Today is four weeks that we have been at the hospital with Amelia. She’s doing well, and we get to take her home today. Both Kevin and I are excited to bring her home to get settled and begin our journey as parents. Amelia’s first week in the big ole world was tough. She was on oxygen for the first three days then she developed jaundice. She had to be kept under the lights for ten days. She also had a feeding tube as she wasn’t able to suck on her own. After weeks of a feeding tube, she started to gain weight. She was moved from NICU down to the maternity ward where I was able to care for her more on my own. She is eating on her own now for the last three days and the doctors are comfortable enough to think we have turned the corner.
Kevin goes to get his car while I get Amelia in her car seat. When I signed the discharge papers, I happened to see the date. Being here; one day runs into the next, and you lose track of the date. Today was supposed to be mine and Kevin’s wedding. He hasn’t said anything about it to me, but I’m sure he realizes that we were to be married today. I guess if you miss your own wedding there isn’t a better excuse to miss it than bringing your family home.
We make the three-hour trip home, and I can’t wait to walk through my doors and start this wonderful life. I couldn’t be any happier than I am right now. I am one lucky lady to have Kevin’s love. He is a good man, even with all his fuck ups in the past. When he pulls into our driveway, he turns to me and smiles.
“You ready for this?”
“More than you know,” I say.
He carries Amelia to the door, and I unlock it. When I get inside, I breathe in the scent of home. I have missed this place. I knew when I bought my home I wanted it to be a starter home, but now I want to be here forever, growing old and gray with Kevin. Watching Amelia grow up, to become her own person. Today in a way still has meaning, and this date will forever be in my heart. Marriage or no marriage; it’s still one of the best days of my life.
Kevin takes our daughter to the living room and gets her out of her carrier. “Come, let’s show our baby her new room.”
“Her empty room?”
He holds our daughter to his chest, and he then takes my hand. He leads me up the staircase, and tells me to open the door. I open it and I am surprised by what I see. Her room is all set up, and it’s everything I had wanted.
“How did you do this?”
“Our Parents did it for us. Do you like it?”
“Like it, I love it. How did you know this is everything I wanted?”
“You were writing a list and looking things up. You had thought I was sleeping, but I wasn’t. I wanted to make sure when we brought Amelia home it was all ready. I didn’t want to stress you out.”
“Mr. Steed, you are sneaky, but I love it.”
I walk around the room, running my hands across the dark wood of the crib, on the animal mobile that hangs above it and I touch the soft comforter. I turn to him, and he is sitting in the rocking chair that used to be my mothers, with our daughter. Kevin stretches out his arm, and I join them. I sit on his lap after I take Amelia into my arms. He snaps our first family picture of us in our home.
I am startled when a soft knock comes on the door, then it opens slightly. When I see my mother open the door all the way, my eyes fill with tears. I had no idea my parents would be here.
“Mom, Dad come see your Granddaughter, Amelia.”
I hand her over, and my mother is all smiles while she holds her. Kevin and I get up to let her rock her. Amelia sleeps, never waking. All I can think is that she knows she’s home. My father stands close to them, and Kevin snaps another picture.
“I had no idea you would be here,” I say.
“Well, we already had plans of coming since it was supposed to be your wedding day.” My father says.
My mom lays Amelia in her crib and covers her with the soft blanket. As tough as it was we leave her room to let her sleep. We go downstairs where I give my parents big hugs. I couldn’t be any happier than I am right now. To have them here on the day we brought her home means so much to me. Kevin makes a pot of coffee, and we sit around the table talking about the stay in the hospital. I called Kevin’s parents over and Marie, of course, brought over brownies she had baked. My home has never felt like this before. I’ve never had so many people who I love and love me back, fill the space I bought. This right here is the reason we call our private place a home. I love every single minute of it.
My parents tell me they are staying for a week. My mom wants to make sure I get enough rest, but I think she just wants to breathe in the baby scent, and snuggle with Amelia. Spoil my baby, like grandparents do. I’m okay with it because I too want to take in every minute of her life.
When Amelia wakes, I go up to her room. I change her diaper then I sit with her and nurse her. Once she is fed, I bring her down with me. My dad takes her and holds her close to his chest. He rubs her back, and before we know it, both of them are sleeping in the recliner. I get my phone, and I take a picture. I know it will be a picture that will repeat over the next few years. My mom has many of my dad and me just like this from the first three years of my life.
Marie comes and tells us dinner is ready. She and my mom had started cooking when I went up to feed Amelia. It’s nothing fancy, just spaghetti and meatballs, but it’s special. The smell of garlic bread lingers in the air, and my stomach growls. We all take a seat and before we dig in Bob says a dinner prayer. When I gaze at Kevin, he gives me a wink.
My dad swallows his food and says, “Kevin, when is your next fight?”
“Two days before the New Year. I will leave the day after Christmas for the city.”
“I don’t like the big apple,” my mother says.
Kevin, my parents, and his parents continue to talk about his next fight. I just sit here taking it all in. I think about how we missed Thanksgiving. I blurt out without thinking, “Mom, Dad, can you stay till Christmas?” Kevin looks at me, and his eyebrow rises. Maybe I should have discussed this with him first.
“We wish we could, Pumpkin, but we have to help the church with toys. We already signed up.”
“It’s okay. I was just asking.”
We finished with dinner, and we all went to the living room after. We sat around talking, and my dad has become the baby hog. I love the bond he is forming with his granddaughter. When I took her from him to feed her and put her down for the night, I could see he didn’t want to let her go. My father and I always had a good relationship, and I already know he will spoil her with love and gifts even though there are many miles between us.
Shortly after I get Amelia down for the night. I should say for a few hours, Bob and Marie went home, and my parents retired for the evening. Kevin and I crawl into bed also. I curl myself into his warm body. It feels wonderful being in our bed together. Four weeks is a long time to be away from all of this.
“I love you, Kevin. Happy non-wedding day.”
“Don’t you start thinking you are getting out of being my wife. We will be married soon enough.”
“I can’t wait to be Mrs. Kevin ‘Lightning’ Steed.”
I tilt my head up and give him a kiss. I wrap my arm over his chest and he puts his around me too. He is the only body pillow I need right now. I drift off to sleep feeling blessed.