Affluent [H.S]

Fifty One

24 February 2021
Emersyn Styles

"I know Oakie girl, such a big day for you!" Harry whispers down with excitement in his tone to our baby who lays in his arms with wide green eyes hearing his every word.

We spent the rest of the night in hospital, getting as much sleep as we could with our tiny girl crying every few hours for attention. I thought her cries were due to hunger but it turns out she's already desperate to be close to us, we tried laying her in the provided bassinet but she was having none of it.

My night was spent with her resting on one side of my chest, suckling gently on my nipple to feed while Harry slept on my other side, drooling slightly on my breast.

I didn't get the most sleep, by the time I was falling asleep the sun was rising outside casting the most beautiful colours across the sterile hospital room. As much as I craved going to sleep I struggled to allow my mind to rest just in case my baby needed me.

"You're gonna meet... grandma! She's gonna adore you, sweet girl. And then your grandad! He's gonna be wrapped around your tiny finger, I know it. And your uncle Niall and your uncle Koen, they've spent an ungodly amount of daddy's money on you but that's okay cause you're so stinkin' cute."

She lets out a little yawn in his arms, his features expressing adoration for our tiny girl. "That was a big yawn, Oakie girl! It's tiring being a baby, huh? So much going on, isn't there?"

Watching the two of them has begun to do something to my heart, I can't stop admiring my two favourite people in the world. He's so gentle with her, supporting her tiny body in his tattooed arms and doting over the little features of her face.

That's when she lets out a little whimper, his brows rising at her sudden upset before he's pouting out and beginning to gently rock her in the hopes he can settle her himself. Only her soft whimpers turn into gentle cries which makes him look up at me knowing she's probably hungry.

He adjusts his hold on her so I can see her scrunched up face, "we want nipples, Mumma!"

Laughing softly, I take Oakley from his arms and she continues to cry gently while Harry assists me with removing my jumper. Josie helped me nurse Oakley a few times because she was struggling to latch but she seems to have gotten the hang of it now, just needing some gentle encouragement before she can feed softly.

Her cries settle, turning into little breaths leaving her tiny nose and her eyes shut as she feeds; I'm smiling down at her.

"Do you think this feed will hold her over until we're home?" Harry questions, knowing we've been discharged and are ready to leave but the drive is almost an hour. I'm hoping she'll be okay in the car, I'm worried about not holding her for that amount of time.

"I hope so." My voice is quiet with my eyes trained on my daughter.

Harry stretches in the seat beside me, arms in the air to click his back out with a yawn. "I'll pull over if not, find somewhere to stop so she can eat." He assures, not wanting me to worry like he knows I will. "Plus, I could use a coffee to get me through today."