“It’s Auntie Lake.” I heard her blow out an audible breath. “She’s in labor. You’ve got to come now, hurry.”
A loud moan came through the line and I knew it was my sister. “Tell her, I’m okay. It’s just a baby,” she said, another moan coming way too close to the other.
Jesus, was the baby coming right now?
The doorbell rang and I looked at my guy. “My mom,” he mouthed.
Val was here?
The morning after our first lovemaking and finally believing I deserved this incredible man who made me feel so loved and whole, was really starting out crazy. My sister was in labor, and Huntley’s mom was here and probably going to see right through me, knowing her son just had his wicked way with me.
“Did you call an ambulance and Bronson?”
I was throwing on clothes as I spoke and Huntley, already dressed, walked out to let his mom in I assumed.
“Lennon did. They are both on the way, but we needyou.”
Roxie was barking in the background, I thought I heard Stormi whimpering, asking her mom if she was okay, and Lennon…
Well, I couldn't hear him but could picture him standing there in semi-shock but still trying to hold everything together the way he always did.
“I’m on my way, sweetheart. We’ll be there in five minutes.”
Rushing to the bathroom, I swooshed some mouthwash and grabbed a scrunchie. I was running out of the bedroom, throwing my hair into a knot on the top of my head and slammed into a brick wall.
Huntley’s hands had come out to rest on my shoulders, trying to take some of the impact. “I got you, baby.” He reached down and took my hand. “My mom said she would follow us so we had two cars if needed.”
As we moved quickly through the house—my man, a whole lot calmer and more collected than I was—we found Val waiting by the door.
“Bronson must be going out of his mind,” I murmured.
The sweet, motherly woman,my angel, grabbed me softly and wrapped her arms around me. Planting a kiss on my cheek, she said, “It’s going to be okay.”
I believed her.
This lovely lady had an air about her that made a person feel at peace.
And she was going to be my mother soon. Well, technically my mother-in-law, but none of that mattered. To me she’d be everything I wanted when it came to the nurturing person she was and who cared for you when you needed her too.
Something I’d never had but craved all my life.
We made our way out of the house, Huntley locking up,but his one hand never left mine and we moved toward the cars. Once he had me in my seat and buckled—taking great care to keep me safe, as always—he made his way around to the driver’s side and then we were off, Val close behind.
As we pulled up outside my sister's house, Bre came flying outside, Roxie hot on her heels. “She said it’s coming!” my daughter screamed as she swept her dog up into her arms.
Coming? Like right now?
I was running for the front door and when I crossed the threshold into the living room, I froze. My feet just stopped functioning as I took in the scene.
My sister was the damn warrior.
She may be about to give birth, but the woman was remarkable. Lake was in full paramedic mode, still able to mother and soothe, all while staying in control.
Lennon was next to her as she lay on a blanket on the floor, pillows propped up behind her head, and Stormi on the other side. She was giving my son some instructions in preparation and comforting her daughter as she moaned through her contractions.
It was wild how calm my kid looked.
Val, Bre, and Huntley came in behind me. My sister looked up and held out her hand. I rushed to her and dropped to my knees, tears swimming in my eyes.
