“Oh, there you are, I swear you don’t know how to answer this thing,” Mom tries to pin it on me. Larissa and I both laugh at mom in all her craziness.
“Hi,” I say.
“Hey, Grammie,” Larissa says to my mom and it brings tears to my mother’s eyes. Shit, her and Larissa really got close today. I’m thankful as fuck though. I’ll be going out of town after the baby is born. It’s something I can’t reschedule and it’s in fucking California, of all places. I could kick Declan’s ass for that.
“Sweet, sweet, sweet girl. Mack, get your butt over here,” Mom grumbles.
“I’m coming, woman. These bones aren’t as good as they used to be,” he grouses back. Mack isn’t my biological father, but he’s the one that changed my mom in the best imaginable way. Our relationship was stilted for years until she got away from my biological father. I’m grateful to call Mack my father. In the past year we’ve all gotten closer.
“We have the news if you two are ready to hear it?” I question with a quirk of my eyebrow.
“If you keep me waiting any longer, I’ll be at your house banging the door down,” Mom huffs out.
“Yeah, yeah. You want to tell them together?” I ask Larissa.
“Yes, let’s do that!” she exclaims.
“One, two, three…We’re having a BOY!” we both yell out with excitement.
“Oh Jake, my boy,” Mack says with emotion.
“A little boy, a sweet baby boy. I’m so thankful. Everything looks good?” my mom asks.
“Yes, everything does. She can go into labor anytime now. So, keep your phone near you, just in case,” I say with a smile.
“Thank you both for including us. We love you guys,” Mack says, and mom nods her head in agreement. I see the silent tears rolling down her cheeks.
The buzzer goes off from the door and I tell them, “We gotta go, dinner is here. Love you guys,” I hang up the phone and tell Larissa, “Stay here. Keep your feet up. I know you’re tired.”
“Okay, but I don’t mind helping,” her eyes never leave mine. She always makes eye contact with me and I have to say, I fucking love it.
“Let me spoil you, Baby,” I tell her as I make my way to the door.
Chapter Fourteen
Larissa
It’s two days later when it happens. I woke up in severe pain. More than just the back pain they warn you about. I could barely walk or breathe. I sit up and slide my legs over the side of the bed and a light instantly turns on.
“What’s wrong?” Jake asks.
“I think, uh, we need to head to the hospital,” I barely breathe out. Talking is now hard. This is happening a lot faster than all of the books said it would. They said to be prepared for a long labor for your first child.
“Are you sure?” I know he means well, but the pain that is ramping up isn’t helping me.
“I’m freaking sure,” I breathe through the contraction somehow.
He’s up and getting dressed, grabbing our bags and the diaper bag. I hear him throw it down by the front door and then he’s back helping me get dressed.
“What do you want to wear?” I look down at the nightgown I’m wearing. I don’t want to change, but I can’t wear this and slippers outside. The weather is starting to change and it’s getting colder at night.
“Leggings, a shirt, and my deck shoes.” I want to be as comfortable as possible.
“Grabbing them now, then I’ll help you get dressed.” He runs into the closet and comes back quickly. I go to stand up when another contraction hits me.
“Shit, that hurts,” I grumble. Jake whips my nightgown up and over my head. I’m naked underneath and I’m not dealing with undergarments at this point.
“Fuck, you need a bra. Hold on,” he says as he turns to leave. I reach for his wrist, “Jake, no. I won’t be able to handle it constricting me.”
He throws my shirt up and over my head and helps me get into it. Then he drops down on his knees, as he helps guide my leggings up my legs. Then he’s helping me stand to finish dressing me. I slide my feet in my shoes and then we’re both walking to the door.
I’m breathing through the excruciating pain and I’m cussing every pregnancy book I can at this point, though it’s all in my head. I can see Jake is frazzled enough. I don’t want to make it worse.
“Ready?” he asks. I nod my head yes and step onto the elevator with him as he carries the bags. Thankfully, we put the car seat in his truck the other day. He was grumbling the whole time saying it was time to turn my piece of shit car into mincemeat. I simply said, “We have more important things to deal with right now, than a car.” He shut up after that.