Eden: [Auto-reply] I’m driving right now—I’ll get back to you later.
Me: Eden, don’t you dare! Turn that car back around, I’ll call a code one on you, don’t think I won’t!
“Hey, can you hook up room three to an IV? Anesthesia is on its way down,” Dr. Grayson says from the doorway.
I put my phone back into my pocket and nod, walking around out to the hall and toward the room.
Eloise is laughing at something Landry has said, and the jealousy seeps into my pores. I put on gloves, preparing everything for the IV, and clean the top of her hand. I glance over, seeing her grip Landry’s hand with the other, and I bite the inside of my lip, pushing down the desire to scream at him, spill everything to her. He doesn’t even remember me.
The revelation I came to a couple weeks ago flashes through my mind.
I looked at my phone again, refreshing my app and furrowing my brows. I’m usually late, but not that late. I glanced at the time on my phone and knew the only person who would still be awake was Everleigh. I pulled on my slippers and padded out of my room and apartment, walking across the hall to hers. I knocked, waiting for her to open the door, and she answered it, her hair a disheveled mess, as she panted a “hey.”
She closed the door behind her, and I pulled my eyebrows together.
“Why are you bein’ so weird? I need to come in, I have an emergency...I think.”
“I’m uh... It’s a mess in there. Let’s go to your place.”
She pulled on my hand and dragged me back to my apartment door, shutting it behind me.
“So what’s up?” she asked, fixing her hair.
“I...my period is late. Really, really late. Like a few weeks late.”
Her eyes widened, and she gasped, putting a hand over her mouth. “What? Oh my God, Lia! Is it Landry’s?” she squealed.
I sighed, sitting down on the couch. “He’s the only one I slept with, but maybe it’s nothin’. You saw the results, Ev, this is close to impossible. Maybe there’s somethin’ really wrong with me.”
“Or maybe you’re havin’ a baby!” she yelled excitedly.
“Stop!” I laughed. “He stopped comin’ to the club. Maybe he’s over it. Plus, I don’t even know his last name. God, that’s so embarrassin’, I feel like a Carrie Underwood song.”
“We can find it out. How many Landry’s could there possibly be in Atlanta? I can get Kieran on it!”
“I’d rather we not involve your nosy brother because then my nosy brother gets involved and…”
She looked over to my door, and I furrowed my brows, getting to my feet. “Wait a second. Everleigh Greene! Do you have a man at your place? Is it my brother?”
“What!” she squeaked, her voice high pitched as she scoffed and laughed. “I...do not have a man at my place, especially not your engaged brother! Maybe I was just busy with my vibrator before you so rudely interrupted. Now that it’s settled, let me...finish my business, and we’ll hit the store. Give me ten minutes. I’ll come and knock on your door. Do you wanna wake the girls?”
I shook my head.
“No, it’s fine. We can go later. I don’t wanna leave this early in the mornin’ with just the two of us, and I don’t wanna wake everyone. Sorry for interruptin’. I’ll text you later.”
She smiled, getting to her feet as she gave me a kiss on the forehead and walked out back to her place. I sighed, leaning back on my couch; a small smile crept up on my face. I pressed a hand to my belly, hoping with everything I had that maybe this was the beginning of something beautiful after so much suffering.
“You were a wreck,” Landry’s voice says, breaking me out of my thoughts.
Eloise laughs, pain lacing the strained sound, and she slaps Landry’s chest.
“Don’t be a jerk. I hate needles.”
I look at the two of them, giving Eloise a reassuring smile. It’s not her fault her husband is a cheating, lying bastard.
“I’ll try and be quick. I’m the IV queen on this floor, I promise.”
True to my word, I perfect the IV insertion, Eloise only wincing for a second as it goes in. I tape everything up, grabbing a bag of saline and hooking it up to the pole. I glance at the fetal heart monitor again, checking on the baby’s progress, and type a few things out onto her chart.
“Do y’all know the sex of the baby?” I ask.
“A girl,” Eloise says with a smile. “Have a little boy that’s three at home, so he’s very excited for a sister. I am too, way too much testosterone in the house,” she says, rolling her eyes toward Landry.
