by Marla Monroe
Jared chuckled and shook his head at the other man. “Even if she’s in labor, it’s going to be hours before she has the baby, man. We’ve got time.”
“I don’t care. I want her safely at home in bed.” Rusty grabbed her hand. “Let’s go, baby girl. You can chat with Felicity after the baby is born.”
Jane giggled and waved at the other woman. “I’ll talk to you on the radio later. I’m not about to have the baby right away.”
“I’ll check in periodically to see how you’re doing,” Felicity said with a laugh. “Let them take care of you, girl.”
“I don’t think I have a choice.”
* * * *
“You’ve been up and down all night, Jane. I’m sure you’re in labor.” Jared shook his head. “You need to be in bed resting.”
“I need for you guys to stop trying to put me to bed. I need to walk. Read the damn books, guys. Walking helps with the labor progression. Talk to the damn doctor over the radio. He’ll tell you that what I need is to move around.”
“Okay, okay, honey. You can walk around, and I’ll try not to worry too much.” Jared glared at Rusty. “I don’t hear you helping out with this.”
“That’s because I’ve read all the baby books from front to back, and they do say the more she walks, the easier her labor will be.” Rusty smiled at Jane as he walked back and forth from the kitchen to the living room and back again.
“I’ve read them. I just can’t believe that they meant for her to walk all freaking day. She needs to put her feet up some.” Jared started pacing with her.
“I will in between walking.” Jane made two more loops then lowered her whale of a body to the couch with both men’s help.
“Here, I’ll rub your feet while you rest up, honey.” Rusty propped her feet on his lap and massaged them while Jared plumped the pillow behind her back.
“How about something to drink?” Jared asked.
“Maybe some of the tea. I don’t think I need to drink any of the fruit juice. The tea might settle my stomach some. It’s kind of queasy,” she told him.
“Is that in the damn book?” Jared asked Rusty.
“Yeah. It says she could feel a little nauseous at times. It’s partly the pain and partly the hormones changing. Her body is getting ready for her to deliver.”
“We need to move her upstairs after this,” Jared said. “I want her near the bed before she can’t make it up the stairs.”
“Jared’s probably right. I should go upstairs when I get up again.” Jane felt as if the baby was pressing against her bottom now. It felt like she was holding a football between her thighs.
Thirty minutes later, Jane couldn’t stand sitting any longer. She made the men help her up and walked into the kitchen in preparation for climbing the stairs up to their bedroom. Just as she reached the kitchen door leading outside and turned to walk back toward the living room, her water broke.
“Oh hell no. She’s not having this baby in the kitchen. We’ve got to get her upstairs,” Jared said.
“She’s fine. We’ll take her upstairs now and get her settled in the bed. She’s not about to have the baby down here.” Rusty grabbed some towels and threw them down on the floor so she wouldn’t slip.
The trip upstairs took longer than any of them really wanted. Jane felt as if she had climbed a three-story building by the time she made it to the landing. Her back ached, her legs were trembling, and her stomach bunched like a wrung-out towel.
The men helped her undress then pulled a large gown over her head. She forwent the underwear. It would only get in the way as the men checked her progress. She felt the first twinges of fear creep into her head like a tiny centipede full of doubts and worry. The guys had never delivered a baby before. Could they do it? How was she going to handle labor without a proper birthing table?
The farther along she went, the more she fretted about every tiny thing. They hadn’t picked out a name. She had no idea if she was having a boy or a girl, and how were the men going to handle the afterbirth? It was nasty to even think about.
“I need to get up and walk again,” she demanded.
“Let me check you first. If the baby’s not crowning, then we’ll get you up.” Rusty had made himself her “doctor” while Jared was her coach.
“I don’t think she needs to get up anymore,” Jared argued.
“You keep her happy up there while I make the decisions down here,” Rusty snapped at the other man.
He spread her legs and checked her out. “No sign of the baby’s head. You can get up for a short while, hon.” He stood and held out his hand. “Help me get her up, Jared.”
They went back and forth like that for what felt like days but later they told her had only been about six hours. Finally, the last time she’d insisted she needed to go to the bathroom Rusty had announced the baby’s head was visible and she wasn’t going anywhere.
“You’re about to have this baby, Jane. When you feel like you need to push, push. I’ve got everything ready down here.” Rusty spread her legs while Jared got behind her and held her against him for support.
Jane cursed and yelled and screamed at the men as she pushed and begged it all to be over with. By four that morning, she was exhausted and refused to push any longer.
“You’ve got to push, Jane. The baby’s head is nearly out. You’ve got to. Come on.” Rusty sounded like a damn cheerleader to her. She wanted to punch him in the nose but didn’t have the energy.
She saw him exchange looks with Jared but couldn’t see the other man’s face since he was holding her up from behind.
“Jane. You’ve got to push that baby out, or you’re both going to be in bad shape. You don’t want to lose this baby, do you?” Jared asked.
“No!” She felt everything inside of her bunch again as the pain moved around her belly like the electric arms of an octopus.
Jane bore down and grunted and cursed through the process until she thought her insides were going to burst out of her.
“That’s it, hon. The head is free. Rest then do that again. Just like that. You’re having this baby, Jane. You’re doing it.” Rusty squeezed her thighs.
