CHAPTER 51

The ride home from the hospital felt surreal. Jaden was fast asleep in his car seat, his tiny face serene, oblivious to the world around him. Ember sat next to him, her eyes glued to her new baby brother, every so often glancing up at me or Alexander with an expression that seemed to say, Is this real?

I sat in the passenger seat, leaning my head against the window as the cityscape blurred by. My body was exhausted, but my heart was full. Alexander had insisted on driving us home despite my offer to take a cab while he got some rest. He refused, saying, "I'm not letting my family come home without me behind the wheel."

As we pulled into the driveway, Alexander turned off the engine and looked at me. "Ready to settle in?"

I smiled weakly, nodding. "Ready as I'll ever be."

Alexander opened the car door for me before moving to the backseat to unbuckle Jaden. He handled the car seat with such care, his movements deliberate and soft, as though Jaden might break if he so much as jostled him. Ember hopped out of the car and tugged on my hand.

"Can I hold him when we get inside, Mommy?" she asked, her eyes wide with hope.

"We'll see, sweetheart. He's still very little, so we have to be careful," I replied, smoothing her hair.

Alexander unlocked the door, and we stepped into the house. The warmth and familiarity of home instantly enveloped me. Everything felt different now, though, like the house itself had shifted to accommodate the new life we were bringing into it.

I settled on the couch while Alexander placed Jaden's car seat on the coffee table. Ember climbed up next to me, bouncing slightly. "Can I hold him now?" she asked again, barely containing her excitement.

Alexander gave me a look, and I nodded. "Alright, but sit still, and Daddy will help you."

He gently lifted Jaden from the car seat and cradled him for a moment before carefully placing him in Ember's waiting arms. She gasped softly, her face glowing as she stared down at her baby brother.

"Hi, Jaden," she whispered, her voice full of wonder.

Alexander knelt beside her, his hand hovering protectively over Jaden. "See? You're already a great big sister," he said, ruffling her hair.

I watched the scene, my heart swelling with love. But it wasn't long before exhaustion set in. "Alright, little one, let's give Jaden back to Daddy. He needs to rest, and so do you," I said.

Ember reluctantly handed Jaden back to Alexander and climbed down from the couch. "Okay, but can I help with his bedtime later?"

"Of course," I assured her, smiling.

After settling Ember in her play area, Alexander carried Jaden upstairs to the nursery. I followed, leaning against the doorframe as I watched him place our son in the crib. The room was softly lit, and the gentle hum of a lullaby played from the mobile hanging above the crib.

"You're getting good at this," I said, crossing my arms and smirking.

Alexander turned to me, raising an eyebrow. "You sound surprised. Did you think I'd be terrible at it?"

"Honestly?" I teased, "A little."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "You have so little faith in me, Bella."

"It's not about faith. It's about…history," I replied, my tone light but pointed.

Alexander straightened, the smile slipping slightly from his face. "I'm trying, Isabella. You know I am."

I sighed, stepping into the room and placing a hand on his arm. "I know. And I appreciate it. But you can't blame me for needing time to adjust to all this…to you."

He looked at me for a moment before nodding. "Fair enough."

We stood in silence for a while, watching Jaden sleep. Eventually, Alexander broke the quiet. "You should rest. You've been through a lot these past few days."

I snorted softly. "I could say the same to you. You look like you haven't slept in weeks."

"Well, someone had to make sure everything was ready for Jaden's homecoming," he said, gesturing vaguely to the room.

"And you've done a great job," I admitted. "But that doesn't mean you get to play martyr. Go rest, Alex."

He smirked. "You're bossy when you're tired."

"And you're stubborn," I shot back, a playful glint in my eye.

We both laughed, the tension dissipating. It was moments like these that reminded me why I had fallen for him in the first place, even if our journey had been far from perfect.

After a while, we headed downstairs. Alexander disappeared into the kitchen, saying he was going to make us something to eat. I settled back on the couch, cradling a now-wide-awake Jaden.

When Alexander returned with a tray of sandwiches and tea, he raised an eyebrow at me. "You look like you're about to fall asleep mid-sentence."

"Blame your son," I said, nodding toward Jaden. "He has a knack for waking up just when I'm about to relax."

Alexander chuckled, sitting down beside me. "Guess he takes after his dad, always making things difficult."

I rolled my eyes, taking a bite of the sandwich he handed me. "Don't flatter yourself."

As we ate, the conversation drifted to lighter topics—Ember's plans for her next superhero adventure, Jaden's uncanny ability to look angelic even when he was crying, and the growing list of things we needed to do now that our family had grown.

By the time the evening rolled around, the house was quiet again. Ember was asleep in her room, and Jaden had finally settled in his crib. Alexander and I sat together in the living room, the glow of the fireplace casting soft shadows on the walls.

"I never thought we'd get here," I admitted, breaking the silence.

"Neither did I," Alexander said, his voice low. "But I'm glad we did."

I leaned my head against his shoulder, letting out a content sigh. Despite everything—the chaos, the heartbreak, the uncertainty—we had found our way to this moment. And for the first time in a long time, I felt at peace.