I knew why he did it, but if he was going to shove this in my face, I was going to shove it in his.
“How close are the contractions?”
“They’re not too bad.” Another contraction hit and this one was worse than the last. Sitting down seemed to make them worse. When I grimaced, Sebastian about lost it.
“I can’t believe you did this, Maggie. This is one of the stupidest things you’ve ever done.”
“Ah, I wouldn’t be so sure about that. Remember when she broke into Adams’ building?” Mark supplied, not so helpfully.
“There’s that and there was a shit load of stuff that she did when I first met her,” Sebastian said thoughtfully.
“Don’t forget tagging along with me when I had to save your ass on the plane.”
“Yeah, but she did tell me she loved me that day, so it wasn’t all bad.”
“You know, you two don’t have to sit there and talk about me like I’m not here.”
“It’s kind of her thing,” Mark continued. “She gets into trouble and we help her out. Come on, she wouldn’t be Maggie if she didn’t do stupid shit.”
“I guess that’s true. And I did promise her that I would always go after her.”
“Well, technically you’re along for the ride and not chasing her, not that she could get away if she wanted to. She’s fucking huge right now.”
“Hey!”
“I’m just saying, when they say eat for two, they don’t mean two grown men.”
“It’s water weight,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest.
“That’s a lot of fucking water,” Mark said.
“Sebastian, you could defend me, you know.”
“Sorry, I left your list at home on the fridge.”
“What list?” Sinner asked.
“The list of things I should say to her in certain situations.”
“Ah, did she make one for what you should say to asshole friends that make fun of your girlfriend’s weight?”
“No.”
“It would probably say, punch asshole in the face.”
Sebastian let his fist fly and punched Mark in the right eye.
“Ow, you fucker.”
“You said that’s what the list would say.” He shrugged. “It sounded about right to me.”
“Are they always like this?” Amelia asked.
“Pretty much. They’re like two year olds stuck in adult bodies.”
“Hey,” Mark said. “We would be at least five.”
I grimaced as another contraction hit. I checked my watch, seeing they were still far apart, but they were getting really painful.
“Have you had any water lately?” Amelia asked.
I shook my head and breathed through the pain.
“We need to stop for water. If she’s getting dehydrated, it makes the contractions stronger.”
“She just said she’s all water weight. Her body will use that up. We have plenty of time.” Mark said.
“Are you seriously going to keep calling me fat?”
“Hey, I’m just saying, it’s like when a cat throws up and then eats it. I’m sure your body will do the same.”
“That’s not at all the same, you jackass!”
“The principle is the same.”
“Can we just get her some fucking water?” Amelia said, more forcefully than I had expected. “It’ll make her more comfortable.”
“At least someone around here knows what the fuck to do,” Sebastian grumbled.
“I’ll be fine, Sebastian. We just need to get to The Post and then we can get back home and have this baby. It’ll be fine. I swear.”
“I can’t believe you just said that. You never say that. That’s like asking for something to happen,” Mark said in exasperation. Sebastian was nodding along in total agreement.
“No, I was saying that it would all be fine.”
“See!” Mark yelled at the same time Sebastian yelled, “Don’t!”
Amelia and I looked at each other, both of us knowing these guys were totally crazy.
“There you go again. It’s like if you’re going on a mission and say that it’s a piece of cake, that’s when it all goes FUBAR. Someone gets shot or the intel is wrong. You never say that shit.”
“Mark, in case you didn’t realize this, we’re not on a mission. We’re in a car and I have plenty of time before this baby comes.”
“Jesus, would you stop it, Freckles?”
“He’s right. We’re fucked now,” Sebastian said in resignation.
We pulled up to The Post a few minutes later and Sebastian walked me inside. Mark stayed behind with Amelia in the truck. I had to stop twice on the way to Keith’s office to breathe through contractions. I just had to get there and explain the situation to him and then we could get the hell out of there.
Keith stood as I stopped in his doorway panting. It wouldn’t have been so bad, but I was hustling down the hall so I could get this over with. I pulled out the flash drive and handed it over to him.
“Maggie? What are you doing here? And are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I’m about to have a baby, so listen up. I need you to get this to someone you really trust to investigate this and take it where it needs to go. A woman’s life is on the line.”
“It always is with you, Maggie. Jesus, are you sure you’re okay? You look like you need to sit down. Do you need to sit down?”
“No, I just need you to do this for me and make sure it’s done right. Promise me.”
“Okay, I promise.”
“Good. Come on, Cap. Let’s go have a baby.”
I turned and walked out with Sebastian who kept holding onto my arm like I was going to fall over.
“Good luck, Maggie,” I heard Keith call to me as we got on the elevator.
I blew out a slow breath as another contraction came. They were about eight minutes apart now. That was probably plenty of time to get home. It was an hour there and then I would be admitted about the time that I hit the five minute mark. It would all turn out fine. We got back to the truck and Amelia was gone.
“Where’s Amelia?”
“I asked someone to meet us here to pick her up. When you said labor and needed my help, I knew I was fucked. Then you told me about it and I said to myself, ‘Sinner, what would be the smart thing to do here?’ Obviously, I had no idea if Cap was going to be in any condition to deal with you rationally and there was no way I was going to miss the Maggie Show, so I called in Burg. He has Amelia on the way to a safe house and everything’s cool.”
