by Bella Bennet
David threw the bottle in the recycling bin and reached in the fridge for another beer. He needed to slow it down. David walked to the French doors and out to the rose garden. If only Henry could meditate or something. He read online that it helped with labor pains. Not that Henry was in labor. God forbid. He was unbearable just being pregnant, how much worse was he going to get in labor? David shuddered and took another drink.
“David! David come here!”
David looked up and begged anyone, anyone at all to give him strength. He took another long pull of his beer and turned to go inside.
“David!”
“I’m coming Henry.” He didn’t want to sound irritated but come on. Henry had to know how unbearable he was being.
David hunted him down in the main floor bathroom. Where there was some watery goop on the floor.
“What is that?”
Henry looked up smiling. “My water broke. We're going to have the baby!”
David froze. The beer fell out of his hand and drained onto the floor to mix with the goop. He felt hot. And sick. He was going to puke.
“David, you don’t look good. Come here, sit down.”
He felt Henry’s hand on his arm leading him to the toilet. He sat down. Henry pushed his head down between his knees.
“Breathe. Breathe deep.”
He felt better especially with Henry rubbing his back. He rubbed his face and realized that Henry would have the baby. And he was sitting down while Henry was standing. He jumped up and grabbed Henry.
“You're going to have the baby! We have to go!”
David ran out of the room and then back in the bathroom.
“Do you want me to call my parents now? No, better not. Let’s get there first.” David ran upstairs and got the go bag that had been packed for weeks. He grabbed it and ran downstairs. Henry was bent over near the front door. David thought his heart would drop out of his chest. Henry was everything to him.
He sprinted to Henry and grabbed his arms. “Are you ok? Talk to me!”
Henry looked up and grimaced. “Just a contraction. That’s all.”
The relief almost dropped David to the floor. Thank God that’s all it was. He knew if he said that out loud though that there was a fantastic chance Henry would deck him.
“Ok, can you walk to the car now?”
Henry nodded his head and David helped him get to the car. David ran around to the driver’s side and got in the car. He was just about to peel out when Henry spoke.
“I think we need my bag. Sitting in the living room. I can see it through the open door.”
David looked up and closed his eyes. Henry laughed. David looked over and shook his head. This would be interesting.
Henry was tired of being in labor. He was tired of laying in bed. He’d rather be up and walking around but all these wires were attached to him to monitor the baby. He wanted to be done. Another contraction hit and Henry squeezed David’s hand. He tried to breath through it like he was taught but he held his breath again.
“Uh, Henry. Do you think you could let go of my hand?”
Henry looked over at David kneeling on the floor obviously in pain. Henry looked down and realized his hand was white from squeezing David’s hand so tightly. He didn’t want to let go until the contraction passed. It was the only thing keeping him from screaming.
Finally, it was done and Henry let go. David disappeared. Probably sitting on the floor. Or hiding from him. The nurse offered him ice chips, but he shook his head. He didn’t feel like having anything in his stomach. He had puked already and was so over this giving birth thing.
Another contraction hit and Henry tried to breathe. He was in so much pain though. David stood back up and offered his hand. Henry batted it away. He was mad. He was in so much pain and David was offering his hand like he was doing anything at all.
“Get away from me!”
Henry bit his lip so he wouldn’t say anything else he would regret. He concentrated on the what the nurse was saying and tried breathing quickly through his mouth.
“You’re doing great honey. You’re amazing!” David reached out to rub his back. Henry grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling David in front of his face.
“If you come near me with your fucking platitudes, I’m going to gut you.”
David’s eyes got wide but Henry was in no mood to laugh. He wanted to say worse but didn’t want to be completely embarrassing in front of the nurses. But then again, there was still time left before the baby came out and who knew how he would be later.
Another contraction hit and Henry grimaced. David was imitating the nurse, breathing quickly through his mouth. Henry looked over at him and glared. This was all his fault. Him and that magic penis. If he came within 100 yards of him with that thing, he’d cut it off. Never again.
“Ok you’re doing good. It’s time to push.”
