She nodded.
The pushing began. The first three times nothing happened. The fourth time I realized I couldn’t stop myself from watching. A little head of black hair was starting to come out. The doctor looked over to me and smiled. “Looks like someone has their father’s hair.”
A few things happened.
I felt dizzy. My heart raced like it was running out of my chest. My eyes never left that little babies head.
I smiled back and listened for him to count again. Savanna didn’t take long breaks in between pushes and the more she did it, the more exhausted she was becoming. During one push the head came almost all the way out and then went right back in. Finally, when she seemed like she couldn’t push anymore, Savanna let out a scream as she gave it all of her might. The head and one shoulder came sliding out. The doctor grabbed the baby and it slid right out with ease. A little cry could be heard as the nurses took the baby and started cleaning it off.
“It’s a girl!” He announced.
A girl? A girl? I have a daughter. I have a son and a daughter!
I hadn’t realized I was crying until I felt the hot tears on my cheeks. I rushed to Savanna’s side, stroking her tired face. “We have a daughter, Darlin’.” I kissed her on the lips. “We have a daughter.”
The nurses brought our little girl over to us, wrapped in a blanket. Her fuzzy head of black hair was covered in a little cap to keep her head warm. Little eyes were open and looking out at us. Savanna held out her arms and looked to me when she was placed there with us. I couldn’t stop the tears and honestly I didn’t want to.
Our family was all just standing there taking us in, most with teared eyes themselves.
“She’s beautiful,” I said as I leaned down to kiss my baby girl.
“She’s perfect. Thank you, Colt Mitchell. Thank you so much for this life.” I stood there with my two girls, accepting the slew of pictures being taken. The doctor finally finished with Savanna and left the room.
I looked up at my family and then back down to my little girl. “Meet Christian Michelle Mitchell!”
The family began filling the room with excitement. The middle name was after a cousin of Savanna’s that had passed away. They were very close and it was important to her to have that. Christian was a name that Savanna and I had picked out that was both for a girl or boy. We both loved it and loved the nickname Chris for both a boy and a girl. To make our decision easier, Noah had finally requested the name Chris. Being that it was the only normal name he suggested, it all worked out.
After a few hours the room cleared out and just Savanna and I were there with our little girl. Savanna had already breast fed her once and she was sleeping so peacefully. While Savanna fell asleep herself, I held my little baby and just watched her sleep. A nurse came in and insisted I get some rest, so even though I didn’t want to, I laid her down in her little hospital crib and slept in the recliner next to my wife.
“When can I see Noah?” I woke up to Savanna nursing Christian. She was playing with her full head of hair as she talked.
Of all the things, she already missed our boy. “My mom said she was goin’ to wait until the roads were more clear before bringin’ him out.”
Just as I finished talking the door swung open. My mother came in first, followed by Conner with Noah on his shoulders. “Man, this kid was itchin’ somethin’ fierce to see ya’ll.”
Noah came running to me and I pointed to his sleeping sister. “She’s sleeping, so you have to be extra quiet.”
Noah crept up on my lap and looked at his sister for the first time. “She’s so little,” he whispered.
“She is only seven pounds and three ounces. That is pretty tiny for sure.” Noah smiled when I explained her size. He didn’t know much about weight, but he knew she was the smallest little baby he had ever seen.
“When can she play with me?”
“Not until she is older, Sweetie. She is still too little to play. We have to teach her to eat, and crawl and walk first.” Savanna gave him a pat on the head after she explained.
He looked sad at first studying the little baby in his mother’s arms. “Can I hold her?”
I looked to Savanna who just nodded. “Noah go sit in that chair with Grandma.” I waited for him to get adjusted. “Hold out your arms, but don’t squeeze her too tight.” Gently I placed little Christian in my son’s arms. He held her perfectly, studying her little face. The room got real quiet. “I think I might love her, Dad.”
And that there was the most beautiful thing I had ever heard in my entire life.
Epilogue
Savanna
“I can’t believe we have a daughter.” We’d been home for a week and Colt still couldn’t stop saying that. The ranch could have been falling apart and he wouldn’t have noticed. He’d spent every waking second with me and the kids.
When Colt said that he didn’t want to miss anything with Christian, he wasn’t lying. That man gave her the first diaper change she ever had, the first bath, and her first tour of the house. He begged me to pump, so that at night he could get up with her and give her a bottle while I got some sleep. Several times I would wake up to an empty bed, only to find him rocking her in her nursery, singing softly to her.
As if Colt wasn’t enough, Noah followed them around like a lost puppy. The three of them stuck together, watching television and just generally being entertained by a week old baby. Noah had adjusted to having a sister much better than we anticipated. He no longer even spoke about having a brother. Instead he had changed his mind and was now the ‘official sister protector’.
After my parents had finally gone home, everything started to get into a good routine for us. Colt did work for a couple hours in his office at our house, but he never left us alone. If I needed a nap he would take Christian into the office with him.
I couldn’t have asked for a better father for my kids. Colt was perfect in every single way. How I ended up with him was something I will always wonder. His love for me was indescribable. His devotion to our family was unconditional.
