Chapter Thirteen
T oo much time had passed. Addy glanced around at their friends and family and continued to wander around the waiting room. She couldn’t sit still. Logically, she was aware that first births could take a very long time to progress. Had even witnessed several babies being born while staying on the outskirts of remote villages during her research. The experience was different, though, when it was your brother and his fiancée going through it.
Nerves tangled in her stomach. Their entire family filled the waiting room. Brynn, Ransom, Jacob, Hannah, Branch, Collin, and Sam’s elderly neighbor Fred were packed into the private space. This was one of the hospitals Sam frequently offered music therapy in and they were showing their appreciation by giving them some special privileges.
She’d been alternating between sitting on Archer’s lap and pacing over the muted blue carpet. If any of their friends hadn’t realized they were together, they were well aware now. Archer was constantly touching her, offering small squeezes of comfort, soothing her in hushed whispers, and holding her close when she wasn’t walking off the stress that kept coiling inside her body.
“It’s about time you found yourself a good woman.” Fred rocked back on his heels near Archer. “I’m living proof that you can almost have one foot in the grave and still find love. It’s about time you got your head out of your—”
“Axe!”
“Fred!”
Jacob’s full-body laugh erupted as Sam’s elderly neighbor was cut off by both the men and women in the room. Collin popped up from where he’d been resting, his bright auburn hair mussed around his face. “He was going to say get your head out of your ass, Silver Archer Ross!”
“The boys have been spending too much time with you, Axe,” Branch muttered, a small smile curving the corner of his mouth.
Jacob’s gaze was darting around his communication device, coming up with a snarky response no doubt. “Did I tell you,” the computer voice began. They all waited patiently as he continued to form his sentence. “He called a jar of jelly…”
“Now you wait a minute,” Axe said, turning to Jacob. “That lid was so damn tight—”
“A son of a—” Jacob dissolved into laughter so deep, he couldn’t complete his sentence. Collin was rocking back in his chair, cackling and snapping his fingers inches from his face. Then the nurse walked in and everyone sobered.
“I love hearing laughter,” the man in scrubs said, walking deeper into the room. An uneasy feeling formed in the pit of Addy’s stomach. The look on the nurse’s face was too serious, only a whisper of a smile on his face. “Is it okay if I share some news, or should I speak with one of the adults outside?”
Addy glanced over at Brynn, then Hannah. Both nodded, letting her know it was okay if he shared information in front of the teens. “Please tell us what’s going on.” The comforting weight of Archer’s large hands landed on her shoulders, and she released a shuddery breath.
“There’s been some complications.” Addy’s heart clutched, her throat constricting. “Sam’s labor isn’t progressing as we hoped, and we’re prepping her for an emergency cesarean.”
“Are Sam and the baby, okay?” Her voice was small and tight. Totally unrecognizable.
“Sam’s doing okay. The baby has developed an abnormal heart rate. This isn’t uncommon, but usually blood flow to the infant will increase with some simple position changes. When that doesn’t happen, the cause might be a larger problem that needs to be immediately addressed. Typically, we can have the baby out within minutes, but depending on recovery times, it could be several hours before Sam is able to have visitors.”
“Thank you for the update.” Archer’s voice was thick with emotion. Once the nurse walked out of the room, she turned into his broad chest, seeking the comfort of his strong arms. His scent. Everything that made Archer the one person on earth to make her feel this way. Safe. Surrounded. Loved. Even without the words, she could feel the soul-deep connection between them binding tighter by the moment. She knew Julian felt the same way about Sam. A wave of light-headedness stole over her.
“Easy there.” Archer’s breath hit her ear as he scooped her up, the low tenor of his voice following. He sat down, arms surrounding her, forming a safe harbor to experience the fear seeping into her skin. She didn’t try to keep it at bay, but breathed through the unsettling sensations, with the knowledge that Archer was there supporting her.
*
Addy shot up on Archer’s lap when Julian walked into the room. Two hours had passed, her stomach queasy, heart pumping in overdrive as they waited for news. She took in Julian’s expression for any sign that something wasn’t right. His eyes were puffy and red-rimmed but he was smiling. She ran over, throwing her arms around his waist. She drew back, searching his face. “They both made it. They’re both okay.” His voice cracked. “She’s beautiful. I want you and Silver to come up and meet her first.” He stepped back, gesturing to Archer.
“Congrats, man.” He slapped Julian on the back, then yanked him into a hug. “The two of you should have this moment. Go ahead.”
