Chapter 52
“Someone didn’t wake up on the right side of the bed this morning, did they?”
“A little hard since I can touch both sides of the bed at the same time, there is little option to even leave, let alone pick which side is better to get out of.”
Knock, Knock comes from the door, Tristan moves to stand in front of me, and Daniel moves so that his body is blocking Senna.
“Come in,” Tristan calls as both Daniel and Tristan block us.
“Oh, sorry, it is breakfast time, and today Ms Alba is allowed to start on solids, so she has porridge and some sliced peaches with warm water.”
“Mm, it sounds disgusting,” I mumble as I watch Daniel’s shoulders shake.
“How are you feeling this morning?” The nurse asks as she takes my vitals.
“I want to go home.”
“I know I heard your conversation as I was standing at the door. Have you managed to pass gas yet? Have you done a number two?” I watch with absolute annoyance as Tristan, Daniel, and Senna all burst out laughing.
“Yes, I have pooped, yes, I have passed gas. If I manage to get this bowl of snot down, can I please go home?”
“I will ask the doctor for you; all your vitals are on check, and I will give the notes to the doctor.”
“See, the nurse is going to do what I asked,” I say grumpily to Tristan and Daniel, who are still laughing.
“The doctor has already said that you are not going yet,” Tristan says, his laughter suddenly stopping as he looks at me.
“We will see.”
“Senna, are you hungry?”
“No, Mommy, Uncle Daniel took me to Tito’s for breakfast.”
“Oh, that is nice. How did you enjoy breakfast, Daniel? Did you work things out with Tito?” I asked smugly. Watching his face drop.
“Well, I had bacon, eggs, sausage, toast, and hashbrowns for breakfast along with a nice hot coffee, so I would say breakfast was great, and since little miss couldn’t finish off her pancakes with maple syrup and ice cream, I got to finish that off as well.”
The smile drops from my face as Daniel mentions the food that he got to eat while I am sitting here having to drink warm water and a bowl of snot.
“Breakfast was yummy, Mommy. Much better than what you have,” Senna says sweetly with a screwed-up nose.
“Eat while it is hot. I can’t imagine that cold porridge tastes any good,” Tristan mutters as he takes the seat beside me.
I take a deep breath and just as I raise the spoon to my mouth, the door opens.
“Morning, Alba, I heard that you are doing quite well, and your healing is progressing well. I also hear that you are pestering about going home. After checking your vitals, I would like to perform a couple of scans today. If everything looks good, I think I should be able to let you go under stringent instructions. Additionally, Tristan has a doctor and nurse who will be staying with you over the next couple of months if you can go home. So, let's get these scans done, and then I will review the test results, and we will go from there.”
I can’t help but poke my tongue out at both Tristan and Daniel as they stand there with very angry-looking faces.
The house was quiet, wrapped in the soft hum of evening. I sat curled on the couch, a blanket draped over my legs, my fingers tracing the rim of a mug filled with chamomile tea. The scent of lavender lingered in the air—Tristan had lit one of his favorite candles earlier, a silent gesture of care. Tristan entered the room, his steps gentle, his eyes searching mine.
“You look tired,” he said, settling beside me.
“I am,” I admitted, I don’t want him to know that I feel absolutely drained just from the car ride home but I think Tristan already knew this. “But it’s a good kind of tired. Like my body’s finally catching up with my heart.”
Tristan nodded, his hand brushing mine. “You’ve been through so much. I still can’t believe you’re here.”
I smiled faintly. “Neither can I. I really didn’t think that I was going to come back from this. I just wanted Senna to be safe but after everything that I learned I wasn’t sure there was going to be an ending that was good for any of us.”
We sit in silence for a moment, the kind that felt full rather than empty. Outside, the wind rustled through the trees, and the soft clink of dishes came from the kitchen where Daniel was making dinner with Senna.
“I’ve been thinking,” Tristan said finally, turning to face her. “About us. About everything.”
“Me too.” I respond quietly
“I want you to know,” he began, “I’m here. Not just for the good days, but for the hard ones. The ones where you feel lost or scared or unsure. I’ll be your anchor, Alba. Whatever comes next, we’ll face it together.”
My eyes fill with tears, I am not sad exactly but there is a part of me that has been wishing for this for a long time. “What about Senna, we are a package deal?”
“Senna was mine the moment you entered my life again” Tristan says as he continues to gaze at me tenderly.
“I want to kiss you” I murmur into Tristan’s neck
Tristan leaned in, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “But I also know this isn’t just about us. I want Senna to know that you both belong here, that you are both wanted, and that I love you both more than anything in this world.”
The tears I have been trying to hold back have finally fallen.
“I love you too,” I blubber.
“That’s good, that is good to hear.” Tristan’s vocal rumbles across the top of my head.
“When do we tell Senna?”
“As soon as possible”