Over the holidays’ we got to see the family again. It was nice having Noah home from school for so long. He was always such a helper with his sister. Her face was starting to light up when she heard her big brother talking. In addition, when he gave her all of his attention she would smile from ear to ear.
I remember watching the two of them interacting and feeling so satisfied. Colt came up behind me and witnessed what I was seeing. Noah had Christian’s little fingers in his. He was talking to her about how pretty she was. “Remember that time when he said all he wanted was a brother?” Colt’s voice vibrated off of my back.
“I remember.” We both let out a laugh.
“So, I was wonderin’ if you meant what you said at the hospital.”
I turned around and wrapped my arms behind Colt’s neck. He gave me those beautiful green eyes to look right in to. “I said a lot of things at the hospital.”
“Well, it was somethin’ like you didn’t want to go through havin’ anymore children. I was kinda hopin’ that you would change your mind. Darlin’, I’m not askin’ for eleven, but I would like three or four.” Colt had a calm but determined look on his face. I turned back to look at our two kids. They were both perfect and I loved being their mother.
I brushed my lips over his and looked back into his eyes. “If they all look like that, we can have eleven.”
He smiled and kissed me full on the lips. His mouth found my ear and he kissed it with his tongue. “Sugar, you just let me know when you want to start tryin’.”
End of Book Three
Look For Risking Fate Jan 2013
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Jennifer Foor lives on the Eastern Shore of Maryland with her husband and two children. She enjoys shooting pool, camping and catching up on cliché movies that were made in the eighties.
Check out this excerpt from Beautifully Broken by Amanda Bennett
I started to tell him the Cliffs Notes version of my life, leaving out all the bad when I heard an all to familiar voice announcing his presence. I slowly stood up and rounded the corner, when he came into view. He stood with both arms up, drink in one hand like he was some kind of God at this party. I took notice of Vince standing a little bit behind him, and then I noticed the small redhead directly underneath Gray’s arm. His arm came down gently around her shoulder and I watched as he kissed her on the top of her head.
“Someone you know?” He had just witnessed me staring, shit!
“I thought I did but that’s not him.” I turned and grabbed his hand so he would follow me back to the table where the drinks sat. I downed three more shots of vodka and then made myself a cocktail, consisting of vodka and a tiny splash of cranberry juice. I was feeling better already.
“You might want to slow down a bit there, kiddo.” He said smugly.
“I think I know what I can handle. Oh, and don’t call me kiddo.” I spat back and turned to find Hannah. She was still on the back patio, only now with a tanned muscular arm wrapped around her waist as she stood still talking to Leslie.
“Oh Hannah, how you?” I could hear my words starting to slur. I inched closer to her spilling drops of the contents of my cup along the way. “I see you found a man, hmm?” Nothing was making sense and I could feel my body getting heavy and my lips were becoming numb.
“Oh my God Bennett, how much have you had to drink?” She grabbed the red cup from my hands, throwing it in the tall black garbage can in the corner. “Let’s get you a water.” She started pulling me inside when I stopped her.
“No! No! I can’t go inside.” I turned crossing my arms over my chest.
“What do you mean?” As soon as the question came out of her mouth, I saw her gaze lock on his. “Oh shit Bennett. What is he doing here, and with her?” I could hear the disgust in her voice.
Gray had only ever dated one person, well besides Hannah. Bobby Jo Levingston, the red headed firecracker who was a bitch to everyone imaginable, especially me. Gray’s friendship and mine was their final undoing. He dated her for six months before she started making my life a living hell, and in return Gray made hers one. Apparently, she had forgiven him. I couldn’t help but watch as his blue eyes looked into hers while they stood grinding together on the makeshift dance floor. As quick as I went to turn away, his gaze caught mine. I could see the sadness and apologetic look in his eyes, but I was pissed and I wasn’t giving in that easily.
His hand was on my arm before I could make it past the small doorway into one of the rooms. I held my face away from him, not wanting to cry. I could feel the tears welling up behind my eyes, but I was damn sure not going to let him see that.
“Bennett, look at me. I didn’t know you would be-” his voice cut off.
I snapped my head around quickly sending me off kilter. After regaining my sense of balance, I stared deep into his ice blue eyes. “YOU’RE SORRY? You didn’t know I was going to be here, right? That’s what you were going to say. You made me feel like a complete asshole for blowing you off today and then you come here, with HER?” I pointed in the general direction of where Bobby Jo was standing. “How dare you. How dare you Gray. She treated me, your best friend, like absolute shit the entire time you guys were together and now you’re just going to what? Take her home? Get her drunk and then sleep with her?” I unleashed years of frustration on him. I couldn’t stop myself. It was something he had to hear.
“Bennett, please just talk to me. Not like this, let’s go home and talk. Please!” He had me wrapped in his arms so tightly; I couldn’t squirm out of their hold. I tried to push against his chest but nothing happened. “Bennett you have to talk to me,” he whispered.
I was about to give in when I heard his voice. “I believe she asked you to let her go.” His voice was powerful and in a second Gray’s arms dropped to his sides with his hands balled into fists. I knew what was about to happen. I positioned myself between the two of them and tried to calm Gray down.
