10. Chapter Ten
Chapter Ten
Cade
“Hee-hee-hee-woosh,” Cade breathed as Sela sat in front of him practicing her Lamaze breathing. It was August, and the babies were due in the middle of September. The Lamaze classes weren’t for Sela because she’d already had the gorgeous Carlotta. They were for the three Delacroixs. They had no idea what to expect during childbirth, so they’d hired an instructor to come to their house to teach them, especially Ford because everyone knew he passed out at the first sign of blood.
“Good, Cade. Maybe a little slower so you both don’t hyperventilate, but you’ve got the gist of it. How about Dad number two?” She wore a friendly smile while Sela giggled.
Their Lamaze coach was Cyndi Crow, the sister of Janelle who worked for Jax. She’d given them assignments and videos to watch regarding not just the birth but the first few months after they had the two babies home. She’d called it more than just childbirth, and Cade appreciated it. None of them had the slightest clue how to take care of babies.
“Do we all need to know how to do the breathing thing? I mean, only one of us will be in the room, right? Isn’t the Dad’s role to stay in the waiting room? We had a neighbor one time…” Jax began.
Sela laughed as she sat up with help from Cade. “Jackson, you’re all going to be in the room because after Ford faints from the blood, I’ll need one of you to take care of him and the other to help me bring your babies into the world. Once they vacate the premises, you’re on your own with two little crying poop machines, and I can’t wait to watch.” She brushed her hand over her large abdomen.
Cade was pretty sure the babies were Jax and Ford’s because of how big Sela had grown. He was sure if one was his, it would be small. Regardless of their parentage, he’d still love them because they were part of his husbands.
“Wait, you mean you won’t…” Ford began.
Sela laughed. “Carlie and I are going home, and after I recover a little, you three are sending me to the spa in Sedona, remember? You agreed to watch Carlie while you bond with your babies and allow me to come back and just be the auntie. It’s too late to renege,” she told them.
Cade laughed first. It was exactly what they’d promised, along with a tummy tuck if she so desired, so they’d made their bed. They’d have to lie in it, but what a lovely bed it would be. Two beautiful babies to make their life even more full. It was perfect.
Cade was looking up the meanings of names on Labor Day afternoon while their guests were swimming in the outdoor pool. There were about thirty people in attendance, and he’d made the rounds, but he needed time alone to consider some things.
He’d just turned twenty-five in August. They’d had an intimate celebration with just family, and it had been incredible.
“ Wake up, Uncle Cade.” Carlotta shook his shoulders.
He opened his eyes to see her kneeling on the bed holding a cupcake with a candle in it. Ford, Jax, and a pregnant Sela were standing behind her, along with Winnie and Connor, all singing happy birthday as he fought hard not to piss the bed.
After he blew out the candle, he leaped out the other side and ran around them to the bathroom, slamming the door. He could hear the laughter beyond the door, and it made him smile. He had several people who loved him, and it was a blessing… even if they enjoyed torturing him.
When he came out of the john, he could see it was just Jax and Ford standing there, and they were packing things into a bag. “Where’s everyone?” He continued to brush his teeth.
“ We’re going away for a couple of days. Sela and Carlie will be fine with Winnie and Connor. They’ll call us if anything happens, and we’ll be close enough to get home fast. Grab some clothes, Kincade.” Ford pointed to the small suitcase on the bed.
He went to his side of the closet and started to grab underwear. Jax immediately engulfed him in strong arms. “You won’t need those, chére. You’ll only need something to wear today, and something to wear home on Sunday. Between times? No clothes allowed,” he whispered as he kissed up the side of Kincade’s neck, making him shiver. It was all very clandestine and exciting.
They ended up in a cabin near the Fox River. It was secluded and small, but there was running water and a private boat dock, along with a king-sized bed and a deck that faced the west so they could watch the sunset. They picked up some food to cook in the small kitchen, but the lovemaking all over the small cabin would be what Cade remembered about his twenty-fifth birthday. It was almost as if they were playing Twister. The contortions in which they found themselves sometimes were unbelievable, but a few sore muscles were worth the effort. It had been perfect.
