Stumbling Into Forever (Stumbling Through Life Book 2)

by Molly O'Hare

  “Does it look like Holly’s pushing out a kid?” Ben scoffed.

  “Hey, I don’t know how these things work, for all I know she could have popped out the thing on the way to the hospital.” John crossed his arms over his chest in defiance.

  “Did you sleep through human anatomy in school?” Holly rolled her eyes at him. That’s when she saw Emma emerge from behind John. To her surprise, John gave Emma a knowing look. “I know all about the human anatomy, so I didn’t need to go.”

  “You were the we?” Holly asked trying to make sense of what other dimension she was sure as hell she was in. Then John’s words registered. “Oh my god!”

  Emma jumped forward with her hands held up. “It’s not what you’re thinking.”

  “What am I thinking then?” Holly’s voice raised.

  Emma bit her lower lip as John straightened puffing out his chest. Holly moved her attention to Emma. Oh missy, as soon as this kid comes out, you and I are having a conversation. She looked John up and down as the pride radiated off him. A long conversation.

  Emma must have read her mind since her eyes widened as her face lost its color.

  That’s right! Be prepared.

  Just then another contraction hit Holly causing her to scream out in agony. This time it was by far the worst that she’d had. Holy fuckity fuck. This one’s bad. Why the hell was I so adamant that I was fine this morning? Why? Why am I like this? Maybe then I could have gotten the epidural.

  “Is the baby coming?” John asked.

  “No. I’m singing the song of my fucking people.”

  “Language.”

  Holly snapped her head to Ben. When she saw his smirk, she didn’t know whether she wanted to give him a point for calling her out or punch him in the throat.

  Punch. Yeah, she was definitely going with punch.

  Emma ran to Holly’s side distracting her from the plot to kill her husband. “What do you need? Why aren’t you pushing? What did we miss?”

  Those were some damn good questions. Holly threw her head over to Ben. Let him do the talking. It’s his fault I’m here in the first place.

  “When we first got here, they said she was too far into labor for the epidural but not far enough to push,” Ben answered. “They need to wait until her contractions are about two minutes apart.”

  “I’m not a doctor or anything but by the weird face thingy she is doing I’m gonna say she’s two minutes apart,” John announced.

  “No shit.” Holly snapped her attention to him. She then looked at Emma. “Remind me to poison him once I’m sprung free from this place.”

  “I won’t eat your cooking again.” John crossed his arms over his chest. “Been there, done that. Learned my lesson.”

  “Then I’ll run you over with my car.”

  “You’ll have to catch me first.”

  “Children…” Ben warned.

  “Get used to it, Ben,” Emma remarked trying her hardest not to smile but was failing.

  “You think I would be by now.”

  Holly squeezed Ben and Emma’s hands as her contraction intensified. That’s when she remembered. “My dad! We have to call my dad.”

  Jesus effeing Christ. How in the hell had I forgotten to call my dad? I haven’t even had the kid yet and I’m already failing.

  “Taken care of,” Ben said drawing her attention to him. “I called once you were in the room. John had already left so I sent a taxi to get him.”

  Instantly some of Holly’s unease left her as she observed Ben.

  He stared down at her with so much love it was almost overwhelming. She needed to remember no matter what was happening she had him and they would get through everything together. He was her rock.

  “I’m proud of you,” he whispered using his other hand to cup her face, making sure to keep her attention on him. “Thank you for giving me this gift.”

  Just like that, everything was okay again. “I love you, Ben.”

  “I love you too, Grace.”

  “Uhh, Holly?”

  Holly turned to Emma who was now biting her lip.

  “Umm, Mildred’s on her way too.”

  Holly brows shot to the ceiling. “She is?”

  “Yeah, after John said you were in labor I kinda panicked and called her.”

  Holly threw her head back. Great, this was all she needed, Mildred yapping her jaws about how Holly wasn’t pushing right or some crap like that. Holly could see it now. “You gotta push that baby out like it’s the only thing standin’ between you and your man’s dong again.” Holly recoiled. Oh god, I’m even thinking like Mildred now.

