The Only Exception

Part Two - Chapter Thirteen: Hospital Visitors

“She’s beautiful,” Shakira gushed as she looked down at Maia as the newborn slept peacefully, it was only a few hours since her birth and already the new parents had been visited by an influx of people.

Lionel nodded his head sitting down close to Lucia, he had asked for an increase in security to keep people away from Lucia and Maia while they were in hospital.

No one was allowed into the room unless they had permission from the couple to be inside with them and their newborn; the last thing they wanted was a media leek of what their daughter looked like.

“Maia’s lucky that she’s got so much of her madre in her,” Gerard teased as he showed Milan the baby, he wasn’t sure how his son would react since he wasn’t entirely found of Cesc’s daughter Lia.

It had been a shock for the two best friend’s that there Milan would burst into tears whenever Lia came to visit with Cesc.

Lucia laughed softly from her hospital bed as she brushed some hair from her face, she was wearing a neon pink sorbet short soft dressing gown over her pink lace maternity and nursing nightie.

Lucia had been completely grateful when Lionel had helped her shower earlier before anyone had come, she felt refreshed after the birth and had gotten a bit of sleep.

“So when have they said you’ll be able to go home?” Shakira asked as she turned her attention to her friend, she knew that since Lucia had a natural birth that she should be able to go home soon.

Shakira had been stuck in hospital for five days after she’d had Milan, mostly due to the fact that her son was a big baby and she had required to have a C-section.

“Tomorrow morning at the least,” Lucia said it was really up to the doctor’s, she felt capable enough of looking after Maia on her own since she had been doing well in the hours since her daughter had come into the world.

“Baba,” Milan said as his big brown eyes stared down at Maia, he pouted as his father lifted him away from her and shifted his hold on him.

Gerard paused as Milan started to get fussy about being moved away from Maia, he tried to settle him only for it to get worse whenever Gerard moved.

“Uh oh,” Shakira murmured as Milan started to kick up a fuss about being away from Maia, he had barely been in the room for five minutes and he was attached to the newborn.

Lionel and Lucia shared a look of amusement as Gerard moved back to where he had been standing and Milan settled down again; his eyes locked on Maia’s snoozing form.

The newborn was wearing a pretty multi spot all in one that covered her tiny feet but left her hands free, she was covered up in a blanket and seemed unaware of the world around her.

“Baba,” Milan said again making Lionel chuckle as he got to his feet and moved over to his friend and infant; he had a feeling that Lia was going to be very jealous of the attention that Milan gave to Maia.

***

Lucia smiled as she watched Lionel burp Maia as she closed her nightie, she’d just fed the newborn and knew that it wouldn’t be long now before they could head home.

The couple were enjoying some quiet time since visiting hours were over and they didn’t have to worry about anyone walking in on them.

“She really does look like you,” Lionel mused as he looked at his daughter, he knew that when she was older that he would be fighting men away from her.

The footballer was really tempted to just hide her away from the world so that she wouldn’t be able to date until he was dead and buried; she was his little girl.

Lucia nodded her head as she leaned back in bed, she would be glad when the midwife finally gave them the all clear to go home; she wanted her own bed and she wanted a little more privacy.

A knock at the hospital door had Lionel handing Maia back to her mother before he got to his feet, his brown eyes glaring at the door as if it was another fan coming to ask for his autograph.

There had been a few men that hadn’t been able to resist and had come knocking, they had all been quickly hurried away from Lionel since the footballer was far from happy about the disturbance.

Lionel only relaxed when he saw it was the midwife, he smiled at her hoping that she had brought him some good news; he was on edge right now because everyone knew where they were.

“I just have to do one last check on Lucia and Maia and then the two of you are free to be discharged,” the midwife said as she cleaned her hands, she smiled at the couple knowing that Lionel was going to become a menace if Lucia was kept in the hospital for longer.

Lionel was doing his best to keep calm but it was clear the increasing about of people and paparazzi that were trying to get close to his wife and daughter were going to drive him over the edge.

Lionel sighed in relief stepping to the side and watched the midwife with Maia, he shared a look with Lucia knowing that since Maia had been born at ten o’clock in the morning that this was something that they had waited for.

Lucia understood just how unsettled her husband had been after the fan had wandered into her room when he had popped out while she was in labour; he didn’t want the same thing happening again.

Lionel watched the midwife with his daughter, it struck him just how close he had come to missing all of this and watching it from the outside like the rest of the world.

***

Lucia thanked the midwife again as she settled back on the hospital bed after her check-up, she made a mental note to drop of a thank you gift when she had a chance for how nice and helpful the woman had been.

Lionel had stepped out of the room to go and get the car, he wanted to move it to a better place since he didn’t want the paparazzi getting a picture of his daughter just yet.

Maia cooed making Lucia smile as she pushed herself to her feet and moved to check on her, she knew that there was a chance that the media would hound them when they got out of the hospital.

Lucia had made her peace with the fact that she wouldn’t be able to leave the house for a few weeks, she wanted some time alone without being stalked by paparazzi.

The couple were already expecting Lionel’s parents to fly out in the next few days to meet their new granddaughter and Lucia’s parents were going to Skype with them since her father wasn’t well enough to fly right now.

“Do we have the all clear?” Lionel asked stepping back into the hospital room, his brown eyes curious as he looked at the yellow papers that his wife had; he wanted to get away from the large media presence that was gathering outside.

Lucia nodded her head as she carefully pushed herself to her feet, her midwife had talked her through a couple of things and now just had to get dressed to head home.

Lionel sighed a little in relief as he moved to check on Maia, he wasn’t quite sure how he felt about the paparazzi yet but he knew they were only going to get more annoying as time went on.

Lucia smiled as she watched Lionel fuss over their daughter, everything was going to be fine; she was sure of it and they were going to be the perfect family.