If she’d had the energy, she’d have kicked him when he did. Every muscle on her ached. Her belly felt like it was about to burst open, and even her toes cramped from all the pushing. Then the pain and the urgency rolled over her again. She hadn’t had time to rest up for this one. She grunted then screamed as she finally pushed the baby free of her body.
“It’s a boy!” Randy yelled out.
Then the baby let out a screech that would have rivaled a cat that had gotten its tail stuck in a door. The sound was the sound of love to her. She opened her eyes when she realized she’d closed them as she’d pushed to see Rusty between her legs rubbing the baby clean. It screamed and screamed until he brought it to her arms.
“Look at him, Jane. He’s perfect. Ten toes and ten little fingers and a package in between his legs,” Jared said as he checked out the baby.
Jane laughed with tears in her eyes. “Only you guys would think about that.” She kissed the top of her infant son’s head as she cradled him in her arms against her skin. The guys had long since removed her gown. Now there was nothing between her and the baby.
“Let’s get him wrapped up so he doesn’t catch a cold,” Rusty said. “Then you can feed him.”
They tended to the baby and then to Jane until everyone was clean, warm, and comfortable. Both men got into the bed with her to cuddle her as she fed the baby.
“So, which of the names have you settled on?” Rusty asked her.
“Samuel. He’s going to grow up strong and smart. We aren’t going to call him Sammy, but Sam will be okay,” she told them.
“Samuel it is. I’m going to go downstairs and let everyone know the good news. I’m so proud of you, Jane. You did good,” Rusty told her.
“What about you, Jared?” she asked, looking over at the other man staring hard at their son.
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nbsp; “He’s amazing. It’s hard to believe that you had him and everything is fine. I was so worried about you being pregnant. Then I was scared that something would happen when you were in labor. Now that he’s here, he’s perfect and you’re okay.”
“I’m fine. It wasn’t something I want to repeat anytime soon, but I’m not sorry I went through it. Just look at what the results was. We’ve got a son. He’s going to grow up into a strong man just like his fathers.”
“Just think,” Jared said, his face bright with the smile that had taken over his face. “He’s already got a playmate with Randi’s child. Next will be Felicity. That’s two children to play with. He won’t be lonely.”
“I know. I can’t wait for Felicity to get pregnant. Randi and I can help her get through it since we’ve already made it. She won’t have nearly the worry we had since we’re living proof that everything works out.” Jane wanted to talk to the other women, but that would have to wait. She was content lying there with her baby in her arms and her men by her sides.
“I love you, precious,” she whispered to the baby as he slept in her arms.
“I love you, precious,” Jared told her before laying a soft kiss to her forehead. “You’re just as special to me as our little Samuel.”
Rusty returned a few minutes later. “Everyone sends their congratulations, and as soon as we’ve settled in, they want to visit and welcome the baby.”
“We should have a birthday party for Samuel and Carson. Then when Felicity has a baby, we’ll have a party for her, as well,” Jane suggested.
“Not until you’re fully recovered and the baby is a little older. It’s still a bit nippy outside for the others to come over. Once Bryson and Mason have the garden put in, before it starts to grow would be the best time,” Jared said.
“I agree,” Rusty told them. “Right now, all we need to focus on is the baby. For now, Jared and I will take turns working so that one of us is with you and the baby at all times.”
“You don’t have to. I’ll be just fine,” Jane protested.
“We know you will, but we want to spend time with you and the baby. You know to bond and all,” Jared told her.
“Oh, that’s so sweet. I’d love that.” She smiled over at Rusty. “I love you.”
“I love you, honey. You’ve given us the greatest present ever, and I love him just as much.”
Jane smiled as Jared held out his pinky so that the baby could wrap his little fingers around it. It seemed to fascinate him just how small Samuel was. It fascinated all three of them that she’d brought such a precious baby into the world without drugs or a doctor.
“Next time, I want drugs,” she told the two men.
They both burst out laughing.
“I don’t think there are drugs for labor anymore,” Rusty said.
“Then this might be the only child we have.”
“Since there’s not a birth control method either, I can’t see you holding out on sex forever. Maybe the next six weeks, but I have a feeling you’ll be chomping at the bit for a little nookie soon enough,” Jared predicted.
“Sadist,” she said.
“Realist.” Rusty smiled
“Then I’d better tell you both now that I love you more than just about anything. I love Samuel and wouldn’t trade a thousand years without labor for even one hair on his head. Well, he’s essentially bald, but still.” Jane nuzzled his soft head with her nose.
He smelled so good with the powder and lotion they’d rubbed all over him to keep his skin soft.
“We love you, Jane. You’re the best wife ever, and Samuel’s the best baby ever. As much as I want a house full of children, I hate that you had to go through what you did to give us this one,” Jared said.
“We’ll make it, guys. The books say that each one gets easier to have. If we end up with more than three or four, though, we’ll be adding on to the house.” Jane watched the men’s expressions turn from contentment to worry in the space of a heartbeat.
“Heaven forbid. One child is enough for now. Let’s not think about the next one yet.” Jared kissed Jane’s cheek then cuddled up next to her. “I want to enjoy this one first.”
All Jane could think about was how lucky she was to have the two men in her life that she had and now the precious little Samuel. Life was good. It would only get better.
THE END
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