  Before Holly could really let that thought sink in, the doctor, the one who had been on call when they came in walked into the room. “How are you feeling?”

  “How does it look like I’m feeling?” Holly snapped.

  “I did hear talk from the staff about this room.” The doctor smiled brightly at them.

  Can I add him onto the list of people I can murder, Universe? I’ll make it quick, you won’t even know what happened.

  “We think Holly’s contractions have progressed,” Ben said chiming in.

  “Let’s take a look here, shall we?”

  Just then a frantic Mildred and Henry ran into the room. “Is my grandbaby here yet?” Henry asked.

  “Where’s the baby?” Mildred echoed.

  “Fucking shoot me now!” Holly yelled as another contraction hit her body.

  “Language.”

  Holly snapped her attention to Ben. “You can take that language and shove it right up your ass.”

  “Young lady,” Henry remarked drawing her attention.

  “Labor makes you fun,” Mildred said bouncing on her feet with delight.

  The doctor looked around the room. “It was fun for a few minutes. However, I’m going to have to ask all of you to go wait in the waiting room. There’s too many people and not enough room.”

  Holly looked around as she bit her bottom lip in pain. She couldn’t agree more.

  As her eyes moved around the room, she focused on the spot Jimmy had been sitting, only this time it was empty.

  She scanned the room again.

  A wave of panic swept through her.

  He was nowhere to be found.

  “Mrs. Richman, your heart rate is skyrocketing. Are you having another contraction?”

  “Where’s Jimmy?” She shot her eyes to Ben who also started looking around the room.

  Another contraction hit her. Fuck! No!

  The doctor took one assessment at Holly and placed his gloved hand under the sheet to check her. “It’s time.”

  “The fuck it is!” Holly snapped her legs together effectively locking the doctor’s hand in place.

  “The baby is coming, Mrs. Richman.”

  Holly glared at him through the pain. “Let’s get one thing straight here, doc.” She gritted her teeth. “I’m not pushing a watermelon outta my hoo-ha until I know where my son is.”

  “Mrs. Richman, while you’re still having the contraction you need to push.”

  With all her strength she held her legs together pulling herself up to the doctor at her waist. She didn’t know how but she was able to grab onto his scrubs pulling him close. “This kid isn’t gonna see the light of day until my son is in front of me. You get me?”

  “That’s my girl! Show that doctor who’s boss,” Mildred gleefully exclaimed fist pumping the air.

  Ben was fast. In seconds, he unclasped Holly’s hand from around the doctor’s collar.

  Holly turned to Ben, tears in her eyes as she fought her body’s natural reactions to push.

  “Found him!” John announced walking Jimmy back into the room. Holly darted her attention to him, the relief of seeing him was quickly overthrown when she saw the tears in Jimmy’s eyes.

  Oh god, what happened? “Come here,” Holly said reaching out for Jimmy. “Baby, what’s going on?”

  Jimmy slowly walked into Holly’s grasp. Ben ran
around the bed and kneeled down next to him in seconds.

  Jimmy looked up into Holly’s eyes tears now flowing freely from him. “Once Peanut is born, you won’t need me anymore.”

  “What?” Ben asked.

  Jimmy started to choke up “You’ll both forget about me and send me to another home.” His sobs grew louder.

  Holly’s whole world fell apart as she watched her son fear losing them. Had she really been that bad of a parent to Jimmy that she didn’t instill in him no matter what happened he would always be theirs, no matter how many children they had? Jimmy was their son. End of story. She pulled him into her arms. “Jimmy, no, never. You are never ever going somewhere else. You are my son and no one will ever take you away from me.”

  “B-but, once Peanut is here you’ll forget about me.”

  “We can never forget about you, squirt. When you came into our life you made it better.” Ben pulled him into his arms.

  “We love you, Jimmy. To us, you have always been our son, from that very first time we saw you on the camera.” Holly looked at Ben. “Do you have the papers by any chance?”

