Page 157 of Please Save Me

“Why don’t you stay here with Lucian and the kids? Cam and I will go,” Sophia said as she held onto Leona’s arms.

But Leo gave her a small smile as she pulled herself free. “Because I’m the only one who knows the way. Cameron and I won’t be gone long. I just think heneedsto go first.”

I glanced at Sophia, and despite the worry etched into her face, she gave me a reassuring squeeze.

I took a deep breath before allowing Leona to lead me away and down another dimly lit corridor. Every muscle in my body was so tense I feared they’d snap, but as we pushed through a set of silver doors, I was greeted with a sound I didn’t expect to hear.

Babies crying.

I stopped dead in my tracks and looked down at Leona. “Where’re you taking me?”

“To meet someone special,” Leona said as she moved from pulling to pushing me down the hall.

The rigidity gave way to an unyielding shakiness as she led me a little further into a room full of incubators. Most of the babies were tiny and hooked up to more tubes than I could count, and I thought I was going to throw up as Leona made me wash my hands before taking me to the back of the room.

“Hi Leona!” A young-looking nurse called to her like they were old friends. “Who’s this?”

“This is Rosemary’s daddy.”

Leona’s words caused warmth to spread through me.

“Ah, I was wondering when someone would come to claim this cutie.” A paper mask covered in cartoon characters obscured the nurse’s lower face, but I had a feeling she was smiling. “We were just getting Rosie ready to move to intermediate care. I’ve never seen such a chunky preemie!”

Before I fully registered what was happening, the nurse helped me into a yellow paper gown and led me to the last incubator in the row. There she was, the angriest-looking baby I’d ever seen.

Rosie’s little face was scrunched into what looked like a scowl, and her fists were balled near her face. And if the fact she didn’t look exactly like Mason wasn’t enough to tell me this was my baby, the thumb in her mouth would have. I stepped closer; the top of the incubator was open, but instead of reaching right in, I touched the warm plastic surrounding her.

“Can I put my hands through the holes?” I said, realizing I was one wrong move away from crying.

“I can do you one better,” the nurse chirped before scooping Rosie up. “Have you ever held a baby?”

I looked back at Leona. There was nowaythe nurse was talking to me or that this was even real.

“He has.” Leona nodded toward me.

I looked back as the nurse inched toward me, guiding my arms into place before depositing Rosie where she belonged.

My heart nearly burst as I stared down at the infant in my arms, the one that was half me and half Mason. Instinctively, I offered her one of my fingers. Her tiny hand reached up before grabbing me with a strength I didn’t expect from someone so small.

“Hi there.” My voice shook as I adjusted the pink hat on Rosie’s head. I didn’t want her to get cold.

“Psst. Slide the beanie back a little,” Leona whispered.

Emotion clogged my throat as I did as she said. The pink material slipped back, exposing a head full ofcopper hair. And that’s all it took to shatter my composure. A sob tore through me as I held Rosie that much closer. After overtwenty years of being denied this moment, I was finally holdingmy baby. But there was still something missing from this moment.

“Where’s your Mama?” I asked as if Rosie could actually respond.

It was like I was enjoying an orchestra but the lead violinist was missing.

Leona cleared her throat before extending her arms. “Maybe I should take the baby before we talk about that.”

“No, I want my daughter.” I said, holding Rosie closer.

Leona’s eyes locked onto mine with an understanding I didn’t expect. “Cam, what I’m about to say isn’teasynews, and you’ll probably want to go sit down.”

“Leo, where’s Mason?”

And Sebastian, for that matter.

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