“Ok ... I think it’s time we went where you’re gonna be more comfortable,” Michael said, taking her hand and squeezing it. “No arguments. You walking around is only making me nervous anyway.”
India looked up, still clinging onto Michael’s hand. “Where’s Bobby gone now?” She looked around the room for him. “He just seems to disappear every few seconds at the minute.”
“He’s gone to talk to your press officer. He’s taking the call in the study,” Martha smiled, coming back into the room. “Paparazzi and press are parked outside the house so they’re sorting out how to deal with it all.”
India felt a wave of tiredness hit her again and she leaned into Michael. It was definitely time to give in and hit their home delivery suite.
“Come on, baby,” Michael smiled, kissing her forehead. “Let’s go.” He looked over at Reece. “We’ll keep you posted.”
Reece nodded. “If you need us ...”
“I’ll be fine, dad.”
And she was. For about another twenty minutes, and then it all started to happen. All of a sudden the contractions came thick and fast and India knew nothing but pain. She hadn’t wanted an epidural so she was going through it all with only gas and air which helped, to a point. But, much to Michael’s frustration, walking around also helped with the pain, although she didn’t move far from the delivery room this time. The nerves were setting in and she didn’t want to leave the safety of the professionals around her.
“How’s my princess doing?” Bobby smiled, sticking his head round the door as India sat on the bed, her hands round her bump. Michael was talking to Dr Goldman, trying to find out as much as he could about what was going to happen in the next few hours. It was his way of dealing with everything, of feeling like he had at least some control over the situation.
“Can you change the music please, Bobby? Stick The Eagles on, I could do with something a bit more relaxing. I’m saving AC/DC for the birth itself ... oh, fucking hell, not again ... Michael!”
Michael ran over as she stood up and leaned forward, her hands resting on the bed, breathing like she’d been told to as Michael started rubbing her lower back.
“There we go, honey ... you got it ... big, deep breaths in ... and out ... good job, baby.”
“You’ve got him trained,” Bobby said, sticking AC/DC’s ‘Back in Black’ into the CD player.
“I said The Eagles, Bobby. Christ, this is agony!”
“And it sounds like Junior’s closer than we thought so let’s just get going with the heavy stuff now, ok?”
“Whatever. Stick it on repeat,” India breathed.
“Are you serious?” Michael asked.
“Who’s having this baby?”
Bobby smiled, cocking his head to one side as he watched India battle her way through the contraction. “Do you know how much money people would pay to get a picture of you like this?”
“Shut it, Bobby.”
“Oh, we’ve reached that stage now, have we?”
She stood up as the pain subsided, turning round and looking at Michael. “Do you think having sex tonight started this?”
“No,” Michael laughed.
“Is he going to be alright, Michael?”
“He’s going to be fine.”
She put a hand to his face, looking at him. Her handsome husband. “You look tired.”
“I’m doing just great, honey, don’t you worry about me. Come on, onto the bed. Dr Goldman wants to take another look at you.”
“Right, I’m out of here if they’re gonna start fiddling around down there,” Bobby said, blowing India a kiss.
She got onto the bed, sitting between Michael’s open legs as he sat behind her. and she leaned back against him, closing her eyes, feeling the warmth of his body close to hers as they waited for their son to arrive, and she couldn’t think of a more perfect way for it to be happening. Just like he’d promised, Michael had been there for her every step of the way, right up until this moment when it was all suddenly becoming a reality, and she’d never loved him more. She’d fought ever having this baby for so many years but now she couldn’t imagine this not happening.
“Have I been a total bitch yet?” she asked, her head on Michael’s shoulder as he laid his hands on her bump, an unusual moment of calm and clarity taking over for a few seconds.
“Nothing we can’t all sue you for when this is over.”
She smiled, holding onto his knees. “You’re going to ruin these trousers, you know that, don’t you?”
He kissed her neck, laughing quietly. “I think we can run to another pair somehow.”
She turned her head to kiss his mouth, just as another contraction hit and she dug her fingers into his legs, forgetting all about the gas and air for a second, just wanting it to pass as he whispered in her ear, holding tightly onto her.
