Poppy's PoV

I couldn't put into words how hard the last few days had been. I felt so happy and full of pride and joy having our little boy in my arms but not being able to breastfeed had really made me down. It was so readily available and easy, yet I had to try and get into a routine and habit of making bottles twenty minutes before I thought he would be hungry in the hope of timing it right. I was gutted, as this was one thing I really wanted to do with my newborn, but I knew it wasn't possible or worth the risk whilst I was going through my treatment. I longed for that bonding time of being close to my baby, watching them feed as I looked down at their innocent face and wondered what they would become in the future, if their features would change at all or if they would look identical when they became a teen. This, however, was one of the many things that were going a different route to our original plan and I was getting used to it.

The initial treatment had been okay, I'd gone to the hospital with the baby and Mali, was hooked up to the chemo and sat in a chair as I waited for the bag of solution to head down the tubes into the cannula stuck in my elbow crease. It seemed to take hours, but luckily with Mali keeping me entertained and our little boy there for cuddles, it went by without feeling painful. Two whole days had passed without any side effects which had made me feel so happy and meant that I could tick off what I wanted to do. Calum was due to be home within the next few hours and with help of all the girls, we'd been tidying it over the last couple of days getting it ready for his return. I was beyond excited, imagining how sweet the feeling was going to be to hug him again, to call him dad for the first time and for the three of us to finally be a family. There had been so much that we had to sort out and get through but the time had finally come and the baby was here. We were going to treasure every moment.

"So... how are you feeling?" Mali-Koa asked carefully as she sipped her tea. I looked down at the coffee in my hands and felt sick just seeing it in my grip. I placed it back on the side table and sighed. I didn't want to worry her, she'd been an absolute angel giving up her own time to help me with our son whilst Calum had been held up and she was finally due to go back home today, to see her boyfriend and friends. The last thing she'd need is the worry of leaving me alone or regret should I get ill.

"Yeah, excited!" I took the chance with ignoring the fact her question could be about the treatment and talked about Calum. "I've really missed Cal, and all the guys to be honest. When I was their nurse I was literally beside them every day of the week, for that to suddenly change to not seeing them at all has been quite a shock!" I let out a little laugh which Mali retaliated.

"I know what you mean. I've known those dorks since they were in school and watched them grow up. Believe me when I say they used to be a lot worse." She shook her head as she sipped her tea again and I envied the fact she could enjoy having a drink without feeling like she was going to puke. Mine remained on the table as it got cold.

"Worse?" I pressed, hoping to distract myself from the nauseating feeling rising from my stomach. I fidgeted a bit as she obliviously continued the conversation.

"Well, they always used to play pranks on each other or make vlogs of them running around hotel rooms wreaking havoc. They would jump into pools with clothes on, stuff their faces with an unreal amount of sweet food and have sugar rushes, lock each other in or out of places. Honestly, it was hilarious but I did feel bad for the security who had to try and keep up with them." Mali reminisced, finishing the last few sips of her tea in quick succession and placing the cup on the side. Suddenly, the key turned in the door and the lock clicked, making us exchange glances as we watched the door slowly open and all four men trudge in, exhausted yet excited to see us.

"Poppy!" Ashton whispered as he ran over, enveloping me in a hug so tight I could barely breathe. Not only was it lung squishing, but stomach squishing too which caused the sickness to rise even more. I faked a smile as I waited to see just how long I could hold out from getting sick. "I didn't want to wake the little one. How is he? How are you?" Ashton was still whispering.

"You can talk normally you know." I said, watching them all straighten as they heard me talk for the first time since my symptoms had gotten worse. They all exchanged glances, obviously worried at how bad I sounded. The hoarseness and scratching feeling felt almost normal to me now. "We're doing great thanks Ash. With lots of help from Mali of course." I praised her from the offset as Luke and Michael also came over and hugged me.

"You're looking really well." Michael added. "For someone who had a baby a few days ago you look good." He smiled and I grinned back, happy to receive a compliment. Luke nodded too, gesturing to the fact I was in my own clothes and not maternity wear.

"Baby!" His voice filled me with happiness and my heart felt like it was swelling as I took him in. He rushed me, hugging me quickly as he kissed me over and over, whispering to me that he was proud of me and how sorry he was he couldn't have been there. As much as I wanted to cherish the moment, I stopped him and pushed him away from me, running off to the bathroom to finally throw up the feeling I'd been holding onto for so long. I gripped the toilet bowl, my insides heaving as I prepared for the worst. "Poppy?" I could sense Calum at the door, watching my every move.

"I'm fine." I said as I wiped my mouth and flushed the toilet, standing up unsteadily as I tried to leave the bathroom and that awful memory of my first side effect of the treatment out of my head. There was barely a moment of silence before the baby began to cry and I weakly went to the nursery. Calum's hand was on my shoulder in an instant.

"I've got this." Calum said, stopping me at the doorway. "You rest. I need to introduce myself to this handsome little guy." With a tired smile, I nodded but held off going to the bedroom until I'd taken in the sight before me.
I watched as Calum walked up to the cot and picked our little baby up for the first time, expressing his happiness as he began to sing with a wide grin, the baby's hand wrapped around his finger as he looked up at his dad. It was such a beautiful moment and one I knew I'd treasure for as long as I lived. Calum had finally met his little boy.