by Eden Finley
Mum frowned. “But—”
“I’ll move in a Goddamn minute.”
“Lower your voice,” Mum hissed.
All I wanted was to sit down for two measly minutes to catch my breath, but my mother wouldn’t even allow that. Why did we come tonight? I owe these people nothing. Except maybe money.
“Screw this.” I stood in a rush. Too fast, apparently. A screech left me as a full-blown contraction ripped through my body. There was a good thirty seconds where I grunted and cursed.
“Holy shit, are you in labour?” my brother asked.
“No. It was one contraction.” I breathed deep.
“Do we have to go to the hospital?” Spencer asked.
“No. I’m not in labour. I’m stressed. My boyfriend is a gajillionaire, apparently, and I had no idea.”
“I’m barely a multi-millionaire.”
“Not helping, Spence. You lied to me.”
“No, I—”
“You did. And there must’ve been a reason. The only one I can think of is because you thought I would go after your money. Not only that—” I breathed through another contraction. It was smaller and shorter this time but no less painful. “This whole time I thought I was doing it on my own, I’ve been living off you.” My voice rose, and I was sure Mum and Dad’s friends were all listening in now. “The one thing I was proud of accomplishing on my own, and it was all fake.”
“Reece, lower your voice,” Mum hissed.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake. We’re leaving. Happy?” Not one to ever manage being dignified in front of my extended family, I stormed—more like waddled—out with Spencer hot on my heels.
“It’s not like that,” he tried to explain.
I wasn’t having any of it. “Not now. I’m too angry.”
I tried to walk faster, but he easily kept up with my waddling butt and cut me off when we reached the foyer of the building.
“Reecie.” His voice was soft and soothing.
“You don’t get to do that. Don’t try to talk me down from this. I have every right to be pissed that my boyfriend—and friend of however many years—lied to me. You manipulated me into moving in with you, to working for you, and to being with you. All that time you and your mother were going on and on about how I was doing great on my own. I was never on my own. And that proves my parents right. I can’t even look after myself.”
“No. Take out our relationship, you still did your job, you paid rent and bills, and you did all that adulting shit you were adamant on doing without any help.”
“But it’s all fake. I’m like a child playing house.”
He shook his head. “It’s not like that at all. You’re—”
“Fuck!” I yelled as another contraction hit.
They came erratically and varied in degrees of intensity, but I could definitely say I was in early labour after this one.
“Oh God, I forgot how painful this was.” Eight years had dimmed my memory.
“Are you okay?” Spencer stepped forward and put his arm on my back, as I bent at my waist and held my knees.
“Sure. A tiny human is trying to claw his way out of my uterus. I’m fine and fucking dandy over here.” I breathed through the contraction, and when it was over, I could straighten up and take a deep breath again. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t know how.”
“Pretty easy. ‘Hey, Reece, here’s your morning coffee. You want a million dollars with that? Because I have it.’”
“I’m sure that would’ve gone down so well.”
“Yeah, about as well as finding out my boyfriend—the one person I thought didn’t see me the way everyone else sees me—thinks I’m a gold-digging whore.”
“I’ve never thought that.”
“Can you seriously stand there and say you never once doubted my feelings for you? Or that maybe you thought I knew you were loaded?”
His mouth opened to dispute it, but it just as quickly slammed shut.
“That’s what I thought.” I took one step when another contraction hit. “Argh!” I clenched my fists, waiting for it to pass.
“Reece, you’re in labour. We need to get you to the hospital.”
“No, we don’t. It’s early labour. This could last hours or even days. They’re not bad yet. They say not to go to the hospital until they’re three minutes apart and last for a minute or my water breaks.”
As if on cue, a trickle of liquid ran down my leg. It felt like I was wetting myself but I wasn’t. And then, without warning, there was a gush, and I couldn’t do anything to stop it.
Well, fuck.
22
SPENCER
“I’m Reece Knightly. We called on the way here.”
