Page 136 of The October Arrangement

Just as I was drifting off back to sleep, I heard Olivia fussing in her bassinet. She wasn’t crying yet, just fussing. I’d learn the difference and quickly became an expert. I lay there, frozen, afraid to move, for even the slightest sound would wake the twins up.

Olivia’s fussing sound quickly turned into a soft cry. Shit. I started to push myself up, moving carefully because my incision was still sore, when Simon’s arms flew across me.

“No,” he said.

I glanced over at him, and his eyes were still shut.

“No what?”

“I’ve got him,” he said.

“It’s your daughter this time. And you’re asleep.”

“I’m awake,” he mumbled.

“You’re talking with your eyes closed, Simon.”

They quickly opened. “See, I’m awake. I’m coming, baby girl.” He threw back the covers and climbed out of bed.

He walked over to the bassinet, leaned down, and picked her up.

“What’s wrong?”

Olivia let out another cry.

“Are you hungry?”

She cried again.

“Do you need a diaper change?” he asked, and she cried again.

“Are you just pissed off in general?”

I laughed, and Simon looked at me. “Go back to sleep.” He placed her against his bare chest, and she immediately stopped crying.

“That’s what I thought,” he said.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head.

“All she wanted was her father.” He smiled.

“Correction, she wanted to be held,” I said.

“By her father.”

“Okay. Keep telling yourself that.” I laughed.

He started heading out of the bedroom with her.

“Where are you going?” I asked him.

“To the living room so you can sleep.”

“What if she’s hungry?”

“There are bottles in the refrigerator,” he said. “Go to sleep. You need your rest.” He walked out of the room.

I settled into bed, but it only lasted about ten minutes before Julian started crying. My eyes flew open. I picked him up from his bassinet.