Oh, finally. Henry pushed and grimaced. Someone wiped the sweat off his brow. He hoped it was David. He wanted no one else near him but then again he didn’t want David near him either since this pain was all due to him! He knew he was being irrational, but he didn’t care.
“Push! One more push!”
Henry bore down, pushing and pushing and then finally it was done. He heard a baby cry and Henry himself cried with relief.
David leaned over and gave him a one armed hug.
“I love you honey. You did amazing. I am so in awe of you. I love you.”
Henry supposed he’d allow that. David wiped his brow and kept telling him how amazing he was. Thank God it was over. Henry thought he’d end up punching David if he kept hovering.
The nurse brought a wrapped bundle over and laid it in Henry’s arms. Their little baby. He was adorable. Dark black hair in a fine fuzz, perfect nose and lips. He couldn’t wait for the baby to open its eyes.
“Congratulations, it’s a girl!”
What? Henry looked at David with shock. He was sure it would be a boy! Henry laughed. David kissed his cheek and looked down at their bundle of joy.
“She is so beautiful, just like you.” At least David knew how to make him feel better for going through hell. The baby was worth it too. So adorable.
He couldn’t believe that big bundle came out of Henry. He would faint again just thinking about it. He’d kiss and hug Henry again but he was surrounded by his mother, sister and a few cousins. All female. The men were by him slapping him on the back. He was tired. If he was tired, he couldn’t imagine how Henry felt.
He heard the women laughing and wondered what Henry told them. He didn’t care. Henry was just beautiful laying in bed with their daughter. He had a glow of happiness. David couldn’t stop staring. He walked over to the bed as if pulled by an invisible thread. They were all connected.
David smiled at Henry and gave him another hug and kiss. This time Henry kissed back. Just a peck but that was fine. He cared only about Henry, how he was doing, what he needed. Henry was the best omega he could have ever asked for.
“I am so proud of you both!” David’s mother wiped her tears away. She had been tearing up off and on the entire time she had been in their room. David couldn’t understand it as this wasn’t their first grandchild or even the first granddaughter. But he was glad she was there.
Carmella leaned down to give Henry another hug. “Anything you need, anything at all you let me know! I have some good remedies in case you’re still in pain down there.”
David closed his eyes. His mother had no shame. His sister and cousins didn’t either as they were laughing.
“Don’t be embarrassed David. I think she does it on purpose.”
“I do not! I care about you all. I can’t believe you’d think I was doing this just to embarrass him. My word what do you think of me!” She turned back to Henry and David swore she winked at him. David narrowed his eyes. He wouldn’t put it past his mom to embarrass him to make Henry feel better. It was ok if it made Henry feel better.
David leaned over and whispered to Henry “I�
��m still amazed at how incredible you were. I couldn’t have done that in a million years. I love you.”
Henry looked up at him with eyes full of love. They were a family. He had a happy, loving family that was all his own, finally.
Chapter 20
Henry put the baby back down in the crib and sat in the rocker. David had moved it in the baby’s room so it was closer to the crib. He leaned back and closed his eyes. It had been a whirlwind since they came home from the hospital. So many of David’s relatives coming over to visit. He did not understand where these people were coming from! David had more relatives than he had expected.
Henry smelled pine needles and opened his eyes. David came in the room with a mug of coffee. Henry smiled. David was so caring and thoughtful. He was blessed to have such a great alpha. And to think he had turned David away. They owed everything to those crazy friends of theirs, Penny and Ned.
David kissed him and stood up.
“How are you doing?” Henry smiled. David kept asking him how he was doing as if he would develop a horrible illness. The nurse in the hospital had scared him though about how problems could still develop after going home. He had no idea that pre-eclampsia could be a problem even after giving birth. It turns out that even after you deliver, even up to a few weeks later, the symptoms could hit. Henry took a sip of his coffee. He knew he was in good hands with David. He was so careful checking his blood pressure every morning and night. Henry had teased him he could be a great hands on nurse if this attorney thing didn’t work out.
“I’m doing great.” He was. He had everything he had wanted. A loving, adoring alpha that treated him like he was a precious prize. A beautiful daughter that was perfect. He was so glad he had opened his eyes to what was right in front of him.
Also by Bella Bennet
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