16. Aubrey
Chapter sixteen
Aubrey
Froot Loops, watermelons, and caramel sundaes.
~ One Month Later / March ~
“Still a lucky bitch with no symptoms I see.” Emma narrows her eyes at me with a displeased look.
I giggle while biting my lip. “Nope, but I did start getting strange cravings. So, maybe?”
I shake the bag of Froot Loops in my hand as I dig into it and stuff more into my mouth. It’s not something I’ve ever done, eating dry cereal in the middle of the day, but apparently, it’s been my snack of choice for the past two weeks.
We were in bed when the mood struck. Shane was watching video clips on his tablet while I was going through a list of potential employees to hire, and then the thought just popped into my head.
I told Shane how much I was craving a bowl of Froot Loops, and he immediately took out his phone and ordered ten boxes.
I laughed at how quick his response was and thought he was a bit aggressive with the ten boxes. But apparently my man knows me better than I know myself because I’m now on box nine… in two weeks. This can’t be healthy.
“Oh, I miss those cravings. There was something so satisfying about eating them when they showed up, better than any food. Mine were pickles and brownies.” Cecilia gets this happy faraway look in her eyes as if she’s picturing eating them right now.
“Yes, we all remember your cravings,” Emma deadpans. She’s been extremely cranky lately, but I can’t blame her. She’s now thirty-seven weeks and if she doesn’t give birth by the end of the week, she’s going to be induced.
“Well, I don’t. You know, since I wasn’t around at that time.” Ronnie frowns at Emma who sits awkwardly in her armchair.
We’re currently in Emma’s home, except for Morgan who wasn’t up to joining us.
The twins are now a month old and she’s finally getting the hang of it, but she’s still extremely exhausted.
She and Clay hired a full-time nanny named Natalia, who lives in the pool house apartment they have in their backyard.
I’m sure that’s helping out a lot, certainly when the boys are away.
My brother is still refusing to talk to me and at this point, I’m angrier than sad. It hurts like hell, but he’s taking it way too far when it really isn’t that big of a deal. I wish he would just grow up and let me explain myself.
“Right, sorry, I don’t mean to be a bitch. I’ve just had enough. I need them out, like now!” Emma stomps her foot dramatically on the floor then groans loudly as she throws her head back with exasperation. “And now I pissed my pants. Just fucking great! I swear I’ve had enough of this pregnancy!”
All our eyes widen as we watch the huge wet stain spread beneath her. “Umm, Em… I don’t think you peed.”
“Babe, I think your water just broke.” Cecilia grins with excitement.
Em’s eyes go wide as she tries to look down between her legs. But her belly is so ginormous, I’m pretty sure she doesn’t see anything. “Oh my God! Is it happening? Like, really happening? Right now!?” She takes on a panicking tone.
“Hey, it’s okay. You don’t seem to be having any contractions yet, so let’s stay calm and get ready, okay?” Cecilia comes to her side quickly, rubbing her arm.
“Okay, yeah. I… I need to call my dad and your parents.” Emma looks at me.
My parents took Gracie and Dante to an indoor amusement park to give Emma a break as well as giving us some girls’ time. It’s something we all desperately needed, since we hadn’t really hung out together since Shane’s birthday, and Emma wasn’t even there.
I’ve seen Ronnie a few times since, and the rest of them once, but that was it. With Morgan being busy with the twins, Emma too exhausted to leave the house, and Cecilia taking on more work since Emma is on maternity leave, we haven’t had many occasions to get together.
“I’ll call my parents and your father,” I tell her as I fish out my phone. “I’ll see if Sam could take over watch as well.”
“Okay, good. I need to get changed, I’m all sticky and gross.” Emma scrunches her face as she pulls herself up from the chair with difficulty.
“If he can’t, call Mira. She won’t mind watching the kids,” Cecilia says to me before returning her focus to Emma. “Where are your bags, babe?”
“In the car, everything’s already there. I just need my purse,” Emma tells her quickly.
“Okay, I’ll get your purse and start the car. Lionel, would you mind going up with her so she can change?” Cece asks Lionel who’s been sitting at my side quietly.
The girls were all surprised to find out he was back, even more surprised when I told them it wasn’t Shane’s insistence but Julian’s. But they all get along with him, so he fits in perfectly.
“On it,” he says as he stands and walks over to Em. “Come on, pretty lady. Let’s get you cleaned up.”
“I’ll try to get a hold of the guys. I know they’re supposed to be landing any minute,” Ronnie says as she taps at her screen before placing her phone to her ear.