“Come on, baby, you can do this, you can do it.”
“I’ve got no fucking choice, have I? I want to push, Michael. Can I push yet?”
Michael looked up at Dr Goldman, who shook his head as he took his position at the end of the bed.
“Not yet, honey, just hang on in there.”
“Easy for you to say. Pass me the gas.”
“Ok India, sweetheart, we’re almost ready to go here so next time you feel the urge to push you can go for it,” Dr Goldman smiled. She wasn’t smiling back.
Michael kissed her neck again, stroking her bump. “Did you hear that, baby?”
“I’m pregnant not deaf. Yes, I heard.” She slipped her fingers between Michael’s over her bump as the pain subsided for a second. Literally. Just a second, or that’s what it felt like to her.
People were now rushing around the room, Dr Goldman issuing instructions left, right and centre but all she was aware of was Michael’s voice in her ear and the reality that she was now maybe only minutes away from becoming a mum. India Walsh – a mum. She didn’t know what she felt anymore, she didn’t know if she was terrified or excited, she just knew that she wanted to meet her son more than she’d ever wanted anything else before. She needed to see him so badly. Because she needed to know.
Bobby stuck his head round the door again. “I heard screaming. I’m assuming that came from you, angel.”
She couldn’t help laughing, which actually hurt. “Stop it, Bobby. Jesus, I wish I’d gone for an elective caesarean.”
Bobby looked at Michael. “Are we all set then?”
Michael nodded. “Any time now.”
Bobby clapped his hands and jumped up and down. “Ooh, how exciting! I’ll go let everyone know. You hang on in there, angel. Love you, princess.”
“Love you too, Bobby ... oh, Jesus, here we go again, Michael ... I need to push ...”
Michael felt her squeeze the life out of his fingers as she pushed down hard, but he didn’t care. He didn’t care if he felt every ounce of pain that she was feeling because his dream was finally coming true. His beautiful wife was having their baby and this is what he’d wanted for so long. From the very first second he’d laid eyes on her he’d wanted this, and every second of pain and heartache along the way had been worth it.
He picked up the cold flannel by the side of the bed and dabbed her forehead gently, kissing her damp cheek as she lay back against him. “You’re doing just great, baby. Just great.”
She said nothing, just closed her eyes and squeezed his hand like her life depended on it, and he hadn’t been aware of just how much strength she had in her. She wasn’t in a hurry to let go either.
“Ow ... that really hurt there, honey.”
“You wanna swap places?”
“Squeeze away.”
And squeeze she did as she took a deep breath and pushed down again, and all Michael could do was hold onto her and tell her it was all going to be ok because it was. He was going to make sure it was.
“His head’s out, India,” Dr Goldman smiled. “Now, give me another big push and we’ll get his shoulders out. That’ll be the worst over.�
��
“If that’s a lie I’m sueing ... Christ, that really fucking hurts!”
Dr Goldman laughed. “It’s nearly over, I promise you. We’re almost there ... come on, give me one more big push, India ... good girl ... and, there we go. His shoulders are out and we’re just a couple more big pushes away from meeting this little man. You’re doing so well, honey.”
Michael leaned over, still holding onto India’s hand, his heart almost missing a beat as he saw the first glimpse of his son as he made his entrance into the world, and he couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across his face. He hadn’t really known what to expect but what he was feeling here he couldn’t describe.
“Oh Jesus, India, baby, he’s got dark hair,” Michael laughed. “He’s got so much dark hair.”
She heard him but she couldn’t reply, all she could do was squeeze his hand once more, pushing down hard and letting out one big shout in the process as she finally felt her baby boy leave her body, his cries filling the room, and she couldn’t stop the tears from falling. Every emotion she’d had building up just came flooding out as she fell back against her husband. Their perfect little boy was finally here and he was making his presence felt from the very start.
“Here we go little guy,” Dr Goldman smiled, handing the tiny bundle over to India, who took him so gently, scared she might hurt him he looked so fragile. “Time to meet your mom and dad.”
