Page 74 of Burned

“I’d love that,” she agreed eagerly, anxious to see her daughter.

“I’ll be back soon.” He closed the door behind them leaving the sisters alone in the room.

Lily held on to Sadie’s hand as she took a seat next to the bed. “Honey I was terrified when I got the call. I think I cried all the way to the hospital so I can only imagine how you much have felt. She’s beautiful by the way. I didn’t know babies were born so small.”

“You saw her?”

“Yes. When you were sleeping Rhys took me to the NICU. You don’t mind do you?”

“Of course not. I’m glad you got to see her. Thank you for coming by the way.” Sadie patted her sister’s hand in reassurance.

“You couldn’t keep me away kid. The nurse said when you woke up you can go see the baby. I’ll get the wheelchair.”

Sadie was very anxious to see her daughter but something held her back. “Maybe I should wait for Rhys to return.”

“You’d rather go in with him don’t you?” Lily asked gently.

“No offense. I mean, he is her father.”

“None taken. I understand. It’s how it should be.”

“Really? You haven’t exactly been Rhys’s biggest fan.”

“I’m no fan of his brother but that’s beside the point. I, of course, will always be on your side and honestly, Rhys was on my shit list for a long time. But if you would have seen the way he looked at you while you were sleeping. And then the way he looked at your daughter. I know that man loves you. He’s a good guy. Yes, he turned a blind eye while his kid was acting out but I think he realizes the mistake he made and wants to make amends. I think even the demon seed may actually be contrite as well. I saw her outside the waiting room. She really wanted to see the baby, however, Rhys told her it was your decision whether she could visit the NICU.”

“He told her that? He could have just put her on the list as one of the visitors”

“Yes, I suppose he could have but the fact that he’s putting you and your concerns above anything else tells me he’s trying. As much as I wanted to powerbomb that kid she may not be as bad as I thought she was. She seems to be just a lost little girl.”

“Yes. I know. She came to see me before I drove myself to the hospital to apologize. She’s getting help for her problems and I believe she’s sincere.”

Lily raised a brow. “And did you accept her apology?”

“Of course. She was hurting Lily. I wish I would have seen it. Maybe I could have approached the situation differently.”

“So where does that leave you with Rhys?”

“I’m not sure. I feel like it’s all water under the bridge and right now I need to focus on my daughter. I can’t even think about working on a relationship right now.”

“Fair enough but you won’t have the baby to hide behind for long. You’ll eventually have to deal with your feelings for Rhys.”

“I know.” Sadie decided to change the subject not wanting to delve too deeply into the subject of her feelings for Rhys. “Speaking of the baby, we can’t just keep calling her ‘the baby’. I didn’t really have time to consider names. I definitely don’t want her to get stuck with a name like Chrysanthemum.” Sadie shuttered at her first name. “But if Rhys agrees I think I’ll name her Elizabeth. That’s what Aunt Joyce said my mother’s middle name was.”

Lily rubbed her chin in her thinking mode. “I like that name a lot. What about a middle name?”

“I’ve always liked the name, Miriam.”

“Elizabeth Miriam. That’s pretty. It will certainly look better than baby Flowers.”

Rhys returned several minutes later. “Are you ready to go to the NICU?”

“Yes!” Sadie said eagerly.

Rhys and Lily helped Sadie off the bed and into the wheelchair. Lily assured her sister she’d be waiting in the lobby. As he wheeled her to the Special Care Nursery, Sadie told him about her choice of name which Rhys agreed to. She also told him it was okay if Carys wanted to see the baby. It wasn’t like she could do anything with all the nurses and cameras on her—not that Sadie believed she’d try anything.

After scrubbing thoroughly, they entered the unit and tears burned Sadie’s eyes as Rhys wheeled her past several tiny babies. Finally, he stopped in front of one incubator with a sign that read “Baby Flowers”.

Elizabeth was under an ultraviolet lamp with patches over her eyes.

“That’s for the jaundice,” Rhys explained.

The baby was tinier than Sadie remembered, her skin was bright red and paper thin. She could practically see every single delicate organ and vein inside that tiny body. Her baby. Her heart. Sadie desperately wanted to hold her and knew she couldn’t. She began to cry at the sight of the tiny angel. Rhys leaned over and wrapped his arms around her.

“She’s going to make it Sadie. Our girl is a fighter.”

Sadie wanted those words to be true more than anything she’d ever wanted before. There was one thing that made her feel better, however: having Rhys by her side.

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