Nami panted and breathed through the next contraction as the doctor got things ready.
“I’m sorry, Beck,” Nami tearfully said. “I love you. I just want to rip your testicles off before we have the next couple of kids. Okay?”
Duncan laughed. “It’s okay, Nami. Louisa threatened to neuter me with all of our daughters. He’ll make it up to you.”
“Don’t you get my cooter on video!” Nami yelled at Malyah, before it devolved into another scream as a contraction hit.
“We’ll edit it out, sis. Don’t worry about it. I’m not live-streaming it. Just focus.”
“Beck,” Duncan said, and he looked over at him. The old shifter tipped his head toward Nami, his meaning clear.
Beck nodded so hard his head probably looked like one of those bobbleheads.
“Nami,” Duncan said, “do you want me to help you?”
“Oh, god, if you can make this pain go away I will GIVE YOU THIS BABY AND MYWHOLE FUCKING UTERUS!”
Duncan almost successfully suppressed his snort. “It’s okay, Nami.” He held her other hand. “Just think about breathing, and focus on Beck’s voice. It’s okay…”
Beck tried to remember the classes they’d all been taking, going with Tamsin and Dewi, and thank god for Malyah because she’d gone, too, for support, and remembered what to do.
Because Beck couldn’t remember a goddamned word of any of what they’d learned.
Between the doctor and Malyah coaching them, Beck got Nami breathing and time seemed to stop for a little bit.
“Okay, Nami,” the doc said. “Give me a big push.”
She screamed as she leaned forward, Beck holding her, his head pressed against hers. “Come on, baby, you can do it—”
Until a strong warbling cry filled the room and Nami’s screams quickly turned to relieved sobs while Malyah let out a joyful cheer.
“Congratulations!” The doc said. “Your baby girl looks perfect. Just give me a moment.” The doctor worked on the cord, had Beck cut it, and then their daughter was draped with a blanket and laying on Nami’s chest as she laugh-sobbed.
Then again, so was Beck. Laugh-sobbing, that is.
And then it was just them and the doctor and their baby, and Beck didn’t even know when that had happened.
“I love you so much, sweetheart,” he told Nami.
“We…we have a baby!”
“We have a baby, baby!” He blinked back tears as he held Nami and reached around her to stroke their daughter’s arm.
“She apparently wasn’t going to wait,” Dr. Collins said as he draped a sheet over Nami’s legs, tucking it in around her waist. “And yes, she’s perfect and full-term, for a shifter baby. Just fudge and say we goofed on the conception date when telling your clueless human friends and family so they don’t question that she’s full-term. Let me grab a newborn kit so I can get her cleaned up for you, okay?”
Beck nodded. “Okay.” He pressed his forehead to Nami’s. “I love you so much, baby.”
She laughed, sniffling back tears. “I think I might have pooped on Duncan.”
Beck burst out laughing. “I’ll pay for his dry cleaning.” He nuzzled her nose.
Dr. Collins also laughed. “Believe me, you are far from the first or last laboring mom to poop. But, here’s some more good news—you didn’t tear at all. Everything looks textbook perfect with you and your daughter. Have you picked out a name yet?”
Nami looked at Beck again and nodded.
“Then tell him, baby,” Beck said. “I told you, that’s up to you.”
She sniffled as she looked down at their daughter. “Tahlia Dellis Beckett,” she said. “After a woman I wish I could have met, and one I’m glad I did. But don’t tell anyone yet, please? I want to tell them first.”
