Tyler ran a finger down the side of her face and lifted her chin so she could look into his eyes. “She’s turned your life upside down.”
“Yes, but as it gets closer for her to come into this world, the happier I am. She’s not even here yet, and I’m madly in love with her. I’m okay with my life being turned upside down.”
His eyes watered as he smiled at her. “She’s a very lucky girl. She has a lot of people who love her and will be there for her. Including me.”
Katie smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “I know.”
“What else is bothering you?”
“How did you know there was more?”
“I can feel the stress in your body.”
He grew tense as she sighed and pushed herself up into a sitting position. She sat with her legs crossed in front of her, and he sat up leaning against the headboard. “I’ve also been thinking about how all my days with Eric were good. He was never here when I had PMS or a bad day.” Katie grimaced. “I never saw his. When we were together, we were on our best behavior. We put ourselves in this bubble that was all love and rainbows.”
“Rainbows?” His brow lifted.
“You know what I mean. In the thirteen months we knew each other, we never argued or got annoyed with each other.
As she took Tyler’s hand in hers, his eyes softened.
Be brave, she reminded herself.
“You’ve seen me at my very worst. In fact, most of my worst days and you’re still here.” Her eyes were filling with tears faster than she could blink them away.
Tyler wiped them away with the pad of his thumb before cradling her cheek with his hand. “I’ll always be here.”
“I know.” She took a shuddered breath. “I will always love Eric, the man I knew, and I’m grateful for the gift he gave me. I also love you, Tyler.”
He leaned in and kissed her on the forehead and smiled down at her. “I love you, too.”
She placed her hand over his that was still caressing her cheek. “I don’t think you understand. I’m in love with you.” His lips pulled into a wide smile as he looked into her eyes. “You’re my best friend. You’re smart, kind, you make me laugh, you’re sexy as hell, and I’m crazy about you.”
His lips crashed down on hers, taking her breath away. She felt his kiss from head to toe. It was better than she could have imagined. When he pulled away with an even bigger grin, she fell a little deeper in love with him. “I want you to know I have no expectations. I know loving me—loving us—will be hard, and I’ll understand if you aren’t up for it.”
“It’s too late, Katie. I’m already in love with both of you. Us being together will be worth any challenges we come across.”
As much as she loved Tyler, she also didn’t want to be a burden on him. She was about to give him another out when he shut her up by leaning into her and kissing her again. It was a mix of sweet and intense, just like him. She melted into him and his kiss.
He pressed his forehead against hers. “We’re going to have to tell Jeff and Tracy.”
“I know,” she whispered. “I’m not sure how they’ll handle this. Maybe we should wait until the baby is here.”
He kissed her sweetly on the lips. “I’m not sure if I agree with that plan. I don’t want to keep anything from them.”
“I know, but I think it might be a little easier on them once their granddaughter is here and we can ease them into the idea.”
“All right, but if they ask, I won’t lie.”
“I wouldn’t want you to.” She leaned over and gave him another kiss. Now that she could kiss him, she didn’t want to stop.
She readjusted herself to get comfortable, which was becoming increasingly difficult with each day. “Are you staying the night?”
“Yeah, my bag is upstairs. I have the next two days off and I’m planning to hang out with you.” He tapped her nose with his finger.
She moved as close to him as her stomach allowed and asked, “Will you stay here with me?” Katie’s heart hammered against her chest as she waited for him to answer. She knew she wasn’t her most attractive right now and worried her big belly, and giant veiny boobs were a turn-off, but she wanted to be held by him.
“I’d love to, but I need a shower. I’ll be right back.” Fifteen minutes later, he returned wearing his sleep pants and climbed onto the bed, but instead of lying next to her, he laid down facing her giant belly. Lifting up her shirt, he kissed her stomach. “I’m in love with your mom,” he whispered. Katie’s heart about jumped out of her chest. He loved her. She knew it, but hearing it would never get old.
