Page 12 of The Nicolaides Baby

“Do you need to sit down?”

“No. No.” She clutched her child tighter in her arms. “Can we go to Lukas?”

“Of course.”

The ride to the hospital didn’t take long. He’d been able to grin when Rowan had shown surprise at the car seat he’d acquired for her daughter. She’d thanked him but had been quiet once they’d gotten on the road.

The same couldn’t be said for Mara. She was an inquisitive child who had fully awoken and strained her neck to see out the window. She’d found everything on the drive fascinating, pointing and asking “Wasat?” frequently with him answering her the best he could. He’d spared a couple of glances at Rowan during one interesting exchange where Mara had told him everything she knew about her three-year-old self and had found her mother with a little smile playing around her lips. He supposed she was enjoying his predicament, but after a while, he had begun enjoying Mara’s babbling himself.

Rowan had finally taken pity on him, asking her daughter, “Do you want some juice and Cheerios?” She held up a little juice pouch and baggie full of the round cereal she’d pulled out of what he’d realized was a diaper bag. He’d have to have the back seat vacuumed later, but it had ended up keeping her occupied.

Silence filled the limo again until Rowan’s quietly spoken question filled the space between them while her gaze never wavered from the passing scenery. “When did she…” She took in a quick breath and bit her lip.

“After you’d been in the air a while. Right around midnight your time.” He went ahead and told her the rest. “The authorities don’t think Andreas ever saw it coming since he didn’t make any evasive moves with his vehicle.” He watched Mara eating and then looked across at Rowan still staring out the window. “Whether Sierra knew or not, it’s hard to say. I’m hoping no.” She nodded. “She never regained consciousness, so she was unaware of anything—Andreas…the baby.”

She nodded again and wiped her face before leaning her head against the window.

By the time they got to the hospital, Mara had fallen asleep again and Rowan looked ready to pass out, but she roused herself when the limo pulled in front of the entrance.

The driver went around and opened their door while Rowan leaned over to unbuckle Mara.

“I’ve got her,” he told her. She frowned but then nodded before letting him undo the straps and lift her sleeping child from the car seat. Rowan waited for him outside the car as he stepped from the limo with her arms out, but he shook his head. “Let me help.”

She pursed her lips and looked from her sleeping child to him before finally nodding and following him inside where they entered an already opening elevator.

He pushed the second-floor button. “Just as a forewarning, my family will be waiting on us.”

“Okay.”

He eyed her tense expression as the elevator rose and Mara snuggled into his neck—puffs of air blowing across his skin with her little snores—until the elevator opened onto the second floor. It was busy, but his parents and sister were easy to spot, especially since they were waving them over. Even from a distance, the grief at their shared losses was still etched on their faces.

His family met them halfway, with his mother gathering Rowan up in a hug she at first seemed hesitant to accept. But after a second, she wrapped her own arms around his mother. “I’m so sorry about Andreas,” Rowan tearfully told his mom, who hugged her even tighter. Then his mother whispered quiet words to Rowan he couldn’t hear, with Rowan nodding her head and sniffling. They continued that way until Rowan lifted her head. “Sierra loved you so much,” Rowan told her and then looked over his mom’s shoulder at his father and sister. “All of you. Thank you for… Thank you for loving my sister and making her a part of your family.”

His sister Elizabeth—or Libby as they called her—joined in the hug with their mother. His father stepped up and wrapped his massive arms around the three women while Leo became more and more comfortable with the slight weight in his arms. Deep down he wished he was included in their embrace.

“You’ll want to see Lukas,” his father said, wiping his eyes. He’d never seen his father cry before. He hoped to God he never would again. “You’ll need to get a badge from the nurses’ station.” He cleared his throat, but his voice was still gruff. “They only allow two back at a time.”

“Have you seen him?” Rowan asked, wiping her eyes and grabbing a tissue from a handy box from a side table.

“We have.” His mom took one of the tissues. “He’s beautiful, just like his…” She blew her nose, then looked up at Leo and Mara, her eyes brightening. “Your daughter? Mara, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” Rowan answered, her voice strained. He’d been afraid she’d be overwhelmed.

“We can watch her while you two go back,” Libby said, hopeful.

“Oh…” Rowan looked between her daughter and his mother and sister, indecision evident on her face before finally taking a deep breath and saying, “Of course. Thank you.”

Leo carefully handed Mara over to his mother.

“Oh, look at all this red hair,” Libby whispered, barely touching a springy curl.

“Mine used to be just this color when I was young,” his mother said, patting Mara’s back before giving him a slight smile. “You two go on. We’ve got this.”

His mother looked right holding the sleeping child. He watched her take the closest seat available and breathe the little girl in. It struck him again how Mara could have been his child in his mother’s arms had circumstances been different.

Rowan touched his arm, rousing him fromwhat ifs. “Can we go see the baby now?”

“Of course.”

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