“If you are referring to the very adorable bulldog I bought Theo for Christmas, don’t act for one second that he doesn’t sleep at the foot of the bed every single night,” Landry laughs.
The pit in my stomach grows at the thought of Landry with a son, a dog, and now a little girl on the way. I realize I imagined the look in his eyes that night, the tenderness he showed me. It was all so real, but now, about to help deliver his damn wife’s second child, I know it was all a lie.
I leave the room, my emotions scattered all over the place as I see the anesthesiologist walk in. I go back to the break room, grabbing a snack from my bag, and shovel it down, taking a water bottle from the fridge.
I take another deep breath, walking back toward Eloise’s room, and hear Landry soothing her.
“You got this, Ellie. You did it with Theo; you can do it with Sylvie.”
I bite my lip, hearing the warmth in his voice. Sylvie. That’s such a beautiful name. I feel a tear drip down my cheek and take my glasses off, wiping at it. I exhale, shaking out my arms, and walk into the room.
Professional, Magnolia. You are a professional, and you can handle this.
“How we doin’ in here?” I ask cheerfully. “Feelin’ the urge to push?”
“Yes!” Eloise groans. “She’s definitely ready to come out soon. Is there a way to make this epidural stronger?”
I put on my gloves, walking to the foot of her bed, and lift the blanket, spreading her legs. I push my fingers inside of her, eyes widening, and then pull them back out.
“You’re at ten. Let me grab Dr. Grayson.”
“She needs more medication,” Landry shouts, getting to his feet.
I furrow my brows at him, gritting my teeth, and nod. “I heard her. Let me get Dr. Grayson.”
I throw my gloves into the garbage, wash my hands, and step out into the hallway to page Dr.Grayson. He nods as we walk back into the room, and I prepare everything for the baby’s arrival, my emotions tucked away, the nurse in me coming to the forefront.
I lay everything out on the bassinet on autopilot, and soon I’m next to Eloise, holding her leg as Dr. Grayson yells at her to push. I chance a look at Landry’s face, and he’s by Eloise’s shoulder, letting her squeeze his hand to the point of breaking his fingers. His face is white, and I motion to Jolie to keep an eye on him. She nods, and Eloise lets out a loud yell as the room is filled with newborn cries.
Dr. Grayson hands the baby to me, and I freeze. I’ve done this so many times, but this time, it’s different—so very different. This is Landry’s baby. The father of my unborn baby and my feelings come to the front, paralyzing me.
“The cord, Magnolia,” Dr. Grayson says sternly.
“Yes, Landry would you like to—” I turn toward Landry as his eyes roll to the back of his head, and he drops to the floor.
“I got him,” Jolie says, reaching into her pants for a smelling salt tab.
I ignore them, going back into nurse mode as I clamp and cut the cord, bringing the baby to the bassinet, suctioning her, and wiping down her small little body. Her eyes struggle to open against the light, and I smile, watching her take her first breaths in the real world.
I can’t wait for this to be me.
I finish cleaning her up, weighing and measuring her, and then wrap a diaper around her bottom. I swaddle her in the generic white, blue, and pink hospital blanket and cradle her into the crook of my arm.
I smile at Eloise as she wipes tears off her cheeks.
“She’s beautiful,” I whisper.
Eloise just nods, biting her lip as she reaches out, pulling down her gown to cuddle her daughter against her skin. I pull the blanket up over their bodies as her daughter’s mouth immediately starts to rub against her mother’s bare skin.
“Just like her daddy. An appetite for days,” Eloise giggles.
My smile fades as I see Landry coming to, sitting in the chair on the side of Eloise’s bed, and I excuse myself, heading toward the bathroom. I can’t see him interact with his newborn; it’ll break me.
I walk into a stall, letting some of my tears fall before I do my business and flush, walking to the sink as I wash my hands and fix my face. My cheeks are tear-stained, and I brush them dry, taking a deep breath as I look at my reflection.
Taking out my phone, I check the new text messages from the girls.
Eden: Keep him there. I’m about to come and kill him.
Everleigh: Shoot him up with a little too much sedatives.
