TWELVE
INESSA
The day Bump came, I was pretty sure he knew that if he didn’t take it easy on me, it would kill his papa.
That sounded crazy, but it was true nonetheless.
All the nurses kept on saying how quickly the birth was progressing for a first child and how easy it was. How Bump seemed ready to arrive before even we were.
The only hiccups were between Eoghan and me, not during labor.
We argued when I refused an epidural, and Eoghan almost stepped out of the room when I told him it was my body and my choice.
The second he made to leave, I burst into tears, and he gritted his teeth, returning to my side with a grimace.
Not another word was said about me not having an epidural, but his hand tightened, clamping around mine every time a contraction hit, and he let me abuse his fingers as I screamed through the pain.
With no epidural, it hurt, no word of a lie. I felt like I was being torn in two—which, I guessed, a part of me kind of was.
But it was worth it when Bump was laid in my arms.
When I felt his solid weight against my chest.
He’d been a late baby—I’d had to deal with going six days over my due date—but like his father, when he arrived, he did so in style.
“I can’t believe you wanted me to have a caesarean,” I grumbled as I stared at the pink and white head with the crinkled features staring up at me.
Right now, Bump had a face only his mama would love, but that was fine.
He was all mine.
Well,ours.
But Eoghan had said it himself—Bump was the best parts of me.
“Why would you want to be in pain?” he demanded, even as he was staring down at our kid as if he were the inventor of bleach, my husband’s favorite product in the world.
He had his hands behind his back as he leaned over, peering into the bundle like he was curious, but not that curious where he wanted to touch.
For a man who wasn’t squeamish but whose quirks were severe, I knew all the gunk around Bump had to be discomforting. A part of me just wanted him to get over it, even as another part was grateful that I got to have Bump all to myself for a while.
“I didn’t want to be in pain but I didn’t want to miss out on anything.”
He glared at me. “What were you going to miss out on? A nurse sticking his head between your legs?”
My lips twitched. “Still pissed about that, huh?”
He sniffed. “I asked for a woman nurse.”
I tucked my face against Bump to hide my smile. “I’m surprised you didn’t try to do it yourself.”
“I would have if I could.”
“You’re telling me you don’t know how to help a woman during labor?”
“Of course, but I’m not the best, and that’s all you and Bump will ever get.”
It felt like an orange had lodged itself in my throat.