“Good, take me back home so I can get to the hospital.”
“Freckles, at this point, I think we need to just take you to a hospital here,” Sebastian said.
“No, they won’t take me yet. My contractions have to be five minutes apart for an hour or they won’t admit me. We have plenty of time.”
“Fuck, Freckles. One of these days, those words are going to come back and bite you in the ass.”
Sebastian helped me into the back seat and then got in beside me. I looked at him strangely because I expected him to sit up front with Mark.
“What? In case I have to catch the baby.”
I shook my head and got comfortable for the hour drive home.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Sebastian
“GODDAMMIT, FRECKLES. YOU just had to say it, didn’t you?”
“Would you quit your whining? I’m the one that’s going to have a baby in a truck if we don’t get the hell out of here.”
“Why did I listen to you? I should have just taken you to the hospital.”
We had cruised right out of the city and were on our way home when we got stuck in traffic. There had been a major accident with a semi and it was going to take a few hours to clean up. Sinner insisted that he knew a different way home that would get us there just as quickly. I had been hesitant and thought we should turn back, but Maggie pointed out that it was so late in the afternoon that we would probably hit more traffic
going back. Now we were stuck in the middle of bumfuck nowhere because we blew a tire and were waiting on an ambulance to find us.
“Hey, listen up, buddy. You’re the one that didn’t fix the spare tire.”
“I was going to, but I got busy at work and I forgot.”
“Isn’t that usually what the girl says?” Sinner asked. I glared at him, but you couldn’t really see in the dark.
“Look, I called an ambulance. They’ll get out here as soon as possible.”
“If they can even find us! Mark, your directions were terrible.”
“I’m sorry. I always find my way by landmarks.”
“Seriously? You were in Special Forces and you’re a badass kung fu guy and you didn’t pay attention to which road we were on?” Maggie yelled as another contraction blew through her. They were now steadily coming and if that ambulance didn’t get here soon, Sinner and I were going to get a crash course in baby delivery.
“Well, I didn’t know we were going to have a blow out and need a fucking ambulance to find us.”
“This is your fault,” Maggie pointed a finger at me.
“My fault? I’m not the one that decided it was a good idea to drive to Pittsburgh while in labor and I’m also the one that suggested we stay in the city.”
“But you got me pregnant in the first place. If it weren’t for you and your penis, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”
“My penis? It takes two, Freckles.”
“Yeah, well my eggs were just floating down, looking for an exit when your super sperm came and attacked them.”
I couldn’t really argue with that and frankly, there wasn’t much point. Maggie was in pain and when Maggie was hurting, there was no argument that could ever be won.
“Look, it’s going to be fine, Freckles. The ambulance will find us and we’ll get you to a hospital where you can have the baby with pain meds.”
She nodded and continued to do deep breathing. “Okay. You’re right. We just have to keep waiting.”
Two hours later and the ambulance still wasn’t there. Maggie was lying down in the back seat, sweating and swearing as every contraction got stronger. Mark and I were standing outside, trying to get ahold of someone that would know where the fuck we were. We hadn’t passed a house for miles and even if we did, there was no way to get Maggie there. I didn’t want to risk sending Mark out in case Maggie had to push. I couldn’t do it alone.
“Mark, get Hunter on the phone. He’s going to have to help us out. I don’t think Maggie’s going to make it to the hospital.”
“Fuck, man. I work with guns. I don’t know shit about delivering babies. Try pointing a gun at her and see if she’ll hold it in.”
“She’s not a hostage we’re trying to extract information from.”
“Well, it works with them. Maybe we should give it a shot.”
“Get on the fucking phone,” I growled at him.
“Sorry, I’m just nervous.”
“She’s the one having a baby in the back seat of a truck, so pull your shit together.”
He nodded and I walked back to the truck and climbed in, kneeling on the floor next to Maggie.
“How are you, Freckles?”
“You promised me pain meds. This fucking hurts and it feels like I have to poo.”
“Uh, maybe we should take your pants off.”
“This isn’t the time for nookie, Cap. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m about to push a baby out of my vagina.”
“I know. That’s why we should take your pants off.” I was using my calm voice, but inside I was freaking the fuck out. Was I telling her to do the right thing? I didn’t think her keeping her pants on would hold the baby in. Pretty sure it didn’t work that way.
“Okay, but you’re going to have to do it for me.”
I pulled her pants down, slipping in something wet when I tried to pull them from her ass.
“Oh, fuck.”
“What? Don’t say that. Tell me what’s going on.”
“I..uh.. I think something is leaking from you. The seat’s all wet.”
“The seat’s all wet because I pissed it! I’m sorry, but it just came out.” She started crying and I felt like a total ass for pointing out that the seat was wet.
“I’m sorry, Freckles. It doesn’t matter. Really. I promise. Everything is going to be fine.”
“I’ve got Hunter on the phone.” Sinner handed me the phone and I put it on speaker so I could finish taking off Maggie’s pants.
