Boss Meets Baby(95)

She rammed her feet into her sandals and pushed herself quickly to her feet.

Suddenly she felt a strange sensation inside her, followed by a gush of warm fluid down her legs. She stared down at the puddle on the ground in a moment’s bewilderment. The baby wasn’t due for another month. Then she heard Vito’s voice, strong and reassuring.

‘Your water just broke,’ he said, sweeping her up into his arms and striding swiftly to the palazzo’s water entrance. ‘We’re going straight to hospital.’





CHAPTER TWELVE


LILY stared in awe at the baby sleeping in her arms. He was utterly beautiful. Her heart ached with how small and perfect he was, and she didn’t think she’d ever be able to take her eyes off him again.

He had arrived so suddenly. By the time they’d reached the hospital her labour had already been well advanced. But everything had gone smoothly and he’d been born at nine-thirty in the evening, weighing a healthy six pounds.

Vito had been amazing during the labour and delivery, an absolute tower of strength and encouragement. He had known exactly when to hold her or rub her back, or whisper fortifying words of comfort in her ear. He had never left her side for a moment—until now, when she’d had to urge him to go and call his grandfather.

The door of her private room opened and she looked up, expecting to see Vito returning. But instead it was the doctor.

‘I gather the baby has already fed a little,’ the doctor said. ‘That’s good. He’s a strong little fellow for his size. But I’m afraid I must disturb him to take a small sample of his blood.’

‘What for?’ Lily asked, assuming it was some kind of routine test done for all babies. ‘Why do you have to do it now while he’s asleep?’

‘I think it best to find out whether he has inherited his father’s rare blood-type as soon as possible,’ the doctor replied, talking as if he thought Lily knew what he was referring to. ‘Being delivered at thirty-six weeks we wouldn’t expect any problems,’ he continued. ‘But in the circumstances it’s prudent to know the facts regarding— his blood type.’

‘I don’t understand what you are talking about,’ Lily said, hugging the tiny baby protectively to her. At that moment Vito returned and she stared up at him, a wave of panic rising up within her.

‘I was just explaining about the situation with your blood type,’ the doctor said to Vito as he crossed to Lily’s side.

‘You didn’t explain.’ Lily flashed her gaze anxiously between the two men. ‘You just told me we needed to find it out, in case something went wrong!’

‘Just a precaution,’ the doctor said, pulling up a chair next to her and placing the equipment he needed to draw a blood sample on a small tray on the table beside them.

‘Why didn’t you tell me about this?’ Lily looked up at Vito accusingly, still keeping her baby out of the doctor’s reach.

He stood as straight as a ramrod with an unreadable expression on his face, but Lily knew the answer to her question. He hadn’t told her because he’d thought it was irrelevant—he didn’t believe the baby was his.

‘I’m sure he just didn’t want to worry you,’ the doctor said. ‘It’s extremely unlikely that the baby will have inherited— it.’

‘What if he has?’ Lily asked, fear ripping through her.

‘Well, as you are obviously aware, your husband is as strong as an ox. It only becomes an issue if he needs a blood transfusion.’

‘What happens then?’ Lily pressed.

‘It’s harder to find suitable donor-blood. That’s why we want to be prepared, so we don’t have any surprises at a time we could do without them.’ He reached up gently to ease the blanket away from the infant. ‘If you can hold him steady, we’ll get this over with as painlessly— as possible.’

‘But what if you can’t find the right blood to give him?’ Lily asked, feeling increasingly anxious. It all sounded very complicated and worrying.

‘There’s no reason at all to think we’ll need blood for a transfusion,’ the doctor said firmly. ‘But, if for some reason we do, then of course we’ll find it. It’s just that we may have to search further afield.’

Lily took a deep breath and lowered the baby unto her lap. She unwrapped the blanket so that the doctor could take the blood sample.

As the needle pricked his fragile skin he opened his eyes in horrified protest. A moment later he opened his mouth and started crying.

Lily felt her lower lip start to tremble in response, and she hugged her son close to her. It was unbearable to see her baby upset.

‘I’ll get this sample off to the lab,’ the doctor said, taking his leave.

‘Lily…I…’ Vito was standing close to her, but she didn’t look up. For the first time ever, she thought he sounded uncertain—but right then all her attention was on her newborn baby.

‘Leave me alone,’ she said, feeling like she had been punched in the stomach.

She unbuttoned her nightdress and tried to offer the baby up to her breast. But the position wasn’t right, and after a frantic moment of silence as he rooted unsuccessfully— for her nipple he started crying again.

Without a saying a word, Vito dropped down on his knees in front of them. He cupped the baby’s head gently and guided it forward to Lily’s breast. Just as the baby opened his mouth as wide as possible to let out a mewling cry, Vito nudged his head forward and he latched onto the nipple successfully.