Stone smiled at Hawk, and a painful lump filled Hawk’s throat. There were tears in Stone’s eyes as he nodded, turning and disappearing from Hawk’s field of vision. He knew exactly what his best friend was thinking about. He knew exactly what he was missing at that moment. And fuck, Hawk’s heart ached for him.
“I never want to do this again, Hawk,” Jessie groaned. “Help me s-sit down. She’s low and I want to start pushing. I n-need to start…”
He chuckled, pressing a kiss to her temple as she leaned back harder on his chest.
“Never again,” she whispered.
“I know, sweetheart. But I think that’s probably just the labor talking.”
“No. It’s not. She’s our one and only. I can’t… I can’t do this again.”
“The only thing I want is for you and Bee to be okay, Jess. If she’s it for us, she’s it for us. As long as you both are healthy and happy, I’m good.”
“Okay, Jess.” Birdie peaked beneath the quilt and smiled. “This baby is ready to come meet her mom and dad. You’ve done such a good job bringing her down, and we’re going to continue listening to your body and easing into this next part, okay? We’re going to go slow. The most important thing we can do is let the baby stretch you. So, instead of powerhouse pushes, I want you to listen to your body and pant if you start to feel the ring of fire, okay?”
“I feel… I feel it. Oh god…” Jessie’s belly morphed into a perfect basketball as the contraction took hold.
“Slow, Jess,” Birdie warned.
“I. Can’t. Help. It. OH GOD!” she gasped, her eyes going wide and wild as she looked up at Hawk. “This hurts. This hurts. I have to push… and it fucking hurts!”
Fuck. He watched in absolute awe as Jessie’s face dropped all emotion and she focused every ounce of energy she had on getting their baby out into the world.
“You’re doing so good, Jess.” Birdie coached. “I can see the top of Bee’s head. She’s got lots of hair! Take a deep breath and go again if that contraction still has some gas in it.”
Jess just nodded, her body shaking in his arms. Women were fucking beasts. Nothing he’d been through in his life held a candle to what childbirth was like. And his woman? The true embodiment of a goddess. Strong. Fierce. He could almost see the invisible string that connected Jessie to the eternal, infinite well of mothers who came beforeher.
“I can’t… I can’t… the baby’s too big. I’m too tired…” she cried as she collapsed back against him.
“Cause you’re my lady. And I am your man,”Hawk started singing. It was a very off-key version of the Celine Dion song he’d caught her dancing in the kitchen to, all those months ago. His hand reached up and pushed away the wet hair that had been sticking to her forehead. Even as her vision blurred with tears, his eyes never wavered.“Whenever you reach for me, I’ll do all that I can. We’re having a baby, somewhere we never planned. I am not frightened, because I’m ready to love both of my girls.”
“I never wanted someone to record my birth before, but I wish I’d been able to record that,” Jessie sobbed as she reached her hand up to cup his face. “It was so terrible. I love you.”
Hawk chuckled. “I love you too. We’ve got this.You’vegot this. What do you say? Think it’s finally time to meet Bee?”
“It’s time, Jess. One more push to deliver the shoulders and you’ll be holding your baby girl in no time.”
Hawk felt Jessie’s body tense and with a scream, their baby was lying there on the bed between her legs. Hawk’s eyes went wide as he took in the beautiful, squishy creature that Birdie was busy clearing fluids from. Ten fingers, ten toes. Light, light hair and long legs. And then, the shock of a lifetime slammed into him.
“Jessie.” Hawk’s face was wet, tears streaming down both cheeks but he didn’t care. The baby was there. Big and pink, and fuck, he couldn’t hold back his emotions at how proud he was of what Jessie had just gone through to bring their baby into the world.
“What? What’s wrong? Is she okay? Why isn’t she crying?”
Hawk’s chin quivered. “You were right, Pretty Girl. All along, you were right.”
“What?”
“Bee is a boy,” he choked out. “We have a son.”
Just as the words left Hawk’s mouth, the most beautiful cry filled the room.
“Our son?” Tears streamed down Jessie’s face as she reached for the baby between her legs. Birdie helped bring the baby up on Jess’s chest, and Hawk’s hand was right there, resting on his warm, soft back.
“He’s gorgeous. My god, you are so strong. So fucking strong. I’ll never get over how good you did.” Hawk pressed a kiss to her cheek. “I’m so proud of you.”
“I feel it,” she whispered.
“What?” Hawk looked at Birdie, who was working on clamping the umbilical cord. “Are you in pain?”
