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Chapter Seven

Ghenie

I open my eyes, the sound of crying waking me from my slumber.

I cannot tell what time it is based on the darkness outside, but I know there must be hours left before daytime.

I sit up and look over at Maribel, letting out a long yawn.

Reaching over, I pull her into bed with me, lying her across my thighs, trying to calm her while I get my brain back online.

The door to the bedroom opens a crack before Christian is peeking inside.

“Hey,” he whispers, looking at me. “Everything okay?”

I hum and wave him inside. “Maribel is hungry and needs to be changed.”

“Okay, can I help? I can feed her for you so you can go back to sleep.”

I chuckle softly and hand Maribel to Christian. “You can change her but then I will need to feed her unless you have somehow developed some interesting new features since the last time you were here.”

Christian carefully takes Maribel before staring down at me.

“What?” Then his face morphs into understanding.

“Jesus, okay. I haven’t developed tits since the last time I was here.

I forgot you guys are built different. I’ll be right back,” he says, shaking his head at himself.

I can’t help but giggle at his retreating back.

I readjust the pillows behind myself, getting comfortable while I wait for Christian to come back.

Having him helping leaves me feeling confused.

On the one hand, it’s strange not doing everything myself.

I can hear my daughter crying in the other room, annoyed at being changed, but I am not with her.

On the other hand, my chest is warm with affection.

Watching Christian care for our daughter makes me feel things .

Many, many things. As much as I’d like to take things slow with Christian and keep him at arm’s length until I can trust him, seeing him like this throws all of those plans right out the window.

Maribel’s crying turns into soft whimpers before stopping all together. When Christian comes back, he has Maribel against his chest and a cup of water in his hand. He’s softly humming, keeping her happy.

And there goes my heart. So badly I wanted to keep myself from falling so quickly but all it took was this, listening to him hum our baby to sleep. I care for him so deeply that it hurts, it steals my breath, it completely consumes me.

“Here we go,” Christian whispers. “I sang her back to sleep.”

“She still needs to eat or she will be awake again in half an hour.”

“Shit, I hadn’t thought of that. Sorry.”

“No need to be sorry. You are new to all this. You will catch on to the routine soon enough,” I say without thinking. I’m not even sure he wants to be part of our routine. I’m not sure of anything when it comes to Christian.

Christian hands Maribel over to me and I make quick work of pulling my shirt down in order to give her access to her meal. She latches beautifully.

“I would like that,” Christian says eventually, pulling my eyes away from my daughter and up to her other father. “To be part of her routines. If you’ll let me.”

“Of course,” I say right away. “There is nothing I want more than for you to be a part of her life, Christian. I don’t think I’ll ever stop being sorry for not being able to contact you sooner.

I kept overthinking every single decision I made and the Ancestors’ voices didn’t make things easier.

I wanted to send a ship to Earth early, to have someone tell you. ”

“Hey,” Christian says, cutting me off. “Everything worked out in the end, that’s what matters. Even if the voices in your head are dicks.”

“Oh, they did not like that,” I say, bringing my free hand to my nose, pinching the bridge. “Maybe don’t insult them right before I am supposed to go back to sleep?”

“Shit, sorry,” Christian says with a wince. Under his breath I hear him call them fuckheads but I don’t call him out on it. “Here, you should drink this. I know breastfeeding can make you dehydrated.”

I take the water from him, sipping on it as Maribel continues to eat.

This is such a small gesture but it means the world to me.

He’s taking care of me in his own way, making sure I’m healthy.

How am I supposed to keep my feelings locked away when he’s showing me kindness?

How am I supposed to not fall even more in love with him when he is finally showing the soft side of himself instead of only the thorny parts?

“Thank you, Christian.”

“Don’t mention it,” he says. “Don’t need people hearing that I’m secretly a softie. I have a reputation to uphold.”

I can’t help but smile. After setting the rest of the water on my nightstand, I look up at Christian. “Your secret is safe with me. I feel special. I alone get to see this soft side of you.”

I know that I am pushing my luck, but I can’t help it. I’m so tired that it’s hard to keep my eyes open. I’m warm in my bed with my child resting against my chest. My mate is here . How could I not be just a little bit sappy.

“You are special,” he says softly, so quiet I almost miss it. “Are you okay? Do you want me to stay?”

I want him to stay. I want him in this bed with me. I want him as my mate.

“You can go back to sleep, Christian. After this, she should sleep through the rest of the night.”

“Perfect. Good night, Ghenie.”

“Good night, Christian.”

Once Maribel is fed and burped, I set her back in her bassinet. Then I lie back and almost immediately fall back asleep.

I wake up to the sun shining through the window. It has been a long time since I’ve slept in like this. I sit up, looking down at Maribel only to find her bassinet empty. For a split second, panic overwhelms me. In the next second, I remember Christian.

Standing up, I hear him singing again. He must have woken up and grabbed Maribel before she could wake me up. I’m surprised she hasn’t been crying for more milk, but maybe Christian’s voice has been entertaining her enough for now.

I get dressed and tie my hair into a knot at the top of my head before leaving the bedroom. I follow the sound to the kitchen, finding Christian there, swaying back and forth with Maribel tucked against his chest.

