Gemma sat like a stone in the backseat. Cy looked away and swiped at his eyes as Kale floored the sports car when they hit New Circle Road. No one complained about his driving speed. Everyone was too busy praying for Riley and her baby.
Kale slammed on the brakes at the hospital, bringing the silent stillness of the car to an end. Jace was out and running. Kale helped extricate Gemma and Cy from the back of the car, and then they were running behind him.
“Sir!” a nurse tried to stop him.
“I’m Dr. Davies. Patient’s parents are behind me. Let them up,” Jace ordered as he ran past the nurses’ station and took the stairs two at a time to the third floor.
His feet echoed off the tile and the door slamming behind him sounded ominous. There was no time to get lost in his head as he yanked open the door on the labor and delivery floor and ran to the nurses’ station.
“Dr. Davies, the numbers you asked for,” the charge nurse said, rushing around the counter and handing him a piece of paper.
“Shit,” Jace cursed. “Is Dr. Estes’s partner here?”
“Five minutes out.”
“Notify NICU to be ready for a thirty-two week premature delivery. Get the NICU specialist doctor and nurses in the operating room. I need the whole team. Get it done, now.”
The battle-hardened labor and delivery nurse didn’t need to be told twice. She’d known what would be needed as soon as the test results came in, just as he had.
Jace pushed his way into the staff lounge and changed into scrubs. By the time he made it to Riley’s room, her parents were there looking nervous as Riley groaned in pain. She hugged herself and tears leaked from her eyes. Matt was pale and looked frantic and helpless as he tried to rub Riley’s arm.
Cy was frozen by the door as Gemma rushed into action.
“It’s okay, baby. Mom is here. I’ve got you.”
“It hurts so bad,” Riley said between clenched teeth. She finally opened her eyes as her body began to shake. “Jace, save my baby. Save my baby!”
“We’re going to save you both,” Jace swore to her as he strode over to look at the last blood pressure reading.
“I’m on fire,” Riley said between clattering teeth.
“Riley, listen to me,” Jace told her. “The fire you’re feeling is from the magnesium the nurse gave you to try to protect you from stroke and seizure. It makes you feel as if you’re on fire. We’re moving you to pre-op. They will have ice water there and Gemma and Cy can wipe you down with the cold water to help.”
“Am I losing my baby?” Riley reached out and grasped Jace’s hand tightly.
“No. Right now the pain you’re feeling isn’t you losing the baby. It’s your liver and kidneys failing. Once the baby is delivered, you’ll start to feel better, I promise. The nurses are going to get you ready for surgery in pre-op and then move you to the operating room. They’ll give you a spinal epidural so you won’t feel the surgery. You’ll be awake, though. Then we’ll have the baby out in under sixty seconds as soon as we begin.”
Riley clenched her jaw and nodded. A strange calm came over her. “Will Matt be with me?”
“Of course. And I’ll be there, too.”
“Then let’s go.”
The team of nurses filled the room and, with calm efficiency, had Riley strapped in and the bed moving down the hall to pre-op in moments. Matt followed by Riley’s side as he held her hand while her parents were on the other side of her.
“Get out of my way! You do not want to piss off a pregnant woman. You should know that.”
Jace turned to see Carter trying to calm Reagan as Porter and Parker completely ignored the nurse and ran by her as she threatened to call security.
“It’s okay. They’re family. Come this way,” Jace ordered them.
“How is she? Where are they taking her?” Porter demanded.
He was pale and his jaw tight with worry. Parker stood stoically next to him with a similarly clenched jaw. Reagan was not standing stoically. She looked ready to explode with emotion.
“We’re taking her to surgery. Her liver and kidneys are failing and we need the baby out now. Come with me.”
Jace and his cousins followed behind the nurses into the large pre-op room.
“Riley!” Reagan rushed to her sister’s side and was instantly calmed when Riley held out her hand.
“The medication I’m on makes me feel I’m on fire. Can you and Mom cool me down?” Riley asked calmly. She’d shifted into a different mental dimension. Some people did that when pain was severe and it was a good thing. Riley was solely focused on saving her child.
