Life in the Wind

23

Ryan pulled into the daycare a little after 12 to pick up their toddler before going to get some lunch. He signed her out in the truck, taking Lyla out of the truck and lugging the car seat inside.

Cots were laid out all over the floor as the children were settling down to nap when Ryan opened the door.

"Dada!" Riley squealed, jumping up from her teachers lap to rush over. She probably stepped in food on the floor, but he didn't care. He was just happy to have his little girl in his arms again.

"Hi munchkin," he chuckled, lifting her off the ground as she held onto his neck. "You ready to go see mama?"

"Mama!" The toddler clapped, beaming at her father.

"Let's go get her," Ryan chuckled, telling the teacher goodbye before taking the girls to the truck.

Ryan set Riley in her car seat buckling her in before shutting the door and rounding the back of the truck to put Lyla in. They stopped at a Wendy's and got lunch before heading home.

He pulled the truck into the garage, and got both girls in the house before retrieving the food from the passenger seat.

Once he had everything and everyone in the house, he carried the baby and food upstairs following Riley to the master bedroom.

"Mamas sleeping honey," Ryan whispered, holding a finger to his lips to tell their daughter to stay quiet.

"Shh" Riley nodded, holding her own finger to her lips.

Ryan chuckled a little as he set the fast food bags on the bed as he sat before gently shaking his wife.

"Honey, I brought lunch," Ryan whispered, moving some stray hair off her face.

"Mmmm" Lacey moaned, covering her eyes as she rolled onto her back. "What'd you get?"

"Your favorite," he chuckled, leaning over her carefully. "How you feeling?"

"Hurting. Pain meds havent touched it," She sighed, slowly sitting up with help from Ryan.

"Maybe we should see if you can get into the doctor," Ryan suggested, getting Lacey's food out for her to eat. He put a towel down and put Riley's kids meal in front of his daughter before getting his own food out. Lyla laid between Ryan and Lacey's legs, staring at the ceiling while her family conversed around her.

"I don't know. Ri was easy, I healed pretty quick after her," Lacey shrugged, biting into her burger.

"Ri wasn't born by cutting your stomach open," Ryan corrected, with a look of concern.

"Trust me, I know," Lacey retorts, finishing the burger before starting on her fries.

——————

2 weeks into her maternity leave and Ryan was getting a little concerned. After Riley was born, Lacey was back up and around after a few days, and running her usual 5 miles. With Lyla's arrival, his wife seemed to be tired and in pain, keeping herself confined to the bed.

He'd dropped Lyla off with Will (Who'd thankfully had the day off.) and Riley off at her daycare, before he went to the district. He called Lacey's cell phone as he headed in, hearing her voicemail pick up.