He felt so bad for Anna and Chase and hoped that the doctors could deliver the babies successfully. Glancing at Brooke, he saw that she wasn’t quite in nurse mode yet, but she was working on it. Reaching over, he took her hand, offering her quiet support and taking comfort in having her near.
Her eyes found his. “Chase always thinks that I have all the medical answers, but I don’t. I’m not a doctor. I’m not in that delivery room.”
Robert kept hold of her hand. “I know, but you’re a nurse who knows a hell of a lot. Plus, you’re his good friend, and Chase trusts your expertise.”
Brooke shook her head. “I’m sure that the doctors can explain it to him.”
“Maybe they’re not taking the time to because they’re too busy working on Anna and the twins,” Robert said. He knew from experience that the doctors focused on the patient, which is as it should be, but he could remember the agony of not knowing.
“Which is going to drive that boy crazy. Chase has no patience.”
Robert nodded and let go of her hand as they neared the town square. “This I know.”
As they pulled up to the hospital, Robert swung over by the front doors. “Go ahead. I’ll park and be right there.”
Brooke leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Okay. See you inside.”
* * *
Brooke spotted her friends as soon as she entered the Labor and Delivery waiting room. Everyone was there except for Chase. Emily rose from her chair and came to hug Brooke.
“They just took Chase back to be with Anna,” she said. “They’re going to do an emergency C-section.”
Brooke blinked back tears. “Then there was a rupture?”
“I’m afraid so.” Emily released her.
Tyler said, “Chase wants you to be in the delivery room, Brooke.”
“Me?” Brooke asked. “They won’t let me do that. I’m not an OB nurse.”
Kate smiled even though tears shimmered in her eyes. “Chase threatened to fire the doctor if they refused to let you go in.”
Ric cocked his head a little. “Looks like it’s your turn to be the Chase Whisperer.”
“Good Lord.” Then with a resigned shrug, “All right. I better get in there before he comes out looking for me.”
* * *
Terror clawed at Anna as she held onto Chase’s hand with a vice like grip. “No! I want Chase to stay. Please.”
Dr. Rutger, her OB surgeon gazed at her with kind, blue eyes. “I know, Anna, but he can’t. We have to put you under and we don’t know how long this will take. I’m sorry, but Chase can’t stay.”
Anna’s chin trembled and tears streamed down her cheeks. “Am I going to need a hysterectomy?”
Dr. Rutger replied, “I won’t know until I get in there and see exactly what’s going on. We’ll do everything in our power to prevent that.”
Anna sniffed and nodded. “Okay.” She looked up at Chase and thought he still looked handsome even though he was wearing one of those funny, disposable surgical hats. “I want to give you more babies.”
He put an arm around her and kissed her forehead. “Sweetness, let’s just get these two born first and worry about more babies later. What did you tell me? We’ll have more, one way or another. We’ll have a whole bunch of McIntyre kids running around someday. Right now, we have to do what’s best for you and the twins, okay?”
Knowing he was right, Anna tried to rein in her fear. “Okay.” She gave Dr. Rutger a steely look. “Chase stays just long enough to see the twins born.”
Chase’s jaw squared. “You heard my wife. I’m stayin’.”
Dr. Rutger looked between them and then sighed. “All right, but as soon as these babies are out, you’re leaving, Chase.”
“Fine,” he said.
Relief lessened Anna’s grief over being unable to witness her babies’ births. At least Chase could tell her about it when she woke up. She caressed her rounded stomach with her free hand. Anna’s potent love for their unborn children demanded that she put their needs before her own desires.
“We’re going to start the anesthesia now,” Rutger said.
Still rubbing her stomach, Anna said, “I’ll see you both soon, okay? Mommy loves you so much.”
Chase held her closer and put his hand over hers.
“I love you, Chase,” she said as her mind went fuzzy. “You’re the best husband and you’re going to be the best daddy.”
Chase’s tender kiss was a balm to her soul. “I love you, too, darlin’ and you’re gonna be the best mommy. And you’re the best wife because you put up with me.”