India looked at him, then at Michael. He was right. He had a shock of dark hair that stuck up all over the place, his eyes tightly closed and his tiny, tiny fists bunched up beside his face.
“He’s beautiful,” India whispered, the tears streaming down her face. She couldn’t believe he was here and he was real. The most perfect thing she’d ever seen.
Michael gently kissed her tears away and leaned over to kiss his son. His beautiful wife and his baby boy. The two most important people in his life.
“He’s just perfect,” he smiled, stroking his face with his fingertips.
India leaned back against her famous husband, turning her head slightly to receive a kiss from him, closing her eyes as his mouth moved gently on hers. Suddenly all the pain was forgotten. None of that mattered because every second of it had been worth it.
“I love you so much, Michael Walsh,” she whispered.
“And I love you too, baby. You have no idea … no idea.”
He kissed her again, so happy he couldn’t begin to describe what was going on inside his head, it was still all kind of surreal at the minute.
“He’s absolutely perfect,” Dr Goldman smiled. They both looked up at him, both so grateful for everything him and his team had done to make this possible. “You had a fairly easy and quick birth there actually, India, although I know it probably didn’t feel like it at the time.”
“You got that right,” she said, stroking her now sleeping son’s tiny face. “Hello, baby. I’m your mum, although you’re probably going to grow up calling me ‘mom’ seeing as we’re going to be living here in America ...” She looked up at Dr Goldman. “Thank you.”
He smiled at them again. “Congratulations. You have one perfect, beautiful baby boy.”
Bobby once again stuck his head round the door, his eyes widening as he saw Michael and India holding their son, unable to stop himself jumping up and down again, although he managed to keep his squealing under control this time.
“You’ve had him!”
“No, we’re a hologram,” India smiled.
Bobby stuck his tongue out at her. “You’re too sharp for your own good sometimes, madam. Can I go tell everyone? They’re gonna want to come in here and see him. Can I go get them?”
Bobby was like an excitable child and India knew for sure, right there and then, that he was going to make a wonderful Godfather to this baby. If not a slightly unconventional one.
“Give me five minutes,” Dr Goldman said. “Then, if mom and dad want to, they can start showing this little guy off.”
Of course they wanted to show him off, and once all the checks had been done and India had tidied herself up, Reece and Martha were the first to meet baby Walsh.
“Here he is,” India smiled at Reece as he sat down on the bed beside her. “Ethan Michael James Walsh. Your grandson.”
“Oh, India,” Reece said, looking at the tiny figure lying in her arms. “He is amazing.”
“Isn’t he?” India couldn’t stop smiling. “7lb exactly and just perfect. I really can’t believe he’s mine.” She looked at Michael, kissing him quickly as he squeezed her hand. “I can’t believe he’s ours.”
“He’s beautiful,” Martha smiled. “He really is. And I’m not just saying that because he’s your baby, guys. He really is gorgeous.”
Reece looked at his daughter. She looked shattered, worn out, but happy. And he couldn’t help thinking that maybe she’d been right, maybe having this baby had been what she and Michael had needed after all. Time would tell. Everyone was emotional and tired right now and, in this situation, that meant everything seemed totally perfect even if, beneath the surface, it might not really be that way.
He leaned over to ever-so-gently kiss his new grandson. No matter what circumstances he’d been born under, whether his parents had thought it through half as much as they should have done or not, it didn’t really matter because this little boy would be loved by so many people.
“Hey there, kiddo. I’m your granddad.”
India looked at her son. Just a few minutes old and she’d fallen completely in love with him. How could she ever have thought this wouldn’t feel right?
“I think he’s got Michael’s mouth,” she said, his tiny hand wrapping itself around her finger. “I really think he has, you know.”
