Epilogue
PENELOPE
Two Months Later
I tried to smile with everyone else as Laura took the stage. She was glowing from how happy she was. I wasn’t assuming, I knew she was happy. She’d come over to the cabin with a tub of ice cream in tow the other night, crying over what Killian had done for her.
He’d paid to renovate this place for her.
New stage, lights, the piano was top of the line. The space was larger, the bar in the back extended, with new appliances. The entire place looked new.
There were even comfortable seats to sit in after Laura had heard me whine about my back. She was in regular demand at The Hollow, which was fun for Natty, Callie and me and the girls nights we consistently required.
Although this chair wasn’t nearly as comfortable as it seemed last week.
No matter how I sat, my back seemed to throb in pain. I hissed, trying to adjust again only to have Callie glance over.
“What’s wrong?”
I adjusted again. “Nothing, just can’t get comfortable.”
“Here,” she stood, trying to help me, “stand up, I’ll find you a pillow.”
“Where are you—” she’d already walked off, and the house lights were dimmed indicating that Laura was about to start singing.
I stood, as Callie rushed back, a small pillow in hand but froze, her eyes going wide…and dropping to my feet.
I spilled water or…
“Your water broke!”
Oh shit.
My water… “Laura!” Callie cupped her hands, yelling over the heads of all the people sitting at tables to hear Laura sing.
My face flushed. Callie’s filter was non-existent these days, not that I had known her long enough to know if she used to have one.
Laura rushed off the stage, right as Natty made her way from the bar.
Harris, Riley and Brick hurried over, all watching for danger.
“She’s in labor!” Callie urged, and gripped my hand.
Harris seemed to panic, his eyes went wide as he looked down at my stomach. My blue jeans were soaked, and to think I was feeling prideful just yesterday about how I could still fit in them as long as I folded them down.
“Jameson will need to know.” Riley said, carefully guiding me up the stairs.
Fuck, why did this place have such steep stairs?
Each step felt like daggers were being dragged over my stomach.
“Want me to carry you, Penny?” Harris asked hesitantly. I’d grown close to the older biker, to the point he felt almost like a father to me. More so than anyone else.
But still, I couldn’t fathom the idea of—
A burning pain seared across my abdomen, making me moan in pain.
“Yes, fuck. Please carry me. Get me the fuck out of here.”
I slammed my eyes closed as Harris picked me up and began to run. I held onto my stomach, not watching as he tucked me into the car, or to even see where my friends went. I was focusing on breathing.
The next thing I knew we were pulling into the hospital.
My eyes wouldn’t open because the pain was so intense.
“Where is he?” Harris asked gruffly. I knew he was asking about Jamie.
I wanted to know too. It was rare he left me alone these days, especially with Luke trying to come back around.
“On his way.” That was Riley.
When had I made it into this room?
“You’ll need to get into a gown, Penelope.” Doctor Beckett informed me, calmly. I opened my eyes, seeing her confident smile.
She ushered the men out of the room, but allowed me to have one friend. I chose Natty, as her and I had become closer than I was with Laura or Callie.
“Here.” Laura helped me into the god-awful gown, it was gray with blue stripes.
“It’s completely open in the front.” I gaped.
A nurse walked in, carrying something. I wasn’t paying attention.
“Yep, not much privacy from here on out.”
Okay…
“You can tie these strings over your breast to keep them somewhat covered.”
I fumbled with the strings, awkwardly arched as pain continued to rip through my middle.
“Just get into bed, Pen. I’ll do all this for you.
” Natty stroked my back, and urged me toward the bed.
I did as she said, awkwardly crawling in.
A friend of mine used a midwife to have her baby and was in a bathtub after her water broke.
The idea freaked me out, so I’d opted for anything but that when I started my care with Dr. Beckett.
“We’re going to get you hooked up to an IV, and all situated so you start to feel comfortable, okay?”
I nodded at the nurse and continued to breathe.
Right as she left the room, I could hear someone screaming from the hall.
I craned my neck trying to see, but Natty moved first.
“We’re being guarded, don’t worry.”
I wasn’t but, still I absently touched the plain gold band on my ring finger.
“What if…” I started when the door burst open.
“That’s my fucking baby!” Luke shouted, pointing at me. His neck was straining, veins on the brink of popping.
I took in his disheveled look, his closely cropped chestnut hair and hazel eyes. The way his handsome face still tugged at the abandonment, and rejection he’d left me with. The life we’d nearly built together.
Jameson barreled through the door a second later after Luke’s gaze fell on me, but it didn’t go to my stomach.
It went to the finger I was touching and the ring resting there. I wanted to say something, explain myself and tell him why I’d done it. How there was no other option for me. It wasn’t real, but I didn’t owe him that. My mouth clamped shut, even as I registered his reaction.
Pain and hurt flashed in his eyes as Jameson pushed past him, “Yeah, well that’s my fucking wife.”