He slowly moved up her body, leaving a trail of kisses until he reached her lips. “You’re so beautiful, Katie.”
She shook her head. Beached whale? Yes. An attractive woman? No. Between her weight gain, the human growing inside her, and her now industrial sized breasts, she felt fat and awkward.
“You are. Trust me. I thought so from the first time we met.”
“Stop it. You’re going to make me cry—again.”
“I’m not going to stop, and you can’t make me,” he teased as he poked a finger into her side. “Now stop denying it and snuggle with me,” he demanded. She didn’t resist.
Chapter Twenty-Six
May 2016
Tyler
As Dr. Johnson pulled on gloves and sat on a stool at the edge of the table, she cheerfully said, “You’re doing great, Katie, but I need you to push again.”
“I don’t want to do this,” Katie pleaded.
Tyler pushed her sweat-soaked hair away from her face and her mother spoke to her in a soft calming tone. “I know it’s hard, but you can.”
Her grip tightened when another contraction hit her. She screamed and bore down as everyone counted down with her. “You’re doing amazing, Katie,” Tracy reassured from the corner of the room. Up until Bridget arrived, she had been holding it together pretty well, but she gratefully gave up her position next to Katie.
Tyler saw the relief wash over his best friend’s mother as a nurse guided her to a chair. That was when he noticed her legs were shaking and her hands were white from clenching her fists. Every time Katie cried, Tracy pinched her eyes closed and breathed along with Katie.
As a nurse, it had been difficult for him to understand why certain people couldn’t handle being in a delivery room. That was until today. It all made sense now. It was so much harder when you were in love with the person going through excruciating pain.
That morning, a sense of excitement ran through the house when Katie’s contractions became regular. Tracy excitedly called Bridget and told her to get on a plane then she called Phillip and Alexis and told them to meet them at the hospital.
When Alexis arrived, she was naively giddy at the prospect of becoming an aunt. It all melted away the first time Katie cried out in pain. Eventually, the smile she held became strained and then Alexia could no longer hold in her worry. Tyler managed to talk her into staying in the waiting area with Jeff and Phillip, the two proud and worried grandpas. Jenny stayed home with the kids and planned to bring them after Katie delivered.
“Breathe, Katie,” her mother gently reminded her.
Tears pooled in Katie’s eyes as she slumped back on the bed. Her confidence was gradually draining away.
Dr. Johnson patted her leg and said, “Just a few more pushes just like that.” Katie shook her head ‘no’ and looked at her mother. “I’m not ready to be a mom,” she whimpered.
Bridget’s eyes watered as she looked at her daughter, who was beginning to fall apart. “Katie, I thought the exact same thing, but look how great you turned out.”
“But I’m not as strong as you,” Katie tearfully said. Her words crushed Tyler because she was the strongest person he had ever met.
“You’re stronger,” Bridget whispered as she held back her tears. “So much stronger and you have so much love and support. You’ve got this, Katie, and this little girl is the luckiest person on the pla
net to have you as her mother.”
“Mom…” Katie reached for her mother just as another contraction hit. “Oh God! It hurts!”
“Breathe.” Tyler chanted as he helped her sit up so she could push again.
“She’s almost here.” Dr. Johnson said as several nurses and the on-call NICU pediatrician came into the room.
Katie released a heavy breath as she laid back to wait for another contraction. She looked over at Tyler, who was in awe of the miracle happening right before his eyes. “I can do this,” she whispered.
He gave her a quick, but sweet kiss on the lips and smiled down at her. “You are doing this.” She smiled back, but it soon turned into a grimace as the next contraction hit.
The next hour flew by as the room turned to organized chaos. Katie was able to hold her baby for a brief moment before the nurses, and the doctor took her to the side of the room to examine her. “Stay with her,” Katie pleaded with Tyler. He felt himself being split in two with wanting to check on the baby and needing to make sure Katie was all right. “Please,” she begged.
