“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” Cameron kissed her forehead. “I saw you were still at work and assumed you either had fallen asleep or got pulled into a c-section. Then Vera called and told me what happened and I came right over.”
Holding back the tears was useless. In Cameron’s presence she was safe to cry about the entire situation. She recounted everything to Cameron as Cameron continually wiped Melanie’s tears from her eyes as she spoke. All the while, Cameron’s hand never left Luca’s back as she gently rubbed it.
“I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this, Mel. I know you and Leah bonded during her labor.”
“Well, I’m done getting close to patients.”
“Don’t let one person ruin it for you.”
“How could she just leave him, Cam?” Melanie knew it was the lack of sleep mixed with the emotional day that was making her cry. “I don’t understand how someone could look at this precious baby and walk away. Not even just walk away but leave him in the NICU alone. I couldn’t stand the thought of him being alone here tonight and I’m not his mother.”
Cameron gently caressed her cheek. “Honey, it’s okay. Everything you’re feeling right now is valid. You’ve had a hard day and need some sleep.”
“I know, but I don’t want to leave him.”
“Then let’s have Vera set us up in a room here tonight.”
“Can we do that?”
“Why not?” Cameron shrugged. “We’re not at capacity. I’m sure Vera wouldn’t mind. They’re not going to make any decisions tonight, are they?”
Melanie shook her head. Looking down at the baby in her arms, Melanie felt the love she had for Luca grow. She didn’tknow if Cameron knew she’d offered to foster him, so it was time to have that conversation. No matter the outcome.
“Angela wants to get him set up with a foster family tomorrow.”
Cameron’s eyes softened as she smiled at Melanie. “Then it’s a good thing he can have one with us.”
“Seriously?”
“Absolutely,” Cameron winked at her. “I knew from the moment I saw you two together that we’d be fostering him.”
Something in Cameron’s eyes changed, and Melanie tried to read it. There was no way Cameron was thinking the same thing that Melanie had been refusing to let herself wonder. Because if Leah never came back, Luca would need a forever home. And Melanie wasn’t sure she could let him go if that home wasn’t with them.
“What?” Melanie giggled as Cameron leaned down to kiss Luca’s head. “Just say it.”
“Because you are thinking about it too?”
Melanie nodded, smiling as Cameron gently traced her finger over Luca’s cheek while he slept. When their eyes met again, Cameron could tell they were on the same page.
“I think we have a lot to talk about with the kids this weekend when Jonah comes home.”
Chapter 37
Cameron
Their first two nights with Luca had gone better than Cameron had expected. Granted, they were at the hospital where they had access to anything they might need, as well as a full staff to help them if anything happened. But she and Melanie had managed to get Luca fed, changed, and asleep several times throughout the night. They shared the hospital bed with Luca sleeping on Melanie’s side in the bassinet. Each time Cameron woke up she found Melanie’s hand on him as he slept.
Cameron hated how they ended up in the position they were in more so than she could articulate. She couldn’t imagine Leah or whatever her name actually was leaving Luca like she had. Had it been her plan all along to come in, lie about everything, have a baby, then leave? Or had she changed her mind after Luca was born? Neither option settled well with Cameron.
Wherever Luca’s mom was now, Cameron hoped she was okay. The police had sent notices to almost every hospital in a hundred-mile radius to be on the look for anyone coming in postpartum that matched her description. Although none of them expected her to show back up. Everything had been socurated that it was hard to think Leahdidn’tplan to do exactly what she did all along.
Although her heart broke at that thought, Cameron was also relieved that Leah had abandoned Luca at the hospital. At least now he was able to get the care and love he needed and deserved during his first few hours on earth. He had a team around him that was ready to love him unconditionally in the absence of his mother.
Melanie and Cameron had spent the previous day focusing on how to handle the Luca situation. While Cameron had worked her normal shift, Melanie had taken off to stay with Luca. Between patients, Cameron would be with them as they made a plan for what to do next. Angela got all the paperwork and all the legal things taken care of for them. After Luca’s doctor discharged him later in the morning, they would be able to take him home.
They had talked with Jonah and Dylan the day before about fostering Luca and they had both been on board. Jonah was excited at the prospect of not being the only boy in the family while Dylan was excited to have a younger sibling. Cameron had reiterated to both of them that they were currently only fostering him, but it did little to dull their excitement.
