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Post by Deleted on Jun 29, 2012 11:31:09 GMT -5
Chapter 51
It’s mid-morning in Melanie’s hospital room as she sits up, cross-legged on the bed, cradling her newborn baby girl face to face in front of her. She smiles softly as she caresses the baby’s cheek, “I can’t wait to get you home and dress you up in all of those cute little outfits!” She nods, “Yes. All of your family is so excited about you that they bought you so many little gifts, toys and clothes. I have a feeling you aren’t going to want for much, my little princess. But material things aren’t what’s important, is it?” Her voice softens to a whisper, she shakes her head, “No… Mommy found that out a little late in her life… but I’m a firm believer, now. It’s the people around you that matter. And how you show them that you care, and how much you love them,” She smiles, “I never really knew how to do that. I had to learn how to break down my walls and open up enough to show the people in my life how much I love them. Grandma Maggie taught me that. Before her, I hadn’t had anyone that I could trust enough to love… I had a lot to learn. But then I was able to know a little bit about how a family works when I found grandpa Daniel and grandma Carly…” Melanie chuckles and shakes her head, “That’s going to take some getting used to, huh?”
Melanie smiles as she situates Sophie’s blanket around her, “You have so many people around you that love you, little Sophia Margaret. You’re going to have the best childhood… and make so many memories. You will always know that kind of unconditional love that it took me so long to understand,” She chokes up, “And I don't want you to ever forget that you have your mommy. I will always be here for you no matter what.” She smiles, leaning down to place a kiss on the baby’s head. She looks up when there is a knock on the door, she gasps playfully to her daughter, “Oh! Who is here? Come in!”
Maggie and a large bouquet of colorful flowers peek in the door, “Good morning, my beautiful girls!”
“Good morning!” Melanie smiles brightly as Maggie enters. Her face lights up when Victor follows her in, “Oh! Sophie! Look who came to meet you, today! It’s Papa Vic!”
“Oh, brother,” Victor glares at Melanie playfully, a smirk on his lips, “You won’t ever give up on that, will you?”
“Nope,” Melanie chuckles as Maggie sets the flowers on the bedside table and Victor comes around the bed to look at the baby. Melanie looks up at her step-grandfather, “This is Sophie!”
“My, isn't she a beautiful little baby.” Victor smiles, extending his hand to her cheek, then to the baby’s small hand; she grips his finger, “quite a grip, our little girl has.”
“Yes, she is very strong,” Melanie gives an affirmative nod, “Would you like to hold her?”
“Absolutely,” Victor smiles as Melanie places the baby in his arms, he takes a seat in the chair beside the bed, “Hello, little Sophia Margaret.”
Maggie smiles to Victor and the baby, then gives Melanie a hug, “How are you feeling?”
“Great,” Melanie smiles, “I really am. My incision is a little sore… but I feel wonderful. I’ve never ever been happier.”
“Oh, sweetie,” Maggie eyes brim with tears, “I am so happy for you.” She takes a deep breath and observes the vases of flowers around the room, “Well, I guess you didn’t really need any more flowers, huh?”
“Of course I did. And I love yours the most!” Melanie smiles as she watches Maggie look at the card on a very large bouquet in a vase being held by an equally large teddy bear, by the window.
“From Stefano and Kate?” Maggie raises an eyebrow.
“Yeah… They arrived this morning.”
Victor clears his throat, “Have they, uh, been to see you? Stefano, that is.”
“No,” Melanie sighs, “I also have yet to see Chad… I mean, I know it’s still early. I was just figuring he would have wanted to visit this morning.”
“Your father told you he saw the baby last night?” Maggie spoke as she made her way back to the bed.
“Yeah… I know. I just… I don’t know.” She shrugs, “I guess he probably doesn’t really want to see me, huh.” Melanie laughs solemnly.
“Honey,” Maggie takes a deep breath, “There is so much going on. Try not to worry about that. Try not to let yourself be troubled by whatever is going on with Chad. It's not your fault.”
“I know,” Melanie nods, “To tell you the truth, I find it hard to be troubled at all, now that I have that little face looking up at me.”
"I bet! Look at that..." They both turn to Victor who meets their stare with a bright face. Maggie chuckles, “Our Sophie can soften even the hardest heart.”
“Hey now,” Victor furrows his brow and looks down at Sophia, “Don’t listen to them, Sophia. I have a very soft heart. Especially around little ones as cute as you…”
“She has him wrapped around her finger already,” Maggie smiles to Melanie as she makes her way around the bed, “It’s my turn, now, Papa…” She holds out her arms, chuckling as Victor reluctantly hands the baby to her, her face brightens, “Good morning my little angel!”
“She has grandma wrapped around her finger, too,” Melanie smiles to Victor as they watch Maggie make her way to the window, speaking softly to the bundle in her arms. She turns back to Victor, “So, um, how is Philip?”
“He’s fine,” He nods, “He’s very sorry about everything that happened at the shower.”
“I know he is,” Melanie smiles, “I don’t blame him or anything. It was just a terrible situation.”
“For what it’s worth, Philip was trying to keep Chad from causing you stress. I know that didn’t work out as planned, but…”
“I know,” She nods, “He was trying to protect me. From what, I never got the chance to find out, though.”
“Chad just had a little too much to drink,” Victor sighs. “I saw him last night… he seemed disappointed in himself. I don’t think you need to worry.”
“Well, I’m thankful to Philip for trying to help. It was nice of him to look out for me.”
“He’s very glad that you and Sophia are doing well.” Victor smiles.
“Me too,” She agrees, smiling softly as she glances to Maggie swaying Sophia in her arms by the window.
She turns around quietly, “Little Sophie here is glad, too. She is sound asleep!”
“Is she?” Melanie chuckles, “Well, she had just eaten before you arrived. So she was ready for her nap.”
“She looks so much like you,” Maggie smiles as she sits down in the rocking chair.
“Yeah?” Melanie smiles, as Maggie nods, “Well, my mom said she looks just like I did when I was first born.”
“I’m so glad they got to be with you…” Maggie smiled as she rocked in the chair, cradling the baby close.
Melanie nods, “Me too… I felt safe with my parents, the doctors, in there.” She chuckles.
“Yes, that had to have been comforting.” Victor smiles.
“Yeah,” Melanie’s face falls slightly, “It felt a little bit strange, though. I felt guilty that Chad wasn’t there.”
“There was nothing you could do about that, Melanie. You shouldn’t feel guilty.” Maggie shakes her head.
“I guess,” She sighs, “I can’t help it, though. I kind of set this whole mess in motion, whether it was intentional or not. I just hope Chad can forgive me, eventually. I want us to have a good relationship, for Sophie’s sake.”
“Yes,” Maggie nods, “That would be helpful.”
“And I think he will. Chad is a good man.” Melanie nods, looking down, almost as if she is talking to herself, “I think eventually he will see what is important.”
Maggie looks to Victor, whose face shares the same worried expression. Both hoping, but doubting, that Melanie is right.
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