She adjusted herself in the bed and said, “I feel great. I really do. It’s nice to have my body back. I wouldn’t trade a minute of any of it though.”
I smiled warmly at my best friend. She looked beautiful. She didn’t have an ounce of makeup on. Jack was still asking why he’d had to run and get the makeup if she wasn’t even going to wear it.
“I can’t wait for Lily to meet Craig and Lucy. She is going to have so much fun with them.” Cale said as he stood and rocked a cranky Craig.
I also stood and walked around with Lucy in my arms. She was so tiny, and I couldn’t get enough of her smell. I kissed her head before I placed her back in her bassinet. “How long do you have to stay here?”
Cale placed Craig, now asleep, in his bassinet, too. He stood, staring at both babies.
“I’m hoping I’ll be home in the next day or two,” Monica said. “Everything went great with the delivery, and the twins are as healthy as can be. I think we’d all be more comfortable at home.” She looked up and Jack smiled. He leaned down and kissed her.
“I love you, Monica,” he said. “Happy Mother’s Day, baby.”
I watched as a tear rolled down my best friend’s cheek. I couldn’t help but stare at the two of them. The way they looked into each other’s eyes, it was clear how much they loved each other. I pulled my eyes away and saw Cale watching me. He smiled and I smiled back. He pulled me into his arms. Cale’s lips moved across my neck, sending a chill from my head to my toes. When he found his way to my ear, I had to grab onto his arms to steady myself.
“I want to make love to you, Maddie,” Cale whispered as he kissed around my ear, which always drove me mad. His voice was laced with desire, which only blossomed my own want.
“Okay,” I whispered back. He stepped back and grabbed the camel.
“I’ll take this home and keep it safe for y’all, then bring it over once you get home.”
Jack shot Cale a dirty look. “Bastard.”
Cale threw his head back and laughed before giving Monica a kiss on the forehead. “We’re gonna let you rest now, sweetheart. The babies are beautiful, like their mother.”
Monica smiled and nodded. “Thanks, you guys, for coming and staying with us. You’re next!”
Monica pointed at me. I placed my hand on my stomach and giggled. I kissed Monica goodbye, and then Jack.
“We’ll be back tomorrow! Love you both!” I called out as I walked out the door.
Driving home, I couldn’t stop thinking about our baby.
Cale reached for my hand and squeezed it. “What are you thinking about?”
“The baby.” I glanced over and smiled weakly at him. “I’m…scared.”
He looked at me, concerned, before quickly looking back at the road. “What are you scared about?”
I shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know. Am I going to be able to do this? Is it going to hurt? Will I know what to do with her?”
Cale smiled. “Her huh? You still sure we’re having a girl.”
I nodded and chuckled. “Yep.”
Cale took my hand and brought it to his lips. He gently kissed it. “Maddie,” he said, “you’re going to be wonderful. Look at how you just took over with Lily. Baby, you’re going to be the best mommy ever. And I’m sure our little princess at home will be itching to help out.”
I laughed and nodded in agreement. “Oh, I’m sure she will be. Let’s just hope that our Lily isn’t the jealous type.”
I WALKED INTO the living room and attempted to sit down on the sofa with some sense of grace. When I plopped down, I sighed. Monica laughed as she placed Craig into his swing. Lucy was sound asleep in her swing as it moved back and forth.
“I can’t believe the twins are five months old already,” Monica said as she stood and gazed at her two kids.
I jumped when my little kicker gave me a good one in my ribs. “Oh, God. When will this baby come?” I asked as I leaned back on the sofa. “It’s snowing like hell outside. I just want to go for a walk, and I’m stuck in the house…with you.”
Monica placed her hands on her hips. “Hey!”
I waved my hand to brush off Monica and looked up at Cale standing in Monica and Jack’s living room, looking all hot and shit. I couldn’t believe how horny I’d been during this pregnancy. I licked my lips as I looked over his body.
He looked at me and asked, “You ready to head home Maddie?”
I grinned and replied, “Yeah, I think so.”
Lily came running by as Jack chased her. “Jack Rembrandt, you hush up this second!” Monica called out. How the twins slept through everything was beyond me.
