I took a bite and nearly moaned. No wonder Kip had been craving these. They were incredible.
My family was incredible.
Epilogue
Kip
Not many parents got to pick the exact moment their children entered the world.
Lucky me.
At approximately five hundred weeks pregnant and weighing the same as a school bus full of high school football players, it was time to admit defeat. This baby was not coming out on his own. Nature wasn’t going to take its course, and we needed modern medicine to intervene.
“We can schedule your C-section for today at three or four? Which would you prefer?”
I sat in the doctor’s office. The actual examination part had concluded, and now we were just talking. Braxton sat next to me, his hand in mine.
“The sooner the better, Doc. I don't really see how one hour will make much of a difference?” he said.
He was being way nicer than I was feeling. In the last few days, I had gone from slightly uncomfortable, to barely able to walk through a doorway. My hips had stretched, and I was experiencing a pain that was referred to as the “ring of fire,” and fuck whoever came up with that name.
“Kip, what are your thoughts?”
What a silly thing to ask. It was an hour difference. What did it matter? Why were we even being given a choice? I had so many more important things to decide.
“Assuming that a C-sectionright nowis out of the question, I would prefer the earlier option,” I said.
Also, I deserve a fucking medal for being so professional when right now, I was ready to perform the surgery myself to get things moving.
“All right then, I’ll let the nurse know and we’ll see you back here around noon.”
“Thanks, Doc.” Braxton helped me to my feet and guided me out of the office. I smiled and waved at the receptionist as we walked out.
It wasn’t until we got into the truck that I fell apart.
“I just want to have this baby today!” Tears pooled in my eyes despite my best effort to stop them.
“I know. And you will.”
“But not for several hours! Brax, I want to have this child now.”
Braxton sighed, and a look of helplessness filled his face. His brow pinched tight, his lips pursed. “I know, my love. I wish I could do something to help.”
“Maybe we can do something to keep us distracted. We have a few hours before we have to be back here. I can’t possibly sleep, so do not suggest that I nap.”
“Kip, would you like to go fishing with me?”
I grinned. A real one, no fake happiness for me right now.
“Yes, mate. I would love to go fishing with you.”
Our house was clean, our hospital bag packed and already in the truck. Not that we would actually need a whole bag. Even with a C-section, I would be sent home that day thanks to our shifterhealing. We had been so ready to have this baby today that we just assumed we wouldn’t have all this time on our hands.
“Let’s go.”
Normally, we would just walk to the pond where the best fishing was. This time we drove. It was bumpier than what I preferred, but at least I wasn’t walking.
The drive to our usual spot took twenty minutes, every bump in the road a small torture. Braxton drove like he was transporting nitroglycerine, which honestly wasn’t far off from how I felt; one wrong jostle and I might explode. That would be one way to get this birth kicked into high gear.
