Chapter 38
Thirty-Eight
Relax. Such a simple word, and yet, each time Hawk said it, her nerves were splicing apart. Jessie was dangerously close to telling the man she loved to never say that five letter word in her presence again.
Jessie’s fingers tugged at Hawk’s shirt as they folded around the fabric.
They’d made it back to the house and were very slowly making it inside.
She’d had to just sit in the truck outside the house while she rode out a particularly tough contraction.
Now, they were riding another one out on the porch.
“Can you rub my back? It’s killing me,” she groaned.
Jessie wasn’t one-hundred percent sure before, but something was screaming inside her that Bee was ready to meet them.
Their front door opened, the telltale squeak giving it away, but she couldn’t see who was there because Hawk’s broad shoulders were blocking the view.
“Phoenix.” Gunner. And from the cold clip in his voice, he was in protector mode at the moment.
“Colt briefed us. The house is clear. Nash went back to Montgomery Defense with the wives and kids, but Sebastian and Gage are out back, and I’ll be planted right here until we know what’s going on.
Beau is with Birdie and Hayes just let us know they are on their way over here with all her gear.
Oh, and Doc? Mae stayed here too. She’s in the living room. ”
No, no! Everyone was gone and there was still so much to do for tomorrow. She knew it was the right call, because Dakota was clearly dangerous, but her heart sank knowing she was going to let Lachlan and her family down again.
“Okay. Any word on Dakota?” Hawk asked as the last tendrils of the contraction finally released her. Jessie pushed off his chest, her hands instantly going to her back as she waddled towards the door.
“Hey, Gunner.”
His face softened. “Jessie. You good?”
“Yep. Just maybe having a baby.”
Gunner smiled and held open the door for her.
She took two steps inside and froze. Their beautiful house was a disaster.
Why the hell had Dakota done that? Boxes were knocked over, broken glass and ceramic scattered about.
What a mess. She turned towards the small closet under the stairs and grabbed the broom and dustpan.
“Whoa. There’s no way a lady in labor is about to sweep and clean.” Hayes smiled as he grabbed the broom from her hands.
“When did you get here?”
“A while ago. I took off with Colt at first, but Lach sent out an SOS about you being in labor and Hawk bringing you over here. It made more sense for me to make sure you were protected until you could get to the hospital.”
“This is nothing. We’re just in a wait and see situation right now, right Chief?”
As soon as the words left her mouth, the universe laughed. Because right then and there, a tightness squeezed around her, and then she felt a pop at the top of her stomach as wetness spread down her legs. Jessie gasped, holding the bottom of her belly, while she frantically shook her head at Hawk.
“What? What is it?” he asked, grabbing her elbow as her knees wobbled.
She didn’t want to say the words out loud. Because somehow, the contractions hadn’t made it real. The fluttering of activity around her hadn’t made it real. Getting back to the house hadn’t made it real. But the instant her water broke, that sent her over the edge.
“Breathe, Jessie,” Mae’s voice drifted over from behind her.
“Can you tell us what’s going on?” Stone’s voice was calm while Hawk’s hands stabilized her, and she let herself fall into his chest.
“M-My water just broke. I’m sure of it. The baby’s really coming.”
Hawk smiled, gathering her face in his hands, a quick kiss pressing against her lips. That was all it took for her to feel at ease again.
“We’ve got this—”
“I’m here!” Birdie called out as she walked into the house, Beau not far behind her. “Oh boy, I know that look.”
She’d barely even turned to Jessie before the tears were welling. “I think the baby’s coming.”
“Well yeah, of course she is. Fords are dramatic.”
“She’s a Morgan.” Hawk’s correction made Jessie smile.
“Well, the baby will probably be calm in the face of all the excitement she’s causing then, right?”
Jessie laughed. “Right.”
“Hawk, can you help Jessie upstairs? I want to get a gauge on how fast things are progressing before we make any decisions.”
“Ride in my arms or walk on your own?” he asked.
“God, I love you. Thank you for giving me a choice.” Her hand reached out and she laced her fingers through his. “I’m walking.”
“Alright, if you’re not a Morgan, or soon to be a Morgan, I think mom and dad would like a little peace and privacy.” Birdie announced as Jessie climbed the stairs.
“If you need us to call an ambulance—” Beau said.
“Or drive you guys all in—” Stone started to say before Birdie cut them off.
“We’ve got this handled. I promise. Stone, stay close in case I need a second pair of qualified hands. Everyone else, clear out. I think you’ll be of more use to Colt than you will be to me.”
