Chapter Seven
Linc
I change into a pair of jeans and a long-sleeve shirt, then meet up with Jordan in the living room. She’s still dressed in work clothes, and I have nothing here for her to wear outside of the apartment.
We rush downstairs and into the car. I press Max to hurry, and the driver makes it to the hospital in record time without getting stopped for a speeding ticket.
“Thank you, Max. I really appreciate it,” I say as I help Jordan out of the car.
“Good luck,” Max replies.
We rush into the hospital and are directed to the maternity ward, where I find my mother in the waiting room, pacing the floor. There are no other people present.
“Mom.”
She rushes over and wraps her arms around me, accepting my hug before stepping back.
“I don’t know what happened. We ate dinner.
She said she was exhausted and went up to her room.
Then I heard her cry for me. She was doubled over and her water had broken.
” Glancing at me, then Jordan, my mother has tears in her eyes.
“She’s thirty-six and a half weeks, right?” Jordan asks.
I do the mental math. Braden Prescott said she had two weeks to travel. We stayed in Florida with her for a week, and it’s been about another week and a half here in New York.
“Yes,” my mom says. “And the baby can be born healthy. As long as the lungs are developed and the digestive system is okay, everything will be fine.”
I blow out a deep breath. “Then we’ll believe everything is going to be okay. The power of positive thinking, right?”
Both Jordan and my mother nod, but I know we’re all still shaken.
“Is Aurora alone?” Jordan asks.
“They put her in a wheelchair and took her away.” My mom wrings her hands, and I glance at Jordan, giving her a slight nod.
She rushes out of the waiting room, and I know she’ll insist on seeing Aurora or at least getting someone to ask Aurora if she wants Jordan with her during delivery.
She shouldn’t be alone. No way would she want me with her, and my mother doesn’t seem inclined to want to be part of the birth. That leaves Jordan.
“Come on, Mom. Let’s sit.” I lead my mother to a chair, and we settle in to wait.
As time passes, I kick my feet out and glance at the old, cracked ceiling. My phone buzzes with a text from Jordan, letting me know she’s with Aurora and staying. And the baby should be born soon because Aurora is already eight centimeters dilated.
Of course, my thoughts turn to Jordan in the delivery room. My heart hurts for her, knowing the memories and might-have-beens I’m certain are going through her mind.
I’m not good at waiting, and I keep glancing at the time on my phone and the clock on the wall. Neither seem to move. My mother puts her head on my shoulder and dozes while I lean my head back against the wall and shut my eyes.
“Linc!” Jordan’s voice wakes me. I raise my head and the weight of my mother lifts from my shoulder.
“How is she?” my mom asks.
“Aurora is great.” Jordan smiles wide, her cheeks flushed, eyes gleaming. “And she had a healthy baby girl. Six point one pounds and eighteen inches!”
“Oh, that’s wonderful!” My mom rises to her feet and I follow. “I’m so relieved.” She glances up at me. “Now that we have news, I’m going to the ladies’ room. Maybe after, we can see them.”
I grin. “Go ahead. I’ll wait for you.” I pause until my mother has walked out before turning to Jordan and placing my hands on her shoulders. “You okay?”
“It was amazing, Linc. A true miracle. And she’s so lucky there were no issues with the early delivery.” She smiles wide. “And the baby is precious. You have a niece!”
Relief rushes through me that everyone, including Jordan, it seems, is fine. “When can we see them?”
“They just want to get her settled in a room.”
Something dawns on me and I say, “I’m going to make sure she has a private room.”
Jordan shakes her head and rolls her eyes. “Of course you are.”
I laugh at her reaction. “She’s a Kingston, isn’t she?”
A little while later, after I pay for a private room for my new sister, we’re all there, the baby in Aurora’s arms. I have no doubt if I hadn’t thrown my weight around with the hospital, not only paying for a private room but making a big donation, we all wouldn’t be allowed in.
We’ve been given leeway, which is what I wanted.
“How are you?” my mom asks her.
“I’m tired and sore.” Aurora glances at me and blushes.
Yeah, I don’t want to think about the details either.
“But happy,” she continues. “I thought I’d be alone and afraid and have nowhere to go after I had this baby. I didn’t know if I’d have to give her up.” Her eyes water and she pulls the infant closer. “But thanks to you all … I just feel so lucky.”
Walking over, my mom brushes a hand over Aurora’s hair, much as she’d do if it were Chloe lying in the bed. “You’re not alone and you never will be.”
