Page 134 of Fractured Empire

“Nana, you smell like coffee.” Leo scrunches his little nose up at her as he sniffs, looking a little put out by her smell. He isn’t the biggest fan of coffee that isn’t drowned out by the scent of vanilla, caramel, or chocolate.

She breathes out a shocked laugh and pokes his stomach playfully. “Nana had to drink three of them to stay awake while waiting for your mommy to have the baby. She didn’t get to sleep like you two little peanuts.”

“That’s silly,” Leo informs her. “Sleeping very good for you.”

“That’s right, it is,” Adela confirms, not at all bothered by his determinations. “I was just too excited.” She means worried. “That I couldn’t sleep a wink until I saw your mommy again.”

“Are you going to sleep now?” Bastian asks innocently.

“Oh, yes,” his nana agrees, giving him a little wink. “I’m going to sleep as soon as I leave the hospital. My Linus and Gaia are waiting for me at our hotel and they’re going to let me sleep in for as long as I want.”

“You didn’t need a hotel, Mom,” Katya says for what must be the millionth time since she had been planning her birth. Of course, we couldn’t plan for the exact date and time, but having her mother in the hospital in case she needed her was a must for both of them. She stayed in the room with us until active labor began, and then Katya needed her with the boys instead. My dad was with them the whole time of course, but having extra eyes on our kids is how she felt good enough to be away from them for so long. “You could have stayed with us.”

Adela chuckles at her daughter like the comment is silly. “Sweetheart, I promise you will not want guests in your house when you come home. Now, if you want me to come stay for a few days or even weeks to help you settle in after the hospital, that would be another thing entirely. I could help you out with late-night feedings and be a ghost if you get overwhelmed with seeing too much of me. But having your sister and your stepfather in your space when you’re in new baby mode? I wouldn’t advise it.”

My girl gives a little wince, imagining it. “Maybe you’re right.”

“That’s what nanas are for,” she proclaims, grinning. “Now, tell me what food I can bring you before I go, hmm? Do you want something light or filling?”

“I want a freaking steak,” Katya blurts out, looking like she might start drooling. “And a mountain of mashed potatoes, Mama. The garlic kind.”

That’s my wife.

“You got it, sweetheart.”

“Here, Adela,” my dad says, grabbing her attention. “You hold her for a bit, and I’ll go get Katya’s food. A girl should meet her grandmother as soon as she can.”

My mother-in-law doesn’t bother trying to hide her tears, letting them fall freely down her face as she accepts my father’s offer. Sitting down with the baby in her protective arms, she coos down at her, watching as she falls in and out of her slumber.

“I love you all so much,” Katya rasps, looking around the room and keeping our boys close.

“We love you too, baby.”

Now, and until the end of fucking time.

Epilogue 2

Katya

Three Months Later

There’s no doubt in my mind that Leo and Bastian were my first babies. They made me a mom in every sense of the word, and I love them so fiercely that I would do unspeakable things to keep them safe, happy, and healthy. But my God, raising two well-behaved children out of their toddler years did not prepare me for taking care of a newborn.

Luna is wonderful, don’t get me wrong. She’s a cutie pie who sleeps more than she fusses, and makes everyone she meets smile without effort. She’s also a baby.

Babies are needy little creatures that are as fragile as they are helpless. Even if you’re blessed with a relatively sweet and docile child like we were, they still require so much care to keep them alive. Got a baby who will sleep through the night? Too bad, you have to wake them up every two to three hours to feed them, either way. Got a baby who doesn’t have any trouble taking their bottles? That’s nice, you still have to check on them every few seconds while they’re eating to make sure they aren’t silently choking.

And don’t get me started on the smell of diapers when you’re already dealing with postpartum nausea.

Don’t get me started on postpartum in general.

Still, despite all of the long nights, stressful worrying about her fragile little life being in my hands, and the horrifying smells that her tiny body can create, I wouldn’t change a thing. She’s absolutely a gift from whatever divine being makes these kinds of things possible, and her brothers think so too.

Honestly, that’s been the most relieving part of coming home with the baby. While I worried that my time and attention being shifted away from the boys more in order to keep the baby safe would make them sad or quietly resentful, my concerns quickly proved unnecessary. Bastian and Leo adored their little sister from day one, and they became swiftly attached to her, following Leon and I around the house like little ducklings whenever we held her.

It’s helped so much that we have countless family members to rely on in this process. My mom did end up staying with us for the first two weeks of Luna coming home, insisting on helping with night feedings since four hours of consecutive sleep a night is crucial for mothers. Apparently, if you go too long without following that rule of thumb, you can actually go crazy, hallucinations and all.

Suffice to say, becoming a newborn baby mother has been an adjustment.