105.

                                    

                                          
They got another hour alone together before a nurse knocked on the door again to check on them. The nurse who had been there at the delivery peeked inside.
                          
"How is everything?" she asked, smiling even wider when she saw Brett holding Elise with Eddy's arm around them both. 
                          
"Still haven't gotten any replies from any grandparents, but otherwise alright," Eddy responded, straightening up slightly. The nurse nodded and looked at her watch. 
                          
"It is dinnertime after all," the nurse smiled, closing the door behind her. "Are you two alright to fill out some papers? Confirmation that you'll be taking her and all that?" 
                          
Brett looked up at Eddy who gave him a quick nod. 
"Yeah," Brett confirmed, standing up to put Elise in her crib to have his hands free. 
                          
"If it's okay with you, it's easier if we go to Leonora's room to fill in everything. We'll drop Elise by the nursing station on the way, where I'm sure the nurses will be thrilled to look after her for a bit," the nurse smiled and Eddy furrowed his brows. 
                          
"Why can't she come too?" 
                          
The nurse shifted slightly before answering. 
"Leonora has asked not to see her." 
                          
Brett opened his mouth to say something but quickly shut it again. He got her.
"That's her choice. We'll respect that," Brett nodded, and Eddy turned quickly to look at him. 
                          
"There's... There's no way I'll just leave her somewhere? What if she needs something? If she cries?" Eddy said, sounding almost confused at the fact that leaving Elise at the nurse's station for the minutes filling out the documents would take was okay with Brett. 
                          
"There is always at least one nurse at the station, so she'll be cared for every minute," the nurse tried to assure him, but Eddy still looked hesitant. Brett took a step over to him d kissed his cheek softly.
                          
"Love, these people know what they're doing. She'll be fine."
                          
Eddy looked from the nurse to Elise to Brett before biting his lip and nodding  quietly. He was not comfortable with it at all, but it felt like he had to be fine with it.
                          
A few minutes later they stood outside the room where Leonora was recovering. Eddy kept looking over his shoulder to try and see if someone was running off with Elise or if he could hear her crying, but Brett pulled him into the room by his hand before anything happened.
                          
Leonora looked tired where she was sitting in the hospital bed, but mostly she seemed alright. Her mother looked like she still wanted to rip their heads off, though. 
                          
"Hey," she said with a tiny smile, scratching her cheek. "How's life as parents?"
                          
Brett couldn't help but smile at the question, and squeezed Eddy's hand before answering.
"Pretty good so far. She's perfect," Brett said as they sat down in some chairs the nurse prepared for them.
                          
"Good, good. That's all I need to hear," she sighed, turning to the nurse who looked like she wanted to say something.
                          
"We have prepared the papers for you, and when they're signed it's final. You'll also have to fill out her name here," the nurse explained, showing Brett where it should be before handing the papers to him as well as a pen.
                          
Brett quickly read through what the papers said before signing his name on the line that said "biological father" and then passed the papers to Eddy.
                          
Eddy stared at the paper, trying to make sense of the text. "Adoptive parent." That would be him. It felt like another smack in the face, but logically he knew it was correct.
                          
His hand was shaking slightly as he signed his name. This was the very paper that would actually make her his. He passed it on to Leonora.
                          
Leonora stared at the paper for a moment and Brett could feel the knot in his stomach tighten when he spotted the single tear run down her cheek. Her mom leaned closer to her, trying to give her a hug, but Leonora shrugged her off. 
"Please promise me to always do your best for her," Leonora whispered, locking eyes with Brett for a moment before moving to Eddy. "Please."
                          
Eddy nodded, swallowing hard.
"Of course. We promise," he half whispered, reaching for Brett's hand again. "Thank you for everything you've done."
                          
Leonora sniffled and wiped her tears before nodding and signing the papers with a determined face. Her mother cried next to her.
                          
"You'll need to fill out her full name," the nurse reminded them gently, sounding pretty touched herself. Brett and Eddy's eyes met for a moment, having one of those silent conversations that nobody else understood.
                          
"Chen," Brett said after a while, and Eddy took a deep breath.
                          
"You're sure?"
                          
"Yes."
                          
Eddy pulled Brett into a tight hug, kissing his cheek before letting go.
"You're the best," he whispered as he watched Brett fill in her full name.
                          
Elise Chen.