CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX #2
Julian dragged himself out of bed and went to the small, attached bathroom to splash water on his face. He’d crashed in the bedroom as soon as they’d taken off after refueling.
It had been ten stressful days in Singapore, but the operation had finally been secured, and they were on their way back to the US. It was the first time he’d dealt with corporate espionage, and he hoped and prayed it was the last time too.
Leaving the bedroom at the back of the plane, he found that most of the rest of his team were also sleeping. Elijah, however, was awake and sitting at the small boardroom table, his Bible open in front of him. He looked up as Julian sat down in the chair across from him.
“Have you slept at all?” Julian asked.
“Yep. I’ve only been awake for about twenty minutes.”
“How far are we from New York? Do you know?”
“I don’t.”
When Tracy, the flight attendant, approached them, she told them they had two hours before they’d begin their descent into New York City.
After giving them the information, she asked if they wanted anything to eat. She listed off what was available, and both he and Elijah asked for the full breakfast option. Julian also asked for a cup of coffee, feeling an intense need for caffeine.
Julian was so grateful that Elijah had come along with the team on the trip. The man had been a steady calming influence throughout the highly stressful time. And he’d been there for a life-changing moment for Julian.
During the times when Julian wasn’t tied up with Sean and the team at the R&D division, he and Elijah had had some deep conversations about the questions Julian had about the sermons he’d heard.
Elijah had been incredibly patient with Julian's questions, never making him feel stupid for not knowing the answers that probably seemed basic to someone who’d learned about the Bible his whole life.
Instead, he'd shared more about his own journey of faith, how he'd come to believe, and the ways his relationship with God had transformed his life.
And midway through their time in Singapore, amid the most intense situation he’d ever dealt with, Julian had finally made the decision to commit his life to God. He hadn’t felt an immediate change in himself, but he’d prayed each day for wisdom as he dealt with the security breach.
And he believed that God had answered that prayer.
They were leaving Singapore with the situation resolved.
The people who’d tried to steal the information on the FemPulse were in custody.
From what they could tell, they’d managed to contain the breach before the most confidential information had been obtained.
Sean’s diligence and keen observation skills had caught things early on, for which Julian was grateful.
"What are your plans when we get back?" Elijah asked after Tracy had brought them mugs of coffee.
Julian wrapped his hands around the warm mug, savoring the heat against his palms. "First, I have to brief Duncan on everything, then I need to get back to Kiara. I've been away too long."
He hadn’t told her yet that they’d left Singapore. His plan was to let her know once he had an idea of how long he’d have to stay in New York. He hoped that it would only take a day or two for him to handle the meetings he needed to have there.
"She's getting close to her due date, isn't she?"
"It’s about two weeks away, if everything goes according to schedule." Julian took a sip of his coffee, wincing slightly as the heat hit his tongue. "But from what I’ve read, babies rarely follow schedules."
Elijah smiled. "True. My sister's first came three weeks early, and her second was two weeks late. You just never know."
"I've been thinking about something you said earlier," Julian said after Tracy had brought them their breakfast. "About how becoming a Christian doesn't instantly fix all your problems, but it gives you a different perspective on them."
Elijah nodded, his expression thoughtful.
"It's true. My life hasn't been perfect or easy. You know that. After all, we met in rehab. My dad was never one to admit that he needed God’s help. Because I struggled a lot, I always felt like I was a failure. One of the things I’ve had to learn is that I need God’s help.
And then I have to accept that God is there to walk with me through the difficult times.
Through the times of temptation. It is with His strength that I can get through them. They are no longer insurmountable.”
Julian ran a hand through his hair, the edges still damp from splashing his face.
"I think that's what I'm starting to understand. I can’t do it all by myself.
All these years, I've been carrying everything alone because I thought it was what I deserved.
The guilt about Angela's kidnapping, my struggles with alcohol, the pressure from work. It's exhausting.”
“Well, now you need to turn to God when you’re struggling,” Elijah said. “And don’t be afraid to ask me to pray for you. I want to do that for you.”