Cale helped me stand up. Pain shot through my abdomen and I let out a little gasp. I’d been having small pains since around six in the morning. At first, I thought maybe there were just Braxton Hicks contractions. Now I wasn’t so sure, since they were slowly getting stronger.
“Jesus, she finally sat down and now you’re making her get up and leave?” Monica said. “I swear, Maddie, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were having an elephant.”
I glared at her. “You’re such a bitch.”
“Bitch!”
I covered my mouth and Monica busted out laughing.
“Bitch, bitch, bitch!” Lily repeated as she ran around Cale and me.
“Great,” I whispered.
Cale tried not to laugh as he scooped up Lily and we made our way to the car.
Five minutes later, Cale was telling Lily a story in her room before putting her down for a nap. I made my way into the kitchen and sighed. I was nine months pregnant and felt like a beached whale. Cale would tell me at least five times a day how beautiful I was.
I opened the refrigerator and peered in. I needed something spicy to get this baby out. I pushed things around on the shelves, looking for something to kick-start my labor.
Nothing. I turned and headed into the living room and down the hall. I walked past our bedroom and into the guest room, which was now the nursery. Inside, I stopped as I felt the baby moving.
I placed my hands on my stomach and watched as an elbow moved across my swollen belly. I smiled and shook my head. “I think you’re too comfy in there. It’s time to come out and meet your big sister, Lily. Mommy needs her sleep back, little one.”
I felt Cale’s presence as he walked into the nursery. He came from behind me and placed his hands on my stomach. The baby must have just repositioned herself. “Is he moving a lot today?”
I smiled to myself when Cale called the baby a he. We’d never found out the sex of the baby. The French country theme could go either way. I glanced around at the finished nursery. All it needed was our baby.
Cale, his dad Mitchel, and my father, had all painted the nursery in one day. The walls were painted my favorite color, Sea Salt from Sherwin Williams. It was neutral enough to go with either a boy or a girl. The country cottage, distressed, white furniture looked beautiful in the room. We’d bought a crib, a wardrobe, and a changing table. There was a light blue chair in the corner that had belonged in Lily’s room when she was a baby. I’d spent weeks making a canopy for the crib. It looked beautiful.
Cale rubbed my stomach as he said, “This room is truly breathtaking, Maddie. You did a wonderful job on it.”
I smiled and nodded. I glanced up and looked at the blue ceiling and the white, puffy clouds that Monica and I had made together. It truly was a beautiful nursery.
“I just wish she would make an appearance soon. I can hardly sleep anymore and she seems to be the most active at night. I think she’s confused.”
Cale laughed. “I think it’s because during the day you rock him to sleep. At night is when he wakes up to party.
I turned around and smirked. “I’m telling you, Mr. Blackwood, it’s a girl.”
He shook his head. “Boy.”
“Girl.”
Cale’s eyes moved over my body and I saw the lust in his expression. I was instantly turned on. “I know a way we can try and speed up y
our labor.”
I raised my eyebrows and smiled. “Lead the way. And I hope you’ve come up with a good position, ‘cause I can’t move!”
Cale took my hand and led me out of the nursery and into our bedroom. He quickly stripped out of his clothes and I followed. I stood before him completely naked and was shocked by what I saw. “Cale, do you have…tears in your eyes?”
He cupped my face with both hands. “You’re so beautiful. I don’t think I’ve ever in my life seen a woman so breathtaking. You stomach swollen with our child turns me on more than you could ever imagine, Maddie. I desperately want you right now.” Cale kissed me softly on the lips. “Marry me. Now. I don’t want to wait until the baby is born. I want to make you mine.”
I closed my eyes as he moved his lips across my neck. “Cale,” I whispered. He moved his lips down my body to my nipples. I felt a sharp pain in my stomach as I held my breath. Shit. My body must be reacting to him in different ways.
“I love you, Maddie.”
