Page 86 of Power Play
There's more of a scuffle, and Scott stands, ready to fight, when Garrett comes back into the room, shaking his head. "Fucking Tracey," he mutters under his breath, but when he looks up and sees my worried face, he softens. "She's being removed. She won't be allowed in the hospital anymore. Sneaking you home, though, might be tricky."
Just then, Dr. Marley comes back in and checks to see how far along I am. She pats my thigh happily. "Alright, little miss, it's time to push. You ready to meet your babies?"
I bite my lip, look at my men, and nod. I can do this. We can do this.
Chapter forty-eight
Scott
She's been pushing for an hour. Jesus, fuck I want to crawl out of my own skin. Jonesy's been rubbing her shoulders and swiping the sweaty hair off of her face, while Ben feeds her ice chips. She's starting to get weaker, and there's nothing I can fucking do about it. I want to crawl inside her body and lend her my own strength, but there's literally no way I can help. I hate feeling so helpless. I hate that she has to do all this on her own.
I don't even have the words to encourage her. I try. But "You're doing so great. Look how strong you are. Almost there." hardly feel like they're enough. All I can do is wait and pray everything works out okay in the end.
"We have hair!" Dr. Marley shouts, before dropping the foot of the table to allow room for one of the nurses to do something. "One more push, Lacey, and you'll get to meet your baby."
I brace against her leg as she gives a grateful sob and one more fierce push. She's incredible like this. I knew she was incredible before this. I've seen her strength and her determination. I've watched her deadlifting the bar over her swollen belly when no one was watching. I've seen how she sees Ben and Garrett, and how she shows up for them.
But right now, she's something else. Sweaty hair sticking to her forehead and temples, teeth bared like a warrior heading into battle, and complete determination to bring our babies into this world. If Ithought I loved and admired her before, it was nothing compared to how I feel right in this moment.
And then suddenly, with a beautiful wail, there's another soul present in the room. "It's a girl!" The nurses are a flurry of motion, wiping our baby down and laying her straight away against Lacey's naked chest. My Lacey, and my baby. Lacey sobs loudly as the nurses check our baby over and wrap a blanket around her. Lacey simply sobs as she wraps her arms around our daughter and presses a shaky kiss on the top of her head. Skin on skin with her mother, our baby stops crying, and it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Jonesy looks shell-shocked at the tiny thing in Lacey's arms. Ben's got tears in his eyes and a hand over his mouth. I wrap my arms around Lacey and our daughter, and drop a grateful kiss on the top of Lacey's head.
This fucking woman.
"Dad?" Dr. Marley says, and I know she's talking to me. "Would you like to hold the baby while Lacey works for the second one?"
We hadn't talked about this. Is it okay that I'm the first one to hold them? Ben and Garrett simply nod at me. Lacey watches, her sobbing having quieted slightly, as the nurse wraps our daughter in a little pink and blue hospital blanket, and I sit in the designated chair. The nurse places the most beautiful little girl I've ever seen into my arms. Dark hair, pale skin, rosy cheeks and pouty lips. My heart aches with how much I already love this little girl. In a flash, I get the image of tea parties, teaching her to skate. Fuck, I'll buy her a pony and put it in the backyard if she wants. She'll ride on my shoulders, and make pancakes with me and Martha, and be absolutely spoiled by her Titans aunts and uncles.
She whimpers and cries a little, and that's absolutely not fucking acceptable. My princess doesn't cry. Not if I can do anything about it. I tug off the college shirt I was wearing and unwrap my baby girl. She liked skin on skin with her mom, so maybe mine will be okay too, but I keep the blanket wrapped around her, so she stays warm. It does the trick.
When I look up at Lacey, the look on her face is indescribable. Love, lust, gratitude, relief, hunger, devotion...it's all written right there. She likes what she sees, and for so many reasons. God, I love this woman so much.
I love you,I mouth to her as my eyes water.I love you too, she mouths back. I look down at our perfect little girl and drop my cheek to the top of her head, content to simply breathe her in.
Chapter forty-nine
Ben
They're finally here. She's done it. My brave, incredible, loving, amazing woman has brought our babies into this world. Well one of them, at least. Turning her face back to the doctor, she nods, indicating she's ready to go again.
She's tired, sweaty, and I know she's got to be in pain, but she's pushing through anyway. I stand, bracing her leg and giving her something to push against as she grits her teeth. With one final push, another voice wails out. Two. Two new souls. Two new entire human beings. "Another girl! Congrats!" Dr. Marley shouts. Two. Girls. Holy crap. Double the hair brushing, and braids, and pretty outfits.
I need to Google how to do French braids.
This baby gets the same treatment as the first - placed on mama's sobbing chest, wiped down, and checked out. When the nurse gives the all clear, Dr. Marley returns to Lacey. "I'm going to get mama all patched and cleaned up, moved to a recovery room, and then we can see if they'll latch. Who wants this one?"
I look down at Lacey, who peers back at me with exhausted, half-closed lids. And then at Jonesy, who looks like our new baby might grow wings and fly away. Lacey's exhausted and needs to focus on recovery. Jonesy may actually pass out.
"I'll take her." There's only one chair for dads, so I gently take our baby into my arms and stand, rocking her and shushing her a little when she whimpers slightly. I can't imagine what she's been through. To go from warm, and safe inside her mother's womb to being thrustinto a cold, sterile hospital room. I press my lips to the top of her dark hair and mentally promise to love her, and protect her, and teach her everything good about this world.
Nurses and people move around us in a flurry. We're ushered to follow Lacey into another room. This one feels more like a tiny apartment than like an operating room. Lacey's bed is set up, and the lights are low.
Dr. Marley comes up next to me, gently resting a hand on my arm. "Let's see if they'll latch?"
I look to Scott, who also stands to join whatever this is.
I look at the love of my life. Tired and exhausted, but the glimmer in her eyes is eager.
"What do I do?"
