by Aria Grace
He immediately strides toward me and I stand up, ignoring my brother and brother-in-law because all my attention is on my man. When Jude finally pulls me into his arms and kisses me hard, the tension in my limbs falls and I the weight in my chest lifts. I can breathe now.
“Hey, baby,” he says against my lips. “I missed you.”
I laugh and pull away. “I just left twenty minutes ago. You act like it’s been weeks.”
“Felt like it.” He leans forward to give me another kiss before helping me into my chair. Then he finally looks at the other people at our table, immediately homing in on Ethan. “You must be Andy’s brother.”
Ethan stands up and accepts Jude’s outstretched hand. “Yeah, Ethan. It’s good to meet you, Jude. Andy hasn’t stopped talking about you in months.”
I smack my brother’s arm. “It hasn’t been that long…” But it totally has. Since the first day I started working with Jude and realized he wasn’t the man I thought he was, I haven’t stopped thinking about it. Or talking about every stupid thing we do together as if I’m the first omega to ever have a crush on a co-worker.
Jude just laughs and sits down beside me, holding my hand on the table proudly. “I’m glad to hear it. I’ve been a little obsessed myself.”
Freddie squeals and offers his hand to Jude. “I’m Freddie, Ethan’s mate. And I’m so happy for both of you.”
My cheeks pink up and I glance at Jude. We hadn’t decided if we would tell Ethan and Freddie about the baby tonight. We planned to play it by ear and see how things went tonight. But by the giddy look on Freddie’s face, he could tell. He had a sixth sense about these things. “Thanks, Freddie.”
“Uh, yeah.” Ethan coughs and then pats my arm from across the table. “Me too. I wasn’t sure if you were serious about each other but it’s pretty obvious that you guys mean a lot to each other. I’m happy for you.”
“Thank you, Ethan. That means a lot to me.”
Freddie waves his hand at me, urging me to continue. “And, isn’t there something else you have to say?”
I just smile and squeeze Jude’s hand. He should be the one to make the announcement. I get to carry the baby so it seems only fair he gets the fun job of sharing the news.
“Well, now that you mention it, there is one other thing.” Jude leans over to give me another quick kiss before turning to Ethan and Freddie. “Andy and I are expecting a baby next spring.”
Freddie jumps up and rushes around the table to hug me. “Oh, sweetie, I’m so happy for you.”
I feel silly wiping a tear from my eye but they aren’t exaggerating when people talk about pregnancy hormones being a bitch. “Thank you.”
Ethan pulls me into his arms next. “Me too, little brother. I know this is what you want and I’m happy that you found it so quickly. You’re a lucky man.”
I nod against his chest then turn to Jude. “I am a lucky man.”
“And hungry, right?” Freddie sits down and opens up his menu. “When I’m pregnant, I eat like a pig. That’s one of the perks so don’t be one of those annoyingly healthy types and go all organic on us. That baby needs junk too!”
“Don’t worry.” I laugh and pick up the menu. “So far, this baby has only wanted junk.”
17
Andy
Jude has worked hard all week to wrap up another project he’s been working on. So, when I get home early, I decide to make one of his favorites for dinner. I scan through the pantry, taking note of the ingredients I’ll need to make a lasagna. I’m missing a few items and will need to run out to grab them. Once I think I have everything listed, I hop in my car and head to the fresh market that’s about a mile from the house.
Finding what I need is easy since I mostly need the basics of tomatoes, cheese, and fresh pasta. We have a large supply of eggs on hand thanks to my odd cravings as of late and the spice racks are completely filled at home. One thing I can say about my alpha, he definitely doesn’t let me go without. If I even hint at wanting something, it shows up on one of the shelves at home before I know it. I’m having to learn to watch what I say because even if I tease about wanting something extravagant, he takes me seriously. And as much as I believe I could eat five gallons of ice cream in one sitting sometimes, we definitely don’t need that much sitting in the freezer for me to attempt the feat.
