by Red Phoenix
“You seem especially content this morning. Last night’s scene seems to have had a positive effect on you.”
“That’s part of it, I’m sure.” She wrapped her arms around him. “But it’s so much more than that, Sir. I feel like I’m flying on cloud nine right now.”
He caressed her cheek. “I like seeing you this way, babygirl.”
She squeezed him tight, letting out a contented sigh. However, she was so full of energy, she couldn’t remain still for long.
“I feel like making some of Nonna’s hot chocolate.”
“Why not?” Sir chuckled as he escorted her inside.
Brie grinned, thinking of Sir’s grandparents as she got out the Italian chocolate and started chopping it into small pieces. “Did you get the blueprints from Rytsar last night?” she called out to Sir.
He walked out of his office with his laptop. “They’re right here.”
Setting the computer down on the counter, he told her, “Let’s wait to look them over together after we enjoy the hot chocolate you’re making.”
Brie smiled as she stirred the warm milk and watched the chocolate pieces slowly melt into chocolaty goodness. When she glanced up, she caught Sir staring at her. The expression on his face took her breath away—it was full of such tenderness and love that it made her blush with happiness.
He smirked. “I see I can still make you blush, Miss Bennett.”
“It’s your secret power, Sir…”
He stood up and walked over to her. Tilting her head to one side, Sir kissed her throat, before biting down lightly. Chills coursed through her body and she momentarily forgot herself.
“Keep stirring,” he reminded her gently.
Brie came back to her senses and resumed stirring the hot chocolate while Sir got two mugs from the cupboard.
“Let me do the honors,” he insisted, taking the small saucepan and pouring an equal amount of the warm chocolate into both.
Sir handed her a mug and escorted her to their back patio where they could drink in privacy while still enjoying the sound of the ocean.
It was the start of a perfect day.
Brie smiled as she sipped the decadent drink and felt the baby kick as if she or he was reacting to the yumminess of it. “I think our little one loves Nonna’s chocolate, too.”
Sir placed his hand on her stomach and grinned when he felt the baby’s hard kick. “This one is certainly active today.”
Brie laughed. “I bet she or he is going to be a world-renowned soccer player.”
While she sat there, trying to leisurely sip her hot chocolate, Brie had to continually readjust her position because the baby wouldn’t stop moving. Finally, she set the mug down, conceding defeat. “I guess the baby likes it a little too much,” she giggled. “I better not drink anymore.”
Sir looked at her with sympathy and picked up her mug, stating, “Let’s check out those blueprints, then.”
As Brie was following him inside, she felt a sudden gush of warmth between her legs. The blood drained from her face and she cried, “Sir…”
He turned to see the puddle of water at her feet.
“Not again,” Brie whimpered.
Sir instantly took control of the situation. “We’ve been through this before,” he assured her as he escorted her inside.
He immediately called Dr. Glas. “Brianna’s water just broke. We’re heading to the hospital right now.”
Sir then asked her, “How far apart are the contractions?”
She shook her head. “I can’t tell…the baby is so active.”
“Dr. Glas says he is going to meet us at the hospital.”
Brie’s bottom lip began to tremble. “I’m scared, Sir.”
“Don’t be, babygirl. I can get you to the hospital quickly, but if you prefer an ambulance, I’ll arrange it.”
“No, I’d rather you drive, Sir.”
Keeping a calm demeanor, Sir helped Brie dress in fresh clothes and quickly packed an overnight bag for her. As he escorted her to the Lotus, he explained, “I know this isn’t easy for you to get in and out of, but she’ll get us there much faster.”
Brie nodded as she took his hand and he helped her into the vehicle. She’d thought she had seen him drive fast before, but that wasn’t even close to how fast he was driving now.
With laser focus, Sir weaved in and out of traffic, punching the gas to the floor whenever there was room. Brie had never been so grateful for the sports car or his ability to drive it past the limits.
Not surprisingly, they soon heard the sound of a blaring siren behind them.
Sir kept his gaze forward and told her, “I’m not stopping. Call 911 and tell them we are headed to the hospital.”
She hurriedly grabbed the phone out of her purse, unable to stop her hands from shaking as she dialed the number. Sir rattled off his license plate number when they asked.
“Sir, they say to slow down and let the police car get in front of you so they can escort you to the hospital safely.”
Sir growled in frustration but took his foot off the gas so the police vehicle could maneuver around them.
With sirens still blaring, Sir reluctantly followed behind.
Brie reached out and placed her hand on his thigh, needing his physical presence.
Sir did not take his eyes off the road but assured her, “Everything is going to be fine, babygirl.”
There was no hint of doubt in his voice, and Brie held onto that as her fears continued to grow. The baby was coming three weeks early—just like Hope.
Brie felt certain the baby was struggling and was the reason it was being so active right now.
What if this baby doesn’t survive this…?
Brie gasped, unable to bear the thought, and started to cry.
“Don’t,” Sir commanded, as he stared straight ahead. “Focus only on the positive.”
Brie nodded, squeezing her eyes shut to force the tears back while she focused on her breathing.
I’m here, little one. Daddy is getting us to the hospital as fast as he can so we can meet you.
