by Dahlia Rose
Chapter Nine
Okay, okay, I can do this, Remy thought and a loud moan mixed with a round of British cursing filled the air.
Today was the day or maybe tomorrow. Remy wasn’t quite sure because the midwife said a new baby could take its time. He certainly didn’t know how much of this he could take. As soon as Lynette’s contractions began he felt like a worm for getting her pregnant in the first place. Tessa and Margret had been coming every week, checking for dilation and telling him how he’d be able to help when her labor began. Rub her back, comfort her when she was in pain, help her with her breathing. He’d felt up to the task but now he wasn’t so sure.
Favian and Adira came to Salcombe soon after he and Lynette made up and brought the entire household with them. They spent Thanksgiving and Christmas with them before returning home. New Years came and went with them watching the ball drop on her very comfy sofa.
That was to be Lynette’s due date and their little girl decided to be stubborn and stay put. But on that day they decided on her name to mark the year’s beginning. Kiele Lynn Sanchez was taking her time coming into the world or so they thought. Adira and Favian just arrived back with Suzie, Mason and Mateo in tow when, one night later, Lynette’s contractions began. Adira and Favian came from their hotel and arrived at the same time as Margret and Tessa early that morning. And now what they called pre-labor had turned into the full-blown birth scenario and he was freaking out.
“How’s it going in there?” Favian asked from the living room. He’d pushed up the sleeves of his thick sweater and was standing by the fireplace.
“Every time I step in the room she glares at me like she’s trying to kill me with her eyes,” Remy said and scrubbed his hand over his face. “Madre de Dios, I rub her back and she’s still in pain. She was in the Jacuzzi tub and it seemed to help until her water broke and now it’s like she can’t get comfortable anywhere. Adira and Tessa have her on the big ball thingy. I kinda wish she’d opted for the drugs.”
“A woman’s body is meant to handle that,” Favian said and held up his hands when Remy glared at him. “Hey, Tessa said it and so did Suzie.”
“Just remember you and Adira will probably have more children and she may opt for this,” Remy reminded him. He was completely satisfied when Favian went pale. “Yeah, sounds good now, huh?”
“Remy, where’s the tea?” Adira yelled down the stairs. “Get your arse up here.”
Remy looked at Favian with panic. “Come with me?”
“No, mi hermano, I’ve been told not to come up there until it’s time for her to push,” Favian said. “I’ll go to the kitchen and make sandwiches and drinks for whoever needs them.”
“Oh, yeah, I forgot. I’m supposed to put the soup that is in the freezer into the crock pot to simmer,” Remy said. “Lynette made minestrone soup, and then there’s something about bread…”
He heard a loud wail from upstairs and looked at Favian and said numbly, “I need to get the tea up there.”
He did his required task quickly and went back upstairs carrying the tea in a tall mug. Lynette was on her hands and knees rocking back and forth on the bed. She was moaning and her head was resting on the mattress. Adira was rubbing her back with what looked like a rolling pin covered in foam. But it was some kind of natural childbirth device that helped relieve tension in the lower back.
Adira moved and said, “Here, give me the tea, and you do this. It needs more pressure than I can give.”
Remy went to Lynette’s side and crooned. “Reina, I’m here. Tell me what you need.”
“A bottle of vodka.” Lynette moaned.
“Um, what?” Remy said. “You can’t drink now!”
She leaned up and grabbed his long sleeved jersey shirt by the neck. She dragged him to her with unusual strength until they were nose to nose.
“I don’t want to sodding drink it,” she practically growled. “Pour that bloody nonsense out and beat me over the head with the bottle! Why, why did I feel that I could do this? I want drugs, give me drugs!”
Remy looked at Margret helplessly. “Can you help her?”
“She’s in transition, has been for the past few hours. This little one decided to break tradition and come when she wants to. It’s well past the medication or hospital stage.” Margret sat on the bed next to them. “I need you to lie down so I can check your cervix.”
“I don’t want to.” Lynette groaned and then started to pant. “Another one already? It can’t be another one already! Oh, Remy, you did this to me!”
“Honey, I’m sorry,” he said and felt even worse than he already did. She was doing all the work and now in all the pain. He wished he could take it from her right now. “I promise that next time you can have all the drugs you want.”
She glared at him. “Next time? You think there’s going to be a next time, you sodding mess? Your mister will not be getting anywhere—”
“How about you help me get her to lie down?” Margret encouraged. “Don’t worry about anything she says. She is in pain and lashing out.”
Margret’s calming British accent should have made him feel better but it didn’t. Not when Lynette was hurting and gripping the sheets in pain. He and Margret were finally able to get her in a position so her cervix could be checked.
Margret didn’t take long before she announced, “Well, we’d best get everyone you want in here. This little girl is on her way out. I can see dark hair. Tessa, I need you on her left, Adira on the right. Remy, you will sit behind her and help brace her back as she pushes.”
“What am I doing?” Favian asked as he walked into the room.
“You’re the cheering section,” Margret said. “Now, Lynette, you’re going to bear down like I taught you. Tessa and Adira will help pull your legs back, all right?”
