Chapter 13
ROYCE
JULY
NINE MONTHS PREGNANT
“Hey Mari, come here.” I am sitting on the couch looking at the message I just got on my phone. I am conflicted about telling her. I am doing my best to not stress her out at her final stage of pregnancy, but I also don’t want to keep secrets from her. Smiling, I watch her waddle into the room.
“Yeah babe what’s up?” I pat the couch beside me and stand so I can help her sit. It is hard for her to sit down, stand up, see her feet, or anything really. Once she is seated, I look at her and pray I am doing the right thing. “Royce, is everything alright?” God, I hope so.
“Yeah. So I just heard back from my friend that was doing the search for your biological father and today he texted me and said he found him.” Holding my breath, I wait for her to react, but she has this stunned look on her face. “Baby say something.” She looks at me like I didn’t just tell her potential life altering information.
“How can he be sure?” Her voice is so sullen and void of emotion.
“Well, you gave the blood sample. He back traced your mom’s movements from her teenage years talking to some of the townsfolk who remembered her. One of the ladies who said they were best friends, recalled your mom being involved with an older man named Mario Hoffman.” The name jerks her head towards me.
“Huh. I wonder if she did that on purpose?” She is looking off into the distance and my heart is breaking for her because I don't know what to do.
“Did what on purpose baby?”
“Mario. Mariella.” Oh shit. That didn’t even occur to me. “It’s like she was teasing me. Being cruel and I didn't even know it.” Fuck what I wouldn’t give to choke the shit out of her mom for all she put her through. That’s still not entirely off the table. I am unsure if I should continue. But then she looks at me and nods her head. “Go on.” Clearing my throat because she is scaring me, I take a deep breath and finish.
“He followed him for weeks trying to get a sample. A deserted coffee cup. A cigarette which he doesn’t smoke. Anything really. But then one day he got into the country club he is a part of and managed to get a cigar he left in the tray. He had it tested against your sample, and it came back positive.”
“Did he know about me?”
“My friend is unsure. He doesn’t believe so, but you won’t know until well…you know.” Finally she looks at me and I pull her into my arms. “Baby should I have not told you?” Did I make a mistake?
“No Royce. You did the right thing. I think I’m just numb. I mean I knew you were looking for him, for me, but I guess I never let myself get my hopes up that we would actually find him.”
“I get that babe.” Kissing the side of head, I rub her lower back because I know it has got to be hurting her.
“Mmm. That feels good.” She closes her eyes, and I take a second to marvel at how strong she is and doesn’t even realize it. I mean look she is nine months pregnant, swollen feet and achy back not once has she complained. Placing my hand on her belly, I rub my not so busy daughter who seems to have grown overnight. She kicks my hand once and I smile before focusing back on my wife. “Do you know where he lives?”
“Yes. He lives in California.”
“What does he do for a living?” she asks.
“An entertainment lawyer.” She simply nods. “Hey, why don’t we worry about this later? Let me run you a warm bath, put your bath pillow in it, and you just relax. When you get out I can rub your back. How does that sound?
“Like the best idea yet.” So, that is what I proceed to do. I run her a bath making sure it is not hot; she stays in it an hour with me coming in every fifteen minutes to fill it back up with warm water. Once she is done, I dry her off and give her two options.
“Do you want your spicy ramen kimchi bowl or a massage?” While she thinks it over, I put her back against my chest and lift up her belly, relieving some of the weight. She sags against me and sighs not having to hold or carry this for a few minutes.
“Oh my gosh, you really are a good guy.” I kiss her neck and whisper in her ear.
“Only in public, baby. At home I’m the owner and master of your body.” she moans and turns her head to meet my mouth. It's a slow, lazy kiss, not about sex but about us.
“Did you make a choice?” I know she is thinking about it because that spicy bowl has been one of the things we have been trying out. We are trying to induce labor and so far nothing has worked. We have been fucking like bunnies but nothing. She has been eating all of the spicy food. We have been walking, exercising, squatting, everything but this little girl of mine is stubborn.
“Does a massage come with my favorite thing?” leaning into her mouth, I slide my tongue through pulling at her sensitive nipples. “Shit Royce.” I step back teasing her.
“Make a choice, baby.” She pretends to think it over before smiling.
“Can I have my spicy ramen bowl after?” Laughing I pull her into my arms as much as I can.