Holy shit, Reece spoke words! She’d been giving me the silent treatment since she reluctantly agreed we had to come to the hospital. I was sure she would’ve kept yelling at me if I hadn’t convinced her to leave despite leaking amniotic fluid all over the fancy hotel carpet.
The nurse behind the registration counter led us through to a birthing suite, and I placed Reece’s bag on the end of the bed.
“Get settled in, and your midwife will be in to check on you shortly,” the nurse said and then made her way back to her desk up the hall.
“How are you feeling?” I risked asking.
She glared in response.
“Got it. You’re pissed. Can we put a pin in our fight and come back to it when we don’t have bigger things going on? Like the fact we’re about to become parents?”
“There’s still a long way to go. My contractions have stopped.” Reece unzipped her soiled dress and dropped it to the floor.
“Guess the dress is kinda ruined now,” I said.
“Like I was ever going to wear it again. I’m done with babies after Elliot, so a maternity ballgown isn’t on the top of my list of needs.”
“You’re done with kids? Don’t you think that’s something you should’ve discussed with me?”
Again with the glare. “Really, asshole?”
“Oh, I’m an asshole because I want a million kids with you?”
“How does it feel to be kept in the dark about something so important?”
My jaw ticked. “That’s how it’s gonna be?”
“Yup.” Reece covered herself with a hospital gown.
“My money means nothing to me. On my list of needs, it’s not even top five. It goes you, Elliot, Cody, my family, our friends. Money isn’t important. If it was, I would’ve sold my company to DataTech for three hundred mil.”
Her eyes widened. “Why didn’t you?”
“Because all my employees, including you, including Trevor—everyone—would be out of a job. I’m financially stable, I’m happy, and I love what I do. There’s not enough money in the world to sell that, because I couldn’t care less about being rich. This whole thing started because I wanted to help my mum.”
“Then I only have one question for you. Why couldn’t you tell me?”
My mouth didn’t work. In the beginning, I didn’t want to tell her because I was worried if anything happened between us, I would question it. Then, when my sisters brought Shayla’s gold-digging ways to light, it made me want to make sure Reece was in love with me before I told her.
I didn’t doubt her feelings, but I thought I may’ve if she knew. Which meant she had every right to be pissed.
“Hello.” The peppy voice came from the doorway. In walked a woman in bright pink scrubs. It matched her bright smile. “How are we going in here?”
She was way too happy. Reece was going to hate that.
“Nothing so far,” Reece grumbled. “Had a few contractions, then my water broke, and then a few more contractions, and now nothing.”
“Let’s have a looksee, yeah? Climb up on the bed for me.”
There had never been a more awkward moment in my entire life than watching another woman stick her hand up my girlfriend’s vagina.
I didn’t know what to do. Look awa
y? Turn around? Shuffle out of the line of sight?
It was over before I could do any of those things.
Was it hot in here? Fairly certain I was sweating.
“Congratulations. You’re at one centimetre already,” the midwife chirped.
“One?” Reece screeched.
“Yeah. Normally, we’d send you home and tell you to come back, but we need to keep you because your water has broken. You might be in for a long night, I’m afraid.”
“Great,” Reece said sarcastically.
“I’ll just check the baby’s heartbeat.” She placed a small square attached to wires and crap to Reece’s stomach under her gown. The nurse’s brows pinched together as she moved the monitor around, trying to find the heartbeat. “Hmm …”
“Hmm?” I asked. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” she said a little too quickly. “Bub’s heart rate is slower than I’d like it to be, but it’s nothing to worry about yet. I’ll call for an OB consult to be on the safe side. We’ll run some tests, but it’s all precautionary, okay? Ooh, and you’re lucky because Mr. Hot Doctor is on call today.” She glanced at me. “Sorry.”
I didn’t care about who or what she was talking about. I was by Reece’s side in a millisecond, gripping onto her hand so tight she couldn’t fight it if she tried.