Leaning my hip against the doorframe, I just stay right where I am and watch him. He’s looking out the window, his back to me. He looks good. Better than good, Christian looks healthy, happy, and light.

The last time he was here, something weighed against his shoulders. Even now, I still see traces of that prickly asshole I came to care about, but now the edges are filed down into something more manageable. His jabs are more in jest than they are to hurt.

He’s still my pruist , but now he’s different.

He’s grown while he was gone. It’s made him into a better man, into someone who can be a better father.

I try not to get my hopes up but I can’t stop wondering if this difference will make him a better partner as well. If he wants to be my partner, that is.

“Good morning,” I say, making Christian turn around in surprise.

Christian’s cheeks turn red and his features harden. “How long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough,” I tell him with a grin. In response, Christian rolls his eyes. The gesture makes my heart skip a beat. It’s been far too long since I’ve seen him like this.

“Whatever. The only reason I’m singing and swaying is because of the baby. She deserves the world even if her dad is a prickly asshole.”

He’s trying for a joke but it falls flat. I can tell he’s actually worried about the type of dad he’s going to be. In the time we spent before he left, I learned to read Christian, at least a little bit.

“You have been a father for a day and already you are mastering it. Give yourself a little grace, Christian.”

Christian shakes his head but doesn’t argue with me. Instead, he passes Maribel over to me. “I think she’s itching for breakfast. While you take care of her, I’ll make us something. Do you still enjoy brown tea or do you need something without the caffeine?”

“There is a box of tea above the stove I enjoy. Your brown tea is still there as well. I couldn’t bring myself to drink it while you were gone.”

Christian looks at me, his expression unreadable. Apparently, it’ll take time before I can read him as easily as before. This man has layers and secrets and walls. I hope someday, he will let me see behind them.

I am willing to be as patient as he needs me to be because I am not going anywhere.

Now that he’s home, I’ll do everything I can to keep him here.

I sit down on the stool at the breakfast island. I tug down my shirt and get Maribel to latch. Christian fills up the kettle and sets it on the stove to start heating. Then he digs out a few eggs from the fridge and gets a pan heating.

I’m nervous to admit how good this all feels.

Christian is here, sharing the same space as me.

He’s showing himself to be a doting father and a caring partner.

He’s making sure I’m drinking water, making sure I’m fed.

He’s allowed me to sleep in. I don’t just love this attention, I’m slowly coming to crave it.

Some of the voices in my head whisper that it won’t last. They warn that this isn’t wise.

A few voices remind me that there are plenty of Layperry on this planet who would do anything to become my mate, that they would be a much better pairing for me.

Other voices congratulate me for having my mate back with me, celebrating this as a win.

One voice calls out that I should hightail it out of here with him back to Earth.

There’s always one voice saying the most random things.

Christian makes my tea before sliding it over to me, starting on the eggs. Neither of us share a word, just stay in the same space in comfortable silence. The silence makes the voices worse, but that’s okay. I can ignore them for now. Nothing will make me ruin this moment.

I sip my tea as Christian finishes up his cooking. Then he’s sliding a plate of eggs and toast towards me. He has his own plate along with a cup of brown tea. He says it reminds him of coffee , a morning drink he enjoyed back on Earth.

“Thank you, Christian.”

“No worries. Gotta make sure my baby daddy is fed.” Christian’s face twists into a grimace. “Never tell anyone I said that or I’ll throw myself out a window. Gross.”

I chuckle fondly. “We wouldn’t want that.”

“No, we wouldn’t. The windows in this place are really nice. It would be a pain in the ass to replace them.”

“Oh yes. I am far more worried about replacing the windows rather than replacing you.”

Christian looks up at me, his mouth full of food. He gives me a tiny grin that’s made cutest by the way his cheeks are puffed up with food. I take a bite of my toast, doing my best not to cover Maribel in crumbs.

“Thanks for letting me stay here, Ghenie.”

Taking a page from his book, I nod and say, “don’t mention it.”

Christian chuckles, shaking his head at me before digging into his food. I help Maribel off my chest and close my shirt. Then I place her against my shoulder and pet her back until a burp works its way out.

“Whoa. Nice one, Maribel,” Christian says with surprised, wide eyes. “I didn’t know she had it in her!”

“You will be surprised the amount she has in her. Wait until you get your first poopy diaper.”

“Is it weird if I say I’m looking forward to it?”

I shrug. “A little, but I will not hold it against you.”

“Appreciate it,” he says, pretending to tip his hat at me. He scarfs down the rest of his food before taking his plate to the sink and washing his hands. “I can take her so you can eat,” he says, holding out his hands for Maribel.

It’s so wonderfully strange to have an extra pair of hands around. The weight of parenthood is crushing, but now that Christian is here, it doesn’t feel like it will flatten me. It feels manageable.

I pass our child over. He lifts her in the air, hovering her over his head.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

Christian narrows his eyes. “I can’t hold my daughter in the air? Really?”

“I wouldn’t.”

Ah. There’s my prickly asshole. He scoffs and turns around in a circle. “You love this, don’t you, sweetheart?”

Christian grins up at our daughter and in response, she opens her mouth and projects vomit right into his open mouth.