Accidental Surrogate for Alpha novel Chapter 302

#Chapter 302 – Old Friends Home Again

Ella

The morning of the moon ceremony finds me, unsurprisingly, in the kitchen. Eating.

Rafe is with me this time, giggling happily as I dance happily around the room with him, singing about how delicious carrots are as I pour some baby carrots out from their bag onto a plate and begin to munch on them..

–

I’m just getting to the part of the song – which I’m making up as I go along about how they’re good for your vision and help you make friends with rabbits when I hear an odd, familiar sound out in the hall.

I gasp, spinning towards the door as the mechanical hum grows louder, and I’m nearly run over when Henry wheels into the room.

“Henry!” I gasp, tears instantly lining my eyes, stumbling in my hurry to hug him close, almost falling into his lap.

“Steady, girl!” Henry laughs, putting out his hands to catch me and help me find my feet, laughing a little. He beams up at me and I’m laughing too, shaking my head at myself as I lean down to give him a proper hug and then a kiss on both cheeks.

“We missed you so much!” I gush, my heart in my throat as I pull away. “I’m so glad you’re home and in time! A miracle!”

“Certainly took some doing,” he says, raising his eyebrows at me. “I rode in a cargo plane to get here – this little man had better impress.” He shifts his gaze, then, to the baby in my arms.

“Oh!” I say, standing up straight and remembering my manners. “Henry, may I please have the pleasure of introducing you to your grandchild?”

“Nothing would give me more joy,” he replies, his own eyes wet now.

I lean down to place Rafe in his grandfather’s arms for the first time, trying hard no to be overwhelmed by the beauty of the moment. “This is Rafe Henry Sinclair,” I say quietly, watching his face.

“Rafe Henry,” Henry says, looking up at me, touched, and then down at the baby. “He’s a beauty, Ella. Wonderful.” He shakes his head, staring at my son. Though I’m overwhelmed by the moment, part of me reflects that I’m glad Henry met Rafe while the baby is in a good mood. He still spends most of his time crying.

I hear footsteps on the stairs and look towards the door, smiling when I see Sinclair hurry through it.
“Dad!” he booms, a huge smile on his face. I step back as Henry turns his chair, raising one arm towards his son, the baby still held in the other. Sinclair bends down low to give his father a long, warm hug and I bite my lip to see it. Sinclair never admitted it, but he worried about his father, and missed him. He’s glad, I know, to have him back home, nearby.

The two release each other and the kitchen is filled with happy noise for the next few minutes as we all buzz around each other, trying to do nice things for each other and make sure everyone’s comfortable. I laugh after a minute, raising my hands and calling for silence.

“Okay!” I declare. “You two “I say, pointing between Henry and Sinclair, “go into the living room, take the baby, and relax. I’ll bring in coffee in a moment. Then we’ll catch up. All right?”

The two of them nod and comply, heading out of the room. A few minutes later I follow them carrying a silver tray heaped with coffee and food. My stomach rumbles as I look down at it all and I roll my eyes at myself. How can I still be hungry?

“He really is wonderful, Ella,” Henry says fondly, looking down at his grandchild when I enter the room.

“Yes, I’m easily persuaded of that,” I say casually, putting the tray down on the coffee table and sitting close next to Sinclair. “Would you like me to take him?”

“No,” Henry says quickly, looking up at me. “I mean if it’s all the same to you, I’ll hold him a little longer.”