“No, man. You’re family now. Even more than you were before. Thanks for looking out for Addy. Not only on the mission, but out here.” Joker placed his hand on Addy’s shoulder. “I know you must’ve been nervous.”
“We want to see the baby,” Jacob said. He’d turned up the volume on his device, making his wishes known.
Julian laughed. “Okay, man.” He crossed the room, leaned down, then kissed Jacob’s forehead before crouching at the side of his wheelchair. “I wanted to thank you, too. Before meeting you, I never would’ve been able to open my heart to Sam, no matter how much I wanted to. Being your honorary uncle has shown me so many things, and every time my feelings freaked me out, I thought of how you embraced us, our entire motley crew of SEALs. You showed us love. You made us a family, Jacob. Drew us together with that huge smile you’ve got.” Jacob grinned, even as a tear slipped down his cheek. Silent tears were running down her brother’s face, too. “I get that some people don’t want to be called inspiring because they have a disability, but it’s not cerebral palsy that makes you special, it’s you. You’ve experienced more pain, more hurdles, than any person I’ve ever met. Any SEAL I’ve ever bled alongside. You fight your own battles. You crush them, all while spreading light everywhere you go, to everyone you meet.” Julian stood and dropped his forehead to Jacob’s. He murmured something to the teen before stepping back.
She glanced around the room. Not one person wasn’t moved by Julian’s words. Even Fred didn’t have his usual witty comment to interject.
“Come meet your niece,” Julian said, ushering them into the hall. Archer gripped her hand, giving it a squeeze as they walked from the waiting room, past the maternity wing’s reception desk, and down the corridor. “This is our room.”
The last time she’d seen Sam in a hospital bed, the petite beauty had been battered and bruised after escaping an abduction at her mother’s hands. Now, she was surrounded by pillows and a fuzzy pink throw blanket, cradling a small, swaddled baby. Sam was pale, but her smile was brilliant. She’d just conquered a difficult labor and gotten an incredible treasure despite the pain.
They tentatively stepped closer until the baby’s tiny face came into view. “She’s precious.”
Sam lifted the baby into Julian’s waiting hands. “Meet Adaline Silver.” Her brother kissed the baby’s nose before placing her in Addy’s arms. “Oh my goodness. She’s beautiful.” She studied the baby’s sleepy expression, and her heart ballooned in her chest.
“We chose Adaline in honor of her aunt,” Sam said.
“And Silver for her uncle,” Julian said, “because she’s our treasure.”
Archer cleared his throat behind her. She could tell he was searching for the right words, but sometimes, there just weren’t any big enough to express feelings so profound. He stood behind her, arms wrapping around to cradle hers and the baby. She wasn’t sure how long they both stood staring at their sweet niece who shared their names. The moment spun out, filling her with warmth.
Hours earlier when she’d lain in Archer’s arms, she didn’t think her heart could get any fuller. Now, though, she realized a heart didn’t have a capacity for feeling. It could be filled over and over, soaking up as much love and goodness as life offered. In turn, she planned to share all the light and love she’d been blessed with, whether it was through words or actions. When their mother chose to walk away from her and Julian, she never imagined life would be so bright one day. She glanced over at her brother. Call it twins’ intuition, but she knew Julian was thinking the exact same thing.
*
An hour later, they were back in Archer’s truck, pulling out of the hospital’s parking lot. Light had filled the sky in a filtered glow from behind a gauzy spread of clouds. It was eleven in the morning, but the humidity was thick with the promise of heavy thunderstorms later. Everyone had gotten to see Adaline and share in the joy of the new baby. Archer had been particularly quiet since they left the maternity unit. The hum of the air conditioner was the only source of noise in the vehicle, and her eyelids were drooping between the white noise and the vibration of the engine. “Is everything all right? You haven’t said much since we left the hospital.”
His dark blue eyes landed on her, then shifted back to the road. “Do you want children?”
“It’s something I’ve never given too much thought to. I love babies and kids, but it’s something I never thought I’d have. When I was little, I never played with dolls or dreamed of taking care of a baby. I was too busy playing scientist and making big discoveries in the wilderness surrounding our cabin.” She paused for a second. “Do you want them?” For some reason, her heart was lodged in her throat. If he wanted children, was she prepared for that?