Bridget looked over at him and urged him to make sure the baby was okay. “I’ll stay with Katie,” she mouthed. He reluctantly left Katie’s side and stayed close to the action on the other side of the room. He listened to the doctor and the nurses spout out stats and the more they checked, the more relief he felt. Their biggest worry was a heart defect, but the echocardiogram came back clear.
She was healthy.
When the doctor and the nurses finished their examinations and had her cleaned up, they handed her to Tyler, whose heart melted right on the spot. She had the obvious facial features of a baby with Down syndrome, but all he saw was the most precious creature he had ever seen. He had plenty of experience holding newborns, but this time it was different. It was like he was holding Katie and Eric’s heart in his hands. He would do anything to protect her.
As he placed her in Katie’s arms, he bent down and gave Katie another kiss. This one filled with all the loved he had for her and her baby. He cupped her cheek and whispered, “She’s perfect.”
Katie began to relax as she held her daughter. Bridget and Tracy had just returned with Jeff, Alexis, and Phillip after making calls and letting everyone know everything went smoothly, and the baby was healthy.
Phillip came to Katie’s side and asked if he could hold her. She replied firmly and looked around the room to make it clear to everyone. “Nobody is touching her until they’ve washed their hands. No if, ands, or buts.”
Tyler bit back a smile. She wasn’t a paranoid new mother, Dr. Johnson left explicit instructions that she had to become a germaphobe since her daughter would be much more susceptible to infections and illnesses.
Phillip did what he was told then carefully picked up the baby and held her close to his chest. It was humorous to watch such a large man hold such a tiny baby and at the same time be weeping with happiness. Phillip cleared his throat and wiped at his eyes. “Did you pick a name?”
She smiled up at him and Bridget then Tracy and Jeff. “Yeah. Erica Bree Larson.” Tracy leaned over and kissed her on the cheek followed by Jeff. “Thank you, sweetheart. That means so much to us to have you use his name.”
There wasn’t a dry eye in the room. Tyler gently wiped away Katie’s tears. “Beautiful. Just like her.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
May 2016
Katie
A sleeping Erica lay between Bridget and Katie in the hospital bed, making soft breathing noises. The sweetest sound Katie had ever heard. She wondered how it was possible to be so happy and terrified at the same moment.
Bridget tucked a few stray hairs behind Katie’s ear before caressing her cheek. “I love you, my daughter.” Bridget leaned over Erica and kissed Katie on the forehead then kissed Erica. “I love you, my granddaughter.” She looked into Katie’s eyes. “That intense love you feel for Erica is what I feel for you.”
“I had no idea.” There was no way to describe the overwhelming amount of love she felt for her daughter or the intense need to protect her. She thought it was amazing how one little person could change her perspective on everything and make her want to be a better person.
Bridget ran her fingers through Erica’s thick wavy dark brown hair attempting to tame the wild mass. “She’s so beautiful. I hope she has your eyes.”
Katie smiled and wiped her nose. She had been crying on and off for the past hour. It was becoming a popular past time for her. She went from exhilarated to exhausted to disbelief then back to exhilarated.
As Katie looked at her daughter and the distinctive features of a Down syndrome baby, it was hitting her all at once, but it didn’t change the way she felt about her one iota. It only increased her desire to protect her from negative people or comments. Katie wanted everyone to see Erica the way she did, this perfect little person.
They grew quiet as they admired Erica’s cute little nose, dimpled hands, and her perfect little toes. Katie could stare at her all day and still feel like it wasn’t enough.
Her mother broke the silence by casually saying, “I noticed the way Tyler kissed you.”
Katie bit her lower lip to keep from grinning. “Yeah...” She looked into her mother’s eyes and smiled. “He loves me, Mom. “
“I know. I could have told you that,” she said with a chuckle.
