Chapter 135

Claire's POV "Lucas, Gaynor caught a cold and she's worried about passing it to you," Klein explained gently to the baby. "For the next few days, Auntie Claire will take care of you. Is that okay?" Lucas babbled something incomprehensible in response, his tiny hands reaching toward me. I gladly took him from Klein, feeling an unexpected rush of emotion as his warm little body settled against mine. "If my baby had lived..." The thought came without warning and brought sadness. The baby would be about Lucas's age now. I pushed the sad feelings away. Stella moved inside me. "He smells familiar," she said. I ignored her and focused on the baby. He was now touching my face with curious fingers. Lucas might not speak many words yet, but he seemed to understand much more than a nine-month-old should. He grabbed a cookie from the coffee table and thrust it toward my mouth. "Eat... eat..." he insisted. "Thank you, but I'm full," I smiled, trying to decline. "Eat... eat..." Lucas was determined,