Until Series: Box set (118 page)

“I know. I just thought you would relax some after you moved,” he confesses.

“I can’t relax. I still have no clue who was after her or if they still are. Now, with her due date getting closer, I’ve gotten even more nervous. I swear I feel like I’m constantly on edge. I know something’s going to happen. I just don’t know when or how to prepare for it.”

“Has anything happened?”

“No, nothing.” I rub my hand over my face.

“You’re probably just nervous about becoming a dad. When Jenna had Lynn, I was a nervous wreck.”

I’m not nervous about becoming a dad; that’s the one thing I never really worry about. I know that, with Sophie as my kids’ mother, the rest will fall into place. Plus, I have a shitload experience with kids now. I’m not nervous about having my own; I’m ready for that, even knowing how much work it will be.

“How are Jenna and Lynn?” I forgot all about his fiancée and daughter because he never talks about them.

“Jenna is a bitch and Lynn is beautiful.”

“What? I thought you guys were getting married.”

“Yeah, I thought we were getting married too until I found out she was sleeping with her high school sweetheart behind my back,” he growls into the phone.

“Shut the fuck up. She did that?” I knew Jenna had a tendency to act like my old neighbor Deb, but I never imagined her cheating.

“She did. And had been doing it for about six months when I found out.”

“Why didn’t you ever say anything?”

“You mean why didn’t I tell everyone my ex-fiancée was having an affair when she was supposed to be at work? I felt like an idiot, and when I caught on to what was happening, she blamed me and my job, saying I wasn’t around when she needed me.”

“Shit. I’m sorry,” I tell him, rubbing the back of my neck.

“I’m not. I’m glad I found that shit out before I gave her my last name.”

“True, man. How are things with Lynn? She’s what, three now?”

“Perfect. If it wasn’t for her, I would be pissed I wasted so much time on her mother. That’s why I’m tellin’ you Sophie’s safe. You’re just nervous about having not only one, but two kids.”

“It’s not that, man. You’re a cop. You know that feeling you get in your gut when something is off. That’s what I feel. It’s not nerves.” I shake my head.

“You want me to do anything?”

“I don’t think there is anything anyone can do right now. That’s the fucked-up part. I have done all I can to make sure she is safe and that, even if I’m not around, she will be okay.”

“Well, you know if you need me I’m here.”

“Thanks. As soon as I know when I can start, I’ll let you know.”

“Looking forward to it. Everyone’s excited to have Nico Mayson on board. Cap’ wanted me to see about Kenton joining the team too, but I told him that shit was not gonna happen.” He chuckles.

“Yeah, not happening, especially not right now.”

“Why? What’s going on right now?”

“Nothing. Kenton just doesn’t like red tape.”

“Your cousin’s crazy.”

He’s not wrong; Kenton does his own thing and doesn’t like anyone telling him when or how it should be done.

“All right, man. We’ll talk soon.”

“Yeah, man. Talk to you soon.” I hang up, watching Daisy and Goose for a few more minutes before heading inside to check on Sophie. I still have that feeling in my gut, and I have no idea what I’m going to do to get rid of it, but I want it gone before my kids are born.

*

“Goose, what the
fuck?” I yell, chasing him up the stairs to where Sophie is supposed to be taking a nap. The moment I get to the second floor and look down the hall towards our bedroom, I see the giant dog scraping the door, trying to get inside. “What the hell?”

I run to the door, swinging it open. Sophie’s on the floor, her body wrapped around her belly. Her face is red and sweaty, and tears are running down her face onto the hardwood floors.

“Baby.” I get down on my knees in front of her, running a hand over her head.

“Something’s wrong!” she cries out, wrapping herself tighter around her belly.

“Are you having contractions?”

“Yes, but I think there’s something wrong,” she cries harder, her body trembling. My first instinct is to pick her up and get her to the car, but something is off, and I don’t want to make this worse for her.

