I held her while the asshole who seemed to be hard of hearing walked along beside us offering me a wheelchair. We took all five elevators to the top floor. “Shit, I didn’t even know this was here and my dad worked here my whole life.” Colt looked around when we stepped out onto the floor that looked more like a luxury hotel than a hospital.
“All hospitals have these, well the ones in most major cities anyway.” I should know, I’d locked down the one at Lenox Hill months ago for the month of her due date. I put her on the bed in the private room while the others stayed outside.
“I have to call mom.” Justine’s gonna be pissed. I stepped away but kept her in my sights and pulled my phone to make the call.
“Mom, Cierra just went into labor.”
“I’ll be right there.”
“No mom, we’re not home, we’re still in uncle Mallory’s neck of the woods.” She hung up the phone on me. “Mom?” I shook my head and walked back over to my wife. Knowing her, she’s either going to browbeat Wilson into getting her here, or she’s going to hop on the first flight out.
I called Wilson to check in and was reassured that her doctor, the one I’d chosen because she was the best in the field, was already on her way. Colt’s doctor showed up half an hour after we got there and got right down to business.
“I have her records here.” I pulled them up on my phone and passed it to her, all the while she kept giving me looks. Some time today lady. “I see, well there are no preexisting conditions so I think everything should go smoothly.” She moved over to the bed.
“What are you doing?”
“I have to check her vitals sir.” Is this chick laughing at me? At least Cierra wasn’t looking so drawn now that she was here and that helped to untie the knots in my gut.
“How’s she doing?” Some kinda look passed between them and my wife smiled up at me. “Hank, honey I can really go for some ice chips, will you get some for me?”
“You want me to leave you now?”
“It’ll only take a second.”
Shit! “Okay, I’ll be right back.” I walked out of the room just in time to see my cousin Travis and uncle Mallory walking in. Well shit, mom didn’t waste any time.
“Uncle Mal.”
“Hank my boy, long time no see, how’s it going?”
“How’d you get here so fast?” He chewed on the lit cigar that I was sure wasn’t allowed in here but I’m not gonna be the one to tell him that.
“Your mother, my sister called me screaming bloody murder. When I finally got her to calm down she told me my niece in law had gone into labor and I was to get my ass her pronto and oversee things.”
“When your mother calls I move. So where are we with this thing? The kid here yet?”
“Pop, come and sit down, and put that thing out.” Travis tried to corral him while I went in search of ice.
Todd
“Why don’t you two go on outside, we’ve got this all under control.” I looked around the room at all the babies and wondered how these three women were going to handle it. Granted the triplets were the only ones mobile, since Zakira and Cody were in the backyard with the boys, but still.
“Are you sure, I don’t think…”
“Of course we’re sure. We have these men here to help out if things get messy, you two go along and enjoy your day.” I looked at Caitlin to see if she agreed and she just shrugged and took my hand to lead me out of the room.
“Call us if you need us grandma Elena.” She called back over her shoulder. “Come on Todd, we won’t go far, I can still hear them from the swing.”
I felt jumpy, out of my element, there was a strange sense of excitement in the air left over from what had just happened no doubt.
We walked out to the swing and sat. I could hear the kids on the other side of the yard playing and it felt surreal to be here with her like this. I knew what was up, it was the first time in four years that I didn’t feel like I was standing on a precipice. There was nothing standing in our way now. I’d won the battle for my girl’s hand. Now all I have to do is take care of her for the rest of my life.
“Why are you being so quiet?” I inhaled the scent of her hair and enjoyed the feel of the sun on my face.
“Babe, do you know what today is? It’s the first day of the rest of our lives. I’ve only been home two days and already everything I’ve ever wanted is now mine. It’s gonna take me a minute to come down.”