บท 288: Chapter 288
"Are you ready, my love?" Erik asked Pearl as they walked to the front door of the hospital.
"Yes." She said, clutching baby Christian tightly. He was wrapped in then blanket Sebastian gave them at the shower. Pearl was feeling better but still felt a little weak. Erik had picked out her favorite loose fitting blue dress for the occasion and a large warm coat. It was chilly out but not too terribly bad. Their little Christmas baby was bundled well. They walked out the door to a slew of reporters and flashing lights. Erik waved and Pearl looked down and away. The lights were blinding. Many questions were being shouted at them. Erik made a statement once things began to calm a little.
"Our son, his Royal highness Prince Christian Robert Keats Pilsen-Chamberlain, second in line to the throne of Britain, was born on Christmas Day, at ten thirty pm. He is doing splendidly and is so beautiful. We are completely over the moon and madly in love with him already." Erik said. Pearl looked up at Erik and smiled. More flashes and questions. Pearl thought that was long enough for the baby to be out in the forty degree temperature, so she smiled and waved and walked back into the hospital. Erik remained to answer questions.
"Is it true that Prince Sebastian delivered the prince in a car?" One reporter asked.
"Yes. My cousin, Prince Sebastian, assisted Pearl and myself in an emergency delivery before paramedics arrived." Erik stated.
"Is it true he will be receiving a medal?" And other asked.
"He definitely should." Erik said, smiling.
He thanked everyone and went back inside. Pearl was sitting with Christian in a chair, waiting for Erik.
"Are you ready to go home, my love?" He asked.
"Yes." Pearl said, smiling.
******************
The first couple of weeks home were wonderful. Erik's parents, the king and queen, had visited once to meet little Christian and his mother was going to come back and stay with them for a few weeks beginning the following weekend. Erik was selective with visitors but Sebastian was a staple there and was staying with them indefinitely until they were able to all move into Kensington palace. His father was near the end of his life and he moved him to a private nursing hospice home for comfort. He didn't want to be alone at his family home The Royal Lodge.
"He's awake, Pearl." Sebastian whispered, holding Christian who was clearly unhappy. Pearl had dozed off on the couch in the main living room while reading. She wasn't getting much sleep as of late. The little man was a big eater and had his own little screaming alarm clock every four hours almost to the minute. He looked so adorable holding the little infant with his tousled black hair, wrinkled t shirt and shadowy beard. He looked about as rough as Pearl did these days. As Bash told her the night before, "Babies are more difficult to reason with and conquer" than any enemy he had ever encountered in battle. It made her laugh.
"Thank you, Bash." She said. He handed him to her and she opened her shirt and began feeding him. Sebastian looked away, but had honestly loved watching this. There was something feminine and alluring about watching a mother feed her child. It made him adore her even more than he already did. Such a primitive and natural thing.
"You need to sleep. I've arranged a breast pump to be delivered here. I can help with the feedings. Erik has been working on this treaty with our African allies and you've been doing all of the work." Sebastian said. Pearl looked up at him and smiled.
"Thank you, Bash. But the Queen will be here to help next week and you need to get out once and awhile, too. Meet some people. Maybe even go on a date." She said with a smile. Sebastian looked down at her as if she was completely insane. Why would he want to be anywhere else?
"I'm not interested in that right now. My family is my priority." He said.
"Bash, you were the lone wolf of the family before all of this. I know better. I know you feel you have some obligation to Erik because we almost lost him, but please, do have some time for yourself. It pains me to see you here all the time helping me when you could be enjoying your life." She said. He put his head down. She had wounded him and she knew it.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean.. " Pearl began.
"No. Don't." He interrupted. "I know it's not normal. I know it's even borderline inappropriate, but there is no where, NO WHERE else I want to be other than right here, helping you and this boy. Erik may have changed, but my trust in him has not. And never will. I will never be too far from you both." He said.
Pearl nodded but looked down in sadness.
"It's not fair to you. I am a strong woman. We will be fine. Please, Bash. I will never forgive myself for keeping you from having a life of your own." She said.
"God dammit woman, you are my life. Why can't you see that?" He said. Realizing he had just had an emotional outburst that crossed a line between them, he looked into her eyes and walked out of the room.
Pearl didn't know what to feel. He was a loyal man. And when loyal men make promises, they keep them. If she knew anything about Sebastian, that was the one thing she knew for certain. It still pained her to see him like this. She loved Erik and loved her son, but she cared about him, too. They had a bond that even she couldn't explain. She couldn't bear to see Bash linger in her life because of a promise he was hell bent on keeping. He deserved a life of his own and she cared too much about him to deny him that. She loved him. And she was going to make Erik send him away.
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