Stepbrother's Gift

She sighed and checked her watch. “He's in a meeting. That's why we're sitting here in the coffee shop waiting for him.”

I pointed to my stomach. “I don't think he knows Daddy's busy right now. Just drive me to his office and I'll go get him.”

Anne opened her mouth to object, but I crumpled as another wave of contracting pain stole every breath and coherent thought from me. It was supposed to get worse than this? I wasn't sure how people survived this.

“Get in the car.” Anne said as she paled a little. “You just keep getting stronger and more close together. At this rate, I'm scared your going to just pop right here in the middle of the shop.”

I took her hand and she walked me out to her car. Luckily, she was parked directly in front of the shop.

I was glad she had agreed to escort me around. Since three days ago, James had been paying Anne to be with me when he couldn't. He also made sure that there was always a car of some sort available within a few feet of wherever I was. At first I had thought it was overkill, but now, I was incredibly grateful.

Anne gunned the engine. “You sure you don't want to just go to the hospital? James can meet us there.”

“HIS OFFICE!” I yelled.

“Yes, ma'am,” Anne replied. “Note to self, never argue with a woman giving birth.”

She floored it and arrived at the entrance to James' office in record time. I suspected she was afraid I would give birth right there in the car if she didn't hurry.

I unbuckled my seat-belt and opened my door.

“How about I just go get him?” she offered. I shot a death glance at her. “Okay, never mind. I'll wait here.” She put her hands up on the

steering wheel and looked straight ahead.

I waddled into the front lobby of James' office building, feeling like I'd never even fit through the doorway.

Audrey was sitting at the main desk, her eyes going wide as soon as she saw me. It was the same desk Lauren used to work at, but Audrey now ruled it like a queen. I remembered seeing Lauren's picture in the paper when she was indicted. Not only had she violated her non-disclosure agreement and sold the pictures of James and I for a mere hundred grand, she had also stolen fifty thousand dollars of advertising money from the company. She was in big, big trouble.

I like Audrey at that desk much better.

“Where is he?” I growled, holding my belly and hoping I didn't dissolve into another contraction in the middle of the lobby.

“In the meeting room.” Audrey pointed across the lobby.

I nodded, already halfway there. I needed James to be there when I had this baby. If it hurt this bad already, there was no way I was going to be able to do this without his encouragement.

I nearly kicked open the door to his meeting room. At first, he turned and glared at the intruder until he saw it was me. Of course, that was when another contraction hit. I crumpled forward, trying to visualize a flower opening or some other nonsense that was supposed to help with the pain.

“Is it time?” he asked, ignoring his meeting and rushing to my side. I hissed with pain and glared at him.

“Nah, I'm just practicing for a play,” I said when I could finally speak again.

His normally calm face blanched slightly and he took my arm. “Meeting's over,” he called back behind him as we left the conference room.

Anne was bouncing in the driver's seat as James practically carried me to the car. It was almost humorous how much more nervous Anne and James were than I was. This was the part that couldn't be stopped. There was nothing left for me to do now but survive the pain and push, though from the nervous flutterings of Anne and James, it seemed a lot more important.

I didn't pay attention to the drive to the hospital. I didn't pay attention to the nurse as I changed into a hospital gown. I focused on breathing and pushing. Somewhere along the line, that flower visualization suddenly was the most important thing I could think of.

James held my hand the whole time. He never left me, not even for a bathroom break. He kept giving me sips of water and making sure my hair was pulled back and out of my eyes. I was in too much pain to focus on much else, but he kept his voice low and soothing. I couldn't have done it without James.

Finally, finally I heard the cry as my son took his first breath. His tiny shriek at being exposed to the world filled the room and my heart. I'd never heard anything so beautiful.

“He's here,” James whispered. He took the scissors from the doctor and cut the umbilical cord. The nurse wrapped our son in a blanket and handed him back to James. “He's so beautiful.”

The catch in James' voice made my chest ache with joy. There was so much love in his gaze, so much heartfelt wonder at the life we had created together. I loved the smile of absolute parental pride as the man I loved gazed at our son.

“Come meet your mommy, Frankie,” James said softly, bringing him to the head of the bed. I held out my arms, tears of joy streaming down my face. James had insisted on naming him after my father, the man that had supported his business endeavors and taught him the value of a deal. The gesture had almost made Dad forgive him for knocking up his daughter.