“And we’re out of it.” The doctor was reading the chart but I was still wondering how the kid knew before the damn machine, so I asked. “How did you know?
“Because her tummy got really-really hard, now it’s soft again, see.” She took my hand and placed it on Cierra’s abdomen.
“May I go get my camera now uncle Hank? It’s going to be soon.”
“You didn’t bring it in with you?”
“That would be rude. I was gonna watch but I wouldn’t tape it if you didn’t want me to.” She skipped out of the room.
“That is one special little girl.” I was talking to my wife but the doctor butt in. “And to think, I delivered her.” Like she was the one responsible.
“Okay, it’s been a couple hours you can get up and walk around, you don’t have to stay in bed if you don’t want to.”
I looked at her like she was nuts. “We’re still latent not active, maybe moving around would help.”
“You wanna walk?”
“I want ice cream.” I looked to the doc for direction, I don’t remember covering this one.
“How about a popsicle?” The doc offered.
“I want praline ice cream.” Whoa, where did that come from?
“Okay, I’ll get you ice cream.” I helped her up from the bed after the doc unhooked the shit they had stuck onto her and walked her to the door.
“Lyon, she needs ice cream.”
“I’m on it.”
“Hold it, I’ll get someone.” Uncle Mallory who was working on another cigar pulled out his phone. “What kind?”
“Praline!”
“Jacob, get me some praline ice cream. I don’t know, get me what you find.” Oh shit, did he just tell one of his goons to get him all the praline ice cream he could find?
“I hope all of you like praline ice cream.” I addressed the room.
My fucking uncle! I know why mom sent him here though. He’s sure to keep me grounded with his shit. Travis hadn’t said two words since he showed up, other than to tell his dad to behave a time or two. For a man who’s done what he has for the better part of fifty years, he sure does give way to his son a lot. Two peas in a pod.
Todd
It’s been hours since the others left and we’ve been back and forth inside keeping an eye on the babies and her brothers who’d gone inside to play video games. Little Cady had latched onto me again when it was naptime and I’d put her in her crib while Caitlin helped her grandmothers put the others down.
The men, her grandpas, had taken over dinner duty and I was amazed that they’d done such a good job keeping all those babies happy. “You look good!” She was holding Lawton Jr. in her arms trying to get him to go to sleep after his mother had come back to feed him only to head back to the hospital again.
These women are very well organized if you ask me, I would’ve lost my mind already. “You think so?” Yeah, she looked cute as hell, which could be dangerous. Growing up in a small town, teenage pregnancy isn’t the same as it is in big cities where people freak out over that stuff.
And after spending time around Jace and his twins I’ve gotten a firsthand look at what that can be like. Seeing her with her siblings and now this is giving me ideas, but that’s a step I’m not sure we’re ready to take.
I don’t know what it is, but since this morning’s shopping trip my mind has been moving at warp speed. Now that our only obstacle is out of the way I want to move ahead, a lot of lost time to make up for. It’s like his giving the okay had given me leave to release everything that I’ve kept pent up inside for all these years.
Now I can look at my girl and want her without having to keep myself in check. “Come ‘ere.” I pulled her to me with the baby between us and covered her lips with mine. I’ll tell you what, holding your woman with a kid in her arms between you two, gives you lots of freaky ideas.
I knew we were in trouble when my erection sprang up hard and fast. The shit has just been waiting for an excuse. I’ve never let her feel me before, or see that she’d gotten to me any of the times that she has. That was all dead now! His ass is about to show out.
She couldn’t feel it because the kid was keeping some space between us, but damn, the temptation was there. “If you don’t plan to have sex with me in my daddy’s house then you shouldn’t kiss me like that.” I smiled against her lips. Feisty!
“It sucks that our first official day as a couple has to be like this, I’m sorry.”