Loving The Temperamental Adonis
Chapter 257: Meeting the twins

Chapter 257: Meeting the twins

The three men approached the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), the place where the newborns were being cared for. Nurses glanced up from their stations, surprised to see Neil Wayner finally walking towards the NICU after months of avoiding the path and ignoring his children. Almost all the nurses in the hospital knew how much time he spent in the ICU room to even have the time to go to his children, but seeing him now made them all momentarily stopped whatever they were doing. His presence, though worn and weary, still commanded attention and respect. He was followed closely by the two men every nurse had come to like and want; James and Liam.

The three of them were a picture perfect. All eyes were on them until they disappeared into the NICU.

Inside the NICU, the room was softly lit, with rows of incubators lining the walls. Each incubator cradled a tiny life, their monitors beeping rhythmically. While Neil was still persistent in ignoring his children, Liam had taken his godfather duty so seriously he’d made special arrangements for the twins to be kept together in a special cozy room attached to the NICU, away from the usual hustle of the unit with two bulky men in black suits standing guard at the entrance. The babies were nestled in bassinets, small and delicate, with a nurse attending to them.

As the three men entered the room, the nurse momentarily paused in surprise at the sight of Neil but quickly composed herself and moved aside to give them access to the twins.

Neil stared at the bassinet without approaching it as if scared that he might mess things up when Mia wasn’t here. He stood rooted to his spot until Liam gave him an encouraging pat on the shoulder to assure him that they were here with him. He snapped out of it and hesitantly approached the bassinets, his heart pounding with a mix of apprehension and longing. His eyes were fixed on the tiny bundles before him, each no bigger than his forearm.

The twins laid peacefully, their fists occasionally rubbing their faces in the manner that only newborns could. He’d never seen newborn babies in his entire adult life until now. His breath caught as he watched them, struck by the realization that these were his children, flesh of his flesh. They were the most adorable human beings he’d ever set eyes on in all of his life. Innocent and small.

With a trembling hand, he reached out and gently touched the fisted hand of one of the babies. Instantly, the baby grasped his finger, the tiny fingers curling around his much larger one. A soft, reluctant smile tugged at Neil’s lips as he marveled at the feeling of connection that surged through him. Warmth and tenderness spread to his heart and made him feel the bond he’d felt with them when they were still in Mia’s womb.

His children, he thought with pride swelling in his heart, would be protected and loved by him for as long as he lived, and their mother lived. As the baby tightened his tiny fingers around Neil’s, he could no longer hold back the urge to hold them. Without hesitation, he bent over and carried each of them on his left and right arm.

The baby in his right arm who had gripped his finger a moment ago, sensing his presence, opened his eyes. They were wide and innocent, a shade of gray similar to Neil’s. The baby made a soft gurgling noise, and Neil’s heart melted at the sight.

"Hey there," Neil whispered softly, his voice cracking with emotion. "You’re so small, but you’ve already got a strong grip, huh?"

The baby’s tongue peeked out, licking his lips, which made Neil wonder if he was hungry. He glanced at the nurse nearby and asked hesitantly, "Have they been fed yet?"

The nurse hesitated, then replied gently, "Not yet. We’re waiting for the milk to arrive. Since Mrs. Wayner isn’t able to breastfeed right now, we’ll be using donor milk."

Neil’s throat tightened at the mention of another woman’s milk feeding his children. It should be his wife’s milk they had first, but he knew Mia was in no condition to feed them or herself. However, the thought of them having a donor’s milk made his protective instinct kick in. He held the babies closer, his arms wrapping protectively around them. "Is that safe? How do you ensure it’s safe for them?"

The nurse nodded understandingly. "We have strict procedures in place. The milk is screened and pasteurized to ensure it’s safe for premature babies like yours. Many mothers donate milk to help babies in need."

Neil was about to argue that he’d like to meet the woman who would donate milk to his children to be sure and on the safe side, but Liam stepped forward and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "They know what they’re doing. It’s a common practice here. The most important thing is that the babies get the nutrition they need."

Neil hesitated for a second, but seeing how the babies were peeking out their tongues, he nodded slowly, deciding to trust the hospital with his children like he’d trusted them with his wife. He focused his attention back on the tiny babies, brushing his fingers lightly over their tiny heads. "You hear that, little ones? You’re going to be just fine," he murmured, his voice filled with tenderness. "Noah and Nolan. Once you’re well-fed, I’ll take you to see mommy. She will be so happy to see you." He smiled for the first time in months since his wife had remained in a coma.

He looked back at James and Liam, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "Thank you, both of you, for bringing me here. I needed to see them. Would you like to hold them too?"

James smiled warmly and shook his head. "You can hold them for now," he said, as he’d been with them longer than Neil had. "They’re beautiful. Mia would be proud of you for taking this step." He gave him another firm pat on the shoulder, looking at the adorable identical twins from his side.

Neil nodded, his proud gaze returning to his sons. "I wish she could see them too." Then, as if realizing something, he added, "I will make sure she sees them today. She needs to see them. They might be the last string in pulling her back to us."

Though the doctors had warned him that Mia must not fall into such a state where her heart monitor lines would flatten again, and he’d made sure to watch everything he said or did in her presence, he believed taking their children to her wouldn’t cause any harm.