he hadn’t done it alone. “The nurse helped with that. I’m not sure what to do with the umbilical cord thingy. Plus….he’s so tiny!”

“That won’t last for long.” She reached for the tie of the hospital gown as they approached the bed.

“Carol brought you a nightgown.” He offered. When she lowered the gown and reached for the baby, he had to swallow hard and look away for a minute. Grow up idiot! Quit acting like a randy teenager. It’s not like you’ve never seen her breasts before! She’s feeding your son for Christ’s sake! But it had been so long! Yeah, and if you don’t fix the situation, this is as close as you’re ever going to get again! When the baby had finished, he took him from her and handed her the nightgown.

She grinned. “Have you put him down at all, or have you been carrying him around all the time?”

“Not all the time.”

“Richie, be honest.”

“I am! Ma’s held him and Carol, and Dot, and Desiree.”

“And have you laid him in the bassinet?”

“Well,….no, but it’s so….cold and …..plastic…and he’s so tiny, and….new. He’s only been in the world a few hours. He needs to be cuddled, to feel human contact.” He argued. “Is that so wrong?”

It was moments like this that made her want to forget everything that had happened in the last six months. She smiled and blinked away her tears. “No, it’s not wrong. We all need that from time to time. Just don’t get into the habit or he’ll never sleep in a bed!”

Settling the baby in the crook of his arm, he pulled a chair closer to the bed, reached out and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “How are you feeling?”

“Just what I was going to ask.” The nurse bustled into the room. “Bathroom?”

Tori nodded and let her help her. She returned to find the doctor waiting for her. Back in bed again she finally answered them. “I feel a bit like I’ve been run over by a Mack truck. A little sore, and still exhausted.”

“Any headache? Dizziness?” The doctor asked as the nurse checked her blood pressure.

“No, that seems to be gone.”

“Good.” She glanced at Richie and the baby. “You can put him down you know.”

Tori laughed. “Good luck with that. He’s a little territorial at the moment.”

“That’s not totally a bad thing. But if you spoil him too long, you’ll have a harder time getting him trained.”

“The baby or Daddy?” Tori asked dryly.

“Both.”

“Have you fed him again? The baby I mean.” The nurse grinned. Richie winked at her.

Tori grinned. “Yes, he just finished.” Her own dinner arrived a moment later.

“Good. Eat, try to get some more rest and I’ll be back in a while.”

Tori ate as much as she could, sighed and relaxed back against the pillow. Richie stroked her hair with his free hand. “Sleep angel. I love you.” Maybe if he said it enough she’d believe it.


When Tori opened her eyes again, she found her parents camped beside the bed, the baby in her mother’s arms. “Hi.”

“Hey Sweetie, how are you feeling?” Her father leaned over to kiss her forehead.

“Not too bad. A little sore, tired.” She smiled at her mother. “I see you’ve met your new grandson.”

“He’s beautiful. I thought we were going to have to wrestle him away from his father though.”

Tori chuckled. “Yeah, I’m surprised he let him out of his sight.”

“They wouldn’t let more than two of us in here, so he didn’t have a choice.” Helen hesitated. “How are things between the two of you?”

Tori sighed. “I don’t know Mom.” She filled them in on the picture and his attempts to talk to her after the tribute show.

Helen frowned. “You know that you have to give him a chance to explain, right? It’s not fair to him…or to yourself….or to Ava or this beautiful baby, to make a life altering decision without having all the facts.”

“I know. And I will talk to him. But not right now. I’m not supposed to get excited. Right now I’m just enjoying my son and the fact that I’m alive.”

“Sort of puts things in perspective doesn’t it.” Helen watched her carefully. “Makes you think about what’s really important.”

“Yes, but it doesn’t rebuild trust or erase the pain.”

“No, only time can do that.” She reached out to take Tori’s hand. “I’m not going to tell you what you should do. You’ll have to decide for yourself whether the love you have for each other can overcome all of that. If it’s worth the risk.”

“So when are they letting you out of here? How can you see anything?” Bill changed the subject at the sight of his daughter’s tears.

Tori chuckled. “I’m supposed to be resting. If everything goes well, they’ll move me into a regular room tomorrow. I’m not sure when I’ll get to leave the hospital.”

“Don’t rush it. Make sure you’re okay first. We don’t want you relapsing.” He admonished her. She nodded. He strained to see his watch in the dim light. “We’d better let you rest. We need to go get checked into the hotel, then we’re having dinner with John, Carol, Joan and Ava.”

They stood up, kissed her goodbye and her mother handed her the baby. “We’ll see you tomorrow. Congratulations honey.”

“Thanks.”

The door had barely closed behind them when it was pushed open again and Richie entered talking to her parents as he moved. “Bye. We’ll see you tomorrow.” He shut the door behind him and glanced around.

“Relax, Peanut’s right here with me.” She couldn’t help but smile. “Can’t I hold him for a little while?”

“Of course.” He sat down beside the bed. One hand reached out to adjust the little cap on Stevie’s head.

She studied his face as he looked at their son, hesitated, then shifted and patted the bed beside her. “Here. Sit here.”

“Are you sure?”

She nodded. “I’m feeling the need for a little human contact myself right now.”

Kicking off his shoes, he carefully sat beside her, stretched out his legs and gathered both of them in his arms. She snuggled closer and breathed in his scent. The warmth of his chest under her cheek and his arms holding her – and Peanut – secure, soothed her and she let herself drift off to sleep.

A few minutes later, the nurse came in, smiled at the family, checked the machines and left as quietly as she came in.