“I can’t. Not after losing Quinn. After she was diagnosed, I received predictive genetic testing. I don’t have the gene change that causes Huntington’s disease, but I’d never risk passing something on. I’d rather spoil the kids in my life and send them home to their parents, but I’d give you anything you asked for. You know that, right? If you want kids, we can explore different options. Maybe adoption. Is that a deal-breaker for you?”
Her throat constricted. “You’re the one I want, Archer. We’ll have more than enough children in our lives with all our friends’ babies.” She wanted to tell him she loved him. That she would give him anything he asked for, too, because what she was feeling was so huge it took her breath away. She wanted to put him first. Build a life with him. If he didn’t feel the same, though, it would crush her.
“Shit,” he swore.
“What is it?” They’d been on the road for about ten minutes and the brick buildings had thinned as they drove closer to the coast.
“I can’t believe I didn’t say anything sooner. Christ, I can’t believe one of the guys didn’t bring it up in the waiting room.”
“Well, there was a lot going on. What is it? You’re making me nervous.”
“Sorry, sweetheart. The reason your brother came looking for you earlier was because the alarm system was going off in your rental. Someone threw a rock through the window, and no one could get a hold of us so the alarm company called your emergency contact. They got to your place and saw the car parked but couldn’t find you. Ransom explained the situation, that we’d just landed on United States soil, and dealt with the police. He also boarded up the window for now.”
“Do you think it was just a random act?” Her voice was more breathless than she would’ve liked.
“That’s what the police think, and Ransom agrees, but it wouldn’t hurt to be extra cautious over the next few days. And when we follow up with the police I’d love to know where Wyatt was in the hours after we left the barracks.”
“I know he was upset when he left, but I don’t think Wyatt is the type to act out because of anger. He’s probably thinking something’s wrong with me because I didn’t rush into his arms professing my love. Wyatt’s very dismissive when someone disagrees or upsets him. He’s very full of himself. Thinks he’s God’s gift to academia.”
“Well, I’d feel better if we got it checked out. Just in case.”
“Are we going to the police station now?”
“No. Not unless you want to. We’re both dead on our feet. I was planning to pull through a drive-through, get us something to eat, then we can go home and crash for a few hours before going to the station and checking out the damage. That sound okay?”
“I like this,” she blurted out.
He glanced over, eyes twinkling with amusement. “Not exactly the typical reaction when someone throws a rock through your window.”
“No.” She waved her hand. “Not that part. The part where we’re together. Doing something normal like grabbing a quick lunch before settling in for a nap. It all feels so right.”
“It is right. I’ll do everything in my power to make sure you believe that. To make sure you’re happy and content.”
“You don’t need to do anything. Just having you beside me makes everything seem brighter. Better. I know that sounds contrived, but I can’t help feeling like things are lighter with you in my life.”
“We’re on the same page, sweetheart. I’ve never been happier than when I’m with you.”
The tender expression on his face strengthened her resolve. She was going to be brave and tell him how she felt. Hadn’t she asked him to be brave for her? She’d tell him. Just not in line at the drive-through. She’d wait for the right time, but that time was coming soon.
“What would you like?” Archer asked as they pulled around the fast-food joint. She glanced at the picture board, even though she was fairly certain she could recite the entire menu of their local burger and shake place. “Veggie burger with extra pickles, onion rings, and a peanut butter banana shake.”
“You got it.”
After Archer ordered, they pulled through the line. A worker stationed at the window handed them a big brown bag, and the interior of the car filled with the scent of fried food. Archer passed the order to her, took their shakes from the attendant, and placed them in the cupholders.
“There’s no way you can eat this and drive,” she said, already digging into the bag to munch on an onion ring.
“I can manage,” he said, steering the vehicle past the drive-through window. “You’re exhausted. I want to get you home and tucked into bed.”
“Fifteen minutes eating in a parking space won’t make a big difference.”
“You sure?”
“Positive. These last few days have been a whirlwind, and you’ve been taking care of my needs at every turn, so let me take care of you, too.”
His expression softened—too much for a simple offer to park and eat lunch. Had he always silently taken a back seat to others? She was sure part of it was being a SEAL. He was always supporting others in one way or another, like driving over a thousand miles to Texas to make sure Branch, Hannah, and Collin had backup at a family wedding. Good thing, too. If he hadn’t been there, the outcome could’ve been tragic.
She wanted to be the person who put Archer first. The person who celebrated just how amazing, steadfast, and loyal he was. She glanced at his profile as he parked, and her stomach fluttered. Images of forever were floating through her head. She just hoped Archer was on the same page.