7 Months

by Bethany Lopez

  “I like having you in my house,” he said suddenly, causing my lips to turn up with satisfaction.

  “I like being in your house,” I replied, then my arm got tired, so I lowered myself back down to lay on his chest again.

  It was nice … peaceful. It seemed like we needed a little peace after how crazy our lives had been recently. I couldn’t even remember the last time I just allowed myself to be with another person. Without needing to do something, or fill the air with chatter.

  I started drifting off, the feel of his hand rubbing my back lulling me into a light sleep.

  I’m not sure how long I dozed, but the sound of a phone going off pulled me back to the surface. I felt Brady shift beneath me as he reached over to the table by his bed to grab his phone.

  “‘Lo,” he said groggily, and I realized he must have fallen asleep too. “Yeah, Bren … slow down. Okay. Yeah, okay. We’re on our way … Calm down, she’ll be great. Yeah. Drive safe.”

  I tilted my head to look at him, and saw him blink rapidly while he shut off the phone, then his eyes found mine.

  “Bronagh’s in labor. They’re heading to the hospital now.”

  And just like that, all sleepiness evaporated and I leapt out of the bed. I searched around for my shoes, then remembered they were by the front door and I shot out of the room at a full run.

  I was tugging my shoes on when I noticed Brady strolling in casually, a smile playing at his lips.

  “What are you doing?” I asked, frustrated at his slothiness. “We have to go.”

  “You know these things take a while, right? We have time.”

  “No, I don’t know that, Brady, because Nonie is the first one of us to have kids, I don’t have any siblings, and I’ve never been to the hospital while someone I love is in labor. I don’t want to miss anything, not a second … so get your ass in gear and let’s go!”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he said with a chuckle, and the only reason he didn’t get a shoe thrown at him was because I wanted to get the hell out of there.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven ~ Brady

  When we walked into the waiting room … that dreaded waiting room … Brock was in there by himself, sitting in a chair, eyes half-mast and trained on the TV showing the news in the corner of the room.

  “Hey,” I said when we walked in. “Tori staying home with the kids?”

  “Yeah, ‘til morning, then they’ll be by,” he replied, standing to give Ming and me each a hug.

  Once he was settled back down, I looked at the floor in the corner, where I usually parked myself to stress and wait out these painfully long labors.

  Why do we always have to be here for the entire time, I wondered, not for the first time. Why can’t they just call me once the baby is born and we know that both mom and baby are fine?

  Then Brendan walked in, his face full of excitement and a little fear, and said, “She’s doing great. Already dilated six centimeters ... I can’t believe this is happening.”

  I watched him rush back out, a little spring in his step and remembered, Oh yeah, that’s why. I wouldn’t have wanted to miss that moment with my brother for anything.

  I started to think about Bronagh, and the fact that she was already six centimeters … Isn’t that kind of fast? I felt the familiar burn of panic rising, and started toward my corner, when I felt Ming’s smooth hand slip inside of mine.

  I turned my head to see her smiling, then she gave my hand a little tug and moved toward where Brock was sitting. She left a seat open in between herself and my brother, then nodded at it.

  Taking a deep breath, I sat, my knees bouncing restlessly as I tried to settle into the seat. Ming squeezed my hand with hers, and Brock placed one of his big mitts on my thigh and patted it lightly. I looked up at my big brother, who grinned at me sleepily, then did my best to relax.

  I’m not going to lie and say that I didn’t want to run out of that waiting room a million times while we waited to hear some news, but as dawn came, and more and more people began to arrive to help welcome the newest O’Malley, it did get easier to keep myself from freaking out.

  Victoria arrived with Dec and Rose, Cass walked in, her arm tucked in Geo’s, then eventually the whole gang was present. Cal, Shelly, TJ, Sasha, Scott, Gaby, Gwen, and Craig. And, of course, Bronagh’s dad, Mr. Callaghan, who’d taken to pacing the hall at about six in the morning.

