Chapter 100: Chapter 100

All the books and scientific articles Morgan had read about babies during Charlie's pregnancy said that in order for her son to sleep well, it was important to create a calm and quiet environment at nap time. However, his wife wasn't very good at it.

“You spend the whole day soiling your diaper and throwing up…” he heard her play inside the suite's bathroom, with the sounds of wet kisses filling the room “How can you smell so good?

Hearing her daughter's contented cackle, Morgan couldn't help but smile, even though she knew all that fussing would make it take Poppy much longer to fall asleep. But, well, she was Charlie's daughter, so obviously she wasn't a simple bottle, a dark room and a little white noise that would magically dampen the infinite energy she had inside her.

Hearing his son give a long yawn, Morgan turned his attention to Patrick who, after a relaxing bath and having changed into his pajamas, was clearly ready for bed, very different from his twin sister. Feeling his heart melt as it always did when he looked at his children, Morgan lifted him off the change, cradling him for a moment in her arms, while placing soft kisses on his head covered in brown hair. Unlike Poppy, who at four months still had a few black hairs growing out of her bald spot, Patrick had thick, slightly curly chocolate hair exactly like his mother's, despite his young age. And Charlie wasn't lying when he said she smelled wonderful.

“If you keep moving your arms like that, you'll end up flying like a bird. “ he heard his wife say, a little out of breath, before leaving through the bathroom door with their daughter turning around in her arms, looking around as if for the first time “ God, how can such a small thing have so much energy?

“ Is what I asked myself all the time, when I met you. he joked, causing Charlie to snort.

“I would elbow you if your daughter wasn't twirling around like a pawn. " she mumbled, walking to Poppy's crib " Come on, sweetie, it's time for you and your brother to sleep ... " so the baby's body touched the mattress, however, she started to cry loudly, making Patrick turn over in Morgan's arms “ Oh darling, please... Me and your dad carry you both in our arms all day. We also need a break, you know?

“Patrick is almost falling asleep. Why don't you put him to sleep while I take care of Poppy? “ Morgan offered, causing her to immediately sigh in relief, “She is my daughter after all. “ he joked.

“Only when I'm too tired to deal with this little hurricane. “ giving Poppy one last kiss, Charlie left her whimpering in the crib, going to take the son from Morgan's arms “ Come on, my little angel. You're calm and obedient like Mom, aren't you? He didn't take after his father's impulsive and energetic...

Laughing, Morgan hurried over to her sobbing little girl, starting to kiss her chubby cheek until she was giggly and playful once more. Looking at that rosy face, even though the twins were growing faster than he would have liked, it was as if Morgan was transported to the exact moment they were born, 4 months and 16 days ago. Of course, because of the ultrasounds, he and Charlie already knew they were going to be the parents of two babies, and they were experiencing all the fears, insecurities and joys that this brought. However, the doctor had prepared them for the possibility that Poppy and Patrick would end up being born premature and having to spend some time in an incubator before being able to go home with them. And that's exactly what happened.

After being held in his and Charlie's arms for a few minutes, they each spent the next five days in a transparent box. It was a long, almost unbearable 120 hours that Morgan had practically stood guard in the maternity ward, waiting for Charlie to recover from the C-section and visiting her children often enough to make the nurses even a little irritable. Fortunately, Poppy and Patrick were as strong and determined as their mother and were released even sooner than the doctors expected. And as much as a few days having two babies was exhausting and a weight almost too much to carry, whenever he remembered their tiny figures when they were born, small enough to almost fit perfectly in his hand, a part of him couldn't let go. of being happy and proud to see her chubby, healthy babies giggling and squirming around.

That's what parenting was, he'd discovered over the last four months: being dead tired, in a state of constant worry, and bursting with love all at the same time.

" That's my little boy..." he heard Charlie praise and turned to see Patrick sleeping peacefully in his crib.

“It is time to you close your eyes too, young lady... " Morgan murmured in her daughter's ear, watching her fight to stay awake, even if she wasn't being very successful " That's right, my princess... Get some sleep to recharge your energies and be able to play a lot more tomorrow.

"As if she needed to recharge…" Charlie chuckled softly, when he finally managed to lay Poppy down in her crib without her waking up, "But at least now we can take a nap too…" She was stretching her back, when his eyes met her. they suddenly stopped at the entrance to the babies' room, narrowing in immediately “There you are!

Confused, Morgan turned his head in the direction he was looking and saw Sawyer standing nearby, backing away as soon as he realized they'd seen him, tail wagging like he didn't give a shit about anything in the world.

“Do you really think he's doing this? “ he questioned his wife, laughing.

“Only one way to find out! “ Charlie rubbed his hands together, conspiratorially “ Let's go to our room! And don't forget to leave the door ajar.

On tiptoe, the two walked away from the babies' room, needing only to cross the hallway of their house to reach the suite they shared, turning on the baby monitor that was there immediately. For a while, the small screen just showed the twins sleeping peacefully and Morgan came to imagine that the meows they had sometimes heard were just an impression. However, when the crack that was open in the bedroom door grew a little more, there was no doubt: Sawyer had returned to the bedroom and was climbing the furniture there one by one, until he finally reached the place where Poppy's crib was. , leaning against one of the walls.

Laughing, the two watched as the cat reached out with its little paw and placed it gently on the baby's head, licking it a little afterward, before jumping over to Patrick's crib and doing the same to him.

“I knew that little grumbler didn't hate babies at all! “ Charlie exclaimed, as if this was a moment of glory “ Just wait until I tell him tomorrow that now we know he's going to pet them every night!

“ I don't know if he'll understand what you say... “ Morgan chuckled “But do it anyway. It will be fun.

“You who think he doesn't understand us! “ she snorted, throwing herself onto the double bed heavily, making the robe she was wearing practically open “ He likes to maintain this mean and grumpy pose, but, tomorrow, I'm going to end it!

"Of course you will..." he encouraged, going to lie down next to her so he could kiss her neck.

“What is it, Mr. Sullivan? Are you trying to seduce me? she teased, her brown eyes very heavy.

" In no way. The only one of us who has a talent for it is you. “He denied, hugging her against her chest“ Besides, I wouldn't have the energy for it, even if I wanted to. And besides, remember what the doctor said: we have to go back to making love slowly and carefully.

“He said that a whole month ago…” she started to complain, but was interrupted by her own yawn.

"It's time you closed your eyes, young lady..." With his own eyes already closed, he repeated to her what he had said to Poppy, making his wife snort.

“Well, you're lucky I'm a little too tired for that right now, husband…” she mumbled, resting her face against his shoulder “But I promise, tomorrow, I'll wake up ready to seduce you again… .

“And I'll be looking forward to it, wife. “ he promised, kissing her goodnight.