“You can have anything you want, good girl.” She grabs onto my head and pulls me down for another soul wrenching kiss. Without breaking apart, I guide us to the bed behind us and remove my shorts. I already wasn’t wearing a shirt. Scooting back onto the bed, I stroke my cock salivating over her blush pink nipples. They are swollen in the best way possible. She is secreting right now, not milk yet but it doesn’t stop me from tugging on them until something drips out. “Come baby, let me help you up.” gripping her ass, I pull her onto the bed and smile like I do every time she looks at me like Hercules because I can still lift her.
“You never cease to amaze me,” she says.
“Good. Now slide your amazed cunt down this prick.” Her eyes get hooded before she straddles my leg and slowly seats her herself.
“Royce. It always feels so good.” She groans when she is finally seated.
“Trust me, nothing feels better than your hot weepy snatch. Jesus even with my daughter inside of you the baby cave is tight as fuck.” she slowly moves back and forth on me, moaning softly. When my mouth latches onto her nipples she pulls me further into her tits and mewls softly. My hands, however, begin rubbing her lower back, making sure to press the part that really bothers her.
“Oh damn. I don’t know which one feels better. Your cock or your hands relieving the ache.” groaning, I thrust up once and she throws her head back. “Never mind. It’s definitely your cock. "That better be her answer. During moments like these it is not about getting her off, but about being connected and doing what I can to remind her she is the sexiest, strongest most sensual woman in the world to me. I want her to hold onto the fact that I love her beyond measure.
“How are you feeling, love?”
“So much better. But now I need you to…” she stops mid-sentence and then I feel a gush of liquid. I am about to make a joke about her being horny, but then she bends over and howls and the world stops. Oh shit. She is in labor!
For once in my life my mind fritzes out and I forget what it is I am supposed to do. “Royce!!” she yells at me. “If you don’t get your big cock out of me and help me get in the car I am never fucking you again.” Well that got me moving.
I pull her off me, get some clothes on us, and slowly walk her to the car. Her moans and screams gut me because this is not something I can fix. Once she is safely buckled into the car, I run inside grab her go bag and my phone. In the car, I speed off and call her doctor from the car phone.
“Dr. Linday speaking.”
“Doc this is Royce and Mari. Her water broke.”
“How far apart are the contractions?”
“Two to three minutes.”
“Well it would appear she is now anxious to meet you.”
I am about to agree when Mila shouts, “You think!?” My eyes get big because I have never seen her so much as get annoyed at another person let alone scream at someone.
“I will meet you at the hospital.” Hanging up I try to help soothe her by reminding her of the breathing we learned in Lamaze but apparently that was a mistake.
“Royce, shut up. You sound like a tea kettle, and it is really pissing me off. Just drive.” Well shit. I am at a loss because I don’t know how to help so I simply just tell her the truth.
“I love you baby. It will all be worth it when we meet our baby girl.” For the first time since this started, she smiles at me.
“I know you’re right, Royce. But fucking shit this hurts.” Another contraction hits her, and I simply try to get us there faster.
Once we get there and they put her into a room, I sit next to her giving her ice chips and just kissing her head. I tell her how great she is and how beautiful she is. Finally the doctor comes in, checks her and announces we are ready.
I call my parents so hopefully by the time they make it she is already here. They usher me to the back to put on my scrubs and then we are off.
For twenty minutes my wife pushes and breathes. When the doctor says she can see the head I move down between her legs and damn near cry. “Baby I see her. She has a head full of hair already. Holy shit, Mari I see her.” I move back to her side and grip her hand. “Just squeeze me baby and look at me. I am here. Let’s do this together.” Nodding and crying, she gives it another three pushes and then there is wailing.
“Royce. Oh God. We did it. We did it.” Leaning over, tears coming down my face, I kiss the bravest woman I know and agree.
“We did it baby.” I want to go see what they are doing but I am not leaving Mari’s side. Finally the nurse hands her to me.
“Here you go, daddy. Nine pounds and nine ounces. You got a beautiful, chunky baby girl.” My arms shake as I move her to Mari and put her in her mama's arms.
“She’s beautiful,” Mari says, checking her fingers and toes.
“She is baby. She really is.”
“Hi baby girl. I am your mama, and this is your daddy. We have been waiting to meet you.” Jesus, I have a family. My mind is still trying to catch up when she looks at me. “Are we keeping the name we chose?”
Slowly taking her from Mari, and walking around the room bouncing her in my arms, I nod my head. “Welcome to the world Rae Moon Horace.” Walking back over to my wife, I hand the baby to her so the nurse can show her how to breastfeed. Rapt with fascination, my heart is overflowing with love and devotion for the two ladies in my life like it always will be. Forever.