  It looked like he’d taken over my role of freaking out, and since he was about to be a grandpa, I let him have the honor.

  Still, my heart was in my throat until Brendan came rushing into the room, his face split with the biggest smile I’d ever seen and said, “It’s a girl!”

  The room erupted in cheers, and Brock and I both stood to embrace our youngest brother in our arms, in what ended up being an awkwardly awesome, three-man hug.

  “Bronagh good?” I asked when I pulled away.

  “She’s amazing,” Brendan gushed. “You should have seen her.”

  “Nah, that’s okay,” I said jokingly.

  “Can we go back?” Brock asked.

  “What’s her name?” someone called from behind us, and Ming sidled up next to me and asked, “Can I go see Nonie?”

  “Her Da’s in there now, but you three can come on back with me,” Bren replied to us, then he looked at his friends in the room and shouted, “Carmen Ida O’Malley.”

  “You named her after mom,” Brock said, his voice rough with emotion.

  Brendan nodded.

  “Yeah, after our mom, and Bronagh’s.”

  “That’s beautiful,” Ming said, her eyes beginning to tear up.

  I put my arm around her and hugged her sideways, pleasure suffusing me when she tucked her face into my neck and cried a little with joy.

  We followed Brendan back to the hospital room where Bronagh and the baby had been moved after delivery.

  Mr. Callaghan was cradling the baby in his arms, crooning to her softly in what I assumed was Gaelic, and Bronagh was watching them from the bed, her face exploding with love.

  “Nonie,” Ming said, crossing to her friend and crying again. She leaned over the bed, careful not to hurt Bronagh, but needing to give her a hug.

  “You’ve gotta see her, Ming, she’s gorgeous.”

  Brock and I moved to see baby Carmen. She was swaddled in the receiving blanket, but one little hand had gotten loose and you could see her long fingers wiggling and stretching. Her complexion was light, but she had a shock of dark hair, just like her cousins, Dec and Rose, had been born with. The O’Malley trait was strong. Her tiny nose was perfect, and her eyes were closed as she dozed in her Grandpa’s arms.

  “You want to hold her?” he asked Brock and me.

  Brock looked to me and said, “You go first.”

  I wasn’t going to deny that I wanted to hold her, so I held out my arms for Mr. Callaghan to lay her in them. Once I had her, I tucked her in close to my chest and moved to the chair to sit down.

  She was perfect.

  Having to see for myself that everything was fine, I pulled back the blanket to check her arms, legs, fingers, and toes. When she squeaked in protest at the sudden cool air hitting her delicate skin, I cooed at her and swaddled her back up.

  “You’re worse than a stereotypical grandmother,” Brock joked once I’d put her back to rights.

  “Shut up,” I said in a sweet voice, careful to keep my tone pleasing.

  “My turn,” Brock said, holding out his arms.

  I just glared at her and he scowled, “Give her over.”

  I reluctantly handed Carmen to Brock, with the promise that I’d hold her again soon, then got up and went to the bed to give Bronagh a kiss on the cheek.

  “You did good, Mama.”

  “Thanks, Brady,” she replied, and when I turned and caught Ming watching me. There was no mistaking the love in her eyes.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight ~ Ming

  It felt good to be back to normal. Back at work, working on a new case, and loving where I
was in my life.

  Bronagh and Carmen were home now, and learning what their new everyday routine looked like. I couldn’t be happier for my best friend; she was born to be a mother. I’ve never seen her so happy, and, despite his earlier protests, Brendan was a proud, doting father. It was so cool to see them all together. Brady had been over there quite a few times already.

  He’s the best uncle. The way he was with his nieces and nephew showed me what an amazing father he was going to be. I can’t lie, the more I saw him with those babies, the louder my biological clock seemed to get.

  The phone rang, pulling me out of my thoughts.

  “Ms. Li, it’s Natalie for you.”

  “Thanks, put her through.”

  “Hey, Natalie, how are you doing?” I asked, pleased to hear from her.