“I appreciate that,” Julian said with a smile. “I want to do that for you too, but as a new Christian, I feel like I don’t have as much pull with God as you do.”
Elijah chuckled. “That’s not how it works. You’re a child of God now. New or old, He will hear our prayers.”
“Will you let me know if I can pray for you too then?”
“I will,” Elijah said. “How are you feeling about Kiara and the baby? I’ve been praying for you and her.”
Julian took a bite of his eggs Benedict, buying himself some time before answering. “To be honest, I’m not sure how I feel. Sometimes it doesn’t seem real. Like I’m married and will soon be a dad.”
“Are you still wondering if the baby is yours?”
Julian shook his head. “Now that I’ve gotten to know Kiara more, I don’t think she’d do that. She had nothing to gain by lying. Duncan has set her up financially, so she’ll never want for anything, whether we’re married or not.”
“Are you still planning to end the marriage?”
Wasn’t that the question of the hour? “I don’t feel as certain about that as I once did. My feelings for Kiara have… changed. But I don’t know how Kiara feels.”
“You should give your marriage a chance,” Elijah said.
“How do I even do that?” Julian asked.
Elijah didn’t answer right away, but eventually, he said, “To be honest, I don’t have an answer to that.
But I do think that perhaps spending more time with her is a good place to start.
Take care of her. Help her. You have an opportunity to do that since she’s in a place where she needs help. Both now and after the baby is born.”
“I told her that I didn’t think I needed to be in the delivery room.”
“And how did she react to that?”
“She didn’t, so I thought it was fine.”
“Perhaps one of the best ways to give things a chance between you two is for you both to talk it out.”
The conversation ended there because a couple of the guys from the security team joined them. Over the next hour, the rest of the team woke up and were served breakfast.
At one point, Anthony settled into the chair beside Julian. “Are we staying in New York?”
“I think so,” Julian said, giving Tracy a smile of thanks as she refilled his coffee. “I need to spend some time talking to Duncan.”
Anthony looked away. “I think we should continue straight on to Coeur d’Alene.”
Julian stared at his bodyguard, alarm growing at Anthony’s words. “What’s going on?”
“Kiara asked that no one be told, but Lucy thought you should know.”
Fear flooded Julian. “What’s happened?”
“Kiara is in labor.”
“It’s too early.”
Anthony shrugged. “Regardless, she’s in the hospital in Coeur d’Alene.”
“She didn’t want me to know?”
“She didn’t want anyone to know. Angela doesn’t know either.”
“And she’s in New York with Jude, isn’t she?”
Anthony nodded. “I’m not going to pass the information on to them.”
Julian lifted his mug and took a sip. He needed to be in Idaho. He wanted to be there for Kiara and to meet his son. Whether that meant he arrived in time for the birth or shortly after, he just needed to be there.
“Make the arrangements for us to fly to Coeur d’Alene as soon as we land in New York.”
They were supposed to arrive in New York early in the morning, so if they left as soon as possible after landing, they’d be in Idaho around noon considering the time difference.
“And make sure there’s a car waiting to take us to the hospital as soon as we land.”
“Will do.”
“That’s exciting,” Elijah said as Anthony walked away, his focus on his phone.
“She’s early.”
“Not too early, though,” Elijah told him. “My sister’s son was three weeks early, and he was fine.”
Julian hoped that was the case. He wanted to message her, but if Lucy was the only person with Kiara, he didn’t want her to get upset that Lucy had spilled the beans.
He knew Duncan would expect to meet with him, so he had to somehow explain why he was going straight to the estate instead of staying in New York, even for just a day.
After some thought, he tapped out a message.
I’m going to head right on to the estate. With Kiara being this close to her due date, I want to be available to her. I’ll set up a time to video chat with you once I’m there.
Julian was once again grateful for how their money made life easier because once they landed, they quickly switched planes. After the luggage was sorted out, they took off for Coeur d’Alene.