I don’t need to gain more weight than I already have. I can’t even tie my shoes anymore.
I continue to ask the doctor at every visit if I’m having twins, be she continues to assure me I’m not. Even though I have a feeling one kid is playing peek-a-boo behind the other during the ultrasounds I’ve had. At least if I were having two, I could excuse away all the weight I’ve gained.
Jude tells me every day that I’m just as sexy as ever, but he has to be lying as well. My fat stomach is only accentuated by my leaking chest that is beginning to fill with milk. Add all that to my swollen cankles, and I feel like Shamu.
At the refrigerated section of the store, I pretend to gaze upon the different brands of cheeses when I’m actually just absorbing the cool air. I now run at like two hundred degrees and can never cool down. When a line starts to form behind me, I grab a package of shredded mozzarella hanging from one of the hooks and then glance around for a container of ricotta. Of course, the package I need is on a top shelf so I have to stretch on my tiptoes to reach for it. Just as my fingers close on the plastic tub, my body locks up in a sharp and quick pain.
A small gasp escapes my throat as I try to assess what hurts. My frown catches the attention of a woman nearby and she stops to check on me. “Are you okay?”
“I think so,” I reply as the pain subsides. “I’m not sure what happened.”
Her eyes soften as she looks at my stomach. “How far along are you?”
“Almost eight months.”
“Oh.” Her embarrassed look is one I’m not unfamiliar with at this point. She obviously thought I was further along.
“It’s okay. I’ve gained a ton of weight.” I smile, letting her know I’m not offended by her comment.
“I’ve been there.” She shrugs. “What can you do, right?”
I laugh with her. “Not eat?” I say sarcastically.
“Yeah, but that’s the best part of being pregnant. You get the excuse.”
“True.” I’m finally feeling well enough to attempt another grab at the ricotta, pleased to reach it without incident.
“Well, just be sure to take care of yourself and that little one. Trust me…this is the easy part.” She gives me a wink and says goodbye, turning back to her buggy and strolling away.
Placing my newly acquired purchase in my own buggy, I head for another aisle to grab the remaining items I need. I swing by the bakery, picking up a fresh loaf of bread to top with a delicious garlic-butter sauce. Somehow, I’ve only managed to spend thirty minutes in the store and am able to get home quickly enough to get the oven pre-heating and several bowls out to begin mixing ingredients.
By the time my sauce is heated on the stove, the oven has beeped, letting me know that it’s at the right temperature, and I have my cheese filling ready to spread. I layer the ingredients into a glass pan and fill it to the top. Since I don’t want to deal with the mess of having the cheese bubble over, I decide to be cautious, placing a huge sheet of foil on the bottom rack of the oven to catch any spillage.
After setting the oven’s timer for sixty minutes, I start peeling some apples to make an apple pie for dessert. The pre-rolled pie crust was too tempting to resist since we already had apples and sugar at home. It was a good choice because I wouldn’t feel right serving Jude’s favorite dinner without his favorite dessert.
Making quick work of the apples, I set them aside along with some pre-measured sugar and spices. The lasagna still has forty minutes to go and Jude should be home within the hour. Looking down at myself, I can feel my body screaming for a shower. There’s enough time before Jude gets home, so I decide to give in to what my body wants.
The warm cascade of water flowing down my back is well received as I wash the day away. I’m excited for the romantic dinner I have planned for my mate… My mate. I never thought I would be saying those words about anyone until I was older. But he’s exactly what I’ve wanted. I caress my hand over my baby bump, or more like baby mountain, and talk sweetly to my growing baby.
“You’ve made Daddy a very happy man. You know that?” I rub the body wash I’ve piled into my hands over my belly and wait for a kick in response, but nothing comes. Of course, the baby is sleeping while I’m up. Later tonight, when I’m trying to rest, that’ll be time to play bouncy house against my bladder and lungs.