Soft kisses covered my body and threw my libido into overdrive. I wanted to have an orgasm so badly that I thought I might cry. When Cale dropped to his knees and lifted my leg over his shoulder I hissed out, “Yes.” One swipe of his tongue across my sensitive bud had me moaning like a crazed woman. “More. Give me more.” I pulled on his hair and buried his face between my legs. Dropping one hand. I reached out and held onto the bedpost as Cale began to suck and lick.
“Yes. Yes. I want it so bad, Cale.”
Cale let out a moan that vibrated through my entire core. I began to feel the familiar build up. “More! Give me more!”
When I felt his hand move up and behind onto my ass I knew what he was about to do. My body began to shake with anticipation. He slipped a finger inside my ass and I lost it. I began calling out his name as an orgasm ripped through my body. I gasped as the pain shot through my stomach again. Oh no.
Cale stood up and looked at me with hungry eyes. “Lay down on the bed on your side Maddie. I’m going to take you now.”
I swallowed hard. I slowly made my way onto the bed and lay down. Cale positioned himself as he lifted my right leg and slipped his dick inside of me. The relief I felt when he entered me was heavenly. As he moved in and out, I let myself go.
“Maddie, I’m going to come, baby.”
I called out his name softly as he called out my name again. Cale didn’t move for the longest time. I was about to say something when I felt another pain. At that point, I knew it couldn’t be anything else – it was a contraction.
Cale pulled out. “Hold on baby, let me get a washcloth to clean you up.
I inhaled deeply through my nose and slowly blew the air out my mouth. I looked over at the clock and made a mental note of the time. I didn’t want to tell Cale just yet. I wasn’t sure why. I was pretty sure it was because once I told him; it would all become real. I was scared to death.
After Cale and I got dressed, we headed out to the kitchen to start dinner. Lily had gone down for her nap later than normal, and I knew she would be starving. I started to pull out chicken for Cale to put on the grill.
“Cale, will you start the grill?” I asked. He laughed and I turned and looked at him. “What’s so funny?”
He looked at me with a confused look. “Baby, it’s snowing hard outside. I’m not going out there to grill.”
I placed my hands on hips and glared at him. He knew how much Lily and I loved grilled chicken.
“I’ll use the indoor grill if you want,” he said as he smiled and winked at me.
I smiled and nodded. As I made the salad, I heard Lily singing over the monitor. I smiled and placed a hand on my stomach. I picked up the glass bowl and turned to set it on the island and a contraction hit me hard and fast. I dropped the bowl and watched as glass shattered everywhere. “Fuck,” I said as I glanced at the clock.
Cale came running and stopped when he saw the glass. “Maddie, are you okay?”
I nodded. “I um…I dropped the bowl.”
Cale ran to the laundry room and began cleaning up the broken glass. Lily was crying like crazy. She must have heard Cale call my name. “I’ll go get Lily,” I said.
Cale bent over and swept glass onto the dustpan. “Okay, I’ll get this mess cleaned up and will make another salad in no time. Don’t worry, baby.”
I went up to Lily’s room. When I opened the door, she smiled and said, “Mama.”
I got her out of her crib and brought her over to the changing table. I changed her diaper, then helped her walk down the stairs into the living room. I retrieved one of her favorite toys and set it in front of her. I knew the toy would occupy her for at least fifteen minutes while I helped Cale finish dinner.
I pulled the rosemary potatoes out of the oven and placed them on top of the stove. I was about to take out our plates when another contraction hit me.
“Oh shit!” I said, starting to breathe like they taught us in Lamaze class. The contraction lasted longer. I looked at the clock. “Oh gosh,” I whispered.
I turned to see Cale on the floor playing with Lily. They were both laughing at the sounds the game made. “Um, Cale?”
“Yeah?”
“I think…well no, I know for sure…I’m having contractions.”
He was making a silly face at Lily. “Is that right?”
I rolled my eyes. He clearly wasn’t paying attention to me. It must of hit him, though, because he jumped up, turned and looked at me. “What? What did you say?”
I STARED AT Maddie. She was rubbing her hand across her stomach, smiling. “I said I’m having contractions.”
Shaking my head I said, “No, you can’t.”
She shrugged. “Oh, yes I can…and I am.”