“Hunter, I think you’re going to have to give us a crash course in delivering a baby.”
“Oh, God,” Maggie moaned as another contraction hit. “I think I need to push.”
“What the hell are you doing?” Sinner said as he came up behind me. “Oh, fuck!” He backed up quickly and spun, running right into the door as he tried to get away. “You should have fucking told me you were taking off her pants. I can’t unsee that!” Sinner said, holding his nose.
“Cap, how far apart are her contractions?”
“I don’t know. They’re pretty close, but I think we have a bigger problem.”
“What’s that?”
“I think the head is coming out. There’s a bunch of hair sticking out and it’s not Maggie’s.”
“Seriously, Sebastian? Keep that to yourself!” Maggie yelled.
“Okay, do you have any towels or anything that’s clean?” Hunter was talking in a calm voice, but it did nothing to help me.
“No, I don’t fucking carry around towels with me!”
“Cap, you gotta stay calm.”
I could hear my voice going a little crazy and I was trying to keep it under control for Maggie’s sake, but I was terrified.
“Okay, I’m good. Just tell me what to do.”
“Alright, one of you needs to sit behind Maggie and let her lean against you. She’ll need help holding her legs back so she can push out the baby.”
“I’ll do it,” I said. “There’s no way I’m letting Sinner sit like that with Freckles, let alone hold her legs back.” I climbed behind Maggie and propped her up in my lap.
“Okay, Sinner, you’re going to catch the baby. You need to be close so that you can catch the head as soon as it comes out.”
“Oh, fuck no. There’s no fucking way Sinner is seeing my wife’s pussy.”
“Too late,” Sinner said morbidly.
I climbed out behind Maggie as gently as I could and climbed out of the truck. Sinner took my place and I stood ready to catch the baby as Maggie pushed through another contraction.
“Don’t get any ideas, Sinner. You keep your fucking hands to yourself and your eyes averted.”
“Hey, don’t worry about me. I don’t need to see a pussy stretched that big again. I’m going to have nightmares tonight.”
“Are you two finished? I’m trying to have a baby here, ahhh!” She screamed and my eyes grew wide as her pussy, no that wasn’t the right word in this situation; her vagina spread wide and the head started slipping forward. I would never refer to her vagina as a pussy as long as this image was in my head. It would ruin sex for me.
“Oh my God. Hunter, I think it’s coming out.”
“Okay, Maggie, can you hear me?”
“Yes, I can fucking hear you. I’m having a baby, I’m not deaf.”
“Good to see you still have your sense of humor. When the next contraction comes, I want you to take a deep breath and hold it as you push. Sinner, help her pull her legs toward her.”
“Fuck, I might puke,” Sinner said.
“I swear to God, if you puke on me, I’ll cut off your balls and feed them to you.”
“There we go. I’ve been waiting for my balls to be threatened for two years now. Glad it’s you and not me,” I said, trying to lighten the tension in the truck.
“Ah, I think another one’s coming,” Maggie said as her face turned red.
“Push, Maggie,” Hunter said through the phone. Sinner pulled back on her legs and then closed his
eyes. I watched as the baby’s head came out, covered in a bunch of shit that I didn’t want to know about. I caught it with my hand and then remembered that I didn’t have anything to wrap the baby in.
“Sinner, give me your shirt.”
Sinner released Maggie and took off his shirt, flinging it at me. I placed it under the baby’s head and then wiped at the baby’s nose, clearing the gunk away. Maggie breathed a few more deep breaths and then pushed again. The baby slid out with a gush of fluid that looked a lot like blood and mucus. I swallowed hard to fight the urge to throw up and caught the baby in my hands. It was so tiny and goopy.
“Hunter, the baby’s out. What do I do now?”
The baby’s cries filled the truck and Maggie took a deep breath and started crying. “That fucking hurt.”
“Okay, wrap the baby in a shirt and dry it off as much as possible. You need to keep it warm until the ambulance comes, so have Maggie hold it to her chest, skin to skin. Then put something else over her to help keep her warm.”
“What is it?” Maggie asked.
“It’s a baby, Maggie,” Sinner said like she was an idiot.
“I know it’s a baby you jackass. Is it a boy or girl?”
I hadn’t even thought to look. I unwrapped the baby just enough to get a peek and cried. Sinner peeked around Maggie and winced.
“Dude, you are so fucked.”
I nodded, “That’s why I’m crying.”
I handed my baby girl over to Maggie and placed her on her chest.
“Wait, Hunter said skin to skin. I have to take my shirt off.”
“And that’s my cue to leave,” Sinner said as he gently lifted Maggie and laid her on the seat. I grabbed my coat and shoved it under her head so she would be more comfortable. After Maggie got her shirt off, I placed the baby on her chest and then grabbed Sinner’s coat and placed it over them.
“We have a baby girl, Maggie. What are we going to name her?”
“I have no fucking clue.”
“Language,” I admonished.
Maggie smiled and looked up at me. “She’s kind of gross.”
I laughed a little and ran a hand down the baby’s face. “She’s adorable.”
“Sure, if you like things covered in bodily fluids.”
Cap_A Reed Security Romance Page 24