Cresswell: The Lunar Chronicles

Chapter One Hundred and Forty-Seven

Cress woke up again at one-thirty, quietly sliding out of bed and going into Nova's room. She was already fussing when Cress walked in, ready for her midnight snack.

"Hey little missy," Cress whispered, lifting her up.

Nova let out a little sob but quieted right down as soon as Cress settled into the comfy chair and started feeding her. She smiled to herself, watching Nova's eyes blink tiredly open.

"Yeah, it's a lot of work being a two-week-old, isn't it?" she asked, lightly tickling Nova's side to keep her awake. After almost ten minutes, Cress paused to burp her and then let her finish. She didn't put her back to bed and instead just held her, enjoying the way Nova's little legs curled beneath her.

Cress must have dozed off at some point because she woke with a start again at about five, at which point she fed Nova again and then put her in her crib so she could go snuggle with Carswell.

"She okay?" he asked sleepily.

"Yeah." Cress climbed in beside him, grabbing his waist when he started to turn over. "No, no, you have to snuggle with me."

"Oh, sorry." Carswell, his eyes still closed, swiped an arm beneath her, scooping her against him.

Cress breathed a tired sigh, drifting back off only to startle awake what felt like moments later to Nova crying.

Cress glanced over her shoulder, seeing Carswell gone. He must have gotten up to feed her. Just to make sure, Cress got up and crept down the short corridor. Nova suddenly got quiet and she smiled at hearing Carswell taking softly to her. She started to turn back to their room.

"Sweet crescent moon. up in the sky... your song to earth as she passes by..."

Cress stopped. Crept closer, the grin on her face growing.

"... silver melody, a rhythm and a rhyme. A lullaby of pleasant dreams, as you make your climb."

He was singing Sweet Crescent Moon! Cress had sung it herself a handful of times and once they had both sing it back when she was still pregnant but she thought for sure he must have been so sick of that song after hearing it so much.

Carswell paused, and Cress heard him patting Nova's back. She risked a peek inside, watching him pace the length of the room.

Not wanting to get caught and ruin this perfectly adorable father-daughter moment, Cress tiptoed back to their room and started getting dressed. The weather forecast said it would be raining off and on all day so she put on a pair of jeans, her leather boots, and a thick, chunky knit cream sweater.

"I have a baby," Carswell announced, walking in with Nova.

"You sure do." Cress grinned, taking her when he held her out so he could get dressed. While he was doing that, Cress packed some stuff  in her bag so she wouldn't have to keep running out to the ship every time Nova needed to be changed or eat.

"Okay, here's your present."

Cress gasped. She'd forgotten about it. A grin quickly overtook her face as she took the long rectangular box Carswell handed her. She eagerly opened it up, almost squealing when a brand new port-watch stared up at her.

"Oh it's beautiful!" She grinned, throwing her arms around him and kissing his cheek. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome." He kissed her right back, nudging her waist and then crossing to the window, peering out at the falling rain. "Should we make a run for it? Or wait?"

"Make a run for it. I don't wanna miss breakfast."

Carswell nodded.

Cress pulled her blue knit hat over her head and handed her bag to Carswell so she could pick Nova up.