Addison: Delete these texts. We know nothing.
Eden: Fuck him. You don’t want your kid to have a douchebag for a dad.
Addison: You guys, she needs to tell him. He has a right to know.
Everleigh: Well, he should have thought about that before he stuck his dirty dick into my girl.
I laugh, shaking my head as I respond.
Me: He wasn’t dirty, and it was really my idea. Can we stop? Y’all better have tacos for me tonight, so we can hash this out.
Eden: Done.
I walk back toward the room as they wheel the baby up to the nursery for her tests. Eloise is asleep, her eyes closed as I check on the IV in her hand.
“That was embarrassing, huh?” Landry says, his voice deep and tired.
I look up, and he gives me a crooked smile. “I’ve seen worse. Press the call button when she wakes up, okay?”
He nods, reaching into his pocket to answer his ringing phone.
“Do you need anything?” I ask.
“No, I’m good.”
He answers his phone with a smile, and I continue to finish up my notes on the computer as I shamelessly eavesdrop on his conversation.
“She did great. Me, on the other hand,” he laughs. “They took her to get the tests done. I sent you a picture. She’s the cutest frigging thing I’ve ever seen. Ellie is out cold. I’ll tell her to call you when she wakes up.”
I turn away, walking toward the door, when Landry’s voice stops me. “Hey, wait.”
I turn around, my arms crossed over my chest. Eloise is asleep, and I don’t have to have bedside manners with this lying bastard.
“Yes?”
“Can I, uh...is there a, um...place to buy food here?”
I arch my eyebrow and nod. “There’s a cafe downstairs. Do you want somethin’?”
“No, I mean...when is your break?”
I furrow my brows and place my hands on my hips. “My break? I don’t have a certain time to take breaks; I just do when it’s slow, sometimes not at all. My shift ends at seven if that’s what you’re askin’?”
“Yes, that’s what I’m asking. Do you um...go home or…”
I’m confused. He’s stuttering and mumbling, and my patience is completely gone after this hell hole night. “Yes, I go home. What are you askin’, Landry?”
My tongue skates out to my lips, a nervous habit I picked up, and I watch as his blue eyes drop to the motion. He takes a step closer to me, and I’m stuck. His hand comes up, pushing my glasses higher up my nose, and I gasp.
“So you do remember me?” he whispers, the fumbling, nervous man completely gone as the commanding man that shared my bed over two months ago takes his place.
“I...I…” I’m the one to stutter now, unsure of an answer.
“LJ…” I step back at Eloise’s sleepy voice, like a teenager getting caught about to cheat on a test by the teacher.
Thankfully, it breaks the tension, and I turn, walking out of the room. I press my back to the wall next to the door and put my hand over my heart to steady it. I know I need to go back in there and check on Eloise, but I need a breather.
I walk back down the hall, pacing back and forth as the buzzing from room three echoes at the nurses’ station.
“Magnolia, that’s you,” Jolie says, a look of concern in her eyes. “You good? Want me to take it?”
“I’m good, thanks.”
I walk back toward the room, slowly slipping inside, and notice Landry gone. I sigh in relief as I walk toward Eloise’s side of the bed.
“We have to get you up and to the bathroom before we wheel you to postpartum, okay?”
She nods, reaching her hand out for me to help her to a sitting position. She winces, and I put a hand on her back, rubbing it.
“You’re okay. I got you.”
“Thank you, Magnolia. Thank you for being such an incredible nurse.”
I swallow down my guilt, my shame at knowing how happy she is in this moment, and I slept with her husband. I feel like such a fraud, and I want to tell her what a cheating bastard her husband is. I can’t pop her bubble, though... God, this is a disaster. If I tell her, then he’ll know I work at RISE; she could go to the head of HR and spill everything, ruining my career.
I’m not some prostitute her husband slept with though, I’m carrying his child.
“I think Landry is smitten with you,” Eloise says, shocking me speechless.
I look at her face, wondering if I said any of that out loud, and furrow my brows.
“I saw the way you two just looked at each other,” she says with a sly smile.
“I...no, not at all,” I laugh.
“It would be okay if he was, you know? He’s an amazing man.”