She chuckled a little as he blotted away her tears with a tissue one of the nurses had given him. Movement at the operating door caught her eye and she saw Brooke enter dressed in scrubs. Fresh tears began and she reached for Brooke while she still had the strength.
Brooke took her hand. “Hi, honey.” She cast a look at Chase. “I just knew these kids were going to take after him and cause a bunch of trouble.”
Anna laughed weakly. “Thank you so much for coming.” Her vision started to blur and she couldn’t speak. Then one of the nurses put an oxygen mask over her face. Anna heard Chase repeatedly telling her that he loved her as she slipped into blackness.
* * *
“Is she out?” Chase asked the doctor.
Rutger nodded. “Yes.”
He turned and pulled Brooke into a bear hug as he shook with fear. “I’m so glad you’re here. I didn’t want Anna to see what a wreck I am. I have to be strong for her and the babies, but I’m scared shitless, Brooke.”
She hugged him back. “I know, Chase, but Dr. Rutger and his team are the best and they’ll make sure that Anna and the twins are okay.”
Chase knew that Rutger was highly qualified for this type of surgery, but Brooke had a way about her that put him at ease about medical things. It had been the same for Emily and Tyler when Hayley had been hurt.
“Okay. You’re right. It’s just so hard seeing Anna in so much pain and not being able to do anything to help her,” Chase said.
Brooke pulled back and met his eyes. “You being here and being you is exactly what she needs. She needed you to reassure her and make her smile. Her emotional wellbeing is just as important as her physical health. The two go hand-in-hand.”
Nodding, Chase sat down in the chair near Anna’s head. Brooke wheeled over a stool and took his hand.
“They have to be okay, Brooke. I never thought I’d be a dad, I mean, you know, the normal way,” he said. “I’d pretty much accepted that I couldn’t give Anna babies, but then she turned up pregnant.” Guilt over the way he’d accused Anna of cheating the previous year rushed to the surface. They’d still just been dating when they’d discovered that she’d conceived. He’d been devastated, convinced at first that she’d duped him. “She was pregnant with my twins and I was such a prick to her.”
Brooke squeezed his hand. “Chase, don’t go down this road. That doesn’t matter anymore. You both came to your senses and worked things out. You’re together and happy and you’re going to have two beautiful babies in just a few minutes. Focus on that.”
Tears filled his eyes. “They’re so little, though. It’s too soon.”
Brooke smiled. “They’re just impatient to get here. They get that from you, Hoss.”
A smile wobbled on his lips. “Yeah. I guess so.”
“They might have to stay in the NICU for a little while, but if they’re as stubborn as you and Anna, they’ll pull through just fine,” Brooke said.
Chase was grateful for the levity Brooke’s teasing brought to the situation. Usually, he was the one providing a tension breaker, but he couldn’t find much humor as he gazed at Anna. Her skin was pale and she had dark smudges under her eyes, but she was still the most gorgeous woman he’d ever seen. “God, I love her and these kids so much. I can’t lose them, Brooke.”
He jumped when Brooke grabbed his face, forcing him to look at her. “Don’t talk like that Chase!” sh
e said in a low, angry tone. “No negative energy in here. None!”
She was right. He had to man up and stop panicking. Chase dug down deep and powered through his fear. “Yeah. I hear you. I’m okay now.”
When Brooke released him, Chase inhaled a calming breath and let it out slowly. He lifted a prayer heavenward, but it wasn’t God whom he asked for help.
Nana and Granddaddy, please watch over Anna and our babies. Keep them safe and pull some strings if you can.
Dr. Rutger’s voice broke into his thoughts. “Chase, get ready for your first baby.”
A nurse said, “I’ll lower the screen just enough for you to see them born, Mr. McIntyre.”
Chase stood up, trembling inside with nervous anticipation. “Okay.” He reached down and grabbed Brooke’s hand. “C’mon, Aunt Brooke. I want you to see this, too.”
“Chase, are you sure?”
He frowned at her. “Get your ass up here.”
Brooke stood, her eyes shining at him and he returned his attention to the medical team.
Rutger smiled behind his surgical mask. “Meet your daughter, Chase.”