Two minutes later they were upstairs in their bedroom, Jessie trying her best to make it through the next contraction without thinking about how badly she wanted to change out of her wet clothes.
“Okay, just breathe, mama. You’ve got this. I’m right here.” Hawk’s hands dug into the hollow of her back as she rocked back and forth. God, her belly felt like it was between her knees. Bee had dropped, especially after her water broke, and the pressure was making her legs shake.
“Birdie… she feels like she’s going to fall out.”
“Let’s get you situated on the bed, and I’ll check how far you’ve progressed.”
Hawk helped Jessie sit on the edge of the bed, dread spreading through her at the thought of having to lie flat on her back.
But she pushed through, letting her back hit the pillows as Hawk’s fingers hooked the band of her shorts.
Her hand moved automatically, clamping down on his hand. “I think I’m about to freak out.”
Hawk smiled. “I’ve helped you get undressed before Jessie. I promise, there’s nothing to be nervous about.”
She couldn’t help the laughter that broke free from her chest. “Not about that. I t-think she’s coming. I don’t think we’re going to make it to the hospital.”
“It’s a good thing I’m here then, isn’t it?” Birdie smiled as Hawk finished taking Jessie’s wet shorts and panties off, draping a big blanket over her exposed lower half.
“I want to do a quick Doppler to check on Bee’s heart rate and then I’m going to see how you’re progressing. Are you okay with all that?”
“What choice do I really have?”
“You always have a choice,” Birdie and Hawk said at the same time.
“You’ve got a good man here by your side, Jess. Hawk, why don’t you take her hand? I have a feeling another contraction’s going to start soon and I want to be listening to the baby’s heartbeat through it.”
Jessie’s mind faded back into the abyss as her stomach clenched. Somewhere, deep within the burning ache at the center of her body, Jessie felt the smallest pull of her instincts telling her the time to bare down was coming.
The contraction eased, and Hawk smoothed back the frizzy hair that was clinging to her forehead.
“Bee’s heart rate looks textbook. I’m going to check and see how far you’re dilated. Feet together, drop your knees out.”
Jessie closed her eyes as Birdie’s hand slipped under the blanket. She waited for her friend’s voice to pull her back into the room, but it didn’t come. And when she opened her eyes, and found nothing but shock on Birdie’s features, Jessie freaked.
“What’s wrong?” She watched Birdie and Hawk exchange concerned looks.
“Nothing. You’re doing great, Jess, and so is the baby.” Birdie reassured her.
“But?” Hawk barked.
“She’s almost fully dilated. There is just the smallest lip of your cervix left, Jess.
I assumed with the way you’ve been pulling into yourself during contractions, that we hit transition.
We can’t move her right now, Hawk. Certainly not to put her in your truck and attempt to get to Bell Ridge.
The safest thing for Jessie and the baby is for her to deliver here. ”
“No,” Jessie gasped. She’d been thinking it, but to hear Birdie say it… “No. We have time.” She propped up her torso with her elbows. “Help me up, Hawk. You can carry me down to the truck. I won’t argue now.”
“Jess, I know how important it was for things to go according to your birth plan—”
“No, Birdie. Just, no. We’re going to the hospital. You’re just going to deliver the baby there. Not here.”
“Listen to me. With where you’re at right now, and how far away the hospital is, I’m not comfortable trying to make it there. The baby would probably be born before we reached the highway.”
“No,” she cried as her stomach clenched again. Her jaw was so tight she felt like her teeth might start breaking.
“I know this isn’t what we planned.” Hawk’s hands were still wrapped warmly around hers, and she knew she was squeezing them so hard he’d have bruises.
“But you need to relax your body. Birdie knows what she’s doing.
If she says we can’t make it to the hospital, but she has everything here to safely deliver the baby, then I think we need to stay here. ”
“I don’t want to do it here,” her voice hitched as the tears she’d been working so hard to hide finally broke free. “I want to be at the hospital. If something’s wrong…”
“Nothing is wrong, and like Hawk said, I have everything we need here. I know it’s not ideal, but it is the safest thing for you and your baby. I don’t think we’re going to have to wait much longer until she’s here.”
Hawk raced to the door. Stone was pacing at the bottom of the stairs, and Hawk didn’t hesitate to call out to him.
“Doc?”
“Yeah?” Stone turned around and looked up at Hawk. “What do you need?”
“Water. Ice. There should be a box of fluffy towels down there, probably in the kitchen or the laundry room. Can you bring that all upstairs.”