Brie repeated those words over and over, not allowing herself to think about anything else.
After what seemed like an eternity, Sir pulled up to the hospital entrance where a nurse was waiting for them with a wheelchair.
Sir quickly helped her out of the vehicle and into the wheelchair. “I’ll park the car and find you.”
“I don’t want you to leave me,” Brie cried, breaking down in tears.
Sir took her hand and squeezed it. “I’ll be as quick as I can, babygirl.”
A man walking into the hospital stopped midstride and turned to him. “I’ll park the car and leave the keys at the front desk, if you’d like.”
Sir hesitated for only a second before handing him the keys. “Thank you. Your name is…?”
“Kyle.”
Sir nodded to him before following Brie inside. “Aren’t you worried about your car?”
He shook his head. “No. The car means nothing right now.”
Brie took his hand and kissed it, strengthened by his uncompromising love.
Once they reached the maternity floor, Brie was rushed to a private room where Dr. Glas was waiting for them. He smiled when he saw her.
“Just like the last one, your babe is anxious to greet the world.”
“I’m scared,” Brie confessed, unconsciously echoing Kylie’s words on the day she died. “There’s something’s wrong with the baby. I can feel it.”
“Let me make that assessment,” Dr. Glas stated firmly, asking her to undress. As he helped her onto the examination table and pulled out the stirrups, the doctor met her gaze. “You and your babe will receive the best care, lass.”
Brie nodded, trusting him despite her growing panic. She threw a worried glance Sir’s way as Dr. Glas placed the fetal heart monitor on her stomach.
The baby’s heart rate was erratic, rapidly beating one moment, then slowing way down the next.
“Is that dangerous?” Sir asked in concern.
“Not at all, Mr. Davis. It’s a simple transfusion of saline solution using a catheter. If the heart rate stabilizes, we can talk about having an epidural.”
Dr. Glas winked at Brie, his calm demeanor helping to allay her fears.
The procedure itself was painless, and it didn’t take long before the baby’s heart rate returned to a steady, consistent beat.
“After the complications with the nuchal cord during your first delivery, I made provisions in case we faced the same scenario with this one,” he explained.
Tears of gratitude welled up in Brie’s eyes. “Thank you, Dr. Glas.”
His smile was genuine, but Brie could see the haunted look in the doctor’s eyes. She could tell he was determined to do whatever was necessary to ensure she and the baby made it through the delivery safely.
Brie suddenly grimaced as intense pain enveloped her. Now that the baby was less active, she was fully aware of her contractions.
“I can have the anesthesiologist come in and get started on the epidural for you,” Dr. Glas offered.
Brie nodded but, after he left, she confessed to Sir, “Even though I want the epidural, I’m terrified about the idea of having a needle up my spine.”
He looked at her with compassion. “You don’t have to have it, but remember the pain you endured during Hope’s birth.”
Brie shuddered, recalling how excruciating it was. “You’re right, Sir. I’d rather not have everyone on the floor hear me scream ‘I’m not a masochist’ this time.”
Sir chuckled warmly. “I actually thought it was charming.”
Brie blushed, loving his answer.
Sir pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Would you like me to call your parents?”
“Yes! I would love it if they could be here for the birth…” Brie’s voice trailed off, suddenly overcome with sadness. “Wait, Sir. Let’s call Rytsar first.”
Sir nodded, dialing his number instead. “Brother, we wanted you to be the first to know that Brie’s in labor.”
Sir put the phone on speaker and Brie heard Rytsar cry out, “So soon?”
“Her water broke this morning, so I rushed her to the hospital.”
“I wish you could be here with us,” Brie told Rytsar, her heart aching because he was so far away.
“I do too, radost moya, but know this Russian is beside you in spirit.”
She choked back her tears. “I know…”
“Is the babe okay?”
When she hesitated to answer, Rytsar demanded, “What’s wrong, Brother?”
Sir told him what had happened, assuring Rytsar the baby’s heartbeat was stable, and Brie was progressing well.
Rytsar was silent for a moment. Brie could only imagine how agonizing it must be for him to know there was nothing he could do. “Radost moya, I—”
Their call was interrupted by the anesthesiologist entering the room. “I was told you are ready for an epidural, Mrs. Davis.”
Brie glanced at Sir, her courage suddenly leaving her.
“I hate to do this to you, but I’ll need to call you back. Brie’s anesthesiologist just arrived,” Sir explained to Rytsar before hanging up.
He placed a reassuring hand on Brie’s shoulder before addressing the doctor. “My wife has concerns about the epidural.”
The anesthesiologist nodded and pulled up a stool. He sat down to explain the entire procedure in detail to her. “It’s completely natural to be concerned about the pain, but I will numb up the area before I insert the needle into your back. You will feel pressure, but it shouldn’t be painful.”
Brie let out a sigh of relief. “Good.”
“If you’re ready, I’ll get that area numbed up right now.”
Brie nodded, then took Sir’s hand while the doctor had her lay on her side. She squeezed it tight when she felt the bite and the burn of the initial numbing shot. The doctor rubbed the area for several minutes while a nurse prepared the materials for the epidural.
