- Text Size +
Chapter Forty Five

I’m pretty sure it wasn’t every day that a bride, a groom and a ring bearer walked through the main doors at the hospital. It almost sounded like a bad joke. The look on the night receptionist’s face was priceless.

“Can I…help you?”

“Yes, we need to know the room number for Leighanne Littrell.”

The receptionist entered the name into the computer. She shook her head.

“I’m sorry. There’s no one here by that name.”

I expected Nick to look concerned; instead he grinned.

“Okay. We need the room number for Lily Munster.”

I glanced up at Nick like he had lost his mind. I expected the receptionist to give him a hard time; instead she just typed the name into the computer.

“Ah, maternity ward. Room 310.”

Nick smiled. “Thank you.”

We headed towards the bank of elevators. Baylee grabbed my hand.

“Lily Munster?” I asked as Nick pressed the up button.

“Brian has like three code names he always puts them under when he wants to stay incognito. Herman and Lily Munster tends to be his favorite.”

I laughed. Leave it to Brian.

The elevator doors opened and we got in. Nick pressed the button for the third floor and we started our way slowly up. Baylee tugged on my hand. I looked down at him and smiled.

“What’s up?”

“I want to go to the gift shop.”

I smiled. “Do you want to get your sister a gift?”

He nodded.

The elevator doors opened onto the third floor. I looked over at Nick. I didn’t have to say anything; he pressed the button for the main floor.

The night receptionist just shook her head as we walked off the elevator and into the gift shop. Baylee wandered around. I led him over to the baby section.

“What do you think she’s going to like?”

Baylee picked up little picture frames, bibs, and figurines. Every time he set the item down and shook his head. Finally we rounded the corner and he pointed.

“That!”

It was a huge pink unicorn with a sparkly white horn. I stifled a laugh.

“That?”

“Yup!”

I picked up the unicorn. The thing was huge. Baylee petted its paw and smiled.

“Okay. Now what do you want?”

He looked surprised.

“Me?”

“Yup. You’re a big brother. That’s something to celebrate. Go pick out something for yourself.”

Baylee ended up with a comic book, a candy bar, and a new board game. I added a “Big Brother” shirt to the pile. Nick added a bouquet of balloons.

On the way back up, I helped Baylee out of his tux jacket and dress shirt. I slipped the t-shirt over his head. He smiled happily. I think he was surprised he was getting so much attention.

“You want to carry in Kayleigh’s present?” I asked. Baylee nodded and hoisted the unicorn. He couldn’t even see around it. I took his hand so he wouldn’t crash into a wall and we headed down the hallway.

Well after midnight, the floor was eerily quiet. Even the nurse’s station was temporarily empty. Nick and I made our way to room 310. The door was closed; Nick tapped on it gently.

The door creaked open and Brian peered out. His hair was a mess and he looked exhausted, but the moment he saw the pink unicorn and Baylee behind it, Brian scooped him up.

“Hey buddy!” he whispered.

“Hi daddy!” Baylee said happily. “I got a unicorn for the baby! And Liv got me chocolate!”

Brian looked over at me; I shrugged. “What can I say?”

He laughed. “C’mon in guys. Leighanne’s sleeping, but Kayleigh’s wide awake. We were having a staring contest.”

Nick and I followed Brian into the room. He set Baylee down on the ground and put the unicorn on the large window ledge. Baylee crept up to the bassinet and peered in. I leaned over him and smiled.

Kayleigh was swaddled in a pink blanket. All I could see was her tiny little face. It was too soon to determine who she looked like more, but if I had to judge, I would say that Kayleigh had inherited Leighanne’s slender nose but Brian’s curly dark blonde hair. She didn’t have much hair, but what she did have already looked wavy. Her eyes were open and she seemed determined to figure out exactly what was going on. Baylee reached over the top and touched her face. Her mouth opened reflexively.

“She’s really little,” Baylee said in surprise.

“She weighs just a little bit less than you did when you were born,” Brian said. Baylee grinned.

“I wasn’t that little.”

Brian smiled. “Oh yes you were.”

Nick came over and looked down at her.

“I think she’s got Leighanne’s nose. I was worried your daughter was going to need a nose job by the time she was five.”

“Funny Nick. Funny.”

“Can I hold her?” Baylee asked.

“Sure,” Brian said. He pointed to a chair by Leigh’s hospital bed. She was sleeping peacefully. Her hair still looked amazing. Brian followed my gaze.

“The hospital staff asked if she got her hair done for the occasion. Can you believe it?”

I laughed. “That doesn’t surprise me.”

Brian walked over to the bassinet and ever so slowly picked up Kayleigh. I watched his face completely melt as he looked down at his daughter.

“How’s it feel to have a girl?” Nick asked with a smile. Brian walked over and carefully settled Kayleigh in Baylee’s arms. He made sure that Baylee had support of her head and crouched down by them.

“It’s weird,” Brian said. “With Baylee, as soon as he was born I was thinking ahead to playing baseball and having him bum around with me on tour. From the moment I held Kayleigh, all I could think about was some boy coming to pick her up on a date. And makeup. And periods.”

I couldn’t help it; I laughed. Baylee looked up.

“What’s periods?”

Brian looked panicked. Nick grinned. Brian looked over at us for help. Nick shook his head.

