Chapter 7

The hospital room was peacefully quiet, excluding the machines.

Daniel slept in his bed as his daddy slept on the pull out couch only a few feet away.

His mommy had gone home with his brothers and sister.

A whole week both his mommy and his daddy had spent the night at the hospital but last night there was only his mommy and now his daddy was staying with him. At least his little sheep was there, it always was.

Daddy snored.

The new bed he was sleeping in, was almost as soft and comfortable as his bed at home. The room was different. Here there were balloons everywhere but at home were all his stuffed animals that would watch over him. Balloons didn't watch him.

His chest hurt, his lungs didn't fill with air but the mucus was building up.

He coughed loud and hard. Pulling air into his lungs, he coughed again, trying to expell the mucus so he could breathe.

Daddy was by him in a flash and moved him into a sitting position. Daddy's hand was warm on his back as he stroked his back and helped him to sit.

More coughing to expell the mucus from his longs.

Finally able to spit out the slimey mucus, dinner followed. The horrible feeling made him cry as daddy called a nurse.

"It's alright buddy. It's better now."

Daddy was always nice.

He panted but could finally breathe again as the nurse helped daddy with putting on clean pajamas.

Daddy picked him up and cuddled as he walked a few steps. Together they sat down in the reclining chair as the nurse changed the bedding of the crib.

He laid his head on daddy's chest and listened to the soothing sound that was always there.

The beating sound and daddy's warm hand stroking gentle circles on his back, had him back to a gentle sleep in no time.

"Sheets are changed, you can put him back in his crib." The nurse said quietly.
But daddy didn't want to. "I'll hold him for now."

As he slept, he relaxed again, enjoying daddy's warmth as they cuddled. He knew his daddy loved him.
He loved his daddy.

Mommy found them still asleep like that in the morning when she came back. Tonight she'd do the same for him.