Bittersweet Catastrophe (Second Chances #2.5) (20 page)

“Thanks, Mrs. Dav–” She cocked her eyebrow, and I quickly corrected myself, grinning as I tested out her new title. “Mom.”

“You’re welcome, hon. You know we’re always here for you. You’re not alone in this.” She wrapped her arms around me, pulling me in for a hug, and I did the same back. “Now, why don’t we go check on that daughter of mine? Last I heard, she was complaining about the hospital food and threatening to break out of here and sneak off to Taco Bell.”

I shook my head, snorting out a laugh, but was I surprised to hear that? Not even a little bit. The food really did suck here. I was contemplating sneaking out to get some real grub myself.

“Told you they got it from their mother.”

And apparently their father, too.

When we got back to the maternity ward, I could hear Liberty’s laughter filtering down the hallway, and when we stepped into the room, her father, Maddie, Brett, and even the nurse on duty, were doubled over with tears in their eyes.

“Did we miss something?”

Liberty scooted over, patting the bed beside her. “We were just joking around about implants. Do you think the doctor would be cool with giving me double D’s?”

Brett slapped his knee, chuckling boisterously.

“You think that’s funny? ‘Cause I’m about two seconds away from laying into you, man. I don’t appreciate you gawking at my wife’s tits.”

“Hey, I’m only going to have them for a few more hours, so gawk away, Brett!” She waved her arms in the air, as though celebrating her last night with natural breasts. The way she acted so nonchalant about it really unnerved me. I wondered if that was just her way of coping with her impending surgery, or if the gravity of what was to come hadn’t hit her yet.

“Would you guys mind stepping out for a few minutes?” All eyes flew to me, and I nodded toward the door.

“Is everything okay? Are the babies all right?” “Liberty sat up quickly and hissed in pain, still tender from her incision.

“They’re fine, sweetheart.” I cupped her cheek, kissing away the furrowed look on her face. “Relax. I just want a moment alone with you.”

Everyone quickly filed out of the room, and Liberty’s father patted me on the back as he passed me by. “I don’t think she’s handling this very well. Go easy on my daughter,” he lowered his voice so only I could hear.

“That’s what I figured.” I nodded in agreement. “I’ll see if I can get her to open up to me. I don’t want her going through this with an unclear mind.”

“Good luck, son.”

I leaned my head against the door after shutting it behind him and released a heavy sigh. I had no idea what I was going to say to her, but I couldn’t just let it go. She was far too happy for someone about to go under the knife and lose a part of her she could never get back.

Glancing back at her laying on the bed, with her head turned and gazing out the window, I caught the split second when her smile fell. She didn’t notice me watching her, but I caught it. That fear I’d been looking for was buried somewhere deep within her. As I put one foot in front of the other and sank down on the bed beside her, she turned back to me, and the mask had been put back in place.
She isn’t fooling me.

“How are you feeling, babe?” I weaved my fingers though her hair, and she smiled up at me complacently.

“Surprisingly good. My incision is still a little sore, and it itches like hell, but I’m just ready to get this show on the road. The sooner I get this over with, the sooner I can get home and be with my babies.” She reached up and traced her fingers along my cheek and down my jaw, enjoying the fresh layer of stubble. “I can’t wait to bring them home, Shayne.”

“I know, sweetheart. Doctors said it should only be another three weeks for them. They’ve gotten so big over the last week. I’m thinking it might be sooner. I’m telling ya, that Liam is a tank!”

Liberty giggled into my side, and I wrapped my arm around her, pulling her close. “Considering the amount you eat, I think we’re going to need a second fridge just for him alone.” She looked up at me with nothing but pure, unadulterated love in her eyes. “He’s gonna grow up to be big and strong like his daddy.”

I swept the hair out of her eyes and bent down to capture her lips. Even lying in this bed, wearing a hospital gown and no makeup, she was still the most beautiful woman I’d ever laid eyes on. “Think you’re up for a shower?”

“Hmm, that sounds heavenly. Will you help me up?”

I climbed out of the bed and held my hands out for her. She winced as she swung her legs over the side, and then let out a deep, victorious breath when she finally managed to get to her feet. “For not having squeezed two babies out of my vagina, I really didn’t think I’d be this sore.”

“Babe, they literally had to slice you open to get them out. I can’t imagine that would feel good.”

“Ugh, well I can only imagine how I’ll feel after tomorrow,” she groaned.

I led her into the bathroom and got the temperature of the water just right before helping her remove her hospital gown. She grabbed hold of the metal bar along the tiled wall of the shower and turned back to me, “I think I’ve got it from… What are you doing?”

I lifted my shirt up over my head and slid my jeans down, kicking them aside
. 
“What does it look like I’m doing?” I stepped in behind her and reached for the shampoo. “I’m helping the gorgeous…” Brushing her hair over to one side, I rained kisses across her shoulder. “…sexy…” My lips trailed up her neck, tracing my tongue behind her ear. “…mother of my children take a shower. Got a problem with that?”

I lathered up the shampoo in my hands and massaged it into her long auburn hair. She fell back against my chest and moaned pleasantly as the corners of her mouth pulled up into a satisfied grin. “I could definitely get used to this.” She craned her neck to look back at me. “So, does this make me a milf now?”

I chuckled under my breath and turned her around to rinse her hair. “Damn right it does.”

