Chapter 466 Birthday in the Ward
Skylar's eyes locked onto the crisscrossing bandages and the IV line on Edward's hand. Her eyelashes fluttered violently, and she clamped her small hand over her mouth.
Edward managed a smile, cold sweat trickling down his spine and soaking the back of his hospital gown. He still opened his arms wide.
"Hey, sweetheart, what are you doing here?"
Skylar's lower lip trembled, but hearing his familiar voice, she instinctively took a small step forward. The little bear charm on her backpack swayed gently with her movement. When Edward reached out to her again, she suddenly rushed into his arms, which smelled faintly of antiseptic, burying her head in his chest. Her warm breath brushed against his wound through the fabric.
Edward grunted softly, immediately wrapping his free arm tightly around her. Skylar realized she might have hurt him and tried to pull back, but Edward held her firmly.
"Don't move."
Edward's voice was hoarse but filled with a smile.
"Daddy just wants to hug his little hero."
Skylar pulled a crumpled piece of folded paper from her pocket. The wings of the crooked paper crane were covered in colorful, childlike writing. "I made this for you, Daddy."
She gently pressed the paper crane to Edward's chest, her glue-stained fingers unconsciously rubbing his shirt.
"Teacher said if the wish is sincere enough, the illness will get better really fast."
Edward and I exchanged a glance, his eyes softening with a mix of helplessness and tenderness. He endured the pain from his wound and used his free hand to gently tap her nose.
Skylar's eyes sparkled as she suddenly pulled out a crumpled paper bag from her backpack.
"Melissa helped me hide this! Look, Daddy."
Colorful balloons burst out of the paper bag, their ribbons twirling in the air. I noticed for the first time that Skylar was wearing a birthday crown, the ribbon on it scrawled with "Happy Birthday" in childish handwriting. Melissa leaned against the doorway, smiling.
"Skylar insisted on moving her birthday party to the hospital. She even picked out the cake herself, saying she wanted to celebrate with her dad."
A round cake with a chocolate lion on top, its mane made of carefully arranged rainbow candies, sat on the table.
Skylar stood on tiptoe, her backpack slipping off her elbow, and pulled out a tin box from her pink backpack. Inside were four gold-foil-wrapped candles.
"Everyone has to help me put the candles on!"
Skylar looked up, handing out the candles to me, Edward, and Melissa, keeping the last one for herself. Her eyes sparkled with anticipation as she looked at Edward.
"Daddy, it's your first time celebrating my birthday, so you get to put the one in the middle!"
Edward took the candle, using his free hand to gently tap Skylar's nose again, his voice filled with warmth.
"The birthday girl's orders, Daddy will definitely follow!" Edward propped himself up, the strain on his wound bringing a sheen of sweat to his forehead, but he carefully placed the candle on the cake, each movement filled with clumsy yet earnest fatherly love. When the four candles formed a circle around the chocolate lion's head, Skylar suddenly covered Edward's eyes.
"No peeking! I need to make a secret wish!"
Skylar stood on tiptoe and whispered in my ear, her warm breath tickling my cheek.
"I'm making three wishes. The first is for Daddy's wound to heal quickly, the second is to eat cake with Mommy and Daddy every day, and the third..."
Skylar suddenly winked mischievously and nodded towards Edward,
"That's a secret!"
Edward stayed still, his eyes covered, but a smile played on his lips, feeling Skylar's breath close to his ear.
Skylar's eyelashes cast a gentle shadow on her cheeks, the candlelight flickering on the cream dot on her nose. Edward raised his hand to gently wipe away the cream, and they shared a smile, the room filled with warmth.
"Three, two, one!"
With Skylar's clear countdown, the four candles were blown out. She suddenly threw her arms around Edward, the bear charm on her backpack clinking against the bed rail. Edward, despite the pain, caught her with his good arm, settling her on his lap.
"All the wishes of my little warrior will definitely come true!"
"Daddy's crying! How embarrassing!"
Skylar pointed at Edward's teary eyes, her sweet, childlike accusation bringing a round of soft laughter to the room. He quickly wiped his eyes with his free hand, his voice choked with emotion.
"It's my first time celebrating your birthday, I'm just so happy."
Edward hugged Skylar close, carefully avoiding his wound,
"From now on, I'll be here to blow out the candles with you every year."
The impromptu cream fight came out of nowhere. Skylar dipped her finger in the candy mane and smeared it on Edward's face. He laughed and retaliated, but the sudden movement pulled at his wound, mixing his groans with laughter. As I wiped their faces with a napkin, Skylar suddenly leaned over and planted a cream-covered kiss on my cheek.
"Mommy gets one too!"
She then turned and gave Edward a similar kiss, her face full of determination.
"I'll protect Daddy!" She reached for the IV line on Edward's hand,
"Does this hurt? Let me blow on it." Her warm breath brushed his skin, and Edward's eyes reddened as he hugged her tighter.
He struggled to reach under the bedside table and pulled out a wooden music box, the scent of hospital disinfectant clinging to it.
"This is Daddy's birthday gift for you. Turn this."
As the music box played a gentle melody, Skylar's eyes shone like stars. She pressed her cheek to the box, listening intently, her fingers tapping along to the rhythm on Edward's hand.
"It's a magic box that sings!" Skylar held the music box up to me.
"Listen, Mommy! It sounds like the ducks dancing in the pond when we went to the park!" She then turned and hugged Edward's neck, her braid brushing his chin,
"Daddy's gifts are the best! I'll keep it by my pillow so I can listen to it every night!"
Melissa handed out slices of cake, the sweet scent of chocolate mixing with the lilies in the room. Skylar focused on feeding cake crumbs to her bear charm, mumbling about telling her classmates that "Daddy is a superhero."
Sunlight filtered through the blinds, casting tiny specks of light on the IV line. Edward watched Skylar's profile, his eyes filled with a newfound tenderness and determination.
The leaves rustled outside, and the sunlight danced through Skylar's hair, casting golden spots on Edward's pale face. The IV line swayed gently with their embrace, as if echoing the unexpected warmth that filled the room.
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