Chapter 49

"Well, you still look good holding a baby," Kaden said, grinning at me.

He and Rylee had come over a couple hours later, and were planning to stay all evening. Those two hours when it was just Carson, Hunter and I were pretty calm, though it could have gone either way. Hunter took his bottle and went down for a nap fairly easily, though he woke up after one hour. Neither of us knew if one hour was a regular amount of time for him to sleep, but he seemed content once he was awake.

When Kaden and Rylee came in, Carson was more than happy to pass off Hunter to me and follow Rylee to the spare room to play with her dolls.

   Now, Kaden and I were just sitting together, me holding Hunter close.

   "This time I feel a bit more prepared," I answered, smiling back.

   "No doubt." Kaden nodded, then remained quiet for a moment. "This all feels both super crazy and unbelievable while also somehow perfectly right."

   "What, me, once again, helping to take care of someone else's baby?" I asked, and it came across a bit rougher than I'd intended it to.

   "No... I meant, you and Carson, together like this. It sort of made you have to decide to stay or go, you know? And you chose him, even under these circumstances."

   "He chose to step up and help take care of his baby, because his own father didn't. His mother died when he was born and his father left. I would never walk away from him because of that," I explained.

   "Because you're amazing," Kaden smiled.

   "Look at him. When I hold him and just look at him, it's just so obvious he's meant to be in our lives. It might be crazy and messy, but when hasn't my life been that way?" I said, more to myself than to Kaden.

   Kaden nodded, as Rylee ran towards us. Her hair was in a pony tail and her dress sort of twirling around her.

   "Carson say I can hold the baby!" she yelled.

   "Of course you can," I answered, patting the sofa where I wanted her to sit.

    Once she was sitting up, her arms open, I leaned forward and placed Hunter on her lap. Rylee's little arms wrapped around him lightly and she was beaming; he looked up at her as if he knew that she loved him already.

   "He so cute. He likes me, right?" Rylee asked, after a moment.

   Kaden was choking up already. "Of course he does."

   Carson was back in the room now, grinning. "Well, that's the cutest thing I've ever seen."

   "Right? Dude, it's pretty cool that our kids can grow up together," Kaden told him.

   "Are you crying?" Carson was teasing, but I ended up laughing.

   "Maybe," Kaden admitted.

   Hunter slept through dinner but was awake again by the time Kaden and Rylee were getting ready to leave. Carson was holding him, and kneeled down so Rylee could see him again.

   "I wuv you Hunter. See you soon," she whispered, then kissed his head.

   "Let me know how Dylan is doing after you see him?" Kaden asked me, so I nodded in return.

   After hugs and goodbyes, Carson and I were alone once again, with this new little human. Things had been tossed upside for us again, but for whatever reason, this time it felt so right.

   It seemed crazy that we were leaving again the next afternoon, to bring Hunter back to Jacksonville. The night had been long and both Carson and I were up a few times - feedings, diaper changes, walking around the house rocking him - but still it felt like our time with him was too short. The fact that he lived four hours away didn't help.

   "You still happy that you agreed to do this with me?" Carson asked, a smile forming on his lips.

   He was packing up the diaper bag and I was buckling Hunter into the infant seat for the car.
Those big brown eyes were just watching me and I could tell already that he knew me. He knew who I was.

   "Yes," I answered right away. "Truthfully, I feel really attached to him. It's sad we have to take him home already."

   Carson nodded, then threw the bag over his shoulder. "I mean, I think one night a week with a crying baby, and bottles and diapers is enough, but..."

   I knew he was kidding, because he hadn't complained during the night at all. He was tired then, but he got out of bed each time that tiny creature cried.

   Once we were on the road, after going through a drive thru for coffee and muffins, the car fell quiet. Hunter was obviously sleeping soundly and Carson turned down the radio. He smiled at me, then reached for my hand.

   "I love you."

   "I love you," I repeated.

   "So... I was thinking about your birthday."

   With everything going on and now with Dylan in the hospital, we hadn't talked about it. It was less than a week away. I had had one birthday with Carson before, when I turned fifteen. We were so young then. Now I was turning twenty; so much had changed and we were together again.

   "Oh, it's not a big deal," I said, looking out the side window.

   "Is it," Carson replied seriously, squeezing my hand.

   "It just won't be... I don't know. Dylan is..." I sighed, unable to finish.

   "Well, I was thinking we could have a beach day. With Kaden and Rylee?"

   I glanced at him and realized he'd already planned this. I could tell by his face.

   "Did you take the day off?" I asked, curious.

   "I did."

   "And Kaden?"

   Carson grinned. "He is working Sunday instead."

   "So, we're having a beach day?"

   "I know things are hard right now, but I want you to enjoy your birthday, Ard."

   I took in a breath, closing my eyes for a second. "I would love that."

   He nodded, and we went back to not talking for a while.

   Hunter woke up an hour later, so we made a stop to let him out of the car seat for a few minutes. I checked his diaper before we got back on the road, and we played some nursery rhyme songs through my phone. Yes, I'd downloaded nursery rhyme songs.

   When we got to Jacksonville , my stomach felt tight. Carson drove through the city and to the cute, little neighbourhood Lacey and her brother lived in. Parked on the road, Carson turned to me.

   "We made it."

   I nodded, sucking in a breath. "I feel like I'll miss him a lot."

   "Me too."

   "I'm scared to see Dylan," I admitted, not moving yet. We weren't just in Jacksonville to bring Hunter home. We had another stop before we'd be driving back to Seaside.

   "I know. But I'll be with you," Carson smiled, then leaning in to kiss me. "Let's go."