LRPD - part 13 sneak peek - unedited

Simon has experienced many things he’d consider love at first sight.

The first time he met his nephew. The first patient he saved in an undersupplied field hospital. His first patient born at twenty two weeks that thrived, his first of many “kids.”

All of these and many others, he would have thought counted, and maybe they still do.

But none of them compare to this.

You’re in the rocking chair next to the incubator with the baby against your chest. Gloves, mask, but no shirt, only a sports bra, and the baby’s cheek is delicately resting just above your breasts. He’s seen plenty of parents, family members, hold their babies, rock them, but there’s something about you, the way you’re humming, the careful way you’re holding her, rocking her, the love in your eyes… its blinding him, making his chest tighten, his pulse stumble.

You’re beautiful. It’s not just the baby either, somehow he knows if he passed you on the street or in the hallway or accidentally bumped into at the store, he’d feel the same way. Blinded.

He can’t stop himself from knocking on the door, and your head snaps up, startled. “Sorry, just checkin’ on her.”

“Oh, no, I’m sorry. Her dad is downstairs with her mom so I thought I’d spend some time with her. I didn’t want her to be alone.” Your voice cracks but it’s well worn, broken in like you’ve been crying for a long, long time.

“Skin to skin is good for them.” He encourages, turning the lights up from low so he’ll be able to get a better look. They haven’t named her yet. Her dad wants to wait for her mum to wake up, so Simon just calls her baby girl.

“Do you need her? Or should I put her back?”

“No,” he moves further into the room, “I just need her blood sugar and the nurses are pretty busy. I can do it while you’re holding her.”

“Okay,” you sniffle.

“I’m Doctor Riley.” He takes a knee at your side, framing her tiny foot with his thumb and forefinger, swabbing it clean with an alcohol wipe.

“Daisy. I’m Tess’s, her mom’s sister.” Daisy. Wild flowers with their faces turned up to the sun.

“It’s nice to meet you.”

“You too.”