  “Really good, actually. The trailer sold, and I was able to find a decent apartment for a reasonable price.”

  Once Zeke had been arrested again, he’d pled guilty to everything, since he’d not only escaped, but had been caught with Ming as his hostage. That, along with the assault of his wife, had sealed his fate, so Natalie no longer had to suffer through a trial. He’d finally signed the divorce papers, and was behind bars where he belonged.

  “That’s wonderful, I’m so happy for you.”

  “Um, the reason I’m calling…”

  “Yes,” I prompted when she trailed off.

  “Well, um, I was wondering, I have an interview on Monday at Brandt Industries, and I was hoping maybe you’d meet up with me sometime this week … let me pick your brain about what to wear, and what to say?”

  “I’d love that,” I replied with a smile.

  I could hear Natalie’s sigh of relief.

  “Just let me know where and when, and I’ll be there.”

  “Thanks, Ming, really, it would mean so much to me.”

  “No problem, it’s my pleasure.”

  “Okay, I’ll, uh, let you go.”

  “Talk to you soon.”

  I was still smiling as I went through some paperwork, when the intercom went off.

  “Brady’s here to see you.”

  “Send him in,” I said, my stomach dipping with excitement at the unexpected drop-in.

  I stood up and rounded the desk, eager to meet him at the door. But the look on his face when he walked in made me pause, rather than throw my arms around him.

  “Are you okay?” I asked, my mind racing at this expression that I’d never seen before. “Did everything go okay at work?”

  Today was Brady’s first day back on the job in his official capacity. When he’d left this morning, he’d been excited and relived. I’d just been happy to see him back in that sexy uniform again.

  “Yeah,” Brady said, shaking his head and looking dazed.

  I stepped up to him and grabbed his hand in mine.

  “Then what is it? Brock? Bren?”

  “No, everyone’s fine.”

  I was starting to panic, but I clamped it down and tried to be patient.

  “What?”

  Brady’s eyes locked on mine, and the look in them made something inside me shift.

  “I love you.”

  Yup, that was the sound of my heart hitting the floor.

  “What?” I whispered, my eyes already filling with tears.

  “I realized that I love you, and I had to come tell you. I didn’t want to wait until tonight, and I didn’t want to say it over the phone. I had to see you.”

  A startled laugh passed my lips as I catapulted into his arms, knocking him back a foot. His arms wrapped around me and held on tight as I peppered his face with kisses.

  I felt his laugh against my chest, his smile under my lips.

  “I love you, too,” I said, when I was done kissing the hell out of him.

  Brady lowered me to the floor, then bent to bring his lips to mine, tilting his head to get better contact. I opened my mouth, urging him to come inside, to claim me as his own.

  This kiss. This kiss … It was everything.

  Physical, emotional, spiritual. He conveyed his love for me with this kiss, and I threw myself into it and gave him the same.

  I never wanted it to end. This feeling of sublime happiness, total contentment, and the knowledge that I’d finally found the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.

  When we finally broke away from each other, panting and needy, I ran my tongue over my lower lip to get one last taste of him and said, “I’m happy you came by.”

  Brady chuckled, the dazed look gone, replaced by a serenity that I’d never seen in him before.

  “Me too,” he admitted. “I was sitting at my desk in the precinct, thinking of everything that’s happened between us … How close I came to losing you, the seven months I wasted, not knowing what I had that entire time, and it hit me. I love you. I left my desk and walked out, not saying a word to anyone. I just knew I had to see you, to tell you in person.”

  “I love that you did that,” I said, my heart a pile of mushy goo.

  “I should probably go back,” he said, his voice full of regret. “It’s my first day back and I just walked out.”

  We both laughed happily, and I said, “Okay, get out of here. We’ll celebrate tonight.”

  Brady kissed me again, told me he loved me again, then turned and walked out, leaving me staring after him with stars in my eyes.

