Chapter 381

The babies were lying in their little incubators, still fast asleep. The room was calm and still. Even Ashton’s footsteps softened the moment we entered. We stood there together, new parents staring down at our tiny children, completely transfixed. ‘Which one’s Maple and which one’s Captain Crunch?’ I whispered. We’d agreed the older one was to be Maple. ‘That’s Maple,’ Ashton replied, his voice low. Maple was… a boy. He was sleeping, his tiny fists curled up beside his face, like he was posing. He looked so small, so innocent. My heart melted just looking at him. So this was the baby that had come from me. Seeing him up close was nothing like seeing him on a screen. I couldn’t stop smiling as I reached out and gently tapped the glass near his face. Just looking at him filled me with contentment. Suddenly, the other baby let out a loud, sharp cry. The sound was so strong it didn’t even seem like it came from a preemie. I jumped, startled, then quickly moved closer. ‘That’s Captain Crun