Reagan nodded and a nurse came in carrying two small buckets of ice water and two washcloths. Matt didn’t drop his wife’s hand as Gemma and Reagan began to bathe Riley in ice-cold water. Even though her body was shaking with constant tremors, her face was calm.
She looked over at Matt and smiled. “Don’t worry. We’ll be okay.”
Matt nodded silently as Porter and Parker stood with Cy at the foot of the bed.
“Can we do anything?” Porter asked.
“I’m good. Thank you. You can watch over Matt and make sure he’s okay.” Riley smiled at them as another tremor wracked her body. The door opened and a nurse came in with medications.
“Here we go, sweetie. This will relax you so we can get your spinal in. This is the good stuff.”
The nurses went to work getting Riley ready. It would take no more than thirty minutes from the time Jace ordered the emergency surgery to get everything ready. Thing were well on their way when the high-risk doctor came in. “I’m Dr. Brady. It looks like we’re all ready,” he said to Jace. “You’re to assist?”
“Yes. I’m her primary. Don’t worry, I’m trained in surgery as well.”
“And this is okay with the patient?” Dr. Brady asked. He was an older gentleman who observed the chaos around him with utter calm. His salt and pepper hair told of a man who’d been doing this for many years.
“I’m her cousin. They want me there.”
It was as if Dr. Brady saw the full room for the first time. “Why are there so many people in here?”
“Those are her parents, her twin sister, her husband, and her brothers.”
Dr. Brady’s eyes rose slightly. “Is this a twin delivery?”
“No. Single, thirty-two-week baby.”
“Then let’s go,” he said to Jace before walking over to Riley. Reagan moved down to Riley’s legs as Carter came in the door with a wheelchair.
“Sit,” he ordered her. “We don’t need two babies delivered today.”
“Hello,” he looked down at the patient chart. “Walz family.”
Riley asked, looking up calmly at the doctor, “Are we ready for surgery?”
“Yes, we are. I’m Dr. Brady. I’m Dr. Estes’s partner. Your cousin, Dr. Davies, has gotten everything ready for us. I’m going to give you a standard beauty mark down by your pelvis to get the baby out. Once the surgery starts, I’ll have the baby out in under sixty seconds. Then the baby will be taken to the neonatal intensive care unit so long as there are no emergencies with the baby. Someone will come out and tell your family that you’ve delivered. We will sew you up and then take you to recovery. You’ll be there for about two to three hours.” Dr. Brady looked up at the family then. “When she’s in recovery is when you can see her, but only two at a time. Are there any questions?”
“Is the baby going to live?” Matt asked into the quiet.
“Quite frankly, Mr. Walz, right now I’m just trying to save your wife’s life. Let’s move.”
Riley smiled up at Matt. “Don’t worry. We’ll both be fine. I love you.”
“I love you, too.” Matt leaned down and kissed her and then she was whisked from the room.
“Nurse, can you get the husband ready?” Jace asked the nurse behind the station as they walked toward the operating room. Dr. Brady went to scrub in and talk to the NICU doctor while Jace stayed with Riley. He’d get scrub
bed in once her spinal was done.
Riley’s body shook as they moved her to sit on the edge of the operating table. “Don’t miss,” Riley joked.
“Don’t worry hon, we’ve done this a million times,” the nurse said as she put the large needle into Riley’s back. “There. You’ll feel something that feels like a rush into your legs.”
“That’s weird,” Riley said when she felt it.
“I’m going to get ready,” Jace told her. “Matt will be in shortly.”
“Thank you, Jace. I mean it.”
Jace smiled at Riley and then walked from the room. Off the surgery room was a washroom with foot pedals. Dr. Brady was toweling off with a sterile towel when Jace started the procedure to scrub down.
“Is the husband a fainter?” Dr. Brady asked as he held up his hands.
“I don’t think so. He’s the sheriff of Keeneston.”
“He’ll be a fainter. The tougher they are, the faster they go down in the delivery room. I’ll warn the nurses to put a chair by your cousin’s head.” Dr. Brady used his backside to open the door and walk into surgery.
