"What lovely names they all have," Chase muttered. I don’t have enough hands to lift your chin."One of Papa Fox's friends from the club," Kami said. All that mattered was that they were before him. It didn’t matter to him that they were red. He wanted to lift her chin and see her beautiful eyes. “Shhh,” he whispered as he kissed the top of her head. She needs you-both of you.” With that, Madeline disappeared into the kitchen, and Tony sat down next to Claire.Īlthough Nichol was still crying, it was Claire whom Tony wanted to help. “Maybe you should-” Tony began as he started to hand Nichol to Madeline. Tony stood helplessly as his daughter continued to cry and his wife declared her insecurities. “It was before dinner.” Claire looked down. “You can,” Madeline replied matter-of-factly. “Madame el, let me get you something to eat.”Ĭlaire shook her head as her red, puffy eyes looked up from her lap. Willingly, he followed Madeline to the living room. Claire’s tried to feed her, but after a few suckles, she started crying again.” Quickly turning around, he found Madeline. With Claire in the living room and Tony walking the length of the lanai, he was startled at the touch to his shoulder. Though she’d tried to hide it, Tony saw the evidence on her cheeks. With Claire’s sleep deprivation, she too was on the verge of tears-past the verge. Nichol would begin to eat and then stop, crying and moving her face from side to side. Their daughter wasn’t having any of it-nothing would satisfy. After all, Tony had spent hours walking her up and down the lanai, bouncing her gently as he’d been taught. Yet the magic wasn’t performed on Nichol but instead on her parents-the magic to empower.Īlthough Francis and Madeline had retired to their home for the night, Tony wasn’t surprised that Madeline had heard Nichol’s protests through the still of the night. At that moment, both Tony and Claire would have willingly allowed Madeline to do her magic, but that wasn’t what she did. One evening, when nothing seemed to settle Nichol’s cries, it was again Madeline who came to the rescue. Never had Tony envisioned taking instructions from a member of his staff, yet with each word, Tony willingly accepted the role of student. She seemed so small that Tony wasn’t sure he could do it. Her encouraging words gave him the confidence to wrap the fabric around her tiny body. It was even before Claire met their daughter. Madeline had been the one to give Tony his first lesson in diapering. It was comforting to have the benefit of their knowledge when questions arose. Though they never had children themselves, they were well-versed and experienced in anything baby. Francis and Madeline were more like doting grandparents than employees. Although Claire claimed he was spoiling their daughter, he’d caught her doing the same thing more than once.Įveryone on the island was smitten and held captive by the beautiful brunette in Tony’s arms.
He didn’t care how many swings or cradles Nichol had: he’d rather hold her safely in his arms. They called them swings, but to Tony they were more like mechanical seats that played lullabies or made white noise, depending upon the button pushed.
There were chairs that rocked and swayed. As the scent of baby lotion filled his senses, Tony realized that in a little over two weeks, Nichol had infiltrated every part of their lives. Her little fingers grasped one of his and he gently caressed her soft skin.
Loosening the pink blanket, Tony reached for Nichol’s hand. With Nichol present, and demanding to eat every two to three hours, he understood why Claire had been so hungry. It seemed that their daughter had a ravenous hunger, one that perhaps surpassed her mother’s before Nichol was born.Ī grin materialized as Tony remembered Claire eating for two.
Nichol’s feeding schedule had yet to work itself out, and Claire was beyond exhausted. The silver rays of moonlight through the open doors to the lanai illuminated their bed, allowing him to watch his sleeping wife. He could return her to her crib and climb back into bed with Claire, but, instead, Tony continued to rock. After a few moments of monotonous rocking, her tiny nose nestled into his soft cotton t-shirt, and sleep won, as she lost her fight with one final sigh. Settling into the rocking chair in the nursery, Tony watched Nichol’s long lashes flutter as she fought the sleepy lids that threatened to cover her dark chocolate eyes. Stretching contently, she relaxed as he pulled her against his broad chest. He kissed Claire’s forehead and watched the tired emerald disappear behind her closed eyes while their daughter’s little body wiggled in his large hands. Together the sounds created the perfect melody for the middle of the night. Tony’s heart melted as Nichol’s soft mews filled their suite, a contrast to the whish-whish of waves lapping the shore.