Broken Vows and Buried Twins novel Chapter 88

Gigi's birth may have been fraught with hardship, but having Jasper as a father made her incredibly lucky.

Lola walked in holding a cup of warm water. "Gigi, let's take our medicine first, and then we can go to sleep, okay?"

Gigi scrunched up her nose. "No!"

Standing nearby, Jasper sighed helplessly. "She's absolutely terrified of medicine. Getting her to take it is always the hardest part of her being sick."

Hearing this, Hester looked down at the toddler in her arms and glanced at Jasper. "Mind if I give it a try?"

Lola immediately prepped the dose and handed it to Hester. "Thank you so much, Ms. Carrington."

The truth was, pediatric medications from the hospital rarely tasted bitter; even the antibiotics were usually strawberry-flavored. A child's fear of medicine was almost entirely psychological.

Hester softened her voice to a gentle purr. "Gigi, how about we take our medicine together?"

Gigi frowned, her little lips pouting as she stayed silent. She didn't reject it as fiercely as she had with Lola, but her tiny expression still screamed resistance.

Hester patiently and sweetly reasoned with her, until the little girl finally caved. "I take medicine, Mama stays and sleeps with me~"

"Deal," Hester smiled warmly. "As long as you're a good girl and take your medicine, Godmother will sleep right here with you tonight."

Only then did Gigi furrow her little brow and bravely swallow the medicine.

Once she was done, Hester lay down next to her on the bed. She was certain Gigi would drift off to sleep in minutes, and then she could quietly slip away.

Instead, thirty minutes passed, and Gigi stared at Hester like a hawk, absolutely refusing to shut her eyes.

Thinking the nightlight might be keeping her awake, Hester reached over and clicked it off.

"Gigi, how about Godmother sings you a lullaby?"

"Okay~"

Hester began softly humming a gentle tune.

...

Another thirty minutes passed. The door to the children's room silently cracked open. The soft glow from the hallway spilled into the dark room.

In the dim light, Jasper took in the peaceful scene on the bed.

Hester was lying on her side, fast asleep. Her breathing was even, her face incredibly serene, with one arm draped protectively over Gigi. Gigi was tucked under her favorite blanket, her tiny hands clutching tightly onto Hester's fingers. Both the woman and the child were deeply, blissfully asleep.

Jasper moved silently to the edge of the bed. He leaned down, carefully pulled up a spare blanket, and draped it gently over Hester.

A moment later, the door clicked shut once more.

Standing in the hallway, Jasper let go of the doorknob, a warm, affectionate smile spreading across his face.

...

"I'm the one who should be apologizing. Gigi clung to you and made you stay all night," Jasper said, his voice warm and rich. "I actually had Lola check on you both. She said you were sleeping so deeply she didn't want to wake you."

Hearing this as she brought out a plate of pastries, Lola smiled to herself, tactfully choosing not to expose her boss's little white lie.

Hester felt a wave of relief hearing that it was Lola who had checked on her.

...

After breakfast, Jasper and Hester agreed it was best to take Gigi straight to Dr. Coleman's holistic clinic. They left the apartment together.

The clinic was located in a quieter suburban district, about a forty-minute drive away.

Hester texted Dr. Coleman before they left, confirming they could bypass the waitlist upon arrival.

Jasper drove, while Hester sat in the back to keep Gigi company. They pulled up to the clinic exactly at nine o'clock.

Jasper carried Gigi, and Hester led the way inside. The moment she stepped through the door, a loud, cheerful child's voice rang out.

"Pretty Lady!"

Hester stopped in her tracks. Looking down at the little boy running up to her, her brow furrowed. "Caden? What are you doing here?"

"I came with my mom and dad!" Caden tilted his head up at Hester, beaming with absolute excitement. "Dad and Mom are in there seeing Dr. Coleman. Mom says he's a super good doctor, and when they go home, she can finally give me a baby sister!"