“I love him too,” she stated as a matter of fact. “He reminds me so much of Billy. He’s constantly showing me how much he cares about me—us. I don’t know what I would do without him.”
“But...” her mother said, knowing her too well.
“But, I worry he’ll leave and decide we’re too much.”
“If that’s the case, that has nothing to do with you and everything to do with him. But from what I’ve seen, that’ll never happen.”
“I don’t think he would either, but…”
“Your dad and Eric.”
“Yeah. I know dad loves me, and I know he would do anything for me, but he still left, Mom. Then Eric…it wasn’t his fault, but it makes twice in my life that a man wasn’t there when he should’ve been.”
“You’re right, your dad should have been there for you while you were growing up, and if the world were perfect, Eric would be here. But don’t forget you had a man who chose to love and care for you. Billy chose to be a part of your life and one day…even now,” she said with a knowing grin, “a man will choose to be with you, not because he should but because there’s no other place he’d rather be than with you.”
Katie reached for her mother, and they embraced with Erica in the middle.
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” Phillip said, not looking the least bit sorry and maybe a little jealous. “I just wanted to see if there is anything I could get you two?”
Bridget and Katie looked at each other and smiled then said in unison, “Chocolate shake.”
Not a heartbeat later, Tyler walked in carrying two large chocolate shakes. Phillip frowned and said to Tyler, “I guess you already know how to handle a Larson girl.”
The girls laughed while Tyler looked at Phillip with a winning smile. “I don’t know if anyone can actually handle a Larson girl, but I have a pretty good idea how to make at least one of them happy.” He handed the women their shakes and kissed Katie on the cheek. She took his hand and mouthed, “Love you.” He bent down and gave her another quick kiss on the lips. “Love you,” he whispered.
When he stood back up, Katie noticed that her mother was grinning ear-to-ear, and Phillip was staring curiously at Tyler. “Son, do we need to have a talk?”
Katie laughed. “Dad, you don’t need to talk.” She looked up at Tyler then back to him. Before she could tell him she was in love with Tyler, he beat her to the punch.
“Sir, I’m madly in love with your daughter.”
Phillip’s jaw dropped, and he looked back and forth between them, and then his eyes turned to Bridget. “Did you know?”
“I had my suspicions. I’m curi
ous how you didn’t figure it out. You see them every week.”
“I…I guess, I wasn’t looking that hard,” he said sadly.
“Dad, don’t feel bad. We didn’t tell anyone. It wasn’t necessarily a secret, but we wanted to tell everyone after Erica was born. Please don’t say anything to Tracy and Jeff, we still haven’t told them and I’d like them to hear it from us.”
Phillip’s shoulders relaxed, and he ran his big hands through his hair, making it stick up all over the place. “At least I’m not the last to know.”
“Dad…come here.” He pushed off the wall and sat on the edge of the bed so they could hug. “I love you, Dad.”
He squeezed her a little tighter. “I love you, kiddo.” Phillip took a shuddered breath and pretended like he wasn’t crying as he stood up. “As much as I’d like another turn holding Erica, I know there are a few more women who want to come in for a visit.” He looked to Tyler and tilted his head toward the door, giving him a not so subtle hint that it was time for them to go. Tyler gave Erica a kiss on the cheek then Katie a quick kiss on the lips. “I’ll see you in a little bit.”
“Thank you, Tyler.” Bridget held up her shake and smiled.
After they had left, Bridget asked to hold Erica. “She needs to spend time with her favorite grandma,” she said in complete seriousness. She picked up Erica and placed the baby on her chest and gently rubbed her back as she kissed her head.
“Those might be fighting words. Tracy’s been calling herself ‘favorite grandma’ since I moved in with them.”
Bridget sighed. “Maybe it’s time we sold the diner and moved closer.”
“What? Are you serious? Billy would sell the diner?” Just the idea broke her heart.
“Katie?” Bridget rolled her eyes as Katie kept asking question after question.
Until Us Page 18
