I roll my eyes. “I’m aware.”
Grabbing the tray, I head upstairs to Ronan and Ciara’s room, where I find Ciara balanced on her yoga ball, gripping the side of the bed as she tries to breathe through a contraction.
Ronan kneels beside her, looking just as exhausted. The poor guy hasn’t left her side, and from the looks of it, neither one of them has gotten much sleep.
The doctor stopped by again this morning to inform them that Ciara is still not in active labor, so she could easily have a few days left before she even gives birth.
“I brought supplies.” I shut the door behind me with my foot.
Ciara looks up at me and offers me a tired smile. “You’re a saint.”
Beads of sweat cover her forehead, and her blonde hair sticks to her face, but despite the pain she must be in, she manages to smile.
I kneel beside her, letting her lean slightly against me as she takes small bites of food.
“You’ve got this.” I rub her back. “Just a few deep breaths, and we’ll get through each contraction.”
She sways slightly on the ball, letting out a slow breath. “This sucks. I’ve tried telling them to hurry up and get out, but they’re already not listening to me. I thought that’s not meant to happen until they’re teenagers.”
I chuckle under my breath. “You don’t get much more stubborn than a Sullivan.”
“This is all your fault,” she directs at Ronan. “We are never having sex again.”
Ronan tries his hardest not to smile as Ciara scowls at him.
I have to bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from laughing at the look on her face because normal Ciara is a force to be reckoned with, but Ciara, who is about to push two watermelons out of her body, is not someone I want to cross.
She pants after another contraction. “This is never-ending.”
“Well, at least you have me here to cheer you on. Or, at the very least, making sure you don’t topple over.”
“You’re not much of a cheerleader. If you want to help, reach up in there and break my waters so we can get this thing going already.”
“I’m more of a ‘stand by and offer moral support’ type,” I reach out to steady her. “Hold on, lean back against me if it helps.”
She hesitates, then eases back slightly, letting me take some of the weight.
My hands hover just behind her, ready to catch her if she slips.
Ciara groans as the next contraction hits, and I press gently on her lower back, helping her through it.
“That’s it, Ciara, you’re doing great.”
“I’m so proud of you, Tine Bhaeg,” Ronan murmurs.
Ciara leans into him and closes her eyes, and for the first time in days, there’s a look of peace on her face.
Seeing the two of them like this makes my heart ache because I know I could have that with Kieran if I just come clean. But every time I finally find the courage, I go and sabotage our relationship by doing things like meeting up with Oscar behind his back.
At some point, Kieran is going to decide he can’t trust me, and I’ll have no one to blame but myself.
Minutes pass like hours, and I stay by Ciara’s side, massaging her shoulders and offering her water as she sways back and forth on the ball.
“You’re doing amazing, you know that?”
She rolls her eyes but smiles. “Can you hand me another cracker?”
“Sure thing.” I grab the plate off the bedside table.
