The party carried on for a while, as Elaina watched the kids dance.
While everyone was laughing, singing, dancing, and having a good time, I snuck up on her and whispered in her ear. “Hey, Mrs. Daniels. I’m dying to get you alone. Want to ditch this party and find someplace quiet to have a proper chat?”
“Well, since you put it that way…”
I took her hand and led her out of the cafeteria. Mara was still standing in the doorway. We brushed past her, smirking.
I guided my wife to our room and upon opening the door, she gasped. While she was preoccupied at the party, I lit all the candles I placed around earlier.
“Henry… It looks so romantic.”
“I hope you enjoyed your day, Mrs. Daniels.”
“I did, Mr. Daniels. And I have a feeling I will enjoy the night, as well.”
I grabbed her and pulled her close. “I had a bag, so you’re in for a long one.” A low chuckle escaped my throat. “I hope you’re ready for me.”
“I believe I can handle you.”
I leaned down and kissed her, trailing them down her neck to her collarbone. She worked her hands all over my chest and abdomen, unbuttoning my shirt as she went. Then I spun her around.
“Curses! Bloody buttons.” We laughed as my hands fumbled.
Finally unbuttoning the last one, her dress fell to the floor. My breath hitched in my throat as she slowly turned around, completely exposed, putting on a little show.
“I don’t care how many times I’ve seen you, love. Every time I do, you look more and more beautiful than the last, especially in this lighting. You are sinfully delicious. Exquisite,” I whispered, spinning her one last time.
“You always know what to say to make me feel good.”
I scooped her up, carried her to our bed, and made love to my wife over and over again until the sun peeked over the horizon.
The following morning, after another stellar lovemaking session, Elaina and I finally decided to leave our room because we were both in dire need of food.
Walking into the cafeteria hand-in-hand, we noticed our community was buzzing with excitement.
“Wonder what the deal is?” I asked in a hush.
“I don’t know. I can’t imagine it’s about our wedding, though.”
Eli came rushing through the doorway, yelling, “It’s a girl!” I spun around as he ran up to me with his arms raised above his head. “It’s a girl!”
His enthusiasm made me chuckle. “Congrats! Everyone’s healthy, I presume?”
“Cora seems to think so! I can’t get over it. She’s perfect. Looks just like Lauren. I’m a dad… I can’t believe it.”
“Well, you just do well by that little lass and make her proud to be your daughter.”
“I will. I’ve worked hard to prove my worth to Lauren.”
“You have.” I reached out and patted him on the shoulder.
“Thank you for everything…letting us stay, saving my life. Without you-”
I stopped him. “You’re welcome.”
“Well, I gotta run! My daughter needs me.” He let out a shout of excitement and ran out of the cafeteria.
Elaina and I laughed. “I love all this happiness,” she murmured.
“It feels good,” I said with a smile.
Hiding my concern, I wondered how long I would be allowed such joys.
Chapter 37
-Seven Months Later-
Quinn woke in the middle of the night. Rolling to a sitting position, she rubbed her swollen abdomen. Suddenly, she was riddled with radiating pain. Right in that moment, she remembered her labor with Carrie.
“Oh god,” she mumbled, working to breathe through the pain. She reached over and shook Gunther’s shoulder. He was blissfully sleeping, unaware of what was happening. “Gunther…wake up.” He groaned. “Gunther… Please, wake up.” He rolled over. “Ugh. Shit.” She felt a warm, steady leak. “Gunther, it’s time.”
“It’s not morning yet,” he mumbled in his haze, then pulled the blanket up around his face.
“Gunther!” she yelled. “Get up! The baby’s coming!”
He sat straight up, only to see Quinn’s face scrunched up while rocking back and forth on her hands and knees, groaning in pain.
“What do you want me to do?” he panicked.
“Go get Cora,” she moaned.
He jumped up and ran out the door, shirtless and in his gym shorts. Quinn groaned in pain again. The contractions started coming fast and furious.
