“How’s my niece doing?” he asked, rubbing Jesse’s stomach.
I scoffed. “She has you convinced it’s a girl too?”
Jesse winked at me. “It is going to be a girl. Mother’s intuition.”
I shook my head and followed them into the living room.
Since Jesse had inherited her father’s house six years ago, we redecorated everything except for his office. Even though she didn’t know him, she said that she had felt like he was apologizing for everything by giving her what she never had.
I watched my family. Our family as they chatted. The glow of the Christmas tree and fireplace spreading a warm blanket of light over everyone.
I had never had a family except for my siblings and since meeting Jesse, I gained two extra members with a third on the way.
We were having a baby. We were going to become parents any day now. Jesse and I had both promised each other and our baby that we would give it the childhood we never had.
“Rave?”
I smiled as Jesse came up to me and wrapped her arms around my waist. “What’s wrong?”
She frowned. “Nothing, what’s wrong with you?”
I cupped her cheek, rubbing my thumb along her full bottom lip. Lips that had been on mine just not that long ago. No matter how many times we kissed, it was like I was kissing her for the first time.
“Nothing’s wrong, baby,” I whispered.
Her brown eyes filled with concern. “Are you sure?”
I leaned down and brushed my mouth along hers. “I have nothing to be upset about.”
She leaned into my palm. “No?”
I kissed her forehead. “No.”
“Tell me.”
My stomach flipped at the husk in her voice. “I have the most beautiful wife a man could ask for.”
Jesse’s cheeks turned pink at my compliment. “Keep going.”
I chuckled and kissed her nose. “We’re about to become parents to probably the most loved baby ever.”
Jesse laughed and ran her hand over her stomach. “I—“ she gasped and gripped my arm. Her brow scrunched, pain etching on her beautiful features.
“Jesse, are you—“
Her hold on my arm tightened. Her eyes widened. “Rave.”
“Is it the baby?” My heart raced, my palms going sweaty.
“I…I think I’m going into labor,” she panted.
Everyone turned to us at those words. My mother in law came up to us first and placed a hand on Jesse’s shoulder. “Contractions?”
“I—“ A cry escaped her lips and she hunched over, gripping the bottom of her stomach.
I grabbed both of her hands. “Jesse.”
She shook her head. “The baby’s coming.”
My mother in law looked at her watch and waited while rubbing Jesse’s upper back.
About a minute later, Jesse screamed, squeezing my hands to the point of painful. I looked at Jackie. “Are the contractions supposed to happen this fast?”
Her brows furrowed. “Not unless she’s been in labor for a while. Did your water break, Jesse?”
Jesse breathed slow and deep. “I don’t know. I went to the washroom after Rave and I…” her cheeks heated.
Jackie smiled. “Well I think you got this baby raring to go. Let’s get her comfortable.”
“I called an ambulance,” Uncle Stanley stated.
Anxiety swirled through my gut. Please God, let Jesse and the baby make it through this.
“Rave, I want you to sit on the couch behind her. Emilia, grab some pillows,” Jackie demanded, shouting out orders but I just stood there. Frozen in place as I watched the agony soar through my wife.
“Rave.”
Someone called my name but I couldn’t focus on them. I couldn’t do this. I wasn’t ready. What if the baby hates us?
“Hey.” Heavy hands landed on my shoulders.
I blinked a couple of times and stared into Ren’s deep green eyes.
“Rave.”
I shook my head. “I can’t do this.”
Ren smiled and cupped the back of my neck, leaning his forehead against mine. “You can. I know you can.”
“What if we’re shitty parents?”
“Every parent makes mistakes but you and Jesse have each other, right?”
I nodded.
“Good. Now your wife needs you. Think you can help her out?”
I swallowed hard, my gaze flicking to Jesse. Our eyes locked and hers pleaded with me to go to her.
I pulled out of my brother’s grasp and walked over to my wife. The mother of my future children and one that was impatient and wanted to be born right now.
Jesse was breathing deep, lying back on the couch. She sat up when she saw me approach her. “I need you,” she said through gritted teeth.
I grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles. “I know, baby. I’m here.”
She cried out and I rushed to sit behind her, rubbing her lower back.
“Rave, I don’t wanna do this anymore.”
“It’ll be over soon, baby girl. Stanley, where’s that ambulance?” Jackie demanded.
Uncle Stanley grabbed the phone and headed out into the hall.
Jackie looked between us both. “The contractions are less than a minute apart. That means this baby is coming now. Emilia?” Jacked said.
