by Gina Watson
“I know. It’s a little scary.”
“Pizza’s here! What does everybody want to drink?”
“I’ll just have some water,” Maura answered on her way to the bathroom.
“Fiona, could you use some wine?”
“God, yes!”
They all reconvened in the living room, sharing pizza. Maura slowly lowered herself to the couch.
“It’s getting close now. How much longer?”
“Three weeks and then hopefully I can get some relief. I can’t sleep very well for getting up all during the night to pee. Julian said he was going to get me a bedpan.”
Fiona and Bailey giggled.
“He could be your private nurse,” Fiona added.
“Eww,” responded Bailey.
Maura shifted forward to grab a slice of pizza. “So what’s going to happen now? I mean he proposed, but selfishly he wants you in Boston. Did he even consider moving back to Baton Rouge?”
“He made some good points. With the money he makes at his job he can support all of us really well. Ryder would have his pick of Catholic schools.”
“But families need to be near family. And I’m sure the two of you will eventually have a child together. In Boston you’ll be alone.”
“I know. I don’t want to live there, but I feel like I’m not compromising at all for us.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I disagree, Maura.” Bailey contributed.
“You do?” Fiona asked.
“Yeah. You love him—he clearly loves you and Ryder. Move to Boston for a while, under the condition that if it doesn’t work out you all will drop everything and move back to Louisiana.” Bailey shrugged.
“But Bailey, you’re forgetting about Ryder. Fiona can’t just drop everything and leave. She has to consider his needs.”
“Ryder seems okay with it. I mean, he did just take a flight to Boston. He may surprise you and actually transition well. In the end, I think the most important thing is that the three of you are together. It doesn’t really matter where.”
“That’s true too. If one of us doesn’t make a compromise, it’ll be the end of our relationship.”
It could be said that at this point Fiona was no longer opposed to moving to Boston, a state of mind she would have expressed to Everett had he only suggested he’d be willing to move to Baton Rouge. Then she would have known that he placed her and her son above his job.
Maura attempted to extract herself from the couch once again, but struggled. Fiona and Bailey helped pull her out. When she stood her face contorted into pain and then she grasped her stomach, groaning in pain.
“Maura, what is it?”
“I don’t know. I’m so uncomfortable.”
Fiona spotted the puddle growing between Maura’s feet. “I think your water just broke.”
“Oh, no. It’s too early.”
“It’s fine. Thirty seven weeks is considered full term.” Fiona offered.
“Hey”—Bailey looked deep in thought—”I bet that’s why you keep going to the bathroom. The baby’s moved lower. You’re about to go into labor.”
“Oh God, it hurts.”
“What is it? A contraction?”
“I don’t know!” Maura cried and her breathing increased. She placed a hand low on her belly and one on her lower back and howled.
Bailey gave Fiona a worried look. “I think she’s in full on labor.”
“We’ll need to see how close her contractions are. If we show up and she’s not close enough, we’ll be sent home.” Fiona clarified while Maura continued to work through her contraction.
“Do you think I should call Julian?”
“Definitely. Her water broke so, either way, it’s probably only going to be a matter of hours.”
“Okay. I think it’s over.” Beads of sweat had popped up on Maura’s brow.
“I’m going to sit you back down and go get a cool rag.”
“Okay. Would you mind getting me some cool water? I’m thirsty.”
“Will do.”
“Julian’s freaking out and wants us to meet him at the hospital!”
“Let me talk to him.” Fiona held her hand out for the phone.
“Hey, Julian.”
“I’ll meet you at the hospital.”
“She just had a contraction and is settled now. If you come to Bailey’s, you can accompany Maura to the hospital.”
“What’s the difference? If I meet her at the hospital she’ll get there faster in case something is wrong. She’s three weeks early.”
“Yes, but you have time to come and get her and to go home and get her things.” Fiona stepped away from Maura so that she wouldn’t hear. “She’s been dreaming about this day for a long time. She would have envisioned you together from moment one.”
“I’m turning my car around right now. I should be there in fifteen to twenty minutes. Thank you, Fiona.”
“No problem. We’ll take good care of her until you get here.”
She hung up and walked back into the living room where Bailey was cleaning the floor.
“Julian’s on his way.”
“He’s so stubborn”—Bailey said as she wiped the floor—”how’d you get him to change his mind?”
“Well I’ve had a baby before and he hasn’t, so I spoke with confidence.” She smiled. “Plus I told him that Maura has been dreaming about this day for a long time and in her dreams, it was Julian at her side. Not her sister and her friend.”
Maura beamed. “Thank you. No offense, but that’s exactly how I envisioned it.”
Fiona’s bag began to ring so she dug out her phone.
“Hello?” She walked into the foyer for some privacy.
“Hey. I’ve just come from a two mile guided tour of the city of Boston.”
She giggled. “So Ryder’s got you wrapped around his little finger?”
“That he does.”
“Guess what?”
“What’s that?”
“I think Maura’s in labor.”
“You think?”
“Yeah, her water broke and she’s been having contractions.”
“How’s Julian?”