Her eyes watered but she held the tears back as she nodded to the midwife.
“I’ll be back shortly with the OB.” As soon as the midwife left the room, Reece broke down into tears.
“What if something’s wrong?” she sobbed.
“There isn’t. They’re just being cautious.” If only I could convince myself of that.
My concerns deepened when it took less than ten minutes for a doctor around our age to come waltzing through the door. And okay, I had to admit that as a totally straight man, the guy was hot. But surely, he’d be busy, right? If it wasn’t urgent, he wouldn’t have gotten here so fast.
“Mike,” Reece croaked.
“Hey, Reece. Good to see you.” The doctor approached and gave Reece a kiss on her cheek. “Been a while.”
“You two know each other?” A possessive side of me I didn’t know I had threatened to rear its ugly head.
“Spencer, this is my brother-in-law … wait … ex-brother-in-law? I literally only heard about an hour or two ago. Haven’t been talking to Amber lately.”
“Figures she shut you out. The divorce won’t go through for another six months.”
“Well, this is awkward,” I said, making it more awkward. Go me.
“Even more awkward by the fact you’re not Paul,” Mike said.
“Oh, ummm …” Reece played with the hem of her hospital gown.
“I’m the baby’s father,” I said.
“Whoa.” Mike stared at me blankly before snapping himself out of whatever was going through his head. “I guess no one can keep it in their pants anymore.”
I snorted because I made the same horrible joke when we found out about Mike.
“Okay, someone tells me we’re having some issues.” Mike turned to the bubbly midwife at the door.
She was by his side in an instant. “Her water broke, but her contractions have stopped, and bub’s heart rate suggests there could be some foetal distress.”
“Dilated?” Mike asked.
“Only one centimetre. She’s not in active labour yet.”
“Hmm, that makes things a bit more difficult. I’ll take a look and—”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Reece sat up straighter. “Doesn’t this breach some sort of conflict of interest or moral code or something? I can’t have my brother-in-law looking at … down there.”
Mike laughed. “I’m a doctor, Reece. I’ve seen it all before. Besides, you’re not my sister anymore, right?”
“I am for six more months,” she argued.
“Okay, well here’s the situation. I’m the only OB on duty right now. Your baby might be in distress. If I can’t check it out for myself, you run the risk of complications and health problems for both you and the baby. You want that?”
A grunt-like noise left her with finality. “Fine. But don’t you dare make a joke about my sister and I looking alike while you’re down there.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it under normal circumstances, but now that’s all I’ll be able to focus on. So, thanks for that.”
When I thought it was weird before, watching a midwife feel up my girlfriend, that was nothing to having her brother-in-law do it. I had to fist my hand to stop from reaching out and slapping him over the head.
He’s a healthcare professional, I reminded myself.
“Ah, yup. Nowhere near dilated enough for a lactate test.”
“What’s that?” Reece asked.
“To test the baby’s oxygen levels. We’d go in and scrape the baby’s scalp to get a blood sample and test it, but that’s not an option right now. So what I’m going to do is keep the foetal monitors on your stomach to keep track of baby’s heartbeat. Which means, unfortunately, you’re not gonna be able to move around a lot which isn’t great for labouring. How much have you had to eat or drink today?”
Reece’s brow furrowed. “Why?”
“Dehydration can cause foetal distress.”
“Umm, I had breakfast.”
“No lunch or dinner?”
“It was Dad’s birthday tonight. I didn’t have time for lunch, and we were meant to eat at the party, but my water broke before we got the chance.”
Mike eyed me. “That explains the suit. We’ll give you a drip of fluids, see if that helps, and then we’ll come back and check on the baby in a little while.”
“Is he gonna be okay?” I croaked.
“He’s fine for now. No need for intervening measures at this point but we’ll keep a close eye on him.”
“Intervening?”