Brie was too scared to even look at the tray.
Sir kept his eyes on Brie the entire time, his reassuring smile helping her to remain calm. But she immediately tensed when the anesthesiologist said, “This next part may feel strange. I’m going to push the needle between your vertebrae and into your spine. It might feel uncomfortable, but only for a short time.”
Brie shut her eyes when she felt the needle slowly enter. It was a completely unsettling feeling, and she had to force herself not to whimper.
But, before she knew it, the nurse was taping the catheter in place. “All done, my dear!”
Brie couldn’t believe it and smiled at Sir.
Before the anesthesiologist left, he told her, “I suggest you rest now, while you still can.”
Brie nodded, although she knew it would be impossible. She was far too wound up to even think about sleep. However, she took extreme comfort in the sound of her baby’s steady heartbeat.
Sir got out his phone again. “I’ll call your parents, and then inform Unc that Hope may need to stay an additional day or two.”
“Could you get my phone, Sir? I’d like to call Rytsar back.”
He got the phone out of her purse and handed it to her, explaining, “While I’m making those calls, I’ll also check the front desk to see if my keys made it back safely.”
As she took the phone from him, she squeezed his hand. “Thank you for getting me to the hospital so quickly—with a police escort, no less.”
He paused for a moment, then glanced at the fetal monitor. “I’m grateful you and the baby are safe.”
Despite his calm exterior, Brie knew he’d been equally shaken by the ordeal. Pressing his hand against her cheek, she looked up at him and smiled. “We are, Sir, because of you.”
Welcome to the World
The moment Sir left Brie, it felt like the air had been sucked out of the room. She shivered from the chill of it and immediately called Rytsar.
“Radost moya, tell me you are well.”
“I am.” She smiled to herself, touched by his concern. “In fact, I got the epidural and I’m listening to the baby’s heartbeat right now.”
She held out the phone so he could hear it, then put the phone back to her ear. “Isn’t that a wonderful sound?”
“It is,” he answered gruffly.
“I’m sorry we had to cut you off before.”
“Although I understand, this is not easy for me.”
“I know… Sir’s calling my parents and his uncle right now since none of us were prepared for this early arrival.”
“What is it with your babes, radost moya? Don’t they know how good they have it inside your belly?”
She laughed. “I guess they’re just eager to meet their dyadya.”
“I want to be there for the birth.” She could hear the sorrow in his voice. “I failed to appreciate how hard the distance would be…” He suddenly changed his tone and asked, “Tell me, how is moye solntse?”
“Luckily, she was staying with the Reynolds overnight and wasn’t exposed to the chaos this morning.” Caressing her stomach, Brie confessed, “I’m trying to be brave.”
“I know Kylie’s death haunts you today.”
“It’s so hard not to think of her,” she whimpered.
“Take my advice, radost moya. Do not dwell on the tragedy. It will only deplete your strength, and it does not honor Kylie’s life.”
She closed her eyes, soaking in his words. She knew they came from a heart that had suffered unspeakable loss—but had survived.
“You are strong. Say it,” he insisted.
&n
bsp; “I am strong.”
“Today you meet your babe.”
“Yes!” Her heart started to race as that feeling of excitement she’d felt earlier today returned. “Do you think the baby is going to be a girl or a boy?”
He chuckled. “I am certain of the sex, but do not wish to spoil it for you.”
“Well, you do have a fifty/fifty shot.”
“Nyet. I know with the same certainty I did with moye solntse.”
Brie giggled. “It’s easy to make that claim if you’re not willing to commit.”
“I will prove it to you.”
She grinned into the phone. “How?”
“You must have patience, radost moya.”
Brie laughed, assuring him, “I promise I won’t rub it in if you are wrong.”
“And I promise to lick you with my cat o’ nines for doubting me.”
“I didn’t agree to that!” she squeaked.
His sadistic chuckle filled her ears.
Dr. Glas walked into the room and smiled at her. “How are you feeling after the epidural, Mrs. Davis?”
As soon as Rytsar heard the doctor’s voice, he commanded, “Tell the good doctor I know the sex of the baby.”
Brie snickered. “I’m not going to tell him that.”
“Tell him,” he insisted.
“Tell me what?” Dr. Glas asked as he glanced over the readings for the fetal monitor.
“Rytsar claims he knows the sex of the baby.”
“Is that your friend who attended the last birth?”
“Yes.” Brie blushed as she answered, unsure if Dr. Glas understood the true nature of their relationship.
“May I?” he asked, pointing to her phone.
Brie nodded eagerly and handed it to him.
“Okay, I’ll bite. What’s your guess about the sex?” Dr. Glas asked him. “Okay, I stand corrected…it’s not a guess.” He winked at Brie.
She smirked, finding it hilarious that Rytsar was correcting her doctor.
“And that’s your final answer? Fine, I’ll let her know when the time comes.”
Dr. Glas handed the phone back to Brie, shaking his head in amusement before telling her, “I need to check your progress, lass.”
Before she could speak, Rytsar stated, “Allow the doctor to do his work,” and hung up.