Epilogue One: Liam
“I swearto god I’m going to rip it off and mount it on the wall,” she growls, glaring at me, her teeth gritted, her body straining and sweat dripping down her brow.
I grin, amused by her creativity. I should be scared to death because if there’s anyone that could do what she’s describing it’s my fiery little wife.
I run a cool cloth over her forehead and keep my mouth shut. She’s not in the mood to listen to me right now and I know it. I’m not an idiot.
The machine ratchets up again and I hear her groan, struggling and straining.
“Here we go, Candy! Just another little contraction. Blow out your air and breathe through it. Breathe into it. Don’t let yourself get rolled over by it. You’re in charge here. Not your body.”
The midwife coaches her through the contractions while my wife groans and eyes me askance.
“You’re doing great, baby girl. You’ve got this. It’s all you.”
She huffs out a breath and growls, “Of course it’s all me. I don’t see you down here with your legs spread, trying to push a watermelon out a hole the size of a golf ball.”
I snort and cover my face, trying not to bust out laughing. It won’t go over well.
“Don’t you dare laugh at me,” she grunts and grinds down on my hand.
“Never, baby. I’ve got you and you’ve got this.”
“Right. I’ve got this.”
The machine starts beeping again and she groans, tensing in my arms.
Her large eyes shoot up to mine, fear in her sky-blue gaze. “I don’t know if I can do this. I’m so tired.”
I push the sweat-soaked hair off her forehead, kissing her lips lightly. Soothing both of us.
“Trust me, baby girl. You are a warrior. You’ve got this. You can kick this shit. Labor’s gonna be your bitch!”
Both the nurse and the midwife snort with laughter. “Okay, let’s do this, Candy. I know you can give me a big, long push. One big, long push should do it, Candy. And then you’ll be holding your little baby in your arms and you’ll finally find out what they are.”
A grim, stern look crosses my wife’s face and she sits up, letting me slide behind her in the bed. I help her get set up and she bears down, her teeth grinding hard, her body tensed and straining.
“Aaah!” she screams, then relaxes panting. Then she bears down hard, so tense, fighting her own body to bring this new life into the world.
A small wail echoes through the room and the midwife stands up with a blue-tinged baby covered in white stuff, just barely looking human.
“She’s here! Your little baby girl!”
Tears well up and pour down Candy’s cheeks. “A girl?” she whispers. “We’ve got a little girl.”
The smile on my face hurts it’s so big. I’ve got a daughter. A little baby girl that I hope is the spitting image of her beautiful mama.
Candy’s eyes close and my heart clenches when I see how tired and frail she looks.
“Are you okay, princess?”
Her pale lips curl. “I’m so alright.” Her eyes drift shut and her body relaxes into the bed while the medical personnel work to get her and our baby cleaned up.
“You ready to hold your little girl?” the midwife asks with a soft smile.
“I am.”
She settles her in my arms and I smile. The blue eyes. Lord, she’s a beauty. I can already see she’s the spitting image of her mama. She’s gonna have boys dropping in at all hours trying to get her attention.