Chapter 2

Kate was already waiting at the door when we got home.

As Daniel carried the car seat up the steps, she immediately came forward to meet him.

"Did she sleep on the way?"

"The whole time."

They both looked down at the baby.

I held on to the car door, waiting for the pulling pain in my abdomen to ease before slowly straightening.

Daniel came back to help me inside.

Kate had already taken our daughter out of the car seat and settled on the couch.

"She has the same mouth Sophie had as a baby."

Daniel smiled and leaned closer to look.

I lowered myself onto the couch, gripping the armrest, with the bag from the hospital still at my feet.

"Could you get me a glass of water?"

"Of course. Where are the glasses?" Daniel asked.

"Top cabinet on the left," Kate said. "I tidied up the counter."

I'd left my cup and some snacks on that counter so they'd be within easy reach when I got home.

"I left those things out on purpose."

"Just ask if you need anything." Kate looked down at the baby. "You should be resting."

Daniel handed me the water.

I took a few sips and checked the time.

"It's time to feed her."

"She's still asleep. Let her wake up first."

"The discharge nurse said to stick to a feeding schedule for now."

I held out my hands. Kate hesitated before handing her over.

The basket I'd kept beside the armrest was gone, along with the burp cloths and feeding log inside it.

Kate said she'd put it away in the nursery to keep things tidier.

Daniel went upstairs to fetch it, then opened his laptop and started catching up on his messages.

"I have a meeting this afternoon. I need to be there."

"I thought you'd taken time off."

"That was in case we couldn't manage. Now that Kate's here, I don't need to be around all the time."

I was holding our daughter, trying to find a position that wouldn't put pressure on my incision.

"Could you put a pillow behind me first?"

He grabbed a cushion from the other end of the couch and tucked it behind my back, then asked Kate if she could manage.

"Go ahead. I've got this."

He took his coffee into the home office and shut the door.

Our daughter finally started nursing.

I adjusted my arm, sweat already beading on my forehead.

Kate sat beside me and reached over to adjust the baby's blanket.

"You're too tense. She can sense it."

"My incision hurts."

"That's why I told you to rest while she was asleep."

I didn't try to explain again. When I finished feeding her, Kate took her and burped her.

That did make things a little easier, and I leaned back against the couch and closed my eyes.

When I woke again, I could hear dishes clinking in the kitchen.

Our daughter was asleep in her bassinet.

Daniel stood at the counter while Kate slid a plate with a cut sandwich toward him.

"Have something to eat. You can't just work all day."

He picked up one half, flipping through some documents with his other hand.

I looked at the clock. It was almost three.

"Is there any more? I haven't eaten since this morning."

Kate glanced at the plate.

"I didn't know when you'd wake up. There's more ham in the fridge, and the bread's right there."

I pushed the blanket aside and braced myself against the couch to stand.

Our daughter fussed, and Kate immediately went over to pick her up.

"Go eat. I'll watch the baby."

Daniel gathered his documents to head back to the office.

"Could you make me one first?"

He checked his watch.

"The meeting's already started. Everything's out. Just put a quick sandwich together."

The door closed again.

I made my way into the kitchen, moved his empty plate aside, and pulled up a chair.

Kate held our daughter, gently patting her back.

The bag of bread was right in front of me. The ham was still in the fridge.

I sat for a while, waiting for the pain in my incision to ease, then got up again to get it.