Stitch by Jaime Lewis
Chapter Twenty-Six
Standing by Tenley’s side, Alex took deep breaths along with Tenley as she endured another contraction. By the time they arrived at the local hospital, she was already too far along for an epidural. Unfortunately, because of the delay from the fiasco back at Stitch’s caused, they had no other choice than to admit Tenley to the closest hospital or risk delivering the twins in the back of their car.
She had gotten a message from Ace telling her that the cabin's situation had been defused, and they were on their way to the hospital. Thank god because she had been torn between going to the hospital with Tenley and staying to help look for Mia.
Alex had to bite the inside of her cheek to conceal her amusement when Tenley turned to Potter and spouted off the next verbal beatdown on the poor guy. But, Potter, because of the Special Forces soldier he was, took it all in stride, knowing that Tenley didn’t really meant anything she had said.
“Potter, I love you dearly, but damn, if I will ever let you put another one of your super SEAL sperms up my vagina again.” Her eyes got really big. “Oh shit, here comes another contraction. Motherfucker! Where in the hell is the damn doctor? The pressure is getting to be too much, and I feel like I have to push.”
The nurse assigned to Tenley, who seemed more interested in Potter’s comfort, looked at Tenley and told her by no means should she try to push until the doctor arrived. If looks could kill, that nurse would be six feet under by the death glare that Tenley gave her. Alex swore if the woman put her hand on Potter one more time to “reassure” him everything was fine that Tenley was going to come up off that bed pregnant or not and kick the woman’s ass. Potter had been polite and calmly brushed the woman’s advances off. He never left Tenley’s side and constantly praised her as she got through each contraction.
Tenley leveled her stare at the nurse, and Alex knew that look and waited for it. “Well, how long does it take to get here? It’s not like this a huge town. Unless instead of cars, you all get around by horse and buggy. If that’s the case, then you better suit up because these babies are coming out.”
To ease some of the tension into the room, Alex got the nurse’s attention. “Why don’t you go check and see where the doctor is? If Tenley says she needs to push, shouldn’t that indicate we need a doctor, like yesterday? And, if he’s not close, maybe they can send a doctor from the ER up.
Thankfully the nurse had a sliver of brains and agreed. As soon as the woman was gone from the room, Tenley relaxed then turned to Potter. Alex was shocked to see tears streaking down Tenley’s face. Potter pushed the loose strands of hair that had escaped Tenley’s ponytail from her face and tucked them behind her ear. He took her face between his large palms and placed a kiss on her nose. For anyone who knew Potter, they only saw the large, serious, and broody man. Rarely did anyone get the glimpse of the gentle giant that he was on the inside. Alex knew when it came to Tenley; the man would bend over backward to give her what she needed.
“Honey, what are the tears for?” Potter asked her.
Tenley sniffled. “I’m sorry for yelling at you. I love you so much. Please don’t be upset with me.”
Potter’s expression softened. “Oh, baby. I love you too, and I could never be upset with you for expressing your emotions while giving birth to our children. I would take your pain if I could.” He leaned down and kissed her. Alex felt a little awkward listening to such an intimate conversation between the two of them. She tried looking away, but then she felt Tenley grab her hand. When she turned back, Tenley was looking at her. “Alex, thank you for what you did. That twatwaffle was starting to test my patience, and I was afraid that I would lose my cool and have to get out of this bed to deal with her. And, oh my goodness, wouldn’t that have been a sight. Me going all cavewoman on the nurse with a baby dangling from my lady bits.”
Alex couldn’t hold back her laughter. She laughed so hard that she cried. Even Potter was laughing. Then he bent down and whispered something in Tenley’s ear, and Alex thought it was a good time to give the parents a couple of minutes to themselves. As she excused herself from the room, promising Tenley she would be right outside, she couldn’t help but notice the black mass making an appearance between Tenley’s legs. Alex quickly stepped outside and went in search of a doctor. Thankfully, the search didn’t take long. By the time she got to the nurse’s station, the doctor was walking in. She quickly explained, and the doctor seemed a little agitated. On the way back to Tenley’s room, he apologized for his delay and explained that the details he was given made it seem that Tenley still had a while before she would go into full labor. Needless to say, Nurse Barbie wasn’t welcomed back into Tenley’s room.