  Ben nodded. “Actually, I do. I stuffed them in my back pocket when your water broke.” He quickly handed them to Holly.

  “Put him on the bed,” Holly said scooting over so Jimmy would have room.

  “Mrs. Richman, I need to advise you that this—"

  Holly cut him off with a glare so evil the doctor took a step back holding his hands up.

  Once Jimmy was right next to her, with Ben standing nestled next to both of them she unfolded the papers. “Do you see this here?”

  Jimmy nodded.

  “These are your adoption papers, baby. We were on our way into the backyard to tell you it was official when my water broke. With these documents here, you became our son. A Richman. We adopted you, squirt.”

  Jimmy stared at the papers for a few seconds before looking back to Holly. Tears were in his eyes but he was no longer sobbing. “Does this mean I can finally call you mom?”

  Holly’s heart exploded at his words. She pulled him into her arms hugging him like her life depended on it. She never thought he’d call her mom. Not with everything he’d been through, but hearing those words come out of his mouth was everything she’d always hoped for.

  “Mom, mom.” Jimmy flailed around. “Can’t breathe.”

  Holly pulled back looking at him as tears fell from her eyes. “I’ll never get tired of hearing that.”

  Jimmy smiled as he turned to Ben biting his lip. “Dad?”

  “Every day for the rest of your life, kid.” Ben scooped him off the bed and into his arms. “Love you.”

  “I love you, too, Dad.”

  “Oh no!” Holly yelled as another contraction hit her. This time with so much force she couldn’t fight not pushing.

  “That’s it. We can’t wait another second. Mrs. Richman, you’re pushing or I will call for a cesarean section. You’re risking your child’s life.”

  Holly paled. How in the hell was she messing up so much already? “Let’s do this.”

  Everyone was quickly ushered out of the room by the nurses as Ben stood at the head of the bed holding Holly’s hand, giving her words of encouragement. As the contraction shot through her body Holly pushed like she’d never pushed before.

  Within a few minutes, the room erupted in cries.

  “Congratulations, it’s a girl!”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Ben held his daughter in his arms as his heart pounded against his chest. She was perfect and in every single way possible. He never truly understood what a parent meant when they talked about the feeling of holding their child for the first time.

  Now, he did.

  Ben looked down at her with so much love, it was overwhelming. This was their child. Their little girl. Life couldn’t get much better than this.

  He looked up from his daughter to see Jimmy peacefully sleeping on the chair in the corner.

  Today he was given one of the greatest gifts ever given. His children.

  He looked down at this daughter one more time. Welcome to the family, Peanut.

  Ben turned his attention to Holly. He saw her staring at him with a silly smile on her face. “She’s amazing, isn’t she?” she said looking at their child in his arms.

  He nodded. “Beyond any doubt.”

  Everyone had gone home once the baby was born leaving just the four of them. Everything went from completely chaotic to peaceful.

  He looked back at his baby girl, tears in his eyes. “Thank you.” Ben turned his attention back to Holly.

  She beamed at him as a lazy smile appeared on her face. “I love you, Ben.”

  “I love you too, Grace.” He moved his attention back to the little girl in his arms.

  “Do you think she’ll have your eyes?” Holly asked looking at him.

  “I hope she has yours.”

  “There you two are,” Henry said shuffling into the room with a cup of coffee in his hand.

  Ben looked to the door. “I thought John took you home?”

  “I told him I called a cab.” Henry shrugged.

  “You lied to him?”

  “An omittance of truth.” Henry handed Ben the cup of coffee. “Figured you needed this.”

  “Thanks.” He took it before placing it on the table next to him.

  Henry walked over to the side of the bed kissing Holly on the cheek. “You did good, Pumpkin.”

  Holly smiled at him. “Thanks, Dad.”

  Holly turned to Ben reaching out her hands asking for the baby. Carefully, Ben stood before walking to Holly placing their baby girl in her arms.

  “Dad,” Holly said holding up their child for him to see. “I would like for you to meet Helen Richman.”

