“Yeah. Let’s go do that.” It sounded like the best idea ever.
And the four of us went up to my nest and cuddled under the blankets. I loved it when it was the four of us. And when it was only two of us. I loved being with my mates. Full. Stop.
I fell sound asleep almost instantly.
The nesting would have to wait…at least we had everything we needed for the nest and probably a dozen or so others.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Dax
Our omega was slowing down in the last days of her pregnancy. Up until very recently, she’d been buzzing around the house, cleaning, organizing, and insisting that dust built up on a daily basis and must be battled. For the past week, she’d switched gears and spent her days in the nest, allowing us the privilege of waiting on her hand and foot.
Not Sylvia as we knew her, but we were delighted to do it. She was sweet and apologized over and over until we insisted that there was nothing we liked more than taking care of our omega. Cooking the foods she craved, refilling her water glass, helping her up even though she could do it herself.
She emerged from the nest room less and less often. Just to use the restroom, shower, or visit Emma. But she didn’t feel bad, she said, just tired and ready to meet the baby. As were we.
“Mate, I brought you some tea.” With her due date behind us by a couple of days, the midwife had approved an herbal blend that might help get things started. I set the cup down on the table next to her. “Is there anything else you’d like? Chocolate cookie?” Her craving of the week.
“Not really hungry.” She stretched and groaned. “My back is aching.”
“Would you like a little massage?”
“No. I don’t think so. It’s been bothering me for a few hours.” I’d been with her most of that time, but she hadn’t said anything. Why hadn’t I noticed she was uncomfortable?
But then her comment struck a note somewhere in my brain. Hadn’t the midwife said something about backaches…back labor!
“Sylvia, I’ll be right back. You don’t need anything?”
“No, just for this to stop hurting.”
“I’m sure it will. In fact, let me go give the midwife a call and see if she has a suggestion, all right?”
“Thank you, Dax. I hate to be a bother.” Her wince had me flying out the door and racing to the kitchen where the others were fixing lunch.
“It’s time!” I grabbed my cell phone from the counter and tapped the midwife’s name. “She’s in labor.”
“When did it start?” Archer held a spatula by the stove where four grilled sandwiches were toasting on the griddle.
“How far apart are the pains?” Talon demanded, abandoning the plates he’d been piling potato chips on. “I have to go to her.”
“Wait just a minute.” I held up a hand to stop them. “Melissa? Hi. It’s Dax. Our mate is having back pain. Been a few hours.”
She asked me some more questions then said, “Back pain is not uncommon in pregnancy, but since she’s already overdue, I think I’d better pop over and give her a little exam. Nobody panic.”
“We aren’t,” I assured her. “See you soon.” Disconnecting, I faced the others and filled them in. “She said specifically not to panic.”
“We wouldn’t do that,” Archer said just as the scent of burning toast reached my nose.
I leaned past where he still stood holding his spatula and turned off the stove. “That’s what I told her.”
He shook himself. “She’s right, though. If it’s not labor, hopefully she can help relieve the pain, but if it is, we need to be 100 percent together for our mate. Calm. Organized. Provide the support she needs at a difficult and painful time.”
His words would have held more water if the three of us didn’t spring into action, crowding the kitchen doorway in a manner the Three Stooges would have gotten a good laugh from. Once we disentangled ourselves, we flew up the stairs and into the nest, nearly landing in a heap at her feet.
“What is wrong with you three?” Sylvia asked. “Is the house on fire? I smell something burning.”
“Lunch,” I told her, “but it’s fine now. No actual fire. Melissa is on her way to check you out. It’s possibly the start of labor or maybe just sore muscles. So, no need to panic.”