“Who the Hell are you?” Gray puffed.
“I’m the guy whose house you’re in. I’m also the guy who is going to have to hurt you, if you try to man handle her again.”
“ What the Fu-, oh I remember you. You’re the guy who ran into her at school. I knew you were going to be trouble. This has nothing to do with you, so butt the fuck out.” Gray reached for my hand but I was instantly pulled behind Raylon’s muscular frame.
“I told you not to touch her.” Raylon poked his finger into Gray’s chest.
“STOP BOTH OF YOU!” I screamed as loud as my lungs would allow. I put a hand on each of their chests trying to separate them. “Raylon you need to back off. You don’t understand enough to get in the middle of this.” I looked up at him with a sympathetic look in my eyes, hoping he would see that I was sorry that I had to choose. “As for you,” I pushed Gray towards the front door, “you don’t get to come up in here with another girl around your arm, and then try to protect me. It doesn’t work that way Gray. You can’t want all of me one minute and then only some of me another. It’s not fair.” I looked into his eyes and I could see that my words were breaking his heart.
He hung his head before he finally spoke back. “I was upset Bennett. I wanted to bring you here with me but you blew me off, all day. I thought we had an amazing night together. I was so excited to get done with testing this morning and get back to you. I had a whole day planned out. Then you just brushed me off, like nothing happened. I know you feel it Bennett. I’m not stupid, I can see it in your face.” His hands clutched onto the sides of my face as he stared into my eyes.
“Nothing was going to happen with Bobby Jo, I swear it. I was just trying to make it so every waking thought, in my God damned head wasn’t consumed with you.” He threw his hands up in the air exasperated. “Fuck Bennett, what am I supposed to do?” His hands fell to his sides in defeat.
I reached for his shoulder to turn him towards me, but he evaded my touch and started walking towards the stairs. “Tell Vince I’m going home. I’ll get a hold of you tomorrow. Good night Button.” He was down the stairs before I could even catch my breath enough to speak. Why did things have to be so complicated between us?
I made my way back in to find Hannah, when Raylon stopped me in the small hallway leading to the common room. “Are you okay?” He sounded truly concerned, but I just didn’t have the patience to deal with this kind of situation tonight.
“I’m fine, but I need to find Hannah. I’m sorry.”
I moved around him and Hannah was standing waiting for me by the first bedroom on the right. “You ready to go Calamity Jane?” She was joking, but I couldn’t help but swallow back the lump starting to form in my throat.
“Just get me out of here, please?” She wrapped her arm around my shoulders and pushed our way to the front door. I didn’t look back to see if Raylon was looking my way. Honestly, I didn’t care.
The car ride was eerily silent. I couldn’t process what had happened through my drunken haze to have a coherent thought. Hannah knew not to push it; she just kept the radio up enough for some background noise. A little bit later we pulled into my driveway and I couldn’t help but notice that Gray’s truck wasn’t in the drive.
A part of me was almost hoping he would be waiting for me. I should’ve known better. When Gray was upset or mad, home was not the first place he went.
I waved good-bye to Hannah. My wobbly knees carried me to the side gate leading to ‘our’ backyard. I wanted to go straight to the tree house. That was where I felt the safest, and right now I was feeling anything but. My vision was still blurry making me
stumble across the grass in search of the ladder. I could barely make out the shadowy figure, when my knee slammed right into the edge of it.
“Ouch!” I cursed under my breath. I reached out and grabbed hold of one of the metal slats. I pulled up my leg to go climb, but fell again. This time I fell onto the grass.
“Son of a bitch!” This seemed impossible. I reached out one more time determined to at least get half way up. I made it to the second step before slipping again and falling flat on my back onto the wet ground. The sprinklers must have just gone off before I got home because my ass was slowly getting wet. I gave up and decided just to lay there in my drunken haze, not caring about anything.
I heard a laugh and immediately sat up looking around. When I heard it again I searched the dark backyard, stopping when I saw his face through the doorway of the tree house. He was here. Wait, what was he doing here? And who did he think he was laughing at me?
“Oh you think this is funny, huh?” I couldn’t help but laugh along with him. It was kind of funny.
“If the roles were reversed, you know you would be laughing your ass off.” He extended his arm out for me to take his hand. I tried more than once, but failed miserably and fell back onto the grass laughing hysterically. After Gray stopped laughing at me, he finally came out to help. I reached my hand out for him to take it, but in a second he had me in his arms and he was walking up the ladder.
Once we were inside he sat me down on the couch and went to the mini fridge, coming back with a bottle of water for me. I nodded in appreciation and gulped down half of the bottle before taking a breath. As I leaned forward to set the bottle down on the small coffee table, I felt his strong arms wrap around my waist. He pulled me back onto his chest and kept his arms where they were. I rested my head back against him wrapping my fingers through his.
“I like this.” I mumbled.
“So how much did you drink tonight there, lil miss?’ It came across like a joke, but I knew he was being serious.
Raging Love (A Mitchell Family Series BK#3) Page 24