I rinse off and hop out of the shower. As much as I’d love to dress up for Jude, I simply can’t find the energy to put on a nice shirt and pants. I settle for a pair of shorts and a one of Jude’s T-shirts, which is about the only thing I can fit into lately.
Looking at myself in the bedroom mirror, I shrug at the frumpy look I’m sporting. I guess tonight will be a true test of whether or not Jude loves the inner me. Because the outer me looks like a crack whore on a dirty street corner. I comb my hair with my fingers and then head back to the kitchen with ten minutes still left on the timer.
I blend the spices for the pie and get everything into the crust, ready for me to place it in the oven once the lasagna is finished. I’m just about to start making the butter sauce for my garlic bread when the timer goes off. Opening the oven door, the delicious aroma of seasoned tomatoes and cheese come wafting out. I inhale deeply, feeling a jump in my stomach.
“Oh…so, now that you know there’s food, you want to wake up. I see how it is.” I laugh gently as I place the hot lasagna pan on the stovetop to cool while I pop the pie pan into the oven and turn up the temperature. Returning to the butter I’ve laid out on the counter, I put it into a small saucepan and set the burner to low, letting it melt slowly as I add in some garlic seasoning.
With the lasagna cooling and my sauce on low, I grab a couple plates from the cabinet and set them on the dining room table. Wishing I had some candles for the table, I check the closet for a set. Coming up empty, I mentally scold myself for not thinking of grabbing some from the market. Although, considering what I’m wearing, tonight wasn’t meant to be romantic anyway.
Back in the kitchen, I grab the loaf of bread and slice it down the center then pour the buttery concoction across both sides. Once they’ve absorbed the golden liquid, I place the two halves back together and wrap the bread in foil before tucking it beside the pie in the oven.
I almost have everything ready. The new aroma of baking apples mixes with the fresh scent of Italian seasonings. The two together should be completely disgusting, but another kick in my belly tells me the baby agrees that it smells delicious. As I step over toward the counter to grab utensils for our place settings, a sharp pain races up my body.
“Umph!” I place one hand on my stomach and reach out to grab the countertop. Just as my hand is about to hit the surface, another pain shoots up my spine and across my abdomen, sending me into a panicked twist. My body turns and my back slams against the counter edge. Both hands fly to my stomach instinctively as something warm winds its way down my leg. A trail of scarlet sends my senses into overdrive.
Panicked, I try to move over to the table where I left my phone next to one of the cookbooks I was using. Another sharp pain pulls against my will, sending me crashing to the floor. I don’t know what’s happening, but the world is spinning around me as I try desperately to claw for the table. It’s just inches away from my fingertips but it might as well be a mile.
My hand stretches as far as it can only to come up short and fall to the ground in defeat. The final pain I remember shoot out from my spine to every extremity as I double over and feel a new flood of warmth spill from my legs onto the kitchen floor.
Then the world goes black.
18
Jude
The smells that greet me have me salivating after a long day at work. “Baby, I’m home!”
Surprisingly, no response greets me. Assuming Andy must be in the back, I set my satchel on the chair in the den then head to the bedroom.
“Baby?” The room is empty and the bathroom light is off. Maybe he just didn’t hear me in the kitchen. I move back through the hall and toward the kitchen. The scene that greets me couldn’t be any closer to a horror movie if I’d tried to imagine one.
Andy is laying on the floor in a pool of liquid that appears to be watery blood. I’m not sure what’s in the oven, but the scent from earlier now smells burnt. I flip off the oven and kneel on the floor, trying to wake Andy.
“Andy? Baby?” I check his neck for a pulse, which is faint but there. Oh, god. What’s happened. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I quickly dial 9-1-1.
“9-1-1. What is your emergency?”
“Please, I need help. My mate is passed out on the floor in a pool of blood.”
“Sir, what is your name and address?”
I rattle it off quickly before adding. “He’s pregnant. God, I hope he’s still pregnant.”
“Sir.” The female voice on the phone remains calm but that does nothing to settle my nerves. “I need you to tell me if he’s breathing.”
