Chapter 5 - An Unspoken Truce
Clara took a slow breath. In the amber glow of the living room lamp, the sheer vulnerability of the man standing before her stripped away the bitter armor she had spent days constructing.
“Give her to me,” Clara commanded softly.
James froze for a second before carefully transferring the tiny bundle into her arms.
The moment Maya’s warm body touched Clara’s chest, the baby’s crying hitched. Clara sat down in the large armchair. She laid Maya stomach-down across her knees, supporting the infant's head with one hand while using the palm of her other hand to apply gentle, upward pressure along Maya’s lower abdomen and back.
“Her latch was bad, which means she swallowed too much air,” Clara said clinically, keeping her emotions locked down. “And your heartbeat was hammering like a racehorse. Infants mirror your cortisol levels, James. If you panic, she panics.”
Within two minutes, Maya released a surprisingly loud burp. A shudder ran through the infant’s tiny frame, and her tense limbs immediately relaxed. She nuzzled into the crook of Clara’s leg, her eyelids fluttering shut.
James let out a long, ragged exhale and slumped onto the sofa opposite them, burying his face in his hands. “Thank you,” he whispered.
Clara looked down at the child. Maya’s skin was petal-soft, smelling of baby powder and sweet milk. She was completely innocent. Maya had not asked to be born into a dying woman’s arms, nor had she chosen a father who kept secrets out of terror.
“This doesn't mean we’re fine,” Clara stated quietly, her thumb lightly grazing the edge of Maya’s yellow blanket. “You broke something fundamental between us, James.”
May you like
“I know,” he replied, looking up with reddened eyes. “I don't expect you to forgive me. I just need you to know I’m not asking you to raise her if you can’t. If this is where our road ends, I will pack our bags and leave. I won't ruin your life twice.”
Clara didn't answer. She simply sat in the quiet room until dawn, holding the baby while James watched over them both.
