Eight Long Years (Heart of Hope 5)

I nodded. “The baby.”

“Oh shit.” He started to the door, turned and rushed back. “You need to come too.”

I laughed. Jude was always so calm, cool and collected so it was funny to see him out of sorts.

“Hey you two,” Cyrus entered the front area. He stopped short when we saw Jude. “Everything alright?”

“Fuck no—”

“I’m having a baby,” I said, tentatively reaching down for my purse again.

“That’s obvious,” Cyrus said with a nod to my belly.

“Now, Cy, she’s having a baby now…Jesus fucking Christ…she’s having it now.”

“Oh shit. Should I call 9-11?” Now Cyrus looked like he was going to run around like a chicken with its head cut off too.

I shook my head. How were these two men Navy SEALs? I slung my purse over my shoulder.

“Take me to the hospital, Jude. I’ll call the doctor on the way.”

“Hospital. Right.” Jude held the door open for me. He grinned like a loon as I passed him out the door. “I’m going to be a dad again.”

I snorted, but tried to be sympathetic. He was doing all this for the first time.

“Keep me posted,” Cyrus called behind us.

In the car, I called the doctor who said she’d meet us at the hospital and then I contacted August to arrange for him to fetch Maya who was in her first week of summer camp that had a strong STEM program as well as all the other fun camp activities.

“Are you feeling good?” August asked. He’d been with me the first time, and I suspect he felt a bit left out this time, but he was managing it well. In fact, he hired our company to investigate a hacking a few months back. While he and Jude weren’t best buddies, they were getting along if only for me and Maya’s sake. Maybe over time that would change. I hoped so.

“Yes. Very ready to have this baby though.”

“Call when you can. I know Maya will be anxious to know if she has a brother or sister.”

“Will do.”

Jude and I opted not to know the gender of the baby. He in particular wanted to experience each new thing as it came.

In the hospital, a nurse took all my vitals and when the doctor arrived, she determined I was about four centimeters dilated. I was a little disappointed because that seemed a long way from ten centimeters which meant I still had a lot of labor ahead of me.

Fortunately, things actually went a little faster, although it was ten times more intense than with Maya. Fast and furious is what it felt like. Whereas I’d been in the hospital for sixteen hours with Maya, within five hours, I was pushing as the end was near.

“Okay April, I think this is it. One more big push and your baby should be here.” My doctor looked over at me. “You ready?”

Jude kissed my head. “You’re doing fantastic, babe.”

I inhaled a breath and geared up to push again. My belly contracted and I levered up, pushing with all the strength I had left.

“That’s it. The baby is coming,” my doctor said. “Keep pushing, April, almost there.”

“You’re doing it baby. You’re amazing.” Jude’s support was wonderful and yet, annoying at the same time. I kept telling myself that he was excited and experiencing all this for the first time. I turned my thoughts inward, and focused on getting this baby out.

I bore down, finding the last bit of strength, and the baby emerged from my body.

“Oh my God,” Jude gasped. “Jesus…it’s so…”

I looked up at him, seeing tears fill his eyes.