“C-section,” Mike clarified. “If he was in serious danger, we’d be wheeling Reece into surgery. Hang tight, we’ll get the drip set up and come to check on you in a bit, okay?”
I leaned in as Mike left the room. “Kinda puts our fight over something as stupid as money in perspective, huh?”
“You get to say money is stupid because you’re the one who has it.”
I grunted and sat on the side of her bed. “You want money?” I asked. “Take it. The money you’ve been paying me rent isn’t going to me. Take it all back. I don’t care. And I know that’s not why you’re with me, but I’d give you every damn cent if it meant you believed me when I said I trusted you.”
“What do you mean, my money’s not going to you?”
I took out my phone and opened an app that kept track of my investments and whatnot. I opened the account that I set up. “Here. I opened a trust in Cody’s name. Your rent’s been going directly to that. Elliot is my son, so he’s all set, but I knew you and Cole wouldn’t be cool with me interfering with Cody like that, though I totally would if you let me. This way, it’s you who’s looking out for Cody’s future. It’s all your money. I don’t need it. My house is paid off. I want you to take it.”
Her hands fisted, and her face went red, and I didn’t know if she was in the middle of a contraction or if I’d screwed up. Somehow. I wasn’t entirely sure how.
“What? What did I say?” I ask.
“The fact you have no idea what’s wrong with what you said means you need to back off right now. We’re going to be stuck in here for a long time, so you need to give me a break before I say something I regret. Maybe you should go for a walk.”
“You’re kicking me out?”
“I’m trying to be the bigger person and not do the typical Reece thing and fly off the handle because I’m pissed off. So please just leave for a few minutes while I try to calm down. Go buy me a bottle of water or something.”
My heart lurched, as if preparing itself to be smashed into a million pieces. “Fine.”
Instead of going to a vending machine to get her a bottle of water, I took a walk.
&
nbsp; I knew this was all going to come out, and I knew she had a right to be pissed, but I had a feeling it was way more than just being mad.
I could see our relationship crumbling right in front of me, and I didn’t know how to keep it together. I wasn’t sure there was a way.
Reece had always been stubborn, I knew that, but I loved her anyway. The question was, did she love me enough to get over herself? Hell, I didn’t even know if she loved me at all. Neither of us had said it. Not really. I’d said I’d been in love with her since we were kids, but that wasn’t a confession of everlasting current love.
Walking the halls of the hospital did nothing to calm me, and when I’d looped the entire hospital and made it back with Reece’s bottle of water, Mike’s deep voice made me pause at the door.
“So, tell me about the guy and why you kicked him out of your labour suite. What happened with Paul?”
“What happened with Amber?” Reece snapped.
Mike chuckled. “What did you hear?”
“That you were boning some midwife. Oh God, please don’t tell me it’s Miss Bubbly Personality. Don’t get me wrong, she seems like a lovely woman, but I don’t need that shit while I’m trying to birth a watermelon.”
More of Mike’s laughter drifted towards me. “How are you my ex-wife’s sister? Seriously. You’re so different.”
“I’m convinced I was switched at birth.”
“Okay, are you ready for a pile of awesome wisdom coming your way? Listen to someone who’s older and wiser than you, Reecie.”
I tensed at the name. My name for her.
“You’re not that much older,” Reece said.
“Whatever. I’m full of wisdomous shit. So, there’s this theory out there that there are a million different versions of yourself living in the minds of others.”
“Please, tell me more, Obi-Wan.”
I loved her sarcasm. No, I loved her. Period.
“Everyone has a different perception of everyone else. How do you see your sister?” he asked.
There was a pause, as if she was contemplating the question before answering. “Smart, driven, put-together, the best at everything—”
“Ah, see there you go. Want to know my version of Amber? Workaholic, exhausted, never feels good enough, and nothing will ever live up to her expectations. Complete opposite to the person who you claim is the best at everything. Now, how do you see me?”