Jace followed quickly, along with the rest of the emergency team. Labor and delivery had their own specialized team and so did the NICU. Jace was the odd man out, but he’d been in enough operating rooms to know how to stay out of their way while doing his job.
A nurse wrapped a sterile surgical gown on him and opened his gloves. Matt was led in while a nurse moved a chair by Riley’s head. From Jace’s position, he couldn’t see Riley’s face. A large drape was hanging so that she couldn’t see the surgery.
“Jace?”
“I’m here, Riley. We’re about to get started,” Jace told her as Dr. Brady reached for the scalpel.
Matt stood rigidly at Riley’s head and Jace was beginning to think maybe Dr. Brady was right. Behind Jace, an army of doctors and nurses stood at the ready to take the baby the second it was out. Dr. Brady made the incision and then all focus narrowed to the baby.
Jace and Dr. Brady worked side by side and then the baby was out. Jace held his breath as the NICU team took over. The baby wasn’t crying as the doctor rubbed and cleaned him for what seemed an eternity.
“Why hasn’t the baby cried?” Riley asked anxiously from behind the curtain. Matt was up and watching and then the most wonderful noise was heard. It was soft at first, but then the cry grew as the baby’s lungs expanded and took over.
Behind the mask, the NICU’s doctor’s eyes crinkled and Jace knew he was smiling.
“Congratulations,” Jace told Riley and Matt as he joined them. “You have a son.”
A nurse came over with the baby wrapped up and lowered him so that Riley could see him. “Here’s your son. He’s three pounds and fourteen ounces.”
Jace asked one of the nurses to pull his phone from his pocket. A quick picture was taken of the baby and his new family before baby boy Walz was whisked off by the NICU team for an evaluation.
“Jace, will you go with the NICU team?” Riley asked as she was sutured up.
“Of course. I’ll meet you in recovery with an update.”
Matt reached out and wrapped Jace in a tight hug. “Thank you. Thank you for saving Riley and our son.”
* * *
Stella caught a ride to the hospital with Aniyah. DeAndre had led the procession of cars from Keeneston with his siren on the whole way. In the backseat were the Rose sisters who each held baked goods balanced on their laps.
When they arrived at the hospital, three young men came out with wheelchairs. “We heard the Rose sisters were coming,” one of the young men in scrubs said with a smile.
“Aren’t you a dear? Here, have a fresh baked cupcake,” Miss Lily said, lifting the cover to the basket she was carrying. The men looked thrilled as they helped the old ladies into wheelchairs and took them straight up to labor and delivery.
“I thought the cupcakes were for Riley,” Stella said with a laugh.
“Oh no. They’re bribes. It’s how the nurses will allow all of us up there. There are literally fights over who gets Marcy’s apple pies,” Aniyah explained as the entire Davies and Keeneston crew made their way upstairs.
A nurse who looked surprisingly happy had her hands up. “I’m sorry, but Riley is in recovery. Only two people can go back there.”
“Are there many patients in recovery right now?” Marcy asked and the nurse smiled even larger.
“No, Mrs. Davies. Riley’s the only one.”
“Here you go, dear. I made you an apple pie. Maybe that number can go up a little bit.”
The nurse lowered her voice. “Well, her brothers and sister are also back there, so I’m already bending the rules.”
Marcy didn’t look fazed as she reached into her basket. “I’m sure these chocolate caramel pecan clusters will help.”
“Right this way, Mrs. Davies,” the nurse said as the Rose sisters went along with Marcy and Jake. The nurse didn’t have time to say anything before a cupcake was set on top of the apple pie.
The mood in the waiting room was worried until Porter came out to inform them the baby was being looked over in the NICU, but had cried and that Riley was pissed off that she couldn’t move her toes yet. He told everyone to hang tight and they’d bring out news as they got it. Then the baskets were opened and nurses seemed to appear from every direction.
“Have you tried my triple chip cookies?” Aniyah asked, handing a nurse one. “So, where is Dr. Jace Davies?”
“He’s with the baby in NICU,” the nurse supplied.
Aniyah held up another cookie. “And how is that baby doing, bless its little heart?”
