Page 153 of The Betrayal

“Okay,” he leans in and kisses me softly. “What do you want to eat?”

My stomach grumbles on cue.

“A decaf oat latté, tomato soup and grilled cheese,” and I am drooling at just the thought of it.

“Of course, Blossom,” he stands and I already miss him.

“And snacks. Chocolate, fruit, chips and cereal. Please don't forget cereal.”

“I would never,” he winks, “if you need anything you call me, okay?”

“Okay,” my eyes flutter, he smiles and my heart melts in my chest. He walks towards the door, pressing his hands to his lips as he blows a kiss. I reach up, catching it and tuck it against my heart.

“That ring looks real pretty on your finger, wife.”

I giggle, shaking my head and once he is out the room, I look down at it.

“It really does,” I sigh.

I've not been alone long when the calmness I was feeling listening to the sound of the babies heartbeats soon fizzles into sheer panic.

We have nothing done at home. Things have been ordered. The cribs are not arriving for another two weeks. The nursery isn't painted. None of their clothes are washed. Fuck.

Unfortunately, by the time Keaton walks through the door, I am in full panic mode. My heart rate is through the roof, eyes streaming and snot bubbling from my nose. Really not my finest or most attractive moment but it's real.

“Baby, what's happened?” he drops the bags, and then my coffee and cartons on the bed table and rushes towards me. His large hands cup my face, eyes flitting back and forth as he searches for anything to give him a hint. “Are you okay?” he asks as my breath shudders on my intake, and I nod, but soon move from a nod to a shake.

“Talk to me Blossom, I can't help if you don't tell me.”

I sniffle, trying to drop my head but he doesn't let me.

“Eyes on me, breathe baby,” he whispers, and I do, for the first time in what feels like hours, I breathe.

“There's a good girl, slow breaths in and out for me.”

“I panicked.”

He lets out a low laugh, “I guessed that.” He drops one hand from my face and places it on my bump, “But it's no good for you or the babies, why were you panicking?”

I swallow the thickness away.

“We have nothing ready; the nursery is full of boxes and hasn't been decorated, the cribs aren't coming for weeks, none of their clothes are washed...” and my bottom lip trembles. His thumb brushes against my bottom lip, head tilting to the side but not once dropping his gaze from mine. “Baby, I promise everything will be ready for when they come home,” and it takes me a moment to realize what he said.

Then it floors me.

They won't be coming home with us straight away. If the twins are born early, they will have to stay in neonatal until they can breathe on their own.

“They won't be coming home,” I whisper because saying the words out loud are too raw.

“They will, they just won’t be coming home with us straight away,” he corrects me, and I nod, head tipping forward and this time he lets me. Keaton pulls me into him, and I have no idea how long we stay in this embrace, but it feels like forever.

I had been here for four days, and I was already losing my mind. Keaton had popped down to grab coffees and I missed him. A smile graces my face when the I feel twin A kick, and I place my hand there wanting to feel it again.

“Hey,” my head lifts and Keaton rounds the corner with warm drinks and cakes.

“Hey,” I drop my head and continue to feel the baby kick. Keaton places the bag and coffee cups on the table over my bed and places his hands on my stomach, his face lighting up when he feels the kicks and wriggles beneath his hands.

“I will never be over this,” he says, smile wide and I think I may have fallen in love with him a little more.