“Of course. He’s ready for his next feed, aren’t you, mate?”

Dan leaned across the bed and lowered the baby into her arms.

Paula was exhausted but she couldn’t help but kiss the tiny hand. Then he cried. She fumbled around trying to get him in position and he screwed up his face and howled louder. She pushed her breast at him but he turned away.

“I don’t know what to do,” she whispered.

Dan climbed on to the bed behind her and supported her with his arms. “Relax, Sweet Pea.”

Paula leaned against him and her shoulders drooped. The baby’s mouth opened wide and he pressed his little snub nose against her skin. A fizzing sensation surged through her breast and the baby started to suck. The strength of it was incredible. She watched in fascination as his face moved in a rhythm of suck and swallow and the soft spot on his head pulsed in unison. She bent down and brushed her lips over his downy fluff of hair.

Her mobile rang. Paula felt Dan lean away from her for a moment as he picked it up, silenced it and replaced it on the cupboard.

“We’re busy right now,” he murmured in her ear.

Paula relaxed against him and for the first time in many days she felt some peace.

* * *

Dan sensed the change in Paula immediately. Her body relaxed and she held the baby confidently. He had watched her feed and listened to what the nurses were saying but he could see how tense she was. After all she’d been through, he realised it was the monitoring that was worrying her. He was relieved when the final probe was removed from the baby’s foot. He was convinced that Paula would relax once she had her son in her arms without any other interference.

When he’d leaned in to support her, he’d been holding his breath. She’d been shying away from his touch but she had relaxed against him and now she was doing a great job feeding.

He wasn’t sure the repairing of Paula’s trust in him would be as easy. He looked over her shoulder to the sleeping face of his son and felt a surge of the emotion he’d felt the first time he’d seen the tiny baby in the crib.

“He’s a little miracle,” he whispered.

Paula was silent but he could feel her shoulders shuddering against him. He got off the bed and knelt down in front of her. Tears rolled down her face. He took the baby, tucked him into the little bed in the corner of the room, then went back and sat beside her.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

“I needed you, Dan.” Her words were lost in her sobs and he reached his arms around her and pulled her in close.