Page 24 of Cupid
Which was why I tried not to move at all while he was gone.
Mama C. stopped by with a breakfast burrito and a box of donuts shortly after I woke up. We watched TV together for a few hours before I was able to assure her that I was fine, but I was starting to wonder if that was true.
I wanted it to be true.
I wanted so badly to have an uneventful day, so that Arrow wouldn’t miss a moment of this once-in-a-lifetime milestone. As the hours ticked by, I started to realize that things might be happening faster than I wanted.
I managed to doze off for a few hours in the evening, but when I woke up around nine, I knew I couldn’t wait any longer.
The bed was soaking wet with grossness, and the cramping was unbearable. As previously discussed, I called Arrow’s parents first to let them know it was go-time, and then I called my doctor.
I hated interrupting everyone on Christmas Eve, but there wasn’t much I could do about that.
Our little beach bum was ready to come out—whether his father was there to witness it or not.
Tears welled in my eyes as I considered having the baby without Arrow at my side, but he would get there as soon as he could. I needed to focus on the present, and my present was about to include a bouncing baby boy.
Despite the urgency I needed to move with, I couldn’t resist hopping in the shower for a quick rinse before slipping into a pair of Arrow’s huge sweats and one of his t-shirts. Just because he wasn’t going to be standing beside me didn’t mean I couldn't smell him on me.
I pulled the neckline of his shirt up over my nose and took a big whiff.Please hurry back.
Both of Arrow’s parents showed up at my door just a few minutes later. And a few minutes after that, I was in the backseat of their minivan, practicing the breathing exercises I was told could help manage the pain of labor.
“How are you doing back there, kiddo?” Archie glanced back at me from the driver’s seat. “You need anything?”
My jaw was clenched, as I realized holding my breath and slowly exhaling offered zero relief from the excruciating pain I was in. “You don’t happen to have an epidural handy, do you? If not, any cutting device will do. If we don’t get him out quickly, I’m afraid he’ll claw his way out through my belly button.” Or worse…
“Oh, honey. We’re almost there.” Mama C. reached back and placed her hand on my knee. “I’ve called ahead, and they’ll be waiting for us with a gurney.”
The contraction relaxed long enough for me to take a full breath and rest my head back. “Have you been able to reach your son?” I was afraid that if I said his name, the slim grasp I had on my composure would slip away and I’d burst into tears.
“We’ve sent several messages. Once he has a signal again, he’ll know to meet us at the hospital.” She sighed as if she didn’t believe her own words but wanted to keep my hope alive for a few more minutes. “It’s pretty late. He should be just about done by now.”
I tried to nod but another wave of torture rolled through me, and every muscle in my body tensed up while I did my best to stay conscious. “I’m estimating he has about thirty seconds before he’s too late.”
The van came to a stop, and the door beside me flew open. Like a whirlwind surrounding me, I was ushered out of the van and onto a rolling bed. I tried to focus on my breathing, but it was hard to stay awake.
I was suddenly so tired and just wanted to rest for a minute. There were lots of sounds and voices around me, but they got quieter by the second, as if the volume in the room had been turned down.
That was good. I needed a few minutes of quiet.
It felt like only seconds later that I was roused awake when the nurses transferred me to a surgical bed and began hooking wires and sensors all over me.
There was a window on the far wall, and I glanced out of it, praying to see Arrow pass by. Just as the silly thought entered my mind, there was a slight thud on the roof, and I knew it was him.
I could feel it was him.
My alpha had made it back in time to witness the birth of our baby.
NINETEEN
ARROW
My heart was racing, and I almost didn’t take the time to shift back into my skin after landing hard on the rooftop helipad. It hadn’t stopped trying to beat right out of my chest since I got the texts that Jude was in active labor.
The hospital was small, only two stories high, so as soon as I was on two feet again, I went straight to the operating rooms to find my husband.
My dad was in the waiting area when I ran inside.
