Chapter 478


    “You’ve got this, Cora!” E cheers at my side while I squeeze Roger’s hand, panting and shouting as I


    give what the nurse has told me is onest, final push.


    I put everything I have into this final moment, squeezing my eyes shut and pushing as hard as I can,


    wanting this done – wanting to feel my little baby in my arms And suddenly the pressure lessens, and


    my eyes fly open as I gasp And there’s a little baby’s cry ringing out through the room.


    “Here!” I gasp, leaning forward fervently, some motherly demand in me needing my little baby now


    even as I see him in the nurse’s hands. “Give him to me!” The nurse hesitates, looking towards her


    colleagues. I moan a little, still reaching, wanting him now “Do it,” E snaps suddenly up from my side.


    She stands and moves towards the nurse, putting a hang on her shoulder and gesturing towards me. ”


    He needs his mother – ” Roger ispletely still at my side, his eyes focused totally on the baby, who


    starts to cry his little heart out.


    “Please,” I beg, reaching for him.


    “All right,” the nurse says, nodding and bringing him forward. “We’ll clean him up in a minute – ” And


    she takes two steps forward, and leans down, and ces my little baby in my arms And I burst


    immediately into tears.


    Because the weight of him against my arm-his little head curled against my elbow-my heart just breaks


    to feel him close to me, so strange and new and yet sopletely right.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    I stare down at my little baby, tears dripping down my face as I take in every ounce of him, every tiny


    finger and toe, his wide and crying mouth with its perfect tiny lips – Roger is pressed tight to my side,


    his arms wrapped around me, staring down at our perfect son.


    “I can’t believe he’s here,” I whisper inplete awe.


    “I can’t believe he’s so mad,” Roger replies, his voice reverent.


    I burst intoughter, ncing at my mate and shaking my head at him, sniffing back my tears, grateful


    that his strange sense of humor has at least stopped my crying. “You know, Roger,” I say quietly, “most


    new parents say something nice about their kid when they meet him for the first time, like how beautiful


    he is, or how much they love him.” “Well, he’s making a lot of noise, Cora,” Roger murmurs, still staring


    at the baby with an expression somewhere between shock and awe. “I doubt he’d even hear me


    wastedpliment.” it’d be a “Ignore him, gorgeous boy,” I murmur to the baby, cuddling him close and


    pressing a kiss to his forehead. “Wee to the world. You are very, very loved.” “See?” Roger sighs.


    “I couldn’t havee up with something that good. He needed you for that.” “Well, he’s got me,” I sigh.


    “My whole heart, forever, little baby.” And though I’m exhausted, and my whole body is aching, I just


    feel such rich,plete happiness in this moment.


    We sit for a few more minutes where it feels like Roger and the baby and I are the only three people in


    the world. I almost jump in surprise when I feel E’s hand on my shoulder.


    Her own face is streaked with tears of joy when I look up at her. “What do you think, Cora?” she asks


    quietly. “Will you let the nurses clean him up and wrap in him in a nket? And I’ll check you out, see if


    I can heal you up?” “Oh,” I say, suddenly remembering that – yeah, the baby needs to be checked.


    And Iugh as the nursees close, reaching for him. “I’m sorry,” I say, shaking my head. “I didn’t


    mean to yell at you earlier -” “It’s okay, you didn’t,” the nurse says, grinning at me as she takes the


    baby from my arms. “You’re just an excited new mom and the birth went beautifully, noplications,


    so there’s no harm in wanting to hold him first.” My eyes follow the nurse as she carries the baby


    across the room to be weighed and checked out by the doctor. But the nurse is right – everything went


    well, and the baby looked fine to me. I don’t anticipate any problems.


    “You lucky thing,” E murmurs, sitting down next to me and holding her hands out, palm up. “I


    basically bled out after my traumatic pregnancy, and you get away scot-free?” “Don’t be jealous, Ells,” I


    sigh, cing my hands on top of hers andughing a little. “I’m sure your next one will be perfectly


    smooth.” She flinches a little, looking up at me with wide eyes, and I turn my head to the side, not


    understanding her reaction. But then she just grins and shakes her head, dismissing it. “I’m sure it will,”


    she says with a happy sigh. “Now, does anything hurt?” “Aren’t I the one who usually asks that?” I


    murmur in reply, leaning my head on Roger’s shoulder, starting to feel my exhaustion now more than I


    did before.


    Eughs and closes her eyes, starting to call upon her gift. I feel it when it starts to sweep through


    me, and I sit up a little with curiosity. This isn’t the first time E has healed me, of course, but this is


    the most conscious I’ve been for it and I can really feel it this time – the way the gift runs through me,


    seeking out the parts of me that hurt and sweeping through them piece by piece until… Well, until I feel


    completely fine.


    “There,” E says, taking her hands away and opening her eyes. “All good?” “Yeah,” I say,ughing a


    little. ” Honestly, E, it’s still crazy that you can do that.” “Thank mom, not me,” she murmurs, standing


    up when the nurse brings the baby back. He’s not crying anymore, even though he fusses a little


    unhappily in his swaddled nket. I see E bite her lip and tuck her hands behind her back, and I


    laugh when I realize that she’s actively stopping herself from grabbing the baby because she wants to


    hold him so badly – “Take him, E!” I say, encouraging my sister, who I know will love this child his


    whole life almost as much as I will. “You can hold him.” “No,” she says, nodding towards Roger. “His


    dad should have that honor first.” “Yeah, Cora,” Roger grumbles beside me. “It’s my kid too.” “Oh, shut


    up,” I sigh, taking the baby back from the nurse and turning a little so I can see Roger better. “You’re


    scared to hold the baby and you know it.” “Well,” Roger says, hesitating as he takes his arms from


    around me and starts to reach for the baby, stopping at thest minute. “He’s very small…” “I’ll go get


    Dominic,” E whispers, slipping out of the room. “Give you two a minute alone.” The birthing nurses


    and obstetrician likewise skirt out, giving us a moment, though I’m well aware that they have work to do


    over the next couple hours now that the baby is born.


    “Are you ready?” I ask, preparing to pass the baby to Roger, who really does look at the infant with


    wide eyes.


    “I’m used to them when they’re bigger,” he murmurs. “Rafe I can handle…” “Come on, new daddy,” I


    laugh. “You can do it.” And then I slip our newborn son into Roger’s arms And I swear, I see his heart


    completely melt.


    “Hey, little guy,” Roger murmurs, his lips trembling a little as he looks the baby over from head to toe.


    The baby presses his eyes shut and gives a frowning little mew. “Oh, it’s all right,” Roger sighs. “It’s


    nice here, I promise. You’ll cheer up really soon.” The baby yawns in reply, and both of our faces break


    into ridiculous smiles.