I place my hand on the back of her head to hold her close. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”
Vito comes into view, holding his hand out to help pull me up.
“Tesoro, sweetie, let me get up so I can hug you properly.”
Tinsley sits back on her heels. I take Vito’s hand, hissing when it pulls in the bruised area of my chest. Kevlar is good shit, but it still leaves a hell of a bruise when you're shot. Once I’m on my feet, I look over to find Martin sitting in the chair with a single gunshot wound to the head. Turning to Tinsley, I reach out my hand, pulling her to her feet and into my chest.
“I swear I just lost thirty years of my life seeing you like that,” I whisper into the top of her head.
“You can’t complain when I watched you get fucking shot,” she snaps back, a cute glare on her face.
“How about we make a deal to not ever be in this situation ever again?” I bargain.
“Deal. Now seal it with a kiss,” my feisty little woman demands.
“Yes, Ma’am!” I murmur, pressing my mouth to hers.
I wake up in the middle of the night with Tinsley groaning as she leans onto the side of the bed, swaying back and forth.
“Tesoro, are you okay?” I ask her, jumping out of bed.
She’s breathing in and out rhythmically before looking up at me. Her face is concerned, scared, but the emotion beating out all of it is excitement.
“I need you to go get Miss Tina. The baby is coming, and it’s too late to go to the hospital. I’m delivering the baby at home,” she tells me through clenched teeth.
Standing there, I just look at her. Too shocked to do anything.
“Andre, go now. I’m going to need some fucking help here.” Her tone snaps me into action.
I rush out the door and down the hall to Miss Tina’s room, banging on her door frantically. She pulls it open, gun in hand, looking around wildly.
“What’s going on? Are you okay?” she finally asks.
“It’s Tinsley. The baby is coming now. She says there’s no way to get to the hospital,” I tell her hurriedly.
“Shit,” Tina hisses, turning and going back into her room. She quickly returns with a large bag in hand. She bolts past me toward my room just as a blood-curdling scream rips through the house. We burst through the door to find Tinsley on her hands and knees on the bed, rocking gently.
“I’m here, sweet girl. Tell me what’s going on,” Miss Tina says firmly.
“Contractions are right on top of each other…” Tinsley's words trail off into a scream. “I think when I checked a second ago, I felt the head.”
“Alright, love, let's get you rolled over and let me see what’s going on,” Tina says, helping her do just that.
I move to the top of the bed, kissing Tinsley on the forehead, whispering words of encouragement. As Tina is giving her commands, telling her when to push and when not to. We all lose track of how long it takes. Tinsley is exhausted by the end.
Tina looks up at me. “Andre, I want you to move and sit behind her. Let her use you for support.”
I do, and as soon as I’m in place, Tinsley tenses up. Tina looks up and locks eyes with the most amazing woman lying against my chest. “Now, Tinsley, push with everything that you have.”
Tinsley grits her teeth, bearing down. Just as the first rays of early morning light break over the horizon, our bedroom is filled with the cries of our baby. Tinsley instantly relaxes against my chest with the softest smile on her face. Tina lays our baby on her chest, and it settles right away.
“You have a strong and healthy little boy,” Tina whispers, kissing Tinsley on the forehead and then going back to working between Tinsley's legs.
I look down at the two most important things in my life, finally feeling at peace. Tinsley kisses the top of our boy's head and then looks up at me with tears of pure joy in her eyes. I wipe a tear from her cheek as a single tear runs down my face.
“You are the most incredible woman. Every day I am left in awe of you. I love you, Tesoro,” I whisper, taking her lips in a soft kiss.
“I love you so much, ll mio eroe. (my hero),” she whispers back.
