Page 83 of The Highlander's Runaway Nun
Bradley hovered close, never letting go of Laura’s hand, his thumb stroking over her knuckles. Emilie stood at the foot of the bed, her presence steady and reassuring, murmuring encouragements between Laura’s gasps.
Laura gritted her teeth through another contraction, feeling the life within her push insistently. “Bradley… it’s time,” she gasped, voice trembling with both fear and exhilaration. Bradley leaned forward, pressing his forehead to hers, whispering words of devotion. “I’m here, Laura… I’m right here with ye, always.”
Nancy barked orders to the maids, their hands moving swiftly to obey. Buckets of water were fetched, washbasins filled, and rags set to boil over the hearth.
The air was thick with the scents of herbs and damp linen, and Laura’s own breaths came fast and shallow, her body trembling from the effort.
Emilie moved at Nancy’s side, assisting with steady hands, her voice calm and encouraging as she guided the maids in the flurry of activity.
Nancy’s eyes flicked to Bradley. “Sorry, me Laird, ye cannae be in here,” she said firmly, yet kindly. “All will be right as rain. Step outside, and keep yerself ready for the bairn.”
She shooed him gently but resolutely out of the room, leaving him pacing the corridor, his eyes filled with frustration and worry.
Laura’s body tensed with each contraction, sweat glistening on her brow as she clutched Emilie’s hand.
The midwife’s voice was steady and commanding, guiding her breathing and urging her to push when the time came. Emilie’s presence was a balm, her soft murmurs and encouragements wrapping around Laura like a protective cloak. The room pulsed with energy and anticipation, every movement choreographed to ensure the safety of mother and child.
Minutes stretched into what felt like hours, until finally, a loud, healthy cry shattered the tension, and Laura’s heart soared in response.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as Emilie quickly handed the newborn boy to Nancy for the initial checks. The tiny infant was pink and vigorous, his fists curling and unclenching instinctively, and a small wail echoed as he stretched. Laura’s chest swelled with a mix of relief, awe, and an all-consuming love that made her whole world tilt.
Nancy handed the boy to Laura, placing him carefully in her arms, and the exhausted mother cradled him, feeling the rapid heartbeat beneath her fingertips.
“He’s perfect, lass… bonnie and strong,” Nancy said, smiling, her own relief palpable. Emilie wiped Laura’s damp hair from her face and whispered soft congratulations, tears in her own eyes. Laura leaned back against the pillows, the warmth of the baby against her chest grounding her after the whirlwind of pain and effort.
The door opened, and Bradley stepped in, his face a mixture of awe and disbelief as his gaze fell upon his son.
Laura’s tears flowed freely as she watched him, still trembling from exhaustion but alive with emotion, take in the sight of the child cradled against her chest.
Bradley knelt beside the bed, reaching out tentatively at first, his hand hovering over the tiny body.
“Our bairn…” he whispered hoarsely, voice thick with emotion, before finally cupping the baby’s head in his strong hands.
Laura extended the child toward him, her eyes brimming with tears of joy and relief.
“Hold him, Bradley,” she said softly, her voice trembling with happiness. As he lifted their son into his arms, Bradley’s eyes filled with wonder, awe, and an unmistakable tenderness that made Laura’s heart ache.
She watched as he gently pressed a kiss to the baby’s forehead, murmuring softly, “Ye’re safe with us, little one… safe with yer faither.”
The room seemed to hold its breath for a moment, as if time had slowed to honor the miracle before them.
Bradley’s hands were steady but careful, cradling the newborn as though he might shatter with the slightest misstep.
Laura reached out, fingers brushing his arm, and whispered, “He’s ours, Bradley… ours to love and keep.”
He looked down at her, eyes glimmering with tears, and nodded, a choked whisper escaping him. “Aye, Laura… ours forever.”
Emilie and Nancy exchanged glances, smiles breaking across their faces, the tension of the morning finally releasing.
The maids bustled quietly, putting away buckets and washbasins, the earlier chaos now giving way to a peaceful rhythm.
Laura rested back against her pillows. The three of them, mother, father, and child, sat together, the room warm with love, relief, and the promise of all that was yet to come.
Bradley whispered over and over, “Ye’re so brave, me love… so fierce, so beautiful.”
Laura could barely form words, yet she squeezed his hand and whispered back, “We can do this… together.”
She thought of the long road she had walked, the fear, the uncertainty, the heartbreak of being cast aside, and the bitter loneliness at the Abbey.