My sister came over tentatively and knelt down beside us.
“Hold Jesse’s hand.”
She did as Jackie suggested.
My mother in law looked at my brother whose face had gone pale since talking to me. “Now Ren. We need clean towels and a wet facecloth.”
“Towels?” I asked, rubbing Jesse’s shoulders.
Jackie smiled at us and squeezed Jesse’s knee. “It’s time.”
“Time?” Jesse asked through gritted teeth.
Jackie lifted up Jesse’s dress, looked down and nodded. “Ren. Towels. Now.”
“What’s wrong?” Jesse tried sitting up but another contraction wracked through her body. “Mom.”
Jackie turned back to us.
“I…oh God…” she grabbed my knee, digging her nails into me. She started panting. “I need to push.”
A breath left me on a whoosh as I ran my hands up and down her arms.
Jackie’s eyes widened. “Okay, baby girl. Let’s do this.”
Ren came back just as Jackie propped up Jesse’s feet. “Emilia, hold her ankle. We’re going to deliver a baby.”
Ren’s face paled as Uncle Stanley came into the room. “Ambulance got snowed in. They’re about five minutes away.”
Jackie turned to us and looked at me. “We don’t have five minutes. Are you ready to become a father?”
My throat went dry. We were doing this here. In our living room.
“Rave,” Jackie snapped.
I nodded.
“Good.” Her eyes warmed. “I know this is a lot to deal with but let’s get this baby born.”
Jesse and I took a deep breath at the same time.
“Okay. Rave, when I say push, you’re going to hold her knee, giving her something to push against. Okay, both of you, push.”
Jesse’s body tensed as she grunted and I held her.
“That’s it. I see the head.”
“You’re doing good, sis.” Emilia squeezed Jesse’s hand.
“Oh God, please. I can’t.” Jesse fell back against me, sweat coating her brow.
“A couple more pushes and you’re done,” Jackie coaxed.
I ran my hands up and down Jesse’s arms. “Come on baby. You can do it. I’m so proud of you.”
“Rave, I can’t.”
I kissed her neck and sat her up. “Yes you can. Big push.”
She took a deep breath and pushed, screaming through the agony.
“That’s it. Stan, where’s that ambulance?” Jackie shouted.
“It just pulled into the driveway,” Uncle Stanley called from the door.
A breath of relief left me, knowing that my wife and baby would be no
w in the hands of medical personnel.
Jackie smiled as the EMS workers rushed into the house. She let them take over and moved to the back of the couch, running a hand over Jesse’s hair.
The one EMS worker looked between us both. “She’s fully dilated. This baby wants to come quickly. There’s no time to get her to the hospital to deliver. We’re doing this here, alright?”
I nodded and squeezed Jesse’s shoulders. “Let’s do this baby.”
“Okay Jesse, push. With everything you. Give me all you got.”
Jesse gave another push and I watched as the EMS worker pulled out a small bundle from under my wife’s dress. It all happened so fast. Memories of us meeting, our time getting to know each other, our wedding and now this. We had a baby.
Jesse sighed, leaning back against me.
A wail erupted around us. Our baby. Splotchy and covered in fluid but it was ours.
“Meet your son,” he placed him in Jesse’s arms. Our son. We had a baby boy.
A sob escaped Jesse’s lips as she held him against her chest.
A lump formed in my throat and I kissed Jesse’s head. Watching my wife and son bond, made my heart swell with love. I would never forget this moment.
“Do you have a name?” Emilia asked, wiping the tear’s from under her eyes.
Jesse looked up at me, unshed tears filling her beautiful brown eyes.
I placed a soft peck on her mouth, brushing a finger along the chubby cheek of our baby. “How about Reid?”
She smiled. “Reid Anthony Black.”
The moment our son was born, our world changed. The love I had for Jesse grew and flowed around us, bringing us together as a family.
Jesse grabbed my hand and pulled my arm around her. “Looks like you get your new car after all.”
Author Note:
Jesse and Rave are happy. Finally. With their new baby boy.
Thank you for taking part in this journey with me. I hope you have enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Other books by me:
Shattered Series (erotic romance with suspense elements)
Break Me
Always Me
Find me:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joanna.wlkr.author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/joannawlkr
Blog: http://joannawlkr.blogspot.ca/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7061953.Jo_Anna_Walker
Table of Contents
In the Heart of Forever
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
In the Heart of Now
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
In the Heart of Tomorrow
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
In the Heart of Us
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
In the Heart of Christmas
In the Heart of Forever Page 24
