Chapter 24

"Good morning," Valdo said, then kissed my cheeks, "How did you sleep?"

I poured the warm water on the formula then looked up at him, "I didn't. Jamaica woke up every hour for food and diaper change, so whenever I laid down, I barely got much sleep." I covered my mouth as I yawned then close Jamaica's bottle. She's going to wake up any minute now, and I want to make her feeding so I can pop the bottle in her mouth as soon as she starts crying.

"I didn't hear any crying last night. I would have helped you if I did. Sorry." I looked at his sad face and smile. He's truly an angel. He wasn't pretending to care, he really did.

"It's okay. She wasn't crying that loudly anyway, and she never cried for long enough for you to hear."

"I'll definitely leave my door open tonight, so I can hear her when she cries, you should do the same," he reassured.

"Thanks. I'll try and remember."

"You must be extremely tired. Go back to bed. I'll take care of Jamaica when she wakes." He placed his hands on my shoulders and gently started to rub them.

"I can't let you do that; you must have a lot of work to do." He was touching my shoulder, and I wasn't freaking out, a new development for me. I never let William touched my shoulder or anyone else for that matter. I hated being touched there. It freaked me out, but Valdo was touching my shoulders, and I wasn't panicking which means important something, I'm not sure what yet.

"You're not letting me do anything; I'm offering and don't worry about my work. I told you, I'm the boss, I make my own hours."

"You have to delegate." I didn't want to slack on work because I was in his life.

"I can delegate from home. " He pulled me away from the counter. "Come. You're going back to bed." He removed his hands from my shoulder and held my hand instead then gently pulled me towards my room.

"Okay, fine, but only for a couple of hours." When we reached my doorway, he lifted me in bridal style. I let out a little scream at my shock, and he chuckles.

"I won't drop you. I promise." when we entered my room, he walked over to my bed and gently placed me down. "Close your eyes and relax" I did as he instructed. "I'll take Jamaica on my way out." he bent and placed a kiss on my forehead, and after a few seconds, I heard the wheels of the crib moving and my door being close.

I took a deep breath and tried to block all the incoming thoughts then let sleep take over.

...

I stretched my hands out as I yawned then slowly opened my eyes. I stared at the ceiling for a few minutes before my mind started registering my surroundings. "Jamaica." I jumped up from the bed and looked beside me at the crib, but it wasn't there. I started panicking for a second until the memory of earlier started coming back. I sighed; my baby was okay. She's with Valdo, and I trusted him 150%.

I rubbed my eyes and pulled myself off the bed. I opened the door of my room and started making my way to the bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror and sighed; my hair was a mess. My face was a mess, the bags under my eye pretty evident. I yawned a second time, then I brushed my teeth and washed my face. I fixed my hair as best as I could by running my fingers through it a few times. I looked at myself and nod, I wasn't Beyonce beautiful, but I didn't look too bad.

I exited the bathroom and started walking towards the kitchen.

"Look who's finally awake." I turned my head at the voice and saw Valdo with Jamaica in his hands and his face looking down at her. A smile immediately formed on my face, and instead of walking to the kitchen, I turned and started walking towards the pair. They looked utterly amazing. Why do men look so good with babies in their arms? Especially when the man is wearing a short-sleeve T-shirt and all his muscles are showing.

"I wasn't asleep for too long was I?" I hovered over them and watched as Valdo played with Jamaica.

"Nah, only about five hours."

"Five!" My eyes widen in shock, was I really sleeping for so long? That explains why I feel so well-rested.

"Or maybe six. I wasn't counting." he sounded so calm.

"Why didn't you wake me?" I'm sure he would have preferred doing work than babysitting an always-crying baby.

"You need the rest plus Jellybean, and I have been bonding. We both enjoy putting our fingers in our mouth. Well, at least I used to when I was a baby, or so my mother told me last night while she was here."

"I think every baby does that."

"Really?" he lifted his head briefly to look at me. "Oh well, I'm sure we'll have more things in common when she gets older."

"We'll just have to wait and see, won't we?" I looked down at them and smile. I'm glad he wanted to be apart of her life when she gets older. "I'm going to make something to eat, do you want any?"

He lifted his blue eyes to me, "Or we could go out and have Brunch. It's past midday. A little sun would be good for Jamaica."

I laughed at his words, "I'm sorry, that sounds funny, considering Jamaica is a tropical country."

He chuckled at little, "I'll try and remember to call her Jellybean when I'm making such comments."

"Oh, I don't mind. She'll have to get used to it from now because when she's older, she won't hear the end of it."

"I guess she's going to get the same torture I got with my weird name then." he teased.

"Oh, probably not as much as I got. I was called Jack all through middle school."

"Really, why?"

"It's quite simple, actually. I had a flat chest and no bottom, so it was easy to make fun of me." Let's not forget a face full of acne and pimples.

He looked at me up and down, "You don't have to worry about that anymore."

I blushed. He was right. Having Jamaica did a lot for my body. My breast got fuller, my hips got wider, and my butt was a little bigger. My body looked 100% better than it did a year ago. The only thing I need to work on now is my belly, which still had a good amount of baby fat, nothing working out can't solve, but I have to wait a few more weeks before I can start though because the C-section scar wasn't completely healed. The doctor said that it should be entirely healed in four weeks to six weeks.

"You're still beautiful." I looked at Valdo as he said he words, how did he know what I was thinking about. "You're touching your tummy."

The realisation made me blush, "Your ability to read my mind is kinda creepy. You always seem to know what I'm thinking."

"Not always. I have no idea what you're thinking about now."

I rubbed my belly while saying, "I thinking that I should hurry up and shower because I'm famished."

He chuckled, "Good idea, I'll go fix up the stroller while you get ready."

"You bought a stroller?"

"I figured we'd need one. I doubt you're going to stay inside all the time." I smiled at his words. He said 'we' and not 'you' which meant that he was in this as much I am.

"You're right. It would be good to take a stroll in the park every day or a few times a week. Get her used to seeing other surroundings."

"Good idea and you say you're not a pro?"

"Baby books and your mother's advice. She gives the best advice."

He smiled, "You're telling me?" he asked rhetorically.

We smiled at each other for a few seconds until I spoke, "I should go get ready."

"We'll be waiting."

"Bye, baby." I bent and placed a kiss on my baby's cheek.

I turn to leave, but Valdo spoke, "So I don't get a kiss ?" I smiled then turned around to place a kiss on his cheeks, but he moved his face, and it landed on his lips. He opened his mouth and captured my top lip with his. We kissed for a while before he pulled away, "You're making me hungry. Go get ready."

I blushed at his words. I'm young, but I'm not innocent. I knew he meant a different type of hungry. I pulled myself away from him, "See you in a few." I turned around and started going in the direction of the bathroom, but I turned back for one last one, and he wasn't staring at me, all his attention was on the baby in his hands. I smiled and continued my journey to the bathroom.

Maybe I do get a happy ending after all.