“As demanding as ever, but I know how to handle him.”
“I bet you do. I’ve got a sleeping angel on the couch.”
“Aww.”
“I took him for spaghetti and meatballs, and then we walked the city. He had some cream pie and as soon as we walked through the door of my apartment he passed out. Did you get my pictures?”
“I love them! Pictures of my two favorite guys … how could I not?”
“I miss you, Fiona.” His voice was soft and serious.
“I miss you too.” She longed for him to say the words that would put his love for her above everything else. But he didn’t.
“We’ve got our flights. We’ll be landing tomorrow around three o’clock.”
“I’ll be there.”
“I think you’re in for a little shock. He used your credit card to purchase a last-minute ticket that included Baton Rouge Municipal Airport transfer. He said it cost thirteen hundred dollars.”
Fiona choked. “Thirteen hundred dollars!”
He chuckled softly in her ear. “I’ll take care of the costs.”
Fiona knew her budget couldn’t take a hit like that. “Thank you.”
“So I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“You will.”
“I love you.”
“Love you.”
Something seemed off. Their energy was low. She had no doubt he loved her and she loved him too, but since their argument things had been tense and they were no closer to a solution.
Chapter 11
Waiting for her son and Everett at the airport, Fiona decided to deliver the ultimatum—he’d move here to be with them or they had nothing. She didn’t want Everett to be away from his family, and in light of Maura’s labor and delivery, Fiona’s uterus was speaking to her. She wanted a child with Eve
rett. And she’d always dreamed of a large family. He could make all of her dreams come true, if only he would.
Her two men were the first to deplane.
“Mom!” Ryder ran to her.
When she smelled his hair it brought tears to her eyes. “Ryder,” she whispered.
“I love you, Mom.”
“I love you too, baby. Don’t you ever do this to me again.”
“Everett told me I made you real sad.”
“You did. I was so worried something bad was going to happen to you.”
“But it didn’t.”
Everett joined them in a group hug. He kissed her lips, and then he kissed the top of Ryder’s head and her heart broke all over again. Ryder would experience extreme loss if she and Everett couldn’t work things out.
“I’ve got cupcakes in the car. I thought we could take them to Julian and Maura at the hospital.”
“Sounds good.”
On the way to the hospital, Ryder regaled her with details of his journey.
“Everett has a big office made out of glass. It’s on the thirty-fourth floor. Have you ever been that high up?”
“No, that’s super high!”
“I know, and the elevator was an express. It shot us up there in less than a minute. It made my ears feel funny. And we went to the Parker House Hotel where they created the Boston Cream Pie, and we had a slice. Did you know it’s not really a pie? It’s a cake.”
“Why is it called a pie?”
“Because it was created in 1856 and made in pie tins.”
“Was it good?”
“Oh my God, Mom, it was the best thing ever! Everett said when you come to Boston we could go get another slice.”
Fiona raised a brow at Everett and he gave her a questioning look.
At the hospital they entered Maura’s room to find Julian proudly sitting and holding a little bundle in his arms. He was more content than Fiona had ever seen him. His intense features gone. Replaced with a soft smile. He looked years younger and from the bed, Maura only had eyes for her men as she watched in awe at the raw footage playing before her.
“Oh, look at his hair! It’s so white.”
Maura beamed. “I know, as white as Mrs. David’s hair. It runs in her family.”
From the corner the woman in question confirmed the familial trait. “That’s right. My mother kept a glorious head of thick platinum hair. It was so light and full of body it looked like spun snow.” She stood and walked toward Julian. “My turn?”
Julian stood and she sat so he could lay little Adrian into her arms. Mrs. David kissed his forehead. “I already love him so much. He’s perfect.”
“He is.” Julian echoed with an emotion-laced voice.
After Mrs. David, it was Fiona’s turn to hold Adrian. His weight in her arms solidified her desire to have a child with Everett. They hadn’t discussed their future regarding kids and she wondered what his desires would be. Would he want to have a child with her? It didn’t have to be right away, but just the hope that within a few years, she’d hold an infant boy or girl in her arms.
When Everett held Adrian, Fiona watched in awe. He was a natural born father. She’d witnessed his patience with her own son, but it was his calm collected demeanor and softness with Adrian that clutched at her heart. His content smile and the hypnotic rocking motion of his upper body soothed Adrian into a hard sleep. He didn’t so much as make a sigh when a nurse came in and pricked his foot with a needle for some additional blood work. Everett had frowned at the sight of the nurse pricking Adrian’s little heel. It was priceless really—how protective he was over such a little thing. She couldn’t wait to see him with their own infant.
***
Ryder was so exhausted from his excursions that he was sound asleep by eight o’clock. As such, Everett had high hopes of enticing Fiona to enjoy a shower with him. Recalling the last time they’d had shower sex had him achingly hard for her.
From the couch he watched her pour red wine into two glasses. She set them on the coffee table and approached him, straddling his lap. She locked his lips into a heated kiss, and then moaned into his mouth.
When she pulled back she looked upon him heatedly. “You missed me,” she said with a cocky smirk.