She stretched up on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around my neck, delivering a long, drawn out kiss that had the big man down below coming to attention. “Glad that even with all of the stretch marks, scars, and this hideous belly pooch, you still find me just as attractive.”

“Sweetheart…none of that has changed who you are on the inside. You’re still the same woman I fell in love with that day you crashed into my arms on the beach, and you’re still just as beautiful, if not more. You’re physical beauty isn’t what defines you.” I cradled her cheek and pressed my lips to the corner of her mouth. “It’s your heart, and you have the biggest heart of anyone I know.”

Spinning her back around so that she was facing away from me, I poured some of her vanilla body wash in my hands and caressed the suds into her soft skin. I massaged it into her shoulders and back, rubbing out her sore, aching muscles, before snaking my arms around her waist and cupping her full breasts. Her body reacted to my touch, as I knew it would, but it was only a matter of seconds before her chin dipped down, and a soft cry filled the tiny space around us.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” I tucked my finger beneath her chin, but she tried to turn away. “Talk to me.”

“I’m scared, Shayne,” she finally admitted. “What if something happens during the surgery tomorrow? What if they find out that it has developed into cancer? What if it’s spread? What if–”

I crashed my lips against hers, cutting her off before she could get another word out. She kissed me back just as hard and dug her fingers into my biceps, as though she were afraid to let me go. “Life is full of what ifs. If it turns out that it is cancer, we’ll fight it. Together.” I leaned my forehead against hers, and her grip on me tightened. “I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart. I’ll be by your side through it all, the good and the bad. I won’t let this tear us apart.”

“I love you, Shayne.” She pressed her lips against my chest, and her warm breath filled me with hope. “Promise…promise me that whatever happens…”

“The only promise I’m going to make is to bring you and our babies home when this is all over and spend the rest of my days loving you and growing old with you.” Kissing the top of her head and tucking her beneath my chin, I made sure she couldn’t see the emotions warring within me, because I knew it wasn’t a promise I could keep.

I held her in my arms until the water cascading around us grew cold, at which point we dried off and climbed back into bed together. There wasn’t much room for the two of us, but we made it work, even if it meant having my beautiful wife’s body pressed up against me and softly snoring in my ear. I closed my eyes, knowing sleep wouldn’t come to me tonight, but I prayed that I could spend a lifetime with her, however long that might be, doing exactly this.

Liberty stirred next to me, her back to my chest, and her ass rubbing against my erection. God, there was nothing better in this world than waking up beside her and feeling her warm, naked body perfectly molded around me. I carefully reached across her waist, hoping not to wake her, but was hit with a sudden wave of nausea. She was so cold, so stiff…lying lifeless in my arms.

No.

“Shayne,” I heard her call out to me, but something sounded off in her voice, as though she were drowning and being pulled further under. I couldn’t even be sure it was really her.

“Shayne, wake up.” Someone shoved my shoulder, nearly knocking me flat on my ass, and I bolted upright to find several pairs of eyes staring back at me.
Fuck, I didn’t even remember falling asleep.

“Jesus, man, it’s like trying to wake the dead,” Brett said jokingly, and I glared at him for his choice of words. “You all right? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, but they quickly shot back up to him. “How long have I been out?”

“Luckily, just long enough. Looks like you slept through the whole surgery. The surgeon just came by looking for you a few minutes ago to let you know they’re taking Liberty up to recovery now.”

“Why the hell did you wait until now to tell me?” I stood, pushing him out of my way.

“Easy, man. Like I said, you sleep like the dead. I’ve been trying to wake you up for the last five minutes.”

“Did he say what room they were taking her to?”

“Three-oh-seven…” he rambled off as I ran to the elevators.

Just as I was about to enter the elevator on the left, Dr. Ramesh was exiting the one on the right. “Ah, Mr. Thompson, glad to see you’re awake.” He walked up to me, extending his hand, and I gave it a firm shake.

“How’s she doing?”

“Your wife is doing just fine.” He smiled warmly. “She’s still under anesthesia, but she should be waking up very soon. You can go up and wait with her now if you’d like. Sometimes it’s better for the patient to have someone familiar there when they wake up.”

The tension in my shoulders dissipated, and I was flooded with a sense of relief. “Did…did you find anything…”
God, please tell me he didn’t.

He paused for a moment and nodded solemnly. “Your wife is very lucky. Not many women catch this so early on.” He gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze just as his pager went off. “I’ll be back to check up on her in an hour. If she’s in any pain when she wakes up, just buzz the nurse’s station, and they’ll give her something to help relieve it.”

“Thanks, Dr. Ramesh.”

I went up to the third floor, and as I quietly entered her room, there was a nurse taking her temperature. She smiled and pulled a chair up next to the bed. “Good timing. She’s just starting to wake up.”

I took my time moving around to the other side of the bed, but I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. She looked so small and fragile. I held my breath, afraid to even breathe near her. “Is..is it okay if I hold her hand?”

“Of course. Just be careful not to tug on any of the tubes or wires.” She quickly jotted something down in her chart before shuffling out of the room.

As I sat down beside her, I gingerly took her hand in my mine and pressed my lips to the center of her palm, relieved to find it warm and still full of life. “It’s time to wake up, sweetheart. Let me see those big brown eyes I love so much.”

Her fingers began to twitch against the stubble on my chin, and I watched the corner of her mouth pull up. “Shayne?” she rasped out, slowly peeling her eyes open.

“There’s my girl.” I leaned over and planted a kiss on her lips. “How are you feeling?”