Winter's Touch
Page 37

“Breathe Aisha, just breathe.”
Viper refused to loose hope, it was all he had left.
“Spirits, guide me to bring her back to those who love her. Rachel?” Greer called out to his sister.
“I’m here, Greer.” Rachel turned to her brother, and Viper saw Rachel take Greer’s hand. Viper quickly turned his gaze forward again. “Take my hand, Viper.”
He took her hand, feeling the scorching heat enfolding his palm. He began shaking, her heat becoming too intense to hold on to. Dr. Price took his other hand as it began shaking. Then, one by one, everyone in the nursery linked their hands to make a chain.
Dustin and Tate moved from the doorway, bridging the gap between them and linking their hands together, stretching their arms out to reach Shade. One by one, each of the Last Riders held out their hands to help guide Aisha home.
Viper didn’t know what he was experiencing, but the outpouring of love for his and Winter’s baby was a gift. In a world that didn’t believe in miracles anymore, he was seeing one tonight.
“As a spirit, I leave your world, giving you my thanks.”
“Thank you,” Rachel said.
“Thank you,” Viper repeated, using the same humble tone that Greer and Rachel had used.
One by one, each person in the line did the same.
When Viper felt the scorching heat leaving his hands, he turned to the incubator to see Rachel trying to catch Greer. Viper caught his other arm, holding him until Dustin and Tate took Greer from him. Then Viper slowly moved toward the incubator, holding his breath.
The doctor moved to the other side, checking the baby’s lungs. Aisha’s skin was a healthy pink, her tiny legs kicking, and her arms were reaching out.
Dr. Price turned off the respirator, removing the tubes. “If I hadn’t seen her stats before, I wouldn’t believe my eyes.”
“Can I hold her?” Viper asked, when he got his breath back.
“Just for a minute. She’s not out of the woods yet.”
Viper put on the gown and gloves the nurse held out to him. When he was ready, he gently held his daughter for the first time.
Clearing his throat, he stared down at the tiny replica of Winter. “Hello, sweet girl. Daddy’s here.”
 
 
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“Isn’t she the most beautiful thing in the world?” Winter said in an awestruck voice, staring at the tiny being she and Viper had created. She pressed her hands against the shield preventing her from holding her baby. “I want to hold her.”
“Just for a minute.” Dr. Price nodded at the primary nurse who was standing nearby.
She raised the top of the incubator and lifted Aisha from the warming pad before placing her in Winter’s arms.
Winter couldn’t help herself; she began crying as maternal instinct overwhelmed her. When Aisha’s face scrunched up and she began crying, Winter started to hand her back to the nurse.
“She doesn’t like me.” Winter cried harder.
Viper moved from behind her, kneeling down beside her wheelchair. “She’s sensing your distress.” He stroked a finger against Aisha palm, and their child grasped it, clinging to it as she cried.
“I never wanted anything as badly as I wanted her,” Winter managed to say, tears clogging her throat. “I used to imagine what she would look like and all the things we could do together. Now all I can think about is, what if I’m not going to be there for her.”
Viper’s solemn gaze lifted from his daughter to her. “You’re going to be there for every damn second of it. Do you understand me, Winter? Every second. All your tests are coming back clear, and I will make fucking sure you live to raise her, even if I have to sell my soul to the devil.”
Viper believed he could plan every minute of their lives, refusing to believe that some things were inevitable. Death was one of them.
“You can’t promise me that.” Winter started to regain her composure, seeing the faces of The Last Riders watching them from the hallway.
Beth was standing next to Razer; Shade stood behind Lily, his arms wrapped around her waist; Cash and Rachel stood hand in hand; King and Evie were also holding hands; and Knox’s arm was around Diamond’s shoulder as they stood at the back of the crowd. They were there to give their support. Even Bliss and Drake, who was holding Darcy so she could look into the room.
Looking down into Aisha’s eyes, Winter knew how precious time was. If God took her tomorrow, she didn’t want this time marred by worries about tomorrow. She would take one day at a time, and if God decided to take her, she would leave enough memories to last Aisha a lifetime.
Winter cupped Aisha’s head, using her fingers to stroke her fine hair. “I love you, Aisha. You’re going to have to get used to me. I will always be by your side, just like your daddy and The Last Riders. All babies are given a guardian angel, but you have dozens.” Winter raised her voice, hoping everyone could hear her. “I was gifted with The Last Riders when I married your father, and now I’m passing them on to you. My love will always surround you and keep you safe, but when I can’t, God knows their love will be there in my place.”
Winter brushed Aisha’s cheek with a soft kiss before reluctantly handing her baby back to the nurse, who placed Aisha back into the incubator, closing the top.
“Lucky?” Winter said as she took the tissues Viper held out to her.
Winter saw Willa crying as Lucky moved forward to give Aisha a blessing. She had received permission for Lucky to enter the nursery, but he had waited, giving them a moment alone to greet their daughter together.
“Psalms 32:8. ‘I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye’. ” Lucky laid his hand on the incubator as he spoke.
Winter and Viper bowed their heads as he prayed over their daughter.
When he finished, Winter gave Lucky a misty smile. “Thank you. Whatever I or Viper or The Last Riders can’t fix, I know He can.”
“Are you already thinking I’m going to screw up being a father?” Viper raised an imperious brow.
Winter raised one back at him. “No, but she is a Last Rider, and the Lord knows, if she takes after me, she’s going to need all the help she can get.”
 
“That’s enough for today.” The nurse helped Winter sit in the chair by her hospital bed.
The simple act of moving out of the bed had involved enough pain that she felt as if she would pass out. She had already broken out in a cold sweat. Thankfully, though, once she was settled on the chair with a cushion in place to support her tailbone, she was actually more comfortable than being in bed.
“Can I get you anything else?”
“Could you hand me my brush and my cell phone? I want to put my hair up,” Winter asked.
“I’ll take care of it,” Viper said, coming through the door.
The nurse left as Viper went to the table beside her bed, picking up the brush and hair tie. Instead of placing the brush in her hand, Viper moved behind her, gently brushing the knots out of her hair.
“That feels good.”
“I aim to please.” His face was serious as he worked on her hair.
She stared out the window, seeing it was raining outside. “It looks like it’s going to storm.”