“You’re on your own daddy-o.”

“Something you don’t have to worry about,” Brian said. That seemed to satisfy Baylee. Kayleigh’s hands had come loose from the wrap and Baylee was counting off fingers.

“One…two…three…four…five. One…two…three…four…five. Eleven!”

“Eleven!?”

Brian touched her little hands; he silently counted off. When he got to ten he sighed in relief. Baylee giggled.

“Don’t scare me like that, buddy.”

After another few minutes, Kayleigh started to get fussy. Brian took her and looked at Nick.

“Hey, I helped you with Brooklyn’s diaper change. You owe me.”

“What? C’mon it’s my wedding day!”

Brian shook his head. “Nope it’s after midnight. You can’t use that excuse.”

Nick made a face but walked with Brian over to the changing table. They both looked down at her.

“I don’t remember Brooklyn ever being this small,” Nick said.

“She wasn’t,” I said. “She weighed a pound more and was two and a half inches longer.”

“Ah, that explains it.”

Brian undid the diaper. Both guys took a step back.

“Ugh, that’s the first one isn’t it? It always looks like alien poop.”

“Nice description. Ugh. Hand me a cloth will ya?”

They worked as a team. I saw Baylee crawl up on the bed and press up against Leighanne. With a mother’s instinct, she woke up and looked down at him. She gave him a groggy smile.

“Hey sweetheart. When did you get here?”

Baylee yawned. It was way past the boy’s bedtime. “A wittle while ago,” he murmured. His arm wrapped around her waist. Leighanne kissed the top of his head. Her gaze wandered around the room, landing on Brian and Nick first, and then on me.

“Oh, Liv,” she said. “How was the wedding?”

I smiled. “Absolutely amazing.”

“You wore your wedding dress to the hospital?”

I laughed. “We came here from the reception. We wanted to drop Baylee off.”

Leighanne yawned. “Thank you.” She smiled sleepily.

“The dress fits like a glove.”

I smiled. “Everything about today was absolutely perfect.”

“How are you doing?” I added.

She smiled. “I’m exhausted and I’ve never been happier. You’re right; everything about today was perfect.”

“She’s a pretty baby.”

“She was a tough one too. She was breech, but they managed to get her to turn.”

I couldn’t imagine how painful that was.

“Leigh was amazing,” Brian piped up. He walked over to her bedside and kissed her forehead. Leighanne smiled and touched his face. Nick came up to me holding a newly diapered Kayleigh in his arms. I didn’t think he ever looked sexier than when he had a baby in his arms. It just looked so natural.

“Want to hold her?” Nick asked. I nodded. He slid her into my arms.

Brooklyn had gotten so big so fast that I had almost forgotten how little newborns could be. I placed my finger underneath her little chin.

“I can’t wait for you to meet my Brooklyn,” I cooed down at her. Kayleigh’s eyes drooped as I rocked gently left to right. “You two are going to be good friends.”

“Backstreet girls have to stick together,” Leighanne said.

“I know that from experience,” I said. Leighanne had made my transition into Backstreet life so much easier. I couldn’t ask for a better friend.

We spent just a few more minutes visiting. Baylee fell asleep next to Leighanne. Brian looked like he was about ready to pass out. I handed Kayleigh to Leighanne for a feeding and gave her a hug. Leighanne held my wedding ring up in the dim light of the room.

“Beautiful ring, Mrs. Carter,” she said teasingly. I laughed.

“Beautiful baby, Mrs. Littrell. Or should I call you Mrs. Munster?”

Leighanne snorted and glanced at Brian. He smiled through a yawn.

“Hey, not everyone can come up with a good cover name like I can,” Brian said. I saw his eyes dart to Nick. “Right Sir Mix-a-Lot?”

Nick’s eyes widened.

“I haven’t used that one in years!”

“Baby…got…back,” Brian sang quiet. Nick punched him in the shoulder then gave him a hug.

“You’re annoying but I love you. Congratulations.”

Brian returned the hug. “Thanks. You too.”

A few minutes later we left the happy family to get some much needed sleep. Nick took my hand as we walked down the hallway. It was the same hospital where I had given birth to Brooklyn. Strangely enough, it seemed like a long time ago.

“We’ll be back here soon,” Nick said. I nodded. I had felt so good today that it didn’t seem possible that I was actually pregnant.

“Should everyone ask for Olivia Mix-a-Lot’s room?” I teased as we stepped into the elevator. Nick punched the button for the ground floor. He grabbed my bottom.

“My anaconda don’t want none, unless you got buns, hun,” he sang.

“Something tells me I’m going to be seeing a lot of your anaconda this week,” I said. Nick grinned.

“Well it is the national fish of Australia,” he said. His arms wrapped around my waist. I tried really hard not to laugh.

“Nick?”

“Hmm?” He kissed the top of my head.

“An anaconda is a snake.”

“No kidding!”

I nudged him playfully with my backside before the elevator doors opened. As we walked back into the starry night and slid into the limo, I couldn’t help but giggle a little in excitement.

One week in Australia with Nick…and his anaconda.

Fish or snake, it was a very nice anaconda indeed.

---------------------------

Just a note: Only one update today. I just want to wish everybody in the States a Happy Fourth of July!