God, I love my mother. She’s taken a shitty situation, her husband’s mistress’s child, and brought her into the family easily. When she looks at Aurora, she only sees a young woman in need. And I admire her.
Jordan stands by my side, and not giving a damn who sees, I wrap an arm around her and pull her close, wanting to share this moment with her.
“Does anyone want to hold her?” Aurora offers.
“I do but since Jordan was there for the big event, I think she should get the honors,” my mom says.
Beside me, Jordan stiffens. “It’s okay, Melly. You go ahead.”
I tug her into me and she doesn’t try and pull away.
My mom smiles and is soon sitting with the infant in her arms.
“Have you thought of a name?” I ask.
Aurora shakes her head. “Not yet. I figured I had more time.”
“It will come to you.”
Melly coos at the baby and eventually looks up. “Jordan, come. You should hold her, too.”
My mother has no idea about Jordan’s past or her miscarriage, has no idea this might be bringing up painful emotions for her.
“Mom—”
“I’d love to,” Jordan says, pulling out of my embrace. She takes the chair next to my mother, and they carefully transfer the infant.
I watch her every move as she gently holds the baby, cradling her in her arms and cushioning her head. With one hand, she moves the pink swaddling away from her cheek and looks at her tiny face.
Tears pool in Jordan’s eyes and only I know why. Only I understand the depths of both her personal pain and her joy for Aurora.
A lump rises to my throat as I study her, and I make a decision. As soon as Chloe and Xander arrive, I’m taking Jordan home. And not back to her apartment as I feel certain she’ll insist I do.
She’s been here for my sister and I’ll be here for her now.
* * *
Jordan
By the time Linc and I are in the car on our way home from the hospital, I’m both mentally and physically exhausted. Linc seems to understand, because he lets me sit in silence on the drive and process my feelings.
Holding Aurora’s hand during the entire birth was both exhilarating and draining. The emotional impact of watching something I never got to do, and then cradling the baby? At this point I’m numb.
I must fall asleep, because I wake to the sound of the car slowing, and I sit up, assuming we’ve reached my apartment.
“Are we at my place?” I ask.
“Thanks, Max,” Linc says, opening the door.
He hasn’t answered my question, but I slide out and accept his hand, letting him pull me out … in front of his building.
“Wait. Why didn’t you take me home?” I dig in my heels.
Literally.
I’m still wearing pumps after a day at work, and I’ve had them on for much of my time at the hospital. To say I’m ready to keel over is an understatement.
“Because you had a long day and you shouldn’t be alone.” Linc places a hand on my lower back to guide me inside.
I blink up at him. “Did you think about asking me?”
“Nope. I thought about taking care of you. Let’s go.” He nudges me forward.
With a groan, I go along to his apartment, at this point not caring where I get off my feet as long as I do just that.
Once he lets us inside, I turn. “I’m going to take Aurora’s old room.”
He raises his gaze. Then without warning, scoops me into his arms and walks toward his bedroom. “I said I wanted to take care of you, so let me.”
Too tired to fight, I wrap an arm around his neck to steady myself and hold on until he lowers me onto his bed. I immediately kick off my heels and groan in relief.
He strides to his massive walk-in closet, which has drawers as well as hanging room, and returns with a gray tee shirt, and I accept it gratefully.
“I’ll leave a toothbrush and towels in the bathroom. You can do what you need to while I order us something for dinner. Unless you’d rather go to sleep?”
“Pizza,” I say at the same time my stomach lets out a very unladylike growl. Laughing, I fold my arms over my belly. “A large one please.”
He laughs and nods. “I’ll be in the living room.”
Grateful for the privacy, I scoot off the bed and head for the bathroom, where I change into his shirt, which is huge, hangs to my thighs, and smells like his laundry detergent.
Of course, it reminds me of him, and I lift it to my nose and inhale deeply.
I splash cold water on my face and wash up as best I can, borrowing his deodorant and brushing my teeth.
I have no idea if he expects me to sleep in his bed, and I’m too tired to deal with the question now. In fact, I’m too tired to fight it later. All I want is a full stomach and a comfortable bed.
The pizza arrives quickly, and I eat it equally fast, not the least bit embarrassed about the three slices I devour because it’s Linc. And he’s never judged me before.
Once we finish, I stretch my hands over my head and yawn. Too late, I realize the action pulls the shirt against my braless breasts.
His gaze zeroes in on where my nipples push against the soft material, and his eyes dilate with awareness and need. “Why don’t you go lie down?” he asks in a gruff tone. “I’ll be there in a little while.”