“I…” What is this, some type of weird swinger thing? Is she trying to coax me into a threesome? What the hell is happening? “No, I mean, he’s obviously so in love with you.”
Her smile fades, and her face twists up in disgust. “Well, I certainly hope not. He’s my brother.”
“Your…”
My brain takes a few minutes to process the words, and suddenly I’m laughing, full-on belly laughing as Eloise joins in with me. I sit my butt down on the bed, holding my stomach as the other arm is wrapped around her back, and tears start to fall from my lids as I quickly wipe them away, my laughs shaking my entire body.
“Oh Lord, you have no idea the thoughts I had in my head!”
“Oh, God, that’s disgusting. My husband is in the Navy. He’s deployed, so Landry agreed to be in the room with me.”
“Be sure to thank your husband for his service. I’m so sorry he missed this.”
Eloise waves me off as I help her to her feet. She winces when she gets to a full stand, and we gingerly walk toward the bathroom, the IV pole sliding alongside us.
“Here, I can unhook you, so you don’t have all these wires to untangle. If you need anything, please knock, okay?”
Eloise nods, shutting the bathroom door behind her, and I turn, letting out a relieved sigh.
He’s not married. Thank God. That doesn’t mean he isn’t seeing anyone, though. There has to be a reason that he stopped coming to the club.
Maybe it’s because you kept brushing him off, the voice in my head chastises.
Eloise emerges, and I help her back to the bed, changing her bedsheets and pad before she sits back down.
“Don’t judge him for passing out. He’s a tough guy, I promise,” she laughs, laying her head back as she yawns.
I give her a smile, shaking my head. “I...I won’t.”
I pull the blankets up over her chest, hook her hand up back to the IV bag and walk out, letting Jolie know I’m heading down to the cafe for a quick bite.
I take the elevator down, walking into the cafe and going right toward the chocolate chip cookies. I grab a carton of milk and turn, bumping right into a hard body. My glasses fall off one of my ears, and I stumble to th
e right of them.
“I’m so sorry,” I mumble.
“Midnight snack craving?” I look up, and Landry is the culprit, all blonde hair and scruffy beard, blue eyes, and that damn dimple when he smiles.
“H-Hi, I...yeah, I guess so,” I giggle.
“Can I buy it for you? It’s the least I can do after you just helped successfully deliver my niece...and ignore the fact that I embarrassed the hell out of myself by passing out,” he mumbles.
My lips turn up into a smile. “I never said anything about ignorin’ you passin’ out, but sure, thank you.”
He stares at me for a second, furrowing his brows, and I wonder if he remembers me from the tree farm and gym or the club. I shake my head, walking in front of him. There’s no way he recognizes me from the club. My eyes are now their natural blue, not masked by the brown contacts I wear, my hair is back to blonde instead of the blue wig. My voice drawls with my natural southern twang instead of the northern accent I use in the club. I adjust my glasses up the bridge of my nose—those too. There’s no way.
I feel warmth on my lower back and still, looking over my shoulder. Landry immediately takes his hand off and runs his hand down his neck.
“Sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. It just...happened. Here let me,” he reaches for my milk and cookies, putting it on the counter with his beef jerky and Red Bull, and reaches for his wallet.
“How’s it goin’, Miss Magnolia?” Jeffrey, the cashier, asks with a friendly smile.
“You know how it is Jeff, formulatin’ my evil plot to take over the world, one baby at a time.” I wink, and Jeffrey laughs, ringing up our food and glancing to Landry.
“Thought you don’t do the boyfriend thing?” Jeffrey asks.
I open my mouth, looking up at Landry and then back to Jeffrey. “I...this is Landry. I just delivered his sister’s baby, so, ya know, payment in cookies and milk is the only way to go.”
Jeffrey eyes Landry, a curious smile on his face, and I feel my cheeks heat. I push my glasses up my nose again, licking my lips, my stupid nervous habit I can never seem to quit.
“I feel like I know you from somewhere besides the few times we’ve run into each other. Sometime recently...” Landry whispers so near to my face, I jump with the surprising contact.
Delivered in Sin Page 7