Moments later, Cora and Gunther flew back into the room. Quinn was squatting in front of a chair, her head resting on the seat. She was so caught up in her pain, she didn’t hear them come back in.
“I had a feeling this was going to happen very soon after you said you were having sporadic contractions over the past couple days. Let’s get her to the clinic. Can you walk, darling?” Cora knelt next to her and rubbed her back.
“I think so. My water broke.”
Cora helped her stand. “Here, Gunther. Support her. Take your time, Quinn. I’m going to go get things set up.” Once Gunther wrapped his arms around her, Cora ran off.
They took a few steps toward the door of their room. “Wait…,” Quinn said in an exhale. Another contraction hit her. Each one was worse than the last. She wrapped her arms around his neck and tucked her head into his chest, swaying back and forth.
He was shaking from not knowing what to do. He hated seeing her in so much pain, knowing it was him who caused it. She tried to breathe, but moaned instead.
“I can carry you if you want,” he prompted, hoping she would be receptive.
“No. I need to walk. It’ll help things move along. Oh, shit.” Another one hit her, almost collapsing her because of the pain.
“Quinn, let me carry you,” he urged.
“No, just do as I ask! You’ve never done this before!” she yelled.
It upset him a little because he didn’t mean to say anything wrong.
They made it partially down the hall when Henry opened his door. “What’s going on?” he asked groggily, rubbing his face. Quinn lay her head on Gunther’s chest again. “Oh, I see. Do you guys need anything?” Confused, Gunther shrugged. “Well, if you do, let us know.”
“Thanks,” Gunther replied, rocking with her while she moaned. They walked a couple more feet, making it to the end of the hall. The clinic still seemed miles away.
“I have to push.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Get me to the clinic…now.”
He scooped her up and blew through the door, startling Cora, who was getting the last of the sheets spread out.
“She said she needs to push.”
“What position feels best for you, Quinn?”
“I have to lie down. My legs feel weak.”
Gunther lay her on the cot…the very same cot Claire and Willow passed away on. Fear bubbled to the surface, thinking about that day. A scream brought him out of his thoughts.
Another contraction had ripped through Quinn’s body. Cora and Gunther stripped her out of her clothes, then covered her with a sheet. Gunther’s eyes searched Cora’s for a little advice, while she offered assistance to Quinn.
“Breathe, sweetie, breathe. Gunther, I’m going to need you to help since she’s feeling weak. Can you do this?”
“Ye-yeah, I think so.” The nerves were getting to him.
“Let me know when you need to push,” Cora said from the end of the cot.
“Now!” she shrieked. Quinn pulled her legs in and bore down, yelling in pain as she exhaled.
“We need ones bigger than that, hon, or this is going to take longer than you want it to. Come on. You’ve got this.”
He tried to comfort her as much as he could while holding one of her legs. Along with telling her what an amazing job she was doing, he rubbed her back when she needed it.
Quinn’s pushing went on for about an hour until finally, the baby’s head was visible.
“Give me one good push, but stop when I say so.” Cora instructed, and Quinn pushed with all her might. “Stop!” Cora suctioned the baby’s mouth and nose out. “Gunther.” He looked at her like he was lost again. “Come here and watch your baby come into this world.”
Quinn let out a blood-curdling scream. “Please! It burns!” He hovered over her lower half as Quinn gave it her all, and out came their baby.
“It’s a boy!” he yelled in excitement.
The baby’s lungs started working right away. Quinn fell back and sobbed, so relieved to hear her baby cry. Cora pulled back the sheet and rested him on Quinn’s chest, covering them both with a blanket. She stroked her son’s sticky, long and curly hair.
“Look at the hair on that kid,” Cora laughed, then handed Gunther a pair of scissors. “Here. Cut the cord.”
After he cut, he became really emotional. He touched his son’s head and face, then took his tiny hand. When his little fingers wrapped around Gunther’s, it melted his heart.