Lynette nodded and tears started to stream down her face. “I don’t think I can do this. I’d like to rethink this logically and come to another conclusion.”
Margret laughed. “Honey, it doesn’t work like that. Now I need you to start pushing.”
“You can do this, my precious love.” Remy kissed her temple repeatedly and laced his fingers with hers. “Take my strength and bring our girl into this world.”
Lynette sniffed and nodded. “Okay, yes.”
She tucked her chin to her chest and pushed for as long as she could. Then, after a deep breath, did it again. They all encouraged her and for that Remy was eternally grateful. Lynette pushed for over an hour, and at times she became so exhausted Remy wondered how much longer it could go on.
“You can do this, my love. One more push, honey, just one more,” Remy prompted.
Lynette nodded and used the last of her strength to bring Kiele into the world. Remy held his breath as Margret cleaned the baby’s mouth and nasal passages. Cry, princess, he begged inwardly, not wanting to voice his concern and scare Lynette.
“Why isn’t she crying?” Lynette asked weakly.
“She’s a chubby little thing who wants to be quiet,” Margret said gently.
From his position, he could see the midwife rubbing his daughter to stimulate her and tapping the bottom of her foot. Finally, the lusty cry from the baby made everyone in the room laugh in relief and joy.
Margret put the naked baby on Lynette’s stomach. “Say hello to your little one, Mummy and Daddy, and she is such a pretty one at that. Remy, would you like to cut the cord?”
He nodded and managed to get from behind Lynette so he could perform the task. He couldn’t keep his eyes off Lynette and the baby. He felt so blessed that it took his breath away, and he was infinitely humbled by the experience. Gone was the fear and nervousness and the panic because of her pain. It had been replaced by pure joy, and he sent up a prayer thanking God for his two beautiful gifts.
Tessa took the baby to clean her up and get her weighed and measured and announced that she was a nine-pound bag of sugar. Margret made sure that Lynette expelled all the afterbirth. From there, it was a task to g
et the bed and Lynette all cleaned up and comfortable before she got back into bed. By the time it was all over, one would not have thought a baby had just been born there. But as he looked on as Lynette held their precious new bundle of joy Remy knew his dream was finally complete. He had his family.
Tessa went home while Margret would stay the night to monitor her and the baby. Favian and Adira called to check on Mateo with Suzie and Mason at the hotel before taking another spare bedroom. Tomorrow they’d pick them up after breakfast to meet the new addition to the family. Soon, the house was still and quiet, as most were asleep after such an intense labor.
In the master bedroom, Lynette was breast feeding the baby while Remy sat on the bed next to her and watched in awe as his daughter nursed. Kiele had tons of curly black hair and was swaddled so she would be warm.
“Are you in pain?” Remy asked when he saw Lynette wince.
She shook her head. “Not really. Her nursing makes my tummy clench. Margret says that’s how everything will eventually move back into place.”
“Are you sure? I can go wake her,” he said in concern.
“Oh, don’t do that. They are all bloody exhausted, and I was not the fair and gentle woman in labor that I thought I would be,” Lynette said. “I was a monster for a bit.”
He held up a finger. “Just a tiny bit. You told me I could never touch you again.”
She smiled. “That was the pain talking. You can touch me again, and we may even have a few more kids, but next time I’m going with an epidural.”
“Wise choice, mi amor. A very wise choice for all of us.” Remy laughed.
“Oh, shush, and hold your daughter.” Lynette shook her head.
Remy took the baby from Lynette and felt her wrap herself around his heart. He had almost missed this and vowed he would do whatever it took to make them both happy for the rest of his life. Kiele opened her dark eyes and stared directly at Remy.
“I think she can see me,” he said in fascination, “and recognize that I’m her papa.”
“She won’t be able to see anything but blurs for a few weeks, love,” Lynette pointed out.
“My princess is exceptional. She can see her papa, can’t you, my lovely girl?” he crooned.
“Oh, she’s going to have you wrapped around her finger, this one will,” Lynette drawled.
“She already has.” Remy leaned over and kissed Lynette gently. “Thank you for this gift. Thank you for loving me.”
She leaned her head against his shoulder. “You never have to thank me for something that goes both ways. We were searching for each other in an imperfect world and we created this perfect miracle.”
“Well said,” he murmured and ran his finger over the baby’s open hand. She closed her tiny fingers around the tip of his finger and his heart ached pleasantly in response. While the household slept, together, Remy and Lynette, marveled over their new daughter. He gave a soft laugh remembering how she had tried to deck him when they first met, and now they shared a child. He’d go back and take that punch willingly knowing that, no matter what, it would lead to this perfect moment.
The End
About the Author
Dahlia Rose is the best-selling author of contemporary and paranormal romance with a hint of Caribbean spice. She was born and raised on a Caribbean island and now currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her five kids, who she affectionately nicknamed “The Children of the Corn,” and her biggest supporter and longtime love. She has a love of erotica, dark fantasy, sci-fi, and the things that go bump in the night. Books and writing are her biggest passions, and she hopes to open your imagination to the unknown between the pages of her books.