Chase stood on his tippy-toes as Rutger held up the first baby. He was shocked at her small size, but she let out a mighty squall. Immense love enveloped Chase as he gazed at the little life he’d created with Anna. “She’s beautiful,” he whispered, awestruck. “Anna, we have a daughter and she looks just like you.” Excitement flowed through him. “I want to hold her. Can I hold her?”
Dr. Rutger said, “Just for a moment.”
He gave the baby to one of the nurses, who brought her over to Chase. Although he handled TJ all the time, Chase was nervous about holding his tiny daughter. She can’t weigh more than four pounds, if that, he thought. He made a cradle with his arms and held still as the nurse carefully transferred the baby to him.
He smiled through happy tears. “Hello, baby girl. I’m your daddy and I love you so much.” He touched his daughter’s hand, the fingers of which weren’t even long enough to wrap around his pinky. “Is she okay?” he asked Brooke.
Brooke put an arm around him. “Her color is good and she seems to be breathing just fine.”
“I better take her,” the nurse said. “We have to take her vitals and get her temperature up.”
“Oh. Okay.” Chase stroked the baby’s dark, damp hair. “Daddy will see you after a bit, sweetheart. I love you.”
The pediatric nurse took the baby and Dr. Rutger announced that the second baby was almost born. Chase wondered what sex it would be, but he didn’t really care. He just wanted it to be healthy.
Rutger said, “Well, this is unexpected.”
Chase’ heart hammered in his chest as panic constricted his throat. “What’s wrong? What happened?”
The surgeon’s smile perplexed Chase. “How do you feel about having three babies?”
Stunned, Chase’s system flooded with adrenaline. “What?” Chase’s loud question echoed in the delivery room and the surgical team laughed. “Three? From thinking I couldn’t have any children to THREE! Are you sure?”
Rutger shot him an amused look. “Three it is?”
Even though he was anxious, Chase fell silent so the professionals could work. “Three?” he whispered to Brooke. “Three babies.” Louder, he asked again, “Are you sure, Dr. Rutger?”
“Positive.”
“How come you didn’t know before now?”
Brooke said, “Sometimes a triplet won’t show up on tests. It happens more often than you’d think.”
Dr. Rutger said, “That’s right. We have daughter number two.”
Chase laughed with delight. He bent and kissed his wife’s forehead, wishing with all his heart that she was awake. “We have another little girl, Anna.” Straightening, he asked, “Can I hold her?”
Rutger shook his head, his expression somber. “No. She needs to go right to the NICU. She’s having a little trouble breathing.”
Chase approached the screen so he could at least see the baby. She was even smaller than her sister. He fought down his rising fear. No bad thoughts, just positive energy. “Daddy loves you, Twinkle. You hang in there, and I’ll see you after a little bit.”
The second pediatric nurse took the baby. Chase looked on with concern as she placed the baby in a radiant warmer and started cleaning her. He crossed his arms in a worried gesture when she attached monitor leads to his daughter’s chest.
Brooke rubbed his back. “She’ll be all right.”
Chase nodded and willed it to be so.
“Twinkle?” Brooke questioned.
Chase blushed a little. “As in a twinkle in her daddy’s eye?”
Brooke snorted, and he laughed before returning his attention to Dr. Rutger. “How’s it going, Doc?”
The doctor sent him a brief smile. “Just fine. Would you like to hold your son?”
Chase couldn’t contain his joy and let out a shout. “A boy! Anna, we have a boy. Two girls and a boy, honey.” He kissed Anna’s forehead.
“Hoss, hold your boy,” Brooke said.
Chase felt like breaking into song as a nurse placed his son in his arms. “Hey, little guy. I’m your daddy. Aunt Brooke, meet your nephew, Andrew Evan McIntyre.”
Brooke stroked a gentle finger over the baby’s forehead. “Not Chase Jr.?”
Chase said, “Naw. If we had a boy, we wanted to name him after my Grandfather and Anna’s dad. We picked girls’ names, too, but we’ll have to decide which girl gets what name.”