“Thank you,” he whispered to Quinn through his happy tears. She smiled. “He looks perfect,” he murmured as he kissed her forehead.
Cora handed him a couple small towels. “Wrap him up and hold him so we can finish this up.”
Together, Quinn and Gunther tenderly wrapped their son up so only his chubby face was exposed. She showed him how to hold to the baby.
Gunther paced the room, admiring his new little boy, who was staring at him. He spoke loving and endearing words to him while stroking his face with his finger.
He walked past the door, realizing it wasn’t closed all the way and a group of people had gathered outside, awaiting news. He stepped out and proudly showed him off. The women swooned.
Henry patted him on the shoulder. “Congratulations, mate.”
“Thank you.”
“How’s Quinn?” Elaina asked.
“Good, I think. They’re just finishing up.”
Cora stepped out. “Well, everything seems good. I’m going to get her walking in just a few minutes, but we need to try to get him to feed first.”
“Right. Well, see you all later.” Gunther ducked back into the clinic.
“I’m going to head out and take care of a few things, check on the kids. I’ll be back in a few. Congrats,” Cora said before she reached up and hugged Gunther.
“Thank you so much,” he replied.
He brought his little boy over to Quinn, who was propped up with a few thin pillows. Unsure how the whole feeding thing went, he turned a little in both directions—a small dance of confusion.
“How…? What…? Which…?”
“Here. Just hand him over. I’m an old pro at this.” She winked at him, took her baby boy, and began trying to get him to latch on. He took to her right away, which amazed her. “Carrie was difficult to teach how to do this. Apparently, he knows what he wants.”
“Hungry little bugger,” Gunther murmured, so pleased to be able to watch her care for him. “I can’t stop looking at him, Quinn. This is unreal. I can’t believe we made him…and he came out of you.”
She laughed at his reaction. “He is quite beautiful, isn’t he? What do you think we should name him?” she asked.
“I wouldn’t be good at picking a name.”
“He could be a junior…”
“No,” Gunther snipped.
“I like your name.”
“No, Quinn. Not happening. I wish I could change it to rid myself clean of all the bad things connected to it.”
She felt sad that he still carried the guilt with him.
“What about Greyson?”
Gunther looked at her funny. “That sounds like a lass’ name.”
Quinn thought about it for a minute. “I like it. Maybe Grey?”
Gunther ran it through his head. “Yeah. I think I can deal with that, if that’s what you want.”
“Grey it is then. My little Grey bear,” she murmured.
They laughed, listening to all of the grunting and swallowing noises he was making.
“Fitting,” Gunther murmured, watching in awe, heart full of joy. He couldn’t believe he was finally a father. He played with Quinn’s hair and kissed her forehead. “Thank you for making me the happiest man on earth. I love you so much.”
She smiled at him, tears in her eyes. “I love you more.” Gunther smirked. “I am beyond happy to share this with you.” He leaned over and placed a small kiss on her lips.
Little Grey had finished his first meal a few minutes before Cora knocked on the door. She had a basket full of handmade diapers, baby blankets, and clothing.
“A little gift for the baby. I cut down a couple larger blankets and made smaller ones, plus a bunch of diapers. I trimmed down some of Silas’ clothes that didn’t fit him anymore and made baby-sized ones. Hope they fit his big behind.”
“Thank you so much. You’ve already done far too much,” Quinn exclaimed.
“You would do the same. Are we ready to get up and move around a little?”
“Yeah. I think so.” Quinn swaddled Grey in a fresh blanket and handed him to his daddy.
“You know what? Let me hold him and you can help her get up and keep her stable while she walks.” Reluctantly, Gunther passed Grey over to Cora. As he helped Quinn sit up, she hissed. “Just take your time. We’re good over here.” Cora smiled as she stroked Grey’s cheek.
“Tell me when you’re ready,” Gunther said as he stood in front of Quinn, patiently waiting. She scooted forward a little and Gunther took her hands. She eased up, wincing in pain. “Take it slow, love. You need to sit back down?”