We all get to our tasks quickly and five minutes later, Emma reemerges with Lionel at her side, and compared to earlier, she now seems in pain. “Is everything good with the kids? What about Greyson, is he on his way?” She looks at all of us.
“Sam’s going to meet my parents here and watch over the kids until we get back. Your father is leaving his office and meeting us at the hospital,” I inform her.
“None of the boys are picking up yet. But I sent them all a message to join us there as well and call the minute they see my message.” Ronnie smiles sympathetically at Emma.
“Oh God, what if their flight was delayed? What if they don’t make it on time? I can’t go through this alone!” Em bends over with a hand on her stomach as she groans loudly. I’m guessing the contractions have started.
“It’s going to be fine. You won’t be alone, we’re all here with you,” Cecilia says calmly while rubbing Em’s back.
“But… but what about my birthday party in two days!?” she whines and I can’t help but giggle. Leave it to Em to worry about a birthday party while she’s in labor.
“Emma, you’re about to have two beautiful babies in your arms. There won’t be a party. It will just have to wait until you’re back on your feet,” Ronnie tells her softly.
“Ugh! Why does this have to happen to me!” she whines, stomping her foot again but then doubles over as another contraction hits.
“Okay, let’s get you to the hospital before I’m forced to deliver this baby in the middle of the room.” Lionel chuckles as he ushers her out of the house with us following closely behind.
By the time we get to the hospital, her contractions are worse, and we still can’t get a hold of anyone. She’s now been placed in a room with me, my mother, and her father at her side. She didn’t want me to leave and has been making me call Greyson every minute.
“AHHH!!!” Emma screams in pain. “God, why is this happening now!? Why isn’t he picking up!?”
“I’ll try again,” I tell her soothingly as I video call my brother once more. Relief fills me when the call connects and my brother’s face shows up on my screen. The camera moves around as he sits down in the car, and I hear Silas’s voice in the background.
“Greyson?” His name almost sounds foreign on my tongue with how long it’s been since I last said it.
His eyes snap down to the phone as he frowns, but there’s worry in his eyes. “How’s Em? Are the babies already here?” he rushes out.
I shake my head, a little hurt that he practically didn’t acknowledge me. “No, but her contractions are intense and she’s seven centimeters dilated. The doctor said she needs to be at ten.”
Emma screams in the background, and I see the panic filling his eyes. “Pass me to her,” he orders.
I hold the phone up in front of Emma who’s wiggling on the bed, trying to find a way to ease the pain. “Greyson, where are you? Why aren’t you here yet?”
“I’m sorry, baby. There was a problem at the airport, and they wouldn’t let us off the plane. But I’m on my way now, okay? Everything’s going to be fine.”
“I can’t do this without you, Wolf,” She cries as tears fall from her eyes.
“You won’t, Bunny. I promise. I’m coming, just hang in there a little longer for me.”
She sobs louder. “Okay…”
They stay on the phone the whole trip over, and once he’s in the parking lot, he tells her he’s on his way up and hangs up. A few minutes later, the door to the room bursts open and Greyson rushes to her side.
“I’m here, Bunny. I’m here.” He kisses her sweaty forehead. “Now let’s have our boys.”
I step back as my mother comes to my side. Greyson looks over at us with that frown back in place when his gaze falls on mine. “You can leave now… Thank you.”
I can tell that thank you was forced, but I don’t call him out on it. Instead, I let the sting of his words fill my heart as I turn and let my mother walk us out of the room, leaving Em with Greyson and Lance at her side.
When we make it back to the waiting room, I find Shane talking with Lionel as they stand off to the side of the room.
My need for comfort takes hold of me and I rush over to him before losing the battle on my emotions.
His arms open just in time to catch me as my arms and legs wrap around him, his hand quickly cradling the back of my head with his other on my butt.
“Angel?”
“Please just hold me.” My voice breaks as tears form in my eyes.
His hold on my tightens. “I’ve got you, sweetheart. I’ve got you.”
“I swear, I don’t care if that man is having babies right now. If he doesn’t pull his head out of his ass soon, I’m going to rip it out myself and it won’t be pretty,” I hear Ronnie mutter behind us, and it makes a small smile spread on my lips.
After a few minutes, I can tell Shane is starting to get uncomfortable with how stiff his body is getting, so I unwrap myself from him and lower to the ground. I smile reassuringly at him as I take his hand and sit us down near our friends.
Lionel, being done with his duties for the time being, wishes us all goodbye and leaves. I bring my thumbnail to my lips and chew on the end as my stomach rumbles silently, claiming to be hungry… again.