Too soon, the nurse took his son away and Dr. Rutger kicked him and Brooke out of the OR. On the way out, Chase stopped in the locker room and put his regular clothes back on. Brooke met him in the hallway and they went to the waiting room.
As he walked inside and saw all their friends, his legs suddenly gave way as a tidal wave of emotion hit him. Brooke half-caught him as Tyler and Ric rushed over to grab him. They sat him in a chair and Brooke made him put his head between his knees and take slow, deep breaths.
After the fourth one, Chase felt better, but his chest remained constricted as a sob rose in his throat. Everyone asked him questions, but he couldn’t speak. He just sat there bawling his eyes out as fear, joy, and love swirled in his heart. He patted Brooke’s knee and then flapped a hand at the others, hoping she’d understand that he wanted her to tell them what had happened.
Emily sat down on his other side and pulled him into a hug. Chase grabbed onto her and let out all his turbulent emotions.
Chapter 13
Arriving home late that evening, Brooke greeted Buster, who meowed loudly as he followed her to the kitchen. She yawned while she fed him and then put a mug of water in the microwave to heat for tea. When it was done, she put a chamomile and lavender tea bag in it and headed upstairs for a bath.
Between her night with Robert and the long day at the hospital, she needed something to soothe her muscles and her mind. The doorbell rang just as she started the bath water. Robert had dropped her off since her car was here at home. Maybe he’d forgotten something.
She went back downstairs and looked through the peephole. She yanked the door open. “What are you doing here, Jamal?”
A sexy smile curved her ex’s lips. Once upon a time, that smile had robbed her of her good sense. Now, it just annoyed her. “I was just passing through town and thought I’d stop to say hey.”
“Get off my porch, get back in your car, and leave me alone. Forever this time.” Just the sight of Jamal touched off Brooke’s fury. Over six feet with a shaved head, brown skin, and a powerful body, Jamal could have his pick of women.
Brooke started to close the door, but Jamal stopped it with his hand.
Brooke’s nostrils flared. “It’s been a very long, stressful day and I don’t have time for your shit, Jamal.”
Jamal raised his hands, palm-up. “I just wanted to see you.”
“Well, I don’t want to see you.” Brooke crossed her arms.
Jamal sighed. “Brooke, I know I scr
ewed up with you and I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, you said that about a million times. I don’t believe you any more now than I did then.” Brooke backed into the foyer. “I’m closing the door. Get off my porch.”
Brooke didn’t wait for a reply, just shut the door in his face and locked it. In a few moments, she heard him leave the porch and a car door slammed. She’d been so rattled that she hadn’t taken the time to notice what Jamal drove now. Looking through the peephole, she got a distorted view of a red four-door of some sort. The car started and backed out of her driveway.
“Son of a bitch,” she muttered and got her cellphone out of her purse. Needing something stronger than tea, she grabbed a small bottle of wine from her fridge and headed back upstairs for her bath. As the tub filled with suds, she drank her now-cool tea and rinsed out her mug, which she refilled with wine.
Then she got undressed and sank down into the tub. Picking up her cellphone, she tapped Emily’s icon on her home screen as the hot water started to seep into her tense muscles.
“Hey, you,” Emily said.
“Hey. This is a day for surprises,” Brooke said. “Anna and Chase have triplets, and Jamal shows up at my front door.”
“What? When?”
“Like two minutes ago,” Brooke said. “Said he screwed up with me and he’s sorry. Thinks I’m crazy enough to take him back.”
Emily’s laugh conveyed her disbelief. “Why now? You guys broke up last June.”
Brooke took a sip of wine and played with the bubbles. “I don’t know. Why did I ever go out with him?”
“Because Jamal is sexy, funny, rich—”
“Oh, God. You could be talking about GQ,” Brooke teased.
Emily giggled. “You didn’t let me finish. Except for the cheating and lying, he treated you like a princess. He took you to new places.”
She’d watched her mother put up with her father’s cheating for years, and Brooke was determined that history would not repeat itself. A man with money did not equate to happiness. She would put a man who loved only her well ahead of a man who thought buying presents made up for many indiscretions.
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