HappyNovelStella felt a wave of hurt and confusion crashing over her.
Was she really such a failure? Had she truly done something wrong? In her arms, little Aster had cried himself hoarse-now, even as he drifted off, his mouth was still searching for his mother's comforting touch.
Seeing her chance, Stella gently popped the pacifier into his mouth.
The exhausted, hungry little guy latched on and started sucking with determined gusto.
Stella blinked in disbelief, then broke into a smile.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtIt worked! For the first time, Aster was actually willing to take the formula.
He must have been truly drained. Two hundred milliliters of formula disappeared in a single go, and when he finished, he let out a satisfied burp, smacked his lips, and soon fell into a deep, contented sleep.
Finally, Stella could breathe again.
She kissed her son and tucked him into bed, placing a pillow along the edge to keep him from rolling off before quietly slipping into the bathroom.
She wiped his rosy cheeks and tiny hands with a warm washcloth, then changed him into a fresh diaper.
Now sound asleep, Aster looked like a cherub-his chubby face soft and pink, nothing like the little terror who'd just threatened to bring the house down with his howls.
Stella gazed at him, her heart melting. She bent down and pressed gentle kisses to his plump cheeks.
Only after she'd had her fill did she lie down beside him. Watching his innocent face, she finally closed her eyes and let out a long sigh.
Her mind was a whirlwind of emotion-relief, exhaustion, and a lingering ache that refused to lift.
Downstairs in the living room, Stewart and Briony sat on the couch as Cedric Clarke spoke quietly into the phone, Scarlett's voice faintly audible from the other end.
"Mom, please don't worry. He's asleep now everything's fine. Star brought sformula... No, she wasn't drinking out of frustratioand besides, Aster's nearly a year old it's about tto wean bim anyway. The longer you wait, the harder it gets... I know you're worried about him, but honestly, kids adapt better than we think. Give it a couple of days, he'll be just fine... Please, don't call Star tonight, she's exhausted from taking care of the baby." Scarlett sighed on the other end. "Don't cover for her-she's my daughter. I know exactly what she's like." Cedric pinched the bridge of his nose. "She's doing well, really." Scarlett's anxious voice cback, "Are you coming htonight, then?" "We'll stay here. There's plenty of space, and Aster's asleep-it's better not to drag him out." He paused, then added, "Mom, you and Dad have helped us so much these past years, looking after Aster. Why don't you take a few days and go on a little vacation together? Pick a city you'd like to visit, and I'll arrange everything." "How can I relax?" Scarlett protested. "You're always busy at the hospital, and I don't feel comfortable leaving Star to take care of the baby all by herself." "Please don't worry, Mom. Star has help here—and if it's too much, my parents would love nothing more than to cstay for a few days. They're always asking to see their grandson." There was a long silence on the other end.
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Finally, Scarlett spoke, her voice tight. "Cedric, do you think I'm just getting in the way by staying with you?" Cedric rubbed his face, sounding weary. "That's not what I mean, Mom." Scarlett let out another sigh. "Cedric, I know I can be harsh sometimes, but you're a father now too. I thought you'd understand how I feel." Cedric slumped back on the couch, exhaustion etched across his face.
This was his wife's mother-his own mother-in-law. There were things he simply couldn't say.
"Mom, I just think maybe it's tto let go a little. Star and we need to learn to handle things on our own." He'd tried to be as gentle as possible.
Scarlett caught the implication, but she couldn't bring herself to accept it.
Her quiet sobs cthrough the phone. "Cedric, I'm a mother too. After what happened before, bcan't help but worry. You saw what Star went through-I know it sounds superstitious, but if it hadn't been for Briony, our Star never would have suffered like that." Cedric's brow furrowed, and he glanced instinctively at Briony, who sat quietly beside him.
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