  Epilogue ~ Brady

  I walked down the long corridor, feeling an elation I’d never felt before, my hands still shaking slightly from adrenaline and excitement. I rounded the corner and entered the room, my heart expanding at the sight of everyone Ming and I loved in one room.

  “It’s a boy!” I shouted, laughing as excitement filled the air, and my brothers came rushing toward me. It felt different being on this end of things. Better. So much better.

  My nose burned as my face slammed against Brock’s chest and he patted me on the back, hard.

  “How’s Ming?” Bronagh and Cass asked in unison.

  I struggled to get out of Brock’s grasp and turned my head to face my wife’s best friends.

  “She’s great. They’re taking her to her room now, but she’ll be able to have visitors in a little bit.”

  I was good now, but earlier I’d been petrified.

  Taking after his father, our son was stubborn.

  First, he’d refused to drop and turn, instead remaining breech. We’d had an appointment a couple of weeks ago where the doctor had tried to manually turn the baby, but our son wouldn’t budge. We’d been scheduled to try again later this week, but not wanting to go by anyone else’s timeline, our son had decided this morning that he was ready to come out and meet us in person. Ming’s water had broken at five thirty this morning and by seven, she was already having an emergency C-section.

  It was the most terrifying experience of my life. Ming was fine with it.

  I’d watched as they cut her open and literally lifted her insides and placed them on the outside of her body.

  When I’d almost passed out, the doctor had suggested I stopped watching what they were doing and focused on my wife.

  I’d been happy to comply.

  I’d held her hand, which was strapped down. I couldn’t deny that when they’d first started strapping my wife to the table that my first instinct had been to kick the nurse’s ass, but they’d calmed me down and explained it was for her safety.

  Still, I hated seeing her tied down that way.

  I could tell she didn’t like it either, and when a lone tear slid down her face, I crouched next to her and told her how much I loved her.

  “Hey, it’s going to be okay. You’ll be holding our baby before you know it. You’re doing great, sweetheart. I love you so much.”

  “I love you, too,” Ming had whispered sadly, then we heard the first cry of our baby.

  “It’s a boy,” the doctor said, and I kissed Ming softly on the forehead, then pushed back her hair and said, “We have a son.”

&n
bsp; Ming smiled there, her laugh small, but happy, and I knew the worst was over.

  Or at least, I’d thought it was, but then I made the mistake of looking over the curtain as one nurse took my son away, and caught a glimpse of them putting my wife back together.

  I moved away quickly.

  Ming read the horror on my face and laughed quietly, so I bent to her and said again, “You’re amazing. I love you.”

  I was sent to the nursery with the baby, while they finished closing Ming up, and as soon as he was cleaned up, they placed him in my arms.

  It was the most beautiful moment of my life.

  He had the O’Malley head of hair, but was the spitting image of my wife, and I couldn’t’ wait to see him in her arms.

  Mr. and Mrs. Li went in to see her while I went to tell the others, and when I came back with Brock, Brendan, Bronagh, and Cass, the baby was with them and Ming was holding him close.

  “Oh, you’re feeding him,” I said, when I realized she wasn’t just holding him, but that he was nursing. I hurried over, sad that I’d missed this first milestone, but when I saw our son latched on to her breast, the sadness was gone, replaced by a feeling that I couldn’t name, because I’d never felt it before.

  I sat down on the side of the bed, and touched my son’s head reverently.

  Brock moved to the other side of the bed and I smiled at the sight of his large finger caressing the tiny curve of my son’s cheek.

  “Desmond Koichi O’Malley, meet your Uncle Brock,” I said, softly, then laughed when Brendan walked over and told Brock to get out of his way.

  “Wait your turn,” was Brock’s reply.

  I never thought I could be happier than I was the day that Ming walked toward me down the aisle, looking breathtaking in a floor-length ivory gown, her hair in soft waves around her face, and her face gloriously beautiful.

  But Ming had proven me wrong countless times since then.

  The day she came home, vibrating with excitement because she’d made partner.