Chapter Twenty-Five
Clay lay in his beautiful nest propped by the softest Squishmallow pillows of all colors and shapes that we’d bought over the last weeks. The unique Squishmallow softness helped soothe his cramped back, he’d said.
He also had special items in the nest that had meaning to him. And to us.
A napkin from Animals in honor of where we’d all met.
A plastic figurine of a dragon.
A plastic figurine of a bear.
An old ratty paperback of baby names he’d found at a yard sale.
The candy cane pen from my hoard.
He was complaining of pain and cramping. I quickly realized what was happening. He was going to lay an egg.
I told him exactly what I thought.
His eyes went wide. “I’m laying an egg?”
“That’s what it means when you get contractions.”
“Okay. Yeah. I can handle this. The midwife says I’m healthy. It should come out fine and smooth. It’s just a bit big. But you two have kept me nice and stretched, so—”
I interrupted him. “No talk like that in front of our incoming child.” I shook my finger at him, grinning.
I immediately texted Armel, who had gone to his office for a couple of hours to do paperwork.
Clay’s about to lay an egg. Get home as fast as you can!!!
I sent the text before I realized how funny it looked and sounded. With anyone else, they might think Clay was mad and about to do something bad. Not that Clay ever would do that, but my text could be interpreted by humans that way.
A text response showed up. Our egg?
I quickly replied. Who else’s egg would it be? Do you know something I don’t?
I’m leaving now, Rome. Tell him to hold it for ten minutes. Hopefully the traffic will be sparse this time of day.
I looked at Clay. “Armel is coming.”
“Now?”
“Ten minutes.”
“It feels like it’s coming now. Ten minutes?” His voice went high-pitched. “Really?”
“He went to the office just for paperwork, remember? He’s leaving now.”
“Yeah. Yeah. Can you help me sit up a little straighter? I’ll try to hold it back until he gets here.”
I shoved my phone in my pocket and knelt beside the nest to help him move back. Then I placed more pillows behind him to relieve the pressure on his back.
“That’s good,” he said.
“Do you need anything? Ice chips? A rag to bite down on?”
“I don’t want to bite a rag, Rome.”
“Well, I don’t know anything about egg laying.”
Clay sighed. “Actually, my handsome alpha dragon, ice chips would be wonderful.”
“Coming up immediately for my handsome marsupial omega.”
By the time I got back with the glass of ice, Clay had moved again. He was on his side, his shoulders and head propped by pillows. He had kicked off his light, fuzzy blanket. All he wore was a big T-shirt of Armel’s that comforted him. He had announced it smelled like a pot of honey. A Winnie the Pooh honeypot to be exact. He had put it on two days ago and refused to take it off except to shower. He’d even threatened to name our still-unnamed daughter in his pouch, Honeypot.
Armel and I protested but said we might settle for just Honey.
The T-shirt rode up his hips, exposing his backside. He was slender and slim-hipped. It wasn’t difficult to see between those luscious cheeks that he was swollen down there, and red. That egg was coming. And fast.
“Is Armel here yet?” he asked.
“Not yet. Hang on, sweetheart. Just a couple more minutes, okay?”
“Easier said than done. This thing wants to come out.”
I knelt beside the nest and stroked his head. “You’re doing great. Just do what you gotta do. Armel will be here soon.”
“I’m so glad you’re here, Rome.” He took a small ice cube from the glass and sucked it into his mouth.
I heard a crunch as he bit down on it and let out a groan. “Oh wow. So that’s happening.”
“What? What?” My heart started to race.
“It moved.”
“Okay. We got this, Clay. We got this.”
“Can you scratch my back? I have an itch.”
“Where?”
“Down low.”
I rubbed my hand over his lower back then extended my fingers and used my nails softly.
“That’s perfect.”
I kept rubbing his back like that as he went through a couple more contractions. Finally, I heard the front door crash open. Armel ran into our bedroom.
“Is it here yet? Where is it?”
“You got here just in time,” I said. “It’s coming now.”
I saw the opening to his body quiver and widen.
Armel exclaimed at the sight then went to Clay and kissed him on the forehead. “I’m here now. I’m here.”
Clay reached out and grabbed Armel’s shoulders with a clawlike grip. I continued to rub his back as the opening widened and something colorful and shiny slid forth.
“It’s happening, Clay. Push. Push!” I shouted.
Clay let out a loud groan, his breaths coming fast.
“It’s beautiful, Clay. Wow. Pink and yellow and purple swirls. One more push and you’ve got it. It’s perfect.”
He heaved, letting out a squawk, and I caught the miracle, a real dragon egg, in my hands just before it could hit the pillows.
I held it forward for Clay and Armel to see.
It was like a gorgeous work of art.
“We made that?” Clay asked, breath still hitching.
“We made this,” I said. “All of us.”
Armel’s eyes were pure light. “It’s perfect. You’re our perfect omega.”
The dragon egg seemed to glow from the inside out. The shell was covered with the most beautiful designs, and the colors blended perfectly. It looked like a giant piece of candy. Polished and perfect.
We had set up a soft basket for the egg, but I hugged it gently to my chest before putting it there. My dragon made a rumbling deep in my mind. It sounded like a purr.
“I love you both so much.” My voice sounded weird and distant. Wet.
“Are you crying, Rome?” Clay turned over in his nest to look at me.
I shook my head in denial.
“Yeah, he is.” Armel smiled at me, cupping my wet face with his hands. He leaned over Clay and kissed me then kissed Clay.
“I love you both, too,” Armel said.
“Me, too,” Clay said, reaching for the basket. “And now we’re having a family.”