“Yes, he is. What do I do? There’s so much blood.”
“We’ve dispatched an emergency crew to your location. You said he’s pregnant?”
“Yes.”
“How far along is he?”
I’m trying to think, but everything is hazy as I try to focus on Andy. “Seven months.”
“Okay, I want you to take a look between his thighs and tell me what you see.”
I pull gently at the shorts Andy’s wearing, grateful he isn’t wearing anything more difficult to remove. “Oh, god… I think I can see the baby’s head.”
“That’s okay. We’ve got help on the way. But I need you to help me, okay, Jude? Can you help me?”
“Yes. I… I hope so.”
“I need you to lay him on his back so that you can get to the baby’s head.”
Turning Andy from his side to his back, I spread his legs apart. I grab a towel hanging from the oven door and throw it over the fluids between his legs. “I’ve got him on his back.”
“Great. That’s good, Jude. Now I want you to slip your fingers inside and feel around the baby’s neck. We want to make sure the umbilical cord isn’t wrapped around the throat.”
“How can I… The baby’s head… I can only see the top.”
“Jude. I need you to reach into his opening and feel around the baby. Put the phone on speaker and set it where you can hear me, okay?”
I do as she asks, hitting the speaker button on my phone and setting it on the counter near my head. Moving gingerly, I move my fingertips past the baby’s head and into Andy. Feeling around the throat is surreal, and thankfully, nothing feels as if it’s obstructing the neck. “I don’t feel anything.”
“That’s good. Okay, Jude, we’re going to get the baby free of your mate.”
“But it’s not time. It’s too soon.”
“Jude, we’ve got to help your mate. What’s his name?”
“Andy… He’s my Andy.”
“Responders are just a few minutes out. But we need to get the baby out of Andy. It’s going to be in distress and getting the baby out will help the strain on Andy’s body as well.”
“I don’t think I can do this.”
“Jude, you can. I know you can. We are going to move quickly okay. Since Andy’s unconscious, we have to do the work for him.”
“Okay… What do I do?”
“Carefully, you need to start loosening the opening and gently try to extract the baby from the birthing canal.”
Trying to follow her instructions, I place my hands around the baby’s shoulders, careful not to put undue stress on the head or throat. Shockingly, the baby begins to emerge. I pull it out slowly, scared that I’ll be too rough and injure it further. But the
baby comes out gently in my arms. “I’ve got it. But it’s not crying.”
“Good job, Jude. Now, stick your finger in the baby’s mouth and make sure nothing is obstructing the airway.
I pull some muck out and within seconds, my baby begins to wail in my arms. It’s the greatest sound I’ve ever heard.
“Hang in there, Andy,” I say over to his unconscious form. I pull off my own shirt and wrap my baby boy in it just as a knock sounds on the front door. “Help! I’m in here.”
I hear the click of the door as several footsteps make their way toward me. “Hello?”
“Please, I’m in the kitchen. I need help.” Two seconds later, a group of men and women step into the kitchen. A female first responder moves in next to me.
“You did great, Dad.” She pulls the baby from my arms and lays him on the table, doing a quick inventory of his body and heartrate. “He looks perfect, but we’ll take him in for an exam just to be sure.”
Two men are next to Andy. “I have a heartbeat,” one of the men say aloud. “Let’s get him on a gurney.” He presses a button on the radio attached at his shoulder. “Bring up a gurney.”
It’s not long before another set of responders come in with a rolling gurney. They lower it to the ground and the four surrounding Andy lift him up and place him on the bed. Then, lifting it up, they begin rolling him toward the front door. The woman holding my son follows behind the gurney. I grab my phone and run into the den after them, grabbing my keys.
I follow my family into the awaiting ambulance and hop inside just as they close the doors and speed toward the emergency room. My heart is beating faster than I can ever remember it beating before. When we pull up to the emergency room entrance, a flood of doctors and nurses greet us as they take over for the EMTs as the responders run down the situation.
