Consumed by Truths (Truth or Lies 6)

Beckett grabs a towel as I help her stand. I dry her off with the towel and offer her a shirt to wear, but she definitely doesn’t care about modesty right now.

It takes us forever to walk the five feet to the bedroom, but finally, we make it.

“Kai, we think the babies are coming. Do you feel like pushing?” I ask.

“Yes,” she screams, like that sounds like the best idea.

I help her onto the bed, hoping it's the right thing to do. Women give birth in beds, right?

She lays back and bends her knees, but after one contraction in that position, Kai is completely uncomfortable.

“Try getting on all fours or squatting,” Beckett says.

I give him a dirty look, not happy with him seeing Kai naked or telling her to get on all fours.

He laughs, which at least relaxes the two of us a tiny bit. Kai barely acknowledges that either of us is here. She gets on all fours and starts pushing with the next contraction.

“Is a baby coming?” Kai moans.

“Yes, oh my god! I can see hair,” I say.

I keep rubbing her back and watching for the babies, while Beckett moves to her head, rubbing her shoulders gently.

“Fuck, this hurts!” Kai screams.

“You got this, baby. Only a few more minutes and the babies will be here,” I say.

She looks up at Beckett and must give him a dirty look because he looks terrified.

“What can I do? Should I kiss you like you kissed me?” he asks, trying to get her to relax.

She moans, “Not helping, Beckett.”

“Sorry, sorry.”

But I catch the corner of her smile, and I know his joke helped her just a little.

She takes a deep breath as she gets a break from the contractions. When another contraction hits, she cries out.

“Push, baby. You have to push,” I say.

Beckett rubs her back, and I prepare to catch the first baby.

“One more push. You are so fucking strong, Kai.”

She pushes, and I catch the first baby in my arms.

Suddenly, everyone goes silent. All eyes are on me as I cradle the baby.

“Is the baby…” Kai asks, terrified to ask if the baby is alive or dead.

But then the baby cries loudly at the top of her lungs, and we all breathe in relief.

Beckett stands and grabs some scissors he brought from the medical room to me. I cut the cord. And then I hand him the baby, which he immediately wraps in a blanket and shows to Kai who strokes her little face with happy tears in her eyes.

“She’s beautiful.”

But then another contraction makes her focus again.