Home from the club didn’t last long. The mass baby message went out, and all of us were buzzing to see the new baby. Andrei and Lukas were leading the trend there.

Privately outside of the group message, Alessio messaged me and asked me to bring him something if I was still awake. He told what he needed, and where to find it all, and to grab the keys for Lev’s SUV and take that.

Alexi followed me from our complex over to Alessio’s and up to his place. Packing the things he wanted, Alexi followed me around the apartment style house and grunted at me when I grabbed Lev’s keys.

“Nikki,” he said.

“Don’t overreact, I’m fine. Alessio wanted me to bring him some stuff.”

“Clearly, but are you sure you can drive right now?” Alexi questioned me.

“I won’t know until I try, Alexi. If you don’t let me try to, and if I end up with a fear of driving, I’ll be even more fucking useless than I am now. So please, don’t press this issue.” I sighed and set my hand on his shoulder. “I appreciate your care. I will lean on you when I need it. Thank you though, Big brother.”

Just from the look on his face, the want to argue was there, but he just sighed. “I just want to protect you, Nikki.”

“I know, and you’ve done a great job, but just this once I’m asking for a little space to breathe. I need that right now.” I said, and he nodded.

Suitcase and keys in hand, I bumped into Kylian on my way out of Alessio’s. He nodded at Alexi before he spoke. “Do you need a ride?”

“No, thank you, though. This is something I must do for myself.” I said and smiled lightly at him. Alexi and Kylian exchanged a look. And I wish I would have missed it, but I didn’t. “Listen, you and you. I am fine, and this is just a normal day. Let’s not make a big deal out of this.”

Ignoring more of the looks from them, I stepped around Kylian. I didn’t have time for this; I just wanted to bring this bag to Alessio. I was glad most people had gone back to sleeping. Alexi and Kylian were enough, but they wouldn’t be the only ones.

Unlocking the SUV, I set the suitcase in the back seat on the floor and closed the door. Walking around the vehicle, I opened the door and slid into the seat. I waited for a few minutes, familiarizing myself with the car before I started it.

Buckling my seat belt, I turned the SUV on with the push button start and set the key in the little slot for it. Backing out of the spot where it was parked, I shifted into drive and left. In the side mirror, I saw Alexi and Kylian; they were outside. Giving my head a shake, I passed by the main house. Uncle Andrei and Lukas’ truck was missing. They were probably at the hospital, too.

I couldn’t see Alessio and Lev telling them to wait to see their first grandchild. Taking the drive slowly, I made it to the hospital in fifteen minutes. Parking the SUV, I grabbed a ticket and went back to the car to set it in the window.

Suitcase in hand, I headed inside and to the front desk. After a brief chat, I headed up the stairs and to the maternity ward. Walking past all the rooms, I smiled softly and wondered what one of these rooms held the women who could do something like this so selflessly. I hoped she had someone to care for her after this, too.

Finding the room where Alessio and Lev were located wasn’t hard. The door was slightly open, and I could hear Alessio grumbling from the outside the door. Knocking gently, I came in and Lev was holding a tiny little baby against his chest.

“Here, your things.” I said, and Andrei looked me over as Alessio and I made the handoff. “The drive was fine. I was fine.” I said.

“Isn’t she so small?” Alessio hummed, and I could tell he wanted to touch her, but he didn’t. Part of me wondered if he was scared to touch her, but that didn’t seem right.

“Have you held her yet?” I asked, and he sighed.

“Held her? No. If anyone but Lev touches her, she holds her breath. The nurses think it’s mildly amusing. I, on the other hand, don’t. I want to hold my daughter too. Look at her. She’s adorable.” He whined.

“She really is. I remember when Meadow was that tiny. Don’t blink or you’ll miss it.” I chuckled softly.

She was clearly a Mihail child through and through, and Lev was just drinking in the skin to skin contact with their newborn daughter.

 “Come closer. She looks just like Alessio.” Lev said, and you could hear the amazement in his voice as he studied her. Getting closer and looking at her, he was right. She looked like Alessio, but that was a given. Our genetics were hard to beat.

Tapping Lev lightly on the shoulder, I told them to enjoy their new daughter and headed out.

Getting lost on the fourth floor of the hospital was not my idea of fun, not even as I passed by a window pointed to an outdoor balcony and saw a guy in scrubs sitting on the ledge. It took me a few moments to really process the scene, and I backed up and pushed the door open, jogging over the cement there and yanking the person back.

“What the hell are you doing? That’s dangerous!” I hollered and let go of him. His name tag just dangled there, and the smoke in his hand dropped to the ground. He looked more concerned about the smoke.

“You made me drop my last smoke.” He muttered, and I took in his face. Light grey strands marked just the front section of his hair, and the rest was black, a slight wave to it. His honey-coloured eyes scanned over me, and he crushed his smoke.

“I wasn’t going to jump,” he sighed.

“How the hell was I supposed to know that? You just sat there staring down at the ground like you were longing to figure out if it would actually hurt!” I yelled, and my hands flew around as I did.

“It would if I lived, but I wasn’t going to find out. I don’t have the luck of jumping to my death.” He spoke.

Giving my head a shake, I tossed up my hand and stalked towards the door, pausing and turning around again. “How the hell do I get to parking from here?”

“I’ll walk you down. I have to get a new pack of smoke now, anyway.” He said and walked my way. Following behind him, he led me down a few sets of stairs, and I held my ribs. Alessio’s wrap had helped, but this was out of the range of things I should be doing.

He paused as I lagged behind him and frowned. “Are you injured?”

“No. Not at all.” I said and stepped by him. As if he knew he was right about my being injured, he reached out and tapped his knuckles ribs. I hissed and turned around far too fast.

“Broken ribs?” He questioned me.

Narrowing my eyes, not purposely though, I muttered. “Yeah. But it’s fine.”

“You should have said something. I would have taken you to the elevator.” He said plainly, and I frowned at him. He just shook his head and went on with his walking. Relaxing my shoulders, I followed him to a back door, and he scanned his badge and stepped and out. He shoved something into my hand, a business card.

“If you need medical help, reach out. If you can’t come to the hospital.” He said, like he knew something about me, and I raised an eyebrow at him. He waved as he headed off down to the store for smokes.

Giving my head a deep shake, I headed to the SUV and got inside. Rubbing my ribs, I let out a deep yawn and shoved the key into the slot. Rolling my shoulders, I buckled up and turned the car on.

Backing out, going to the machine, inserting the stupid ticket, and tapping my card, I paid for the parking. Pulling out onto the road and merging into traffic, I just drove around. I should have gone home, but when I parked the car, that wasn’t where I had ended up.

Looking at the dark windows, the unlit open sign and the note written on the door in Matteo’s handwriting. Nonna’s dinner looked sad, and I hated it. Turning off the car and grabbing the key, I shoved the key into my pocket. Getting out of the car, I fished a card from my wallet and walked towards the diner.

If Matteo had only locked the regular lock, the card in my hand would be enough to pop open the lock and I could head inside. If he had locked it, though, then I might have had to do more desperate things. Like break a window.

Jamming the card in the door and slipping the card back and forth, the door opened, and I smiled. Perfect.

Stepping inside, the alarm went off, but I was quick to silence it with the code. Hopefully Matteo would be asleep, and I wouldn’t have to answer about why I was doing this. Letting out a deep breath, no text message, not a call. I was sure Matteo was asleep now.

Closing the door, I locked the deadbolt and headed to the largest booth table. This was the one we used most of the time for family dinners. Laying down on the bench, on my back, I closed my eyes.

I could just rest here for now. Just for now.