The five-hour flight seemed to stretch on forever. Anthony remained in contact with Lucy, so they knew that Kiara was still laboring.
When they landed, there were two SUVs waiting with additional security team members. One SUV took the luggage and the security team members back to the estate, while Julian, Anthony, and Elijah got in the other one and headed to the hospital.
Julian had told Elijah he didn’t have to hang around at the hospital, but he said he would keep Anthony company while they waited for the baby to make his appearance.
Going against Anthony’s instructions to wait for him, Julian practically bolted from the SUV when they arrived at the hospital, leaving Anthony and Elijah to handle the parking details. His heart hammered against his ribs as he strode through the automatic doors into the main lobby.
"I need to find my wife," he told the receptionist, his voice tight with urgency. "Kiara Burke. She's in labor."
The woman tapped on her computer. "Yes, she's in the maternity ward on the third floor. Take the elevators to your right."
Julian nodded his thanks and headed for the elevators, punching the button repeatedly as if that might make it arrive faster. The wait felt interminable, each second stretching into eternity. When the doors finally opened, he stepped inside and jabbed at the third-floor button.
His mind raced with a thousand thoughts as the elevator climbed. What if he was too late? What if something had gone wrong? Why hadn't Kiara wanted him to know?
The doors slid open, and Julian stepped into a quiet hallway. A sign pointed him toward the maternity ward, and he followed it, his footsteps quickening. At the nurse’s station, he stopped, trying to control his breathing.
"I'm looking for Kiara Burke," he said to the nurse behind the counter. "I'm Julian Burke, her husband."
The nurse checked her computer. "She's in Room 312. She's still in active labor."
Relief washed over him. He hadn't missed the birth. "Thank you."
Julian followed the room numbers until he found 312. He paused outside the door, suddenly uncertain. He'd told Kiara he didn't want to be in there with her. What if she hadn’t wanted him there to begin with?
But he couldn't just stand in the hallway—he needed to see her, to make sure she was alright. If she didn’t want him there, he’d go… but only as far as the waiting room.
Gently pushing the door open, Julian stepped inside.
The room was dimly lit, with soft beeping from monitors filling the silence. Lucy stood by the bed, holding Kiara's hand. When she saw Julian, her eyes widened in surprise.
"Julian," she said quietly.
Kiara's head turned toward him, her face flushed and damp with perspiration. Her hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, curls escaping around her face. She looked exhausted but beautiful.
"You're here," she whispered, her voice cracking slightly.
Julian moved to the bed, his throat tight with emotion. "I'm here."
Lucy let go of her hand and stepped back from the bed. “I’ll go check in with Anthony.”
Julian nodded, his gaze on Kiara. “How are you doing?”
She lifted her hand to brush a curl back from her face. “I think I’m okay. All things considered.”
“Are you okay with me being here?”
Before she could answer, he saw her eyes flutter closed, and she began to breathe heavily. Realizing what was happening, Julian reached out and took her hand, which had curled into a tight fist. As soon as he took her hand, she loosened her fingers and gripped his.
He had no idea what to do, so he just stood there, offering her support with soft words of encouragement.
Finally, she relaxed, the tension going out of her body as she inhaled and then let out a long breath. He waited for her eyes to open, and when they did, she looked right at him.
“I’m fine with you being here,” she said. “I’m just surprised. I didn’t know you were coming home today.”
“I wasn’t sure if I was going to come today or in a couple of days, but then a little bird told us what was going on,” he said. “And I knew I wanted to be here.”
A tired smile crossed Kiara’s face. “A little bird, huh? A Lucy bird?”
“Well, she didn’t tell me,” Julian said. “She told Anthony, and he decided to tell me.”
Her eyes fluttered closed again, but it didn’t seem like another contraction was coming just yet because she didn’t tense up.
“I’m glad you came.”
Julian smiled, then turned as the nurse approached him with a wheeled stool. He settled down on it, Kiara’s hand still in his, prepared to stay right at her side until their son entered the world.