“Should I call Jessica?” Eric gently teased her, coming near enough to capture her lips in a light kiss. He turned and cleared her empty water bottle from the nightstand, plucking a tissue from the box to gather the rest of the trash. “I bet she’d have some advice.”
“Oh, sweet holy—” Alace gritted her teeth, holding her breath as the baby latched onto her swollen nipple. “No.” The word was hissed more than spoken. “I don’t want you calling Grundella. I want you to teleport your mother here. Now.”
Eric grinned at her, not steeping in the same irritating feelings towards Alace’s former nurse as she was. He was, however, clearly pleased she was looking forward to his mother’s visit. “Bebe’s flight is in the air as I speak. She’ll land in Denver within two hours, and I’ve got a driver on call to pick her up and bring her here.”
Alace let him see her smile, then bent over Lila as he left the room. “Bebe. I think it’s freakin’ hilarious your grandmother named herself.” Now that the baby was nursing strongly, the pain in her breasts was subsiding slightly, changing to a heat and fullness that satisfied in a way she didn’t understand. Alace called out, “You didn’t want to go pick her up?”
“And leave my babies?” Eric came back into the room with a fresh bottle of water in hand. “Not a chance, Momma.” He placed it on the coaster next to the lamp on her nightstand and then surveyed the setup. “You want the pillow thingie to rest her on while she nurses?”
“No, I like holding her.” Alace let her head tip backwards against the rocker. “She’s so soft and warm.”
Crouching at Alace’s feet, Eric leaned close and leaned his head against her arm opposite where Lila was, watching their daughter nurse. He stayed in the position until it was time to shift the infant to the other breast, taking the little girl in his arms as Alace adjusted her position and clothing. He placed Lila upright against his shoulder, gently rubbing and patting her back until she emitted the most unladylike burp. Alace stared at him in wonder, her smile matching his as he looked down into Lila’s face. “You ready for Momma, little one? I think she’s ready for you.”
They made the transfer carefully, still learning their way around how these things worked, and Lila promptly screamed and thrashed her arms until Alace got her into the right angle to find the fresh nipple. Then it was a few minutes of impolite grumbling as she settled back into the rhythm.
“She’s so gorgeous, beloved.” His gaze stayed focused on Lila, and Alace stifled a sob, tears welling in her eyes as emotions overwhelmed her.
“I didn’t expect to love her so much.” Her whispered confession made him look at her, soft smile still in place. “Eric, she’s so tiny. Anything could hurt her. I won’t let it. I won’t. I wanna make her safe forever.” He leaned in and captured her mouth, one hand slipping alongside her neck to curve around possessively as they kissed deeply, tongues tangling. He ended the kiss with a nip to her bottom lip, then pressed his forehead against hers.
Eyes closed, he gave her what sounded like a promise. “We will keep her safe. We both know the kind of monsters there are out in the world, and between you and me, none of the evil will ever touch her. Ever.” He pulled back, hand still on her neck as he lifted his other to palm Lila’s head. Their daughter lay between them, protected by their bodies, contentedly nursing. “I’ve already got a truckload of bubble wrap on order, ready for delivery at the first signs of independence.” His teasing declaration made her laugh as he’d clearly intended, her wet sputter gaining her a crooked grin from him. “She’s so loved, Alace. By you and me, and Bebe.” His mouth pulled to the side wryly. “I love you. Thank you. I don’t know what I did to deserve this family, but I’m so blessed and happy.”
Blinking fast, Alace complained, “You’re gonna make me weepy again.”
He leaned in and placed a kiss on each of her eyelids, then settled back.
“I’ll kiss away all your tears. You being sentimental doesn’t diminish your beauty to me, Alace. I wish I could quiet all your fears.” He rolled his eyes. “Hold you close for all the years.” Laughing, he pressed his lips to hers. “I simply love you.”
When Phoebe “Bebe” Ward arrived a few hours later, Alace was surprised at the greeting she received as the woman walked into the living room where she sat with Lila. Making a beeline straight for the couch, with knees together, Phoebe crouched in front of Alace and leaned close, touching her cheek to Alace’s. She whispered, “Oh, my brave girl. You’ve done so well.”
Alace didn’t try to hide the tears prompted by the tiny bit of maternal encouragement.
Her own mother was long dead, and Alace had no good memories of her. The worst of the nightmares were behind her at least, sleep no longer broken by memories of waking to strange men in their flophouse hotel room, their brutal use of her mother’s body the route chosen to buy the next fix.
When she’d first met Phoebe, Alace had been so fearful she’d been nauseated. Even if the woman hadn’t a clue about Alace’s role in taking down her ex-husband, she’d expected to face some kind of evil inquisition about her background as it applied to the then-fledging relationship with Eric. Instead, Alace had entered what had seemed like an alternate universe, where Eric’s mother adored her and proclaimed her “perfect for my son,” encouraging the couple to share a bedroom in her Malibu home. She’d introduced Alace as her daughter to her friends then and there, and Alace had overheard her telling her husband, Eric’s stepfather, how much she already loved the woman she hoped would become her daughter-in-law.
It had taken months until Alace believed the first visit wasn’t a fluke, brought on by stress over the nationwide coverage surrounding the exposure of Bebe’s ex-husband to be the arrogant, abusive bastard he was. From Phoebe’s tight-lipped reaction to Ward’s press conference announcing his retirement, Alace had known there was more to his mother’s story than Eric knew. A dark hatred had swelled in her for a man who could take someone so beautifully giving and make them sit in pained silence. Phoebe had shared later, when Alace had found her sitting on the patio, staring out at the ocean. What she’d learned would earn Ward more pain. When it’s time.
After Lila’s birth, once their family of three had been settled in the hospital room, Alace had immediately voiced her desire for her mother-in-law to visit. She’d done it loudly and intentionally, while Eric was on the phone with Phoebe. His only response had been to pass along the scold from Phoebe to remember to call her Mom, and not by her given name.
Never having a mother worthy of the name, Alace found herself reveling in the idea she’d found one now.
“Phoebe…Mom. I’d like you to meet your granddaughter.” Alace shifted and lifted her daughter so Bebe could see her face. “Lila Sue, this is Bebe, the best grandmother in the world.”
“Oh, my stars. Could she be any prettier? Oh, Eric, honey, you and Alace made a gorgeous little girl.” Phoebe sat on the couch next to Alace and held out her arms. “Come to Bebe, gorgeous.”
“Not so fast, Bebe. Wash your hands first.” Eric walked towards the stairs, his mother’s suitcase in hand. “Hospital rules still apply.”