“Really well, considering. I’m sure they’ll have more news soon.”
And that’s how it went for two hours until the labor and delivery doors opened and out walked Jace with Riley on a bed behind him. Matt held her hand and her family was behind her.
“I’m starving. Tell me y’all saved some food for me,” Riley said as she placed her hands on her stomach.
Everyone rushed forward and soon treats lined her bed.
“Go on, Matt. Tell them our news,” Riley said, holding on to Matt’s hand.
“We have a son,” Matt said proudly.
Stella felt the joy the couple shared as she clapped happily for them.
“We’ve named him,” Riley said, getting everyone’s attention, “Dawson Jace Walz.”
Stella’s eyes went straight to Jace’s. She saw the surprise in them a moment before Matt hugged him tightly. “Go ahead and give them the update.”
Jace cleared his throat. While he was speaking to the crowd, his eyes locked on Stella’s. He smiled at her, and she wondered if he was thinking the same thing she was? Would they be welcoming their own child in the future?
“Dawson is doing well. He’ll be in the NICU for a couple of weeks, but his heart and lungs are strong. There should be no lasting effects of being born early. But he will need some preemie clothes and diapers.”
A roar went up among the crowd as people called out what they’d get and scattered. “Don’t worry about a thing, sis. We’ve got this.” Porter kissed Riley’s forehead and then rushed out with Parker by his side.
Soon enough the hospital emptied and only Stella and Gemma were left with Riley and Jace. They stood in the waiting room to the NICU in the early morning hours as Cy and Matt visited baby Dawson.
Jace was giving Riley one last exam and then they’d head out.
Gemma watched with a tear in her eye as Matt picked up the tiny bundle from the incubator and placed him in Cy’s hands. Cy turned and Stella saw a tear run down his cheek. The baby’s head didn’t even fill his palm as Cy snuggled him delicately.
“Thank you, Stella.”
Stella turned with surprise to Gemma, as Gemma watched the touching moment. “For what? I didn’t do anything.”
“But you did. You supported Jace running out on your engagement party. You two should be celebrating all night. Yet, you’ve spent the
past seven hours here at the hospital. You never complained. You never asked Jace when you’d be leaving. Instead, you took care of all of us. You brought a pillow for Reagan’s back. You brought us dinner at eleven at night. You ran all over the hospital helping out. You’re a special woman, Stella. And you’re the perfect one for Jace.”
Matt took a picture and Stella smiled at them. “It was the least I could do. When I needed help, you were all there. It’s strange how I’ve only lived here a couple of months, but I’ve never felt more at home.”
Gemma leaned over and hugged her as Jace joined them. “Riley’s asleep. They’ll wake her up every three hours to pump. Then Matt will bring her milk here and feed Dawson until Riley feels up to it. Porter, Parker, and Reagan will be back tomorrow to visit Dawson. I see Grandpa Cy is having snuggle time.” Jace paused and shook his head. “He does know the grandfather doesn’t need to do skin to skin, right?”
Stella looked back and saw Matt wide-eyed as Cy stripped off his shirt to hold Dawson. Stella felt her own eyes widen before she turned to Gemma and saw a smile on her face. “Wow, congratulations, Mrs. Davies. You are a lucky woman. I don’t know many grandfathers with six packs.”
Gemma sighed happily as she lifted her phone and took a picture. “All the Davies grandfathers do, so congrats to you, too.”
“I knew marrying Jace was a good idea,” Stella joked.
Gemma snorted with unexpected laughter and Jace shook his head at her. “Come on. Let’s go home and I’ll give you another reason that it’s a good idea to marry me,” he whispered in her ear.
They weren’t even out of the NICU when Jace’s phone buzzed and he looked at it and laughed. He turned it to Stella. A bet had been placed by Gemma on the Blossom Café betting app that Jace and Stella would be parents in forty weeks.
Epilogue
Eight weeks later . . .
* * *
Stella looked out over her garden center and nursery. A lot had changed in eight weeks. Behind the garden center was a new building that was set to open in two weeks. Nolan was standing in front of the new building ordering the last of the construction around.
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