After the doctor did a quick introduction with Potter and Tenley, he suited up and started barking orders to the staff that filled the room.
Looking up from between her legs, he gave Tenley a warm smile and said, “Okay, sweetie, I think these little rascals of yours are in a hurry to meet you.” Alex was pleased to see Tenley smile. Potter, on the other hand, looked ready for battle. But that didn’t surprise Alex at all. His eyes never left his wife. “On this next contraction, I want you to push. Push like you have to poop.”
The room went completely silent, and Alex wanted to laugh at the expression on Tenley’s face.
“What happens if I actually poop? Oh my god. That is disgusting, not to mention embarrassing. Tenley looked down at the doctor that sat between her legs. “Is there another way to get these little hellions out?” Alex couldn’t hold it in any longer and burst out laughing. It must have been contagious because soon, everyone in the room was laughing, including Tenley. “Well, shit, let’s just get on with it because if I have endure this much pain any longer, I think I might just pass out.”
Alex held Tenley’s hand as another strong contraction hit Tenley hard. She pushed and grunted, and the doctor motioned for Potter to look at the action happening between Tenley’s legs.
“What is that?” Potter asked as his face took on a little bit of a green, sickly look.
The elderly doctor just smiled and said, “That, son, is the top of the head of your first baby.”
Alex really wasn’t sure what she was expecting from Potter, but what she damn well wasn’t expecting was for Potter’s eyes to roll back in his head and his large body to collapse to the floor.
“Oh shit!” Alex blurted out as Tenley just sat there staring at her husband sprawled out on the floor, then started laughing hysterically.
By the grace of God, Juliette entered the room. “What happened?” She asked, all concerned as she stepped over Potter to get to Tenley’s other side and held her hand.
“Well, my big badass SEAL husband apparently can’t stomach a baby coming out of my hoo-ha.” She started sobbing. “He’s the one that put them in me. And, it’s not like he’s the one having his vagina stretched the length of the Grand Canyon.”
Jesus, Alex didn’t know if she wanted to cry for Tenley or to laugh at her and the mayhem that was taking place in this room. They could win America’s Funniest Home Videos, hands down. Potter would never forgive himself if he missed the birth of babies. Well, as long as he wasn’t working for Uncle Sam. Alex looked at Juliette. “Can you handle Tenley? I’m going to go get Derek and Ace, and they can help get daddy here up.”
At Juliette’s nod, Alex took off running down the hallway to the waiting room. When she got there, the whole team was now there, and she explained what happened. She could see they were all trying to suppress their amusement with the situation, and honestly, she couldn’t blame them one bit because as soon as all of this was over, they were all going to sit around having a drink and laughing their asses off.
When Alex, Ace, and Derek hit the door to Tenley’s room, Alex heard the most amazing sound. The sound of life, double time. Her heart melted as she opened the door and saw Tenley and Potter both sitting on the bed, each of them holding a bundle of pink.
When Tenley raised her head and looked at Alex with unshed tears in her eyes, Alex couldn’t be any happier for her best friend. She was envious of her. She had the perfect family. A husband who loved her unconditionally, a seven-year-old daughter who they brought life to again after her parents were killed, and now these two precious bundle of joys they welcomed. She looked up at Ace, who seemed to have the same look on his face as she did. But when he looked down at her, she saw guilt, even though nobody else would recognize that look. It was a look that Alex was pretty sure Ace made a point not to let many people see.
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to his chest. He then whispered the word “soon” to her, and she felt her heart kick-start. They had been trying to get married for almost a year now. But life got in the way, and things got postponed. But her friends weren’t letting life slow them down. Maybe it was time to take a different approach to marriage. Maybe she didn’t need the big fairy tale wedding she’d dreamt of. Maybe all she needed was just the man.