“No. I’m just sore and swollen. He’s a moose, you know. Much bigger than Carrie was. I’ll feel every square inch of that birth for a very long time.”
He kept her stable and stopped with her every time she needed to. They made it to the end of one hall. “Want me to carry you?”
“No. If I can push out that giant baby, I think I can do this.”
Gunther chuckled a little, but with a determination only Quinn possessed, she waddled down the hall. It took them quite some time, but they eventually made it to their room.
Several times, Gunther begged her to let him carry her. She admired his want to comfort and protect her, but she needed to walk. Although she felt very relieved being able to lay back down in their bed.
Cora set the basket on the desk, then handed Quinn the baby. “Okay. I’m going to leave you two alone. If you have any problems or need help, don’t hesitate to come get me at any time.”
“Thank you so much,” Quinn murmured in appreciation.
Cora took Quinn’s hand. “You are very welcome. Congratulations on your beautiful little boy.”
“Thanks,” Gunther said with a smile and walked her to the door. He made his way back to Quinn and sat next to her, enthralled with her and their son.
Chapter 38
The crew moored the smaller ship as it settled at the docks. Traveling with them was a cargo ship, carrying vehicles and other long-term survival supplies.
The journey was long and dangerous through the swells of the ocean. Walking out of the captain’s quarters, Roger made his way out to the upper deck and took in the morning air. With a devious smirk, he stretched his arms high in the early dawn. He swiveled around on the heels of his boots, taking in the sites of the port. There were a few boats and ships about, but there was no life to be seen or heard.
“Sir?”
Roger turned to face Niles. “Yes?”
“What’s the agenda this fine morning?”
“To teach someone a lesson in obedience,” he said with a chuckle.
Niles smiled. “Sounds wonderful.”
“I’m hoping to get to him before anyone else does, so let’s get this show on the road. We’ll do this in rounds, throwing wave after wave at them. Flush them out and force them to give up. I want them to come to me. Beg at my feet. I have all the time in the world and a bounty of supplies at my disposal.” He motioned hi
s hand toward the cargo ship.
“I will go ready the injections.” Niles walked away from Roger’s side, and they walked down into the galley. “How many?” he asked as he started unloading the metal protective cases from the coolers.
A ripple of excitement ran through Roger’s body. “We have plenty to spare. An even three dozen should be great fun,” he murmured as he popped the latches open on the first case. He held up the rack of vials filled with the potent virus. “I can’t fucking wait,” he said in menacing tone.
“How do you want to do this?” Niles asked as he unpacked the syringes.
Roger popped the latches on a different case and held up another serum. “This… We will start with this.” His grin was unmistakably evil. “All those bleeders get tranquilized. Then you and the rest of the crew will load them on the trucks from the cargo ship, drive toward the coordinates from the tracking devices, and leave them to do what they do best.”
“Won’t they hear us coming?”
“I’m not concerned. If they hear you, have fun. But whatever you do, bring Liam to me…alive. He is mine.”
“And you feel this will flush them out?”
“You need to stop questioning me,” Roger growled. “But, luckily for you, I’m in a splendid mood right now. To answer your question, on the off chance it doesn’t flush them out, I will go in myself and get that whiny little bastard,” he said with a snarl. Niles readied the tranquilizers for the recruits down in the cells in the bowels of the ship. “Well, you keep working on this. I’m going to go have my morning pick-me-up. Let me know when you are ready.” He clapped his hands and rubbed them together. “This will be great fun.” He chuckled and headed off to his quarters to enjoy Anne once more.
We had quite the bounty of vegetables coming up in our indoor garden. It was time to transplant. There was a large crowd to keep fed and it was amazing to finally have fresh food to eat.
Cora and Elaina had started the seeds during the winter and had been planting them in cycles so we would have food coming up on a consistent basis. Soon, they would start more seeds indoors to get the crops started for the summer season.
Fractured Hearts (Shattered Lives, Book Three) Page 36