I placed my hands on Maddie’s upper arms. “Maddie, there is a blizzard outside. You’re not due for another few days. You can’t have this baby.”
Her face turned red. I instantly dropped my hands and took a step back.
“I don’t care that there is a blizzard outside, or that I’m not due for another few days. I do care that I’ve been having contractions all day and now they are about thirty minutes apart. I’m having this baby, Cale Blackwood. Now.”
I swallowed. “Now? Now? Like right this second?” I looked at her stomach and turned around in a circle. “Holy shit!”
Lily jumped up and spun around as she repeated what I’d said. “Shit! Shit, Daddy!”
I looked back at her and nodded. “I know, Lily! Daddy knows.” I took Maddie by the hand and led her to the sofa. “Hold on,” I said. “Let me see how bad the weather is.”
I sprinted to the front door and heard Lily running behind me. I slid to a stop at the door and turned. Lily was running as fast as her little legs could go, laughing. I bent down and held out my arms and scooped her up as I stood and ran back into the living room. “Mommy needs lovin’, Lily. You baby brother…”
“Or sister,” Maddie said with a smirk.
I gave Maddie a look and set Lily down next to her. “Your baby brother or sister wants to come out of mommy’s tummy now to play with you.”
Lily smiled and Maddie clapped her hands as Lily followed.
“I’ll be right back,” I said, taking off again.
“Where are you going, Cale? We have to call the doctor!” Maddie called after me. I threw the door open and ran outside. I wasn’t wearing anything but a T-shirt, sweatpants and my socks. I stopped right at the edge of the front porch. All I could see was snow. It was falling from the sky in a full-blown blizzard. “Why? Why today of all days?”
I pulled my phone out of my sweatpants pocket. I found Jack’s number and called.
“Are you missing me, bro?”
“I need your truck. I mean, I need to borrow your truck right now.”
Jack laughed. “Fuck no! You’re not driving my truck in this weather. Jesus, Cale, it’s a damn blizzard outside.”
I felt my breathing pick up. I was freezing my ass off, but I didn’t want Maddie to h
ear the panic in my voice.
“Dude! Listen to me. I don’t have time for this. Maddie is in labor. I need your truck. It’s a four-by-four, and the only thing that will get us to the hospital.”
“Maddie’s in labor?” Jack asked as I heard Monica yelling in the background. I heard some noise and then Monica’s voice.
“Cale, how far apart are her contractions? I knew something was off with her. I knew it!”
I took a deep breath and looked back at the front door as I jumped around to warm up. “She said thirty minutes.”
“Okay. Jack is on his way over. Call the doctor first and let them know. Then call your neighbor and ask them to come stay with Lily—you can’t bring her to the hospital. Then call your parents and Maddie’s dad and Michelle.”
I nodded. “Got it.” I turned to open the door and ran smack into it. “Shit. I locked myself out.”
I rang the doorbell as I listened to Monica tell me all the things I needed to do. I kept jumping around to warm myself up. I rang the doorbell again. “Damn it. Maddie isn’t answering the door. What the hell? Oh God. Oh, no—what if something happened to her? Fuck! Fuck! Fucker! Suck a dick!”
“Um, yeah I don’t want to ask about that last outburst. Bang on the door.”
I banged on the door and kept ringing the doorbell. “Monica, I’m freaking out. She isn’t answering.” I banged louder and rang the doorbell again and again. I put my ear to the door. When I hit the doorbell, nothing happened. Then I heard music. Loud music.
“She’s playing music. Like really loud.”
“Huh?” Monica asked.
I ran my hand through my hair as I blew out a breath. “She’s dancing with Lily, I bet. Lily loves the music up as loud as we can get it, and they dance. The doorbell is fucking broken and she can’t hear me banging on the door.”
Monica laughed. “Is it cold out?”
“I really hate you right now, Monica.” I hung up my phone and looked out over the front yard.
I stared at the falling snow. It really was beautiful. The white snow blanketed the area, making everything look new. This was it. This was the one thing I’d been waiting for. The moment in time I’d been dreaming about for years.