Tea Parties and Feather Boas (Luke Kuechly)

Chapter Thirty-Five: Graveyard

• I don't wanna be another heart in your graveyard
In the cold, hard dirt that you throw down
I don't wanna watch you drive away in a black car to a new bar •

Lydia stretched out her legs, eye still closed from her goodnights rest. She felt her muscles tense and then relax. The arms around her tightened and a smile spread across the woman's face. Slowly, she opened her eyes to find Luke propped up on his side, smiling at her.

"Goodmorning, sleepyhead."

Lydia groaned rubbing her eyes. "What time is it?"

"7:30," Luke glanced up at the alarm clock.

"Right on schedule," Lydia sighed.

Rolling to the edge of the bed, Lydia grabbed the bag that contained her breast pump off the floor. Returning a sitting position, she began to unpack the bag, getting everything sorted.

"You slept well last night," Luke said as a statement and not a question.

"I feel like it," Lydia smiled. "Thank you for staying with me the past month. It's meant a lot."

Lydia had struggled with separation anxiety this past month with Seth being in the hospital and her at home. With the anxiety, brought nightmares as well. While Luke's presence in her bed hadn't alleviated it, he had been instrumental in calming her.

Luke placed a hand on the woman's knee. "You know I'm always here for you, Lydia. This isn't an easy situation to cope with."

"You're not a coping mechanism, Luke."

Smiling, Luke pressed a kiss to Lydia's temple. "I know. Now get to gettin' we've got a son to pick up in a couple of hours."

Luke rolled out of bed wearing an even goofier grin than before at the fact that Seth was coming home this morning providing everything went smoothly the night before.

"Luke," Lydia said, trying to get him to have a legitimate conversation with her.

"Be ready to go at 9?" He stopped at the door, smiling at her.

Sighing, she relented. This conversation could wait a little while longer. Besides, he needed to get out of her room before Isla woke up. They'd been lucky the last month that she hadn't come looking for him at night. "Yeah, I'll be ready by 9."

~

Lydia grabbed Luke's hand in excitement. Seth currently sat contently in his car seat as he had for the past 59 minutes as the doctors watched his vital signs. A mere 30 more seconds and he would officially be ready to go home.

Isla sat next to the baby carrier telling her baby brother all about the house and important people and anything else the five-year-old felt was important for him to know. Seth just watched his big sister with his wide green eyes. It became apparent very soon after his birth that Isla's voice was just as familiar to the infant as Lydia's and Luke's.

Luke's heart warmed. His whole world was in this room. Isla, Seth, and Lydia. This was his family.

Lydia squeezed Luke's hand as the seconds on the timer ticked down. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Seth was coming home today, and nothing could stop that. The doctor and nurses cheered. Isla jumped up in celebration. Luke kissed Lydia's cheek and swung Isla into his arms.

Lydia felt tension release and relief flooded her body. After 4 weeks, she could finally take her son home. God willing, she would never have to see the inside of a NICU again.