I grabbed onto the edge of the coffee table, letting out a groan that bordered on total agony.
“Oh no, oh no.” Cammy put her hand on my back once more. “Breathe, breathe – it’s going to be OK.”
The pain passed, and I knew it was silly to pretend that it was mere indigestion.
“I’m calling him,” Cammy declared, reaching for her phone. “And there’s no more discussion about it.”
She snatched her phone off the coffee table, got up, and left the room. Another feeling formed in my belly – total anxiety at the idea of Noah coming over and being the one to deliver the twins.
Cammy came back into the room, walking with determined steps.
“He’s on his way. He said just do your best to stay calm, focus on your breathing.”
“Did you tell him about how bad the pain is getting? How it’s happening so quickly?”
She nodded. “I mentioned it. He did tell me to tell you that having twins is a very intense process, so don’t get too worried about how it feels. It’s normal.”
“Okay,” I said, slightly calmed by her words.
“This is all good,” she said. “The twins might be coming a little early, sure. But that just means more time to spend with them, right?” Her eyes flashed with another realization. “Oh! And if you have them now, that means they’ll be a little smaller than they would be later. So, it’ll be easier, in a way.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. Cammy was so good at looking on the bright side of things.
It made me wonder, however, if she’d be able to keep that attitude once she found out that I’d lied to her, that her dad had slept with her best friend, and that her best friend was about to give birth to her siblings.
The thought didn’t have much of a chance to linger in my mind. Another contraction hit, the pain even worse than before. Cammy immediately came over and led me through the breathing. It took a little longer, but the pain worked through just like before.
“Can you…can you text my parents?” I asked, the pain fading and my breath returning. “Tell them Noah’s coming and that we’ll let them know where we go.”
“Got it.” Without another word, Cammy grabbed my phone from the table. I put in my code, and she typed up a quick text. “Whoa, that was fast.” She held up the phone to my face, letting me see that a response from my mom in the family group chat had already arrived.
We’re getting dressed now! Tell us where and when!The text was followed by two baby emojis, along with ten or so hearts.
Knowing that help was on the way did a great deal to ease my mind. Cammy stayed close, only leaving my side to get me a glass of water. The pain in my stomach made even that seem too much to take, but I did my best to force down a few sips.
About fifteen minutes after the call to her dad, Cammy’s phone buzzed on the table. She picked it up and checked the screen.
“Dad just parked – should be here in a few seconds.”
My heart began to race. Noah, the father of my twins, a man who I’d known for years, a man who I’d selfishly slept with, was going to be here in just a moment.
A booming knock sounded at the door, and Cammy ran over to open it.
“Where is she?”
Noah McMurray stood at the entrance to Cammy’s apartment like some sort of giant.
He was dressed in dark jeans, black boots, and a white T-shirt underneath a trucker jacket. He was rugged and handsome and wore an expression on his gorgeous face that made it clear he meant business. His powerful jaw was dusted with copper stubble, and his red hair was highlighted with just a bit more silver than it had been since the last time I’d seen him.
Cammy stepped aside, her small, slender frame only covering up a tiny bit of her father. He latched those green eyes onto me and wasted no time hurrying over and dropping to his knees.
His words came out in his sexy Irish brogue, a small smile on his face. “Twins, huh?”
“Twins.”
He put his hand on my shoulder. Between that and his calming presence, I felt good enough to take on the world.
“You’re about to become a mother.”