“I don’t think I should move you,” I tell her, grabbing the phone off the nightstand and dialing 911.

Once the dispatcher answers, I tell her what’s going on. She tells me that I need to check Sophie over, so I lift the bottom of her nightgown up to her waist before helping her onto her back and pulling off her panties. I spread her legs and don’t see the babies, so I take that as a good sign. I tell the woman on the phone that there is no blood or anything else I can see just as I hear sirens outside.

“Oh God!” Sophie screams, shoving her face into my lap, and then, without warning, I feel her teeth sink into the skin of my thigh. I grit my teeth, running a hand down her hair. Whatever pain I’m feeling right now is nothing compared to what she’s feeling.

“I gotta get the door, babe,” I tell her becoming more concerned.

Her face has paled, her breathing is more shallow, and her skin is now cool and damp. She doesn’t say anything, but she whimpers when I stand to leave.

“I’ll be right back. Goose, come.” I point to the floor where Sophie is. He whines, laying his head on top of her arms still wrapped around her waist.

I run down the stairs and throw the door open, not even bothering to make sure they’re following before I run back up the stairs. “My wife is eight months pregnant and was laying down for a nap. I found her on the floor of our room, and she said she’s having contractions, but something’s wrong.”

“We’ll take care of her,” one of the EMTs says.

As soon as we enter the master bedroom, Goose stands up in front of Sophie and growls. I knew he was a good dog before that, but guarding my girl just earned him free rein—especially since he’s the reason I knew something was wrong to begin with.

“Goose.” I point to the floor next to the bed, and he immediately goes there to stand guard. The EMTs hurry over to Sophie. I kneel above her head, putting my lips on her forehead, telling her softly that everything will be okay.

“We need to get her to the hospital,” one of them barks at his coworker.

Everything is such a blur around me that I don’t even have time to think before they’re carrying her downstairs on a gurney. I see my dad’s cruiser pull up as I’m climbing into the back of the ambulance. He nods, letting me know that he will follow as the doors close behind me.

“What’s going on?” I ask when there is a lull in activity.

The one carefully placing an IV in Sophie’s arm looks at me, his face telling me more than I want to know right now. “We’re not sure, but we think one of the babies’ cords is tangled, and she’s going to have to have an emergency C-section as soon as we get to the hospital.”

I look down at Sophie. She’s the most important person in my life. I can’t imagine something happening to her, and that thought alone scares me more than anything else. I nod at the EMT and hold her hand a little tighter, my other hand going to her belly and rubbing it once before closing my eyes. As soon as we arrive at the hospital and get her out of the ambulance, they run us down the hall towards an operating room that I hear a nurse say is already prepped and waiting.

“I’m here, baby. Everything’s going to be okay,” I tell her, seeing her nod as tears begin to form in her eyes.

“It’s going to be okay,” I repeat as the bottom of the gurney she’s on slams through the door ahead of us.

“Sir, I’m sorry, but you’re not allowed past this point,” a small woman wearing scrubs says, wrapping her hand around my arm.

“That’s my wife and kids,” I growl.

“I understand, sir. I’m sorry, but until I get the okay from the doctor, you’re not allowed,” she says calmly.

“Go get the fucking okay from him then. My wife is in there alone. I promised her—” I hear the break in my voice and try to swallow it down. Sophie’s back there by herself and scared, and there is nothing I can do for her.

“As soon as they get her prepped for surgery, I will talk to the doctor. For now, why don’t you come with me and get changed. That way, you’re ready if you’re allowed to be with her.” I immediately follow the nurse into another room, where she hands me a stack of clothes. “Just put these on and I’ll be back in a few minutes,” she says quietly.

I jerk up my chin and start pulling on the baggie scrubs over my clothes and then slip the shoe covers over my boots before taking a seat. I don’t know how long I’m in that room alone, but I know I pray more in that time than I have in my whole life.