And she really hoped that he did. She hoped beyond anything else that he did, because for almost nine months she’d carried with her a fear that he wasn’t even Michael’s. She’d carried a fear that one stupid, regrettable night with Kenny had done more damage than she’d dared think about, and if Kenny had ever wondered the same thing, if he’d dared to add up the dates and work out the math then she was only too aware of the trouble that could lie ahead. She didn’t want to think about it now, though, she didn’t want to think about anything that could take away any of the joy she was feeling right now because all she wanted to do was enjoy her baby. And be with her husband. And that’s why she’d deliberately held back from letting Kenny know that Ethan had been born. It could wait. All of that could wait. It was 4.30 in the morning, she’d just had a baby and she wanted to be with her family, because that’s what they were now. A family. She just wasn’t aware that that fear she’d carried with her throughout most of her pregnancy had been felt not just by her. She had no idea that Michael could add up too. She had no idea that he knew about that one night in Vegas. And she had no idea that the trouble ahead was going to be far worse than any of them could ever have imagined.
CHAPTER 46
2004
India lay Ethan over her shoulder and gently rubbed his back as she looked out of the huge French windows at the vast garden and grounds that spread out over many acres at the Hollywood Hills home she’d grown to love so much more since her baby boy had arrived.
He was almost seven months old now and totally gorgeous. He still had all the dark hair he’d had when he’d been born, all spiky and unkempt and cute as hell, with beautiful blue eyes and a mouth she was almost positive was Michael’s. Every day she’d look at him and pray that he looked like Michael. Her famous husband had such a distinctive mouth and if their son had inherited that then that was more than fine by her. Infact, it would be perfect.
The room he’d been delivered in was now a playroom, filled with every conceivable toy a child could want and most of which he was far too young to play with just yet, but when he was big enough he was going to love it in there. He was a very lucky little boy. And a much loved one. But being a mum was something India had taken a little while to get the hang of. She loved Ethan,
she loved him to the point of fierce over-protectiveness but it wasn’t easy. She’d felt everything from helplessness to sheer panic in the first couple of weeks. If it hadn’t been for Michael – who was just the most perfect father, he was amazing with Ethan – and the help she’d got from Charley, Reece and Martha - the latter of which had practically moved in with Michael and India for the first week or so after Ethan’s birth - she wasn’t sure if she’d have been able to cope at all. But once it all fell into place it felt as though she’d been born to do it.
But being the people they were with the lives they had, getting a nanny was something they’d had to do. Michael had started work on a new movie – in front of the camera this time – a month or so after Ethan’s arrival, and when he was three months old India had had to start work on the publicity for ‘The Wedding Convention’. But thanks to Emma, a twenty-five year old Canadian angel – that was the only way India could describe her - who adored Ethan and who in turn adored her back, India had been able to take him with her as she’d worked. And that was something she’d been so grateful for because being away from her son wasn’t something she enjoyed. She’d taken him everywhere she could, from movie sets to visit his dad when he’d been filming, to TV studios and radio stations when she’d needed to do interviews, and even modelling shoots and publicity appearances. India figured he was going to grow up surrounded by this business anyway so he might as well start getting used to it young.
She’d just started work on another movie, filming mainly in and around Los Angeles, but Michael had now finished his so daddy was on duty for a little while and India smiled at the thought. Michael did everything from nappy changes to night feeds, so looking after Ethan while she went out to work wasn’t anything near a hardship for him. He loved every second of it.
She turned round as Michael came into the room, carrying a crate of champagne. It was a busy day today, but one they’d all looked forward to for a while.
When they’d heard about Vince and Charley’s secret Las Vegas wedding everyone had been a little stunned, to say the least, given Vince’s staunch reputation as a bachelor. But for Vince to have given up that bachelorhood so quickly meant he must really love Charley, and India was glad that her friend had finally settled down with someone who was nothing but good for her. Vince was an amazing man, a kind man, and Charley needed that. She needed the stability that he could give her but in an environment that still created the excitement and fun that Charley wanted. And where better to live her life than Vegas? India knew she loved it out there. She’d made a name for herself, she was respected, liked and successful. She finally had what she wanted, and although it had been a sometimes dark and dangerous route she’d taken to get there, with consequences nobody wanted to relive again, it was time to look forward, not back. And this wedding blessing, taking place at India and Michael’s home in the Hollywood Hills, was a chance for everyone to celebrate the marriage, and a chance for Michael and India to give their best friends a day to remember.
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