Carolina Wren

Chapter 36

A/N: I don't usually put these at the beginning, but y'all... this chapter is nearly 10,000 words. I'll explain more at the end, but I'm serious. Grab a snack first. 😂 This could easily be two chapters.

Wren's POV

I knew from the moment that Sean laid his eyes on Juni and Keegan that he was smitten. The boys had implied multiple times that he loved babies, but I think part of me was still expecting something akin to what the other boys were like with them at first. I hadn't expected his face to brighten up at the sight of them or the way he'd fiddle with the radio, looking for music that would be the best for them.

North's presets were deemed either 'not good enough' or 'hazardous to their mental development.'

While Sean was doing everything he could to accommodate my youngest siblings, my stomach gradually became more unsettled the closer we got to the hospital. Keegan was coughing in the backseat, I knew that he needed this, but I don't like going into the unknown. Doctor visits weren't exactly something I was familiar with.

Sean seemed to sense this as he pulled into a parking spot. His attention split between the babies and trying to put me at ease. "We're going to drop by my office first so I can grab my coat. I don't need it, but it makes me feel more doctor-y," he explained as we worked to get the babies ready to go inside. There was something disarmingly handsome about Sean and being under the full force of his megawatt smile outside school grounds made my knees weak.

He has to know the effect he has on me because his grin turns smug and he says, "I'm just as capable of giving you the giggle cure here, my beautiful flower."

"I'm sure you can, Sean," I chuckled as I finished shoving the baby carrier in the diaper bag and I didn't miss the way his face lit up at the sound of his name. As I lifted Keegan up into my arms, I added, "Let's just focus on the babies for now, alright? I can recover from the giggles."

"Ah, yes, but can I?" Sean asked dramatically as he scooped up Juni. I heard her giggle as I round the back of the suburban with Keegan and find the two of them grinning at each other. Once he sees that I'm ready to go, Sean pulls the diaper bag off my shoulder and ignores my annoyed expression as he leads us towards the hospital entrance. "Alright, so once we get upstairs, I think we should start with Miss Juniper's checkup first. She's not really acting sick from what I can tell, but I'd like to give her a look anyway if you don't mind. More of a standard four month checkup than anything else."

I nod, more appreciative than he'll ever know that she's getting a checkup at all. I know babies are supposed to get them, but we've never been able to do it.

Glancing around for cars first, Sean starts off across the main drive. "I'm going to warn you, I'm going to be asking questions that might make it seem like I don't think you're doing a good job with them. That truly isn't the case--every question I ask you, I'd ask any parent that brought their baby into me, as well. I can already tell that they both look like they're a good weight, they're bathed, and wearing clean, appropriate clothing. I don't think you're doing anything wrong by them."

I blushed, wondering how he seemed to know that I would have gotten defensive if he hadn't warned me first. Implications that I'm somehow... ruining their lives by being the one that cares for them never fails to send me straight into Crazy Town.

As the glass doors slide open, Keegan holds me a little tighter, his fingers digging into my skin. My hand instinctively starts rubbing his back as I try to soothe him. "You're safe, buddy. We're here to help you feel better." As much as he's the wild child, Keegan's not any better in new situations than I am. It doesn't matter that I'm nervous walking into the unknown, so is he and I have to be strong for him.