Risk // Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 73: Eloise's First Day

Fair warning, this entire chapter is literally just fluff to make up for my sins in traumatising you all earlier :)

Sebastian

The Healer finished up her work, cleaning and wrapping up Eloise, making notes, showing Olive how to feed her and everything else Healers do after a birth before declaring her completely healthy and leaving our cottage.

I breathed a silent breath of relief knowing Eloise was okay. I didn't tell Olive how scared I was. Firstly, that she was born five weeks early, but secondly, how she'd spent all her time in Azkaban with Olive during most of the pregnancy.

But here I was, a new father. My sleeping newborn daughter in my arms and my powerful goddess of a wife catching up on some well earned sleep in our bed.

I did quickly notice we had nothing for a baby here. Not even a bassinet. But that was fine. I wasn't going to sleep again tonight. Not when I had two beautiful girls to admire and look after. I could sort all of that out in the morning. For now, she'd just stay in my arms.

I debated between opening the letters or just staring at my daughter a little longer. With her dark brown hair, her blueish-green eyes, her button nose... if she didn't have my head of hair, I may have questioned if she was even my child. She was Olive all over.

Probably for the best...

I sighed and reached across, taking the letters Olive had written so long ago and I picked up the one in an envelope with "Baby Sallow" written on it. Tearing it open was quite difficult to do one handed, but I managed.

"I'll read it out loud for you, alright, baby girl?" I whispered.

"Dear Baby Sallow,

If you're reading this or having it read to you, it means you were actually born. Your dad and I actually had a baby!

It's a funny story and a little cliche... but it was always going to be your dad. I had told myself I never wanted kids. I didn't want an innocent child to suffer like I did. But he made me change my mind. He's made me change my mind on many things.

He also encouraged me to get my feelings out, and this is the best way I could think to do it, so I'll be honest.

I'm scared. Terrified, really. How could the two of us, so messed up and having been tangled in so many awful things in our short lives willingly choose to bring another innocent life into the world? Something that is a perfect mix of the two of us and all of our flaws?

But you know what changed my mind and gave me some reassurance we might be able to do it?

Watching your dad change. He grew. From a once reckless and careless boy, he grew into this intelligent, determined man. Despite everything that went wrong in his life, he overcame it.

And then, he chose to love me so fiercely, despite everything I'd done. Everything he'd done. He has saved me. Literally and figuratively. I'm sure he'll tell you all about his heroics one day.

And as for you? I pray that we raise you the way we wished we had been raised. To give you the childhood we never got. I promise you that we will do everything we can to make sure your life is wonderful and as happy as it can be.

I hope you get his love and drive for learning.

I hope you get my fiery passion to do whatever you set you mind to.

I hope you know about everyone in our lives who will help us in our journey to raise you, living and departed.

I hope you love us just as much as we love you.