“I always miss you if you’re not with me.”
“About that—I need to talk to you, but this time I don’t want us to argue. I figure if we stay close and kiss a lot, maybe caress each other, we won’t be able to get angry.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” He pulled her close and kissed her lips.
Against his lips she whispered, “I can’t leave Baton Rouge. I want to be a family with you, but I want to do it here. I want you to leave your job in Boston. You can find something here. I know it means losing a partnership at a large firm, but it’s what I want. If you are unwilling to do that, tell me now so that we can end this, and move on with our lives. It’s been eight months, we need a decision. If it’s the wrong one, we need to part ways. I don’t want to. I love you. Ryder loves you. But I need more.”
His heart raced at her words. He loved her and Ryder too and wanted—had been wanting since just about day one—to begin a life with them. He wanted them to be a family, but when he considered all of his hard work and dedication it took to make partner at Keiser, Brown, and Doyle, he didn’t understand her adamant stance that he leave his position. Maybe she didn’t know how hard it had been?
“Fiona, I want to be a family with you and Ryder too. I can’t imagine life without you. I don’t want to. When I made partner it meant an end to seventy-hour work weeks. It meant freedom. I’d dedicated myself and worked tirelessly for six years with law school and then my first three years at the firm. For six years all I ever did was sit in a cubicle surrounded by law volumes and legal pads. I don’t know how to do anything except law. It’s as much a part of me as your art is to you. I would never ask you to quit something that you loved.”
She kissed his neck, lingering a little while to suck the skin there. “First, I disagree, you’re much more than a lawyer. Second, I’m not asking you to quit. I’m simply asking you to relocate. I know what it’s like to work tirelessly to rear something you love. I understand the joy that comes from being successful in doing so. I’ve seen us you know. I’ve seen us down the road. The dream I had was a dream of us. We were at Ryder’s high school graduation. Also there was a little boy with dark hair and gray eyes like his father’s. Family surrounded us because we were here and we needed their support as we watched Ryder cross the stage. He was all grown up and we were proud. I want that life. I want the little brother for Ryder. And I want it all with you. But I want it here in Baton Rouge.”
“I don’t understand what you want me to do.” He caressed her spine. “I attempted to transfer to one of the southern firms but was denied.”
“I want you to resign. You can get on at a firm here. It doesn’t have to be Keiser, Brown, and Doyle. You could potentially even open your own practice.”
“Success in estate law is measured by the names that surround you. Starting a firm from nothing would be extremely difficult. Nobody’s going to hire me when they could have someone from a large well known firm.”
“It would take time, but eventually I have faith that you’d be successful. Your family name is well known in the area.”
“I feel like I’m the one making all of the sacrifices.”
She stiffened in his arms. “Sacrifices?” She whispered.
“I should have chosen more carefully. That’s not what I meant. I meant, compromises.”
She moved to pull away, but he held her there for he knew if he let her go, she would never come back.
“Let’s not let this come between us. It’s geography. What we have is bigger than that.”
“It’s not geography. It’s a direct measure of the worth you have for me.”
“What?”
“If I meant more to you than your law career, we’d be inside one another by now, lo
ving each others bodies in my bed.”
“We can still do that. I don’t want to be in a disagreement. You’re giving me an ultimatum, forcing me to do something I don’t want to do in order to keep something I long to keep.”
“I’m tired of living this relationship in limbo.”
“I know it’s been a little difficult, but if you could just give me some more time, something may open up.”
This time when she pulled away he let her go because the grief on her face spooked him. He had no strength to fight her.
“I’m afraid that it goes beyond that now.”
“What are you talking about?”
“It hurt too much that you place your job above me.”
“But I don’t!” He sighed. “Is this it? Is it over?”
Tears fell from her eyes. “I don’t want to leave you, but I can’t continue this way.”
“So it is goodbye then.”
“Can we just call it a break? I don’t think I can say goodbye to you.”
He shook his head. “Fine.” His jaw set as he clenched it hard to avoid saying something he’d regret. He was mad. He loved her and wanted to be with her, but not if this was an indication of how all huge decisions would go when they needed to make them. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to let her go. She and her son were precious to him. If he lost them in his life the sun would set on his canvas.
His forehead went down on hers. “I want to give you everything you desire. I’m sorry I’ve failed to do so.”
She stood and pulled him along to her bedroom. Slowly she undressed him, her hands a soothing salve to his blistered skin. After he was naked she motioned for him to sit on her bed. He watched as she undressed like she had so many times before, only different in depth and meaning. Her gaze was intent on him and spoke for her despite any words.
She was mapping this moment—memorizing—because it was to be their last time together.
She came to the bed and, using his hands, he moved back toward the headboard. She followed, hovering over him. They kissed, her trembling lips explored him deeply, completely, taking everything he had to give her.
His hands explored her skin and the way her muscles moved beneath. Usually they were impatient and needy, grasping each other with aggression, but tonight they were gentle with one another–reverent. He rolled her beneath him, and then smoothed the hair back from her face. His hands on her jaw he said, “I love you, Fiona.”