“Sir, you can come with me.” I look up to see the nurse standing in the doorway. I get to my feet and follow her out of the room, down a well-lit corridor. “Now, when we get in there, you need to stay near her head unless instructed differently.”

I nod and follow her the rest of the way in silence. Once we reach the end of the hall, she grabs my arm and leads me into the room. Everyone is moving around quickly while people yell back and forth to each other around her. When my eyes land on Sophie, my stomach drops. She’s lying on her back, her head the only thing I can see. Her hair is covered, and they are getting ready to put an oxygen mask over her face. I pull my arm free from the nurse and go to her.

“Hey, baby.” I bend down, breathing her in.

“You’re here,” she croaks out.

“Nowhere else I would want to be.”

“All right, Mr. and Mrs. Mayson. Are you guys ready to have some babies?”

I look across the blanket at the doctor, whose cheerfulness relieves a little bit of the claustrophobic tension that’s been building inside me since I heard Goose barking.

“You ready, baby?” I run a finger down her cheek. She nods and closes her eyes. “We’re ready when you are,” I tell the doctor.

“Then let’s get started,” he says before disappearing behind the curtain.

The nurse comes back over, bringing a rolling chair for me to sit on. I thank her and put my face near Sophie’s.

“All right, you’re gonna feel some pressure, Sophie,” I hear the doctor say above the beeping of the monitors.

“You okay, baby?”

“Yeah.” She nods, squeezing her eyes closed.

“There we are! We’ve got baby number one,” the doctor says happily.

I want to stand and look over the curtain when a loud cry fills the room, but instead, I sit there, not breathing, holding Sophie’s hand.

“Okay, Mom and Dad, baby number one is a girl.” I smile down into Sophie’s face, quickly drying the tears starting to fall from her eyes.

“Just a quick hi so I can get her cleaned up,” the nurse says, bringing our daughter over to us.

“She’s perfect,” I whisper to Sophie, looking at our little girl, seeing her cute little face and headful of dark hair.

“Let’s go get you cleaned up,” the nurse coos before taking her away.

“You’re doing great, baby.” I smile down at Sophie, so fucking proud of her.

“Okay, Mom and Dad, we’ve got baby number two, and she is a pretty girl as well! I’ll let you see her after I have her checked over,” the doctor says.

“Two girls.” I laugh, looking down at Sophie, who looks worried. “You did great, baby.”

“Rr-ee.”

“What?” I ask before pulling the mask away from her face so I can hear what she’s saying.

“I’m worried.”

“Everything’s okay, baby. You and the girls are okay.” I kiss her before putting her mask back in place and smoothing her hair away from her face.

“Two girls… Can you believe that?” I ask her, shaking my head. I certainly can’t.

I smile when I see a small one forming on Sophie’s face, and I’m so happy to see that smile again. At that moment, a second cry fills the room, forcing me to let out a long breath. All three of my girls are alive and healthy; nothing would ever matter as much as that.

“See, baby? They’re already showing off. Listen to those lungs.”

“Okay, girl number one is four pounds and seven ounces and seventeen inches long. Girl number two is four pounds and three ounces and sixteen inches long,” one of the nurses yells from across the room.

“They’re so small,” I whisper and watch across the room as a nurse puts one of the babies in an incubator.

“Why are they putting her in that?” I ask, my heart starting to pound.

“Her O2 level’s a little low, but that machine will help bring it up.”

“Are they both okay?”

“Twin number one is doing great, and twin number two needs oxygen but looks great otherwise,” the doctor says, calming me.

“Baby”—I look down at Sophie—“we really need to give them names. I think they may get upset with us if we refer to them as twin numbers one and two for the rest of their lives,” I tell her, trying to change the look of worry I see in her eyes.

I move the mask away from her face again, and she answers, “Willow and Harmony.”

“Those are perfect.” I kiss her forehead.

“Are you mad you didn’t get a boy?” she asks with genuine concern.

“How could I be mad when I have two beautiful girls?”