  Henry took a step back. “Holly?”

  She started nodding her head as tears appeared in her eyes.

  “You didn’t?”

  Holly wiped away the tears falling down her cheeks. “Ben and I talked about it. If we had a boy we were going to name him after his father, a girl, mom.” Holly looked down at their baby. “She looks exactly like a Helen if you ask me.”

  Ben plopped his hip onto the bed placing his arms around Holly’s shoulder cradling her and the baby in his arms. “She does. She looks exactly like a Helen.”

  “I-I don’t know what to say,” Henry stammered staring at all of them as tears formed in his eyes.

  “Would you like to hold your granddaughter?” Holly asked holding her up.

  “You don’t have to ask me twice.” Henry as quick as he could ran over to Ben’s vacated chair and plopped onto it. As best as he could he positioned himself to safely hold Peanut.

  Once Ben saw he was ready, he gently took Peanut from Holly and placed her in Henry’s arms.

  When she was situated Ben went back to Holly placing his arm around her, holding her tightly.

  Here in the room was everything he ever dreamed of.

  Jimmy slept soundly in the corner, officially their adopted child.

  Henry held their daughter.

  And he had Holly in his arms.

  Ben shook his head. If two years ago, someone told him this is where he would be in his life, he would have laughed at them. But now, now he couldn’t see his life any other way.

  Ben looked at Holly, her smile spread from ear to ear, which he knew matched his own.

  He knew his heart felt full when Jimmy came into their life, but this. This was different.

  This was beyond a fullness.

  This was perfect.

  He leaned over kissing Holly lightly on the lips. “I love you.”

  She smiled back at him. “Not as much as I love you.”

  “I’m your grandpa, Peanut,” Henry said drawing Ben’s attention away from Holly. “I’ve waited a long time for your mom to give me grandbabies. And in one day she gave me two.”

  Ben watched as Henry spoke to their daughter.

  “I’m the cool Grandpa,” h
e stated. “I’ll always be there for you whenever you need me. I’ll be here. For you and your brother.”

  “The cool grandpa, really?” Holly laughed.

  Henry looked at her. “You know it. I’ll make it my mission to stay up on the trends.”

  “Oh, this is gonna be fun.” Ben laughed along with Holly.

  “I can learn those texting machines if I need to, or the internet box. I can do it.”

  Ben chuckled.

  Yep, this was perfect.

  Henry turned back to Peanut. “She’s beautiful.”

  “She is,” Ben agreed. “Just as beautiful as Holly.”

  “Thank you for naming her after your mother.” Henry caressed Peanut’s cheek.

  “There was never a doubt,” Holly answered.

  Henry looked up at them with a new twinkle in his eyes, as his lopsided grin appeared. “You know, she definitely came into this world with a bang.”

  “That’s Holly’s MO.” Ben pulled his wife closer. “I was a little worried for the doctor there at one point.”

  “Me too.”

  “Hey, you don’t get between a mother and her children.” Holly crossed her arms over her chest.

  Ben leaned over kissing her hairline. “You’ve always had that possessive gene in you, Grace. I pity anyone that tries you.”

  Henry’s chuckle went through the room. “And you have Mildred on your side. She’s a force to be reckoned with. I can still hear her taking bets on if Peanut was gonna be a boy or girl.” Henry shook his head. “You know, she was trying to hustle the staff, right?”

  “I’m not the least bit surprised,” Ben answered.

  “I’m still not sure how her husband doesn’t murder her?” Holly replied closing her eyes.

  “Love is funny that way, isn’t it?” Henry looked back down at Helen before turning back to them. “How do you two feel?”

  “Amazing,” they said in unison.

  Henry smiled back at them. “It’s a wonderful feeling, right?”

  “It is.”

  “There is one thing I can’t wait for, though,” Henry said giving them both a lopsided grin.

  “And what’s that?” Ben asked cocking his head to the side.

  “Introducing Peanut to Lord Waffles.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six