There was a soft knock on the door of the office, so he got up to open it, finding Sela. “Can I lie down in here?” she asked.
Cade noticed her feet and hands were swollen, and her face seemed puffy as well. He led her inside and helped her onto the couch, propping her feet up on some pillows. “Are you okay?” he asked.
“Too much sun,” she responded as she closed her eyes. Cade went to the bathroom down the hall and grabbed a hand towel to wet with cool water. He returned to the office to place it over her forehead.
“That feels incredible. What are you doing in here by yourself?” she asked as she pulled the cold towel over her eyes.
“I was looking up baby names. I thought we should know what they mean. Jax’s French heritage led me to consider names like Juliette, after his mother, or Louise, Mila, or Chloe, for girls, and Leo, Lucas, Jules, or Remy, for boys.
“I also found out Thomas can be French as well, so I started looking up names from my heritage. My own surname, Hayes, is Irish so that opens many other doors like Janna, Katharine, Maeve, or Margaret. The boys’ names—.” Cade glanced toward the couch when he noticed Sela’s soft snores.
He took her wrist to check her pulse, finding it much higher than he felt was safe. He hurried from the room and went down to the hall to find Jax. “Come with me. You know some medical stuff, right?”
Cade led Jax into the office and over to Sela. “She wasn’t feeling well. Her pulse seems to be racing, and her feet and hands are swollen. Is she okay?” His voice was trembling with nerves.
Jax knelt next to the couch and took her wrist, removing the cool towel from her forehead. He leaned forward and listened to her breathing before he turned to Cade with a controlled smile. “Call the hospital and Dr. Hu. It’s time.”
He picked up Sela and started down the stairs with her. Cade didn’t question him. He pulled out his phone and did as Jackson told him.
An hour later, Cade and Ford were sitting in the maternity waiting room while Jax was bothering the staff once again. “Sela Thomas. S-E-L-A-T-H-O-M-A-S,” he gritted out.
The door to the maternity operating room opened and Dr. Hu came out, taking off a cap from her head. She turned to the three of them and smiled. “Everybody’s fine. Sela’s blood pressure spiked, so we delivered the twins by C-section. They’re perfectly fine. Sela’s in recovery now. It was good you got her here when you did.”
Guilt swamped Cade for not worrying about Sela more when she came into the office and laid on the couch, but they had two babies. “So, our babies?” he asked.
Doctor Hu smiled. “You want to see them? You want the surprise, or do you want to know what they are? You’ve never wanted—”
“Just fuckin’ tell us,” Jax snapped, bringing a laugh from Cade and Dr. Hu.
“A boy—six pounds, one ounce, and a girl—five pounds, six ounces. That adds up to a baby that weighs eleven pounds and seven ounces, so you’re going to owe Sela a great gift, guys.” She led them back to the nursery.
They headed toward the glass viewing window, and Dr. Hu laughed. “You can come inside, guys. Let’s just get you suited up to meet your babies.”
After scrubbing their hands and slipping on yellow gowns over their clothes, they walked into the nursery to find their babies in an incubator. The nurse there smiled. “Just to keep them warm. Who wants whom?” She reached into the plexiglass bed.
She swaddled a pink blanket around the girl and turned to Jax. “Poppa, you look like you can hold this little beauty.” She placed the little girl into his huge arms.
Cade noticed tears leaking down his husband’s face, and he couldn’t hold his own as he watched Jax kiss the little girl on her forehead. Based on the few wisps of hair peeking out, she had light brown hair which meant she could have been Ford’s or Cade’s.
“Okay, Dad, how about you take the big brother?” She put the little boy in Cade’s arms.
He turned to see Ford was sobbing, so he understood why she handed him the baby first. Peeking out from under the little blue cap was strawberry-blonde hair, which meant he could have been Ford’s or Jax’s.
Cade raised the boy closer and kissed his forehead as Jax had done with the girl. Their daughter. He was a bit stunned to look into the face of the little boy in his arms and think of him as Cade’s, along with his sister. The three of them were in it together, regardless of DNA. The three Delacroixs had a boy and a girl. Life would never be the same, but oh, it would be magical.