Chapter Twenty-Two
Allen
Matthew waited until the last minute to take paternity leave. The egg was ready to come any day now. He made the choice that after he had it he was going to nest with it and not go back to work until it hatched.
I took some time off myself to watch over him. I loved spoiling him.
The day Matthew’s cramps started coming, I called River and told him to get home stat. I then called our most reliable babysitter and had her come and pick up Flora to spend the night with her.
Our egg was on the way.
Matthew wanted to have it in his nest. We’d prepared everything we needed for that.
I sat with him and held his hands as he lay back on soft pillows covered with a lightweight blanket. He took the pain like a champ.
While we waited for River, I brought Matthew ice chips and cool cloths.
“Thank you, Allen. You’re really good at being so patient and caring.”
“That’s because I love you.”
“And not just because I’m having a griffin egg?”
“If you were having kittens, I’d love you just as much.”
He smiled right as another cramp hit him.
I rubbed his back to soothe him through it.
A few minutes later, another cramp came.
“I think it’s coming now,” Matthew said.
“It can’t. River’s not here yet.”
He glared at me. “You want me to hold it in?”
I started to say “yes” but curbed my tongue. “If it’s coming then that’s all there is to it.”
He leaned forward, straining again. This time he turned over onto his side and the blanket spilled across his thighs. The pad beneath him was wet, covered in slick. It certainly did look like the egg was about to slide right out.
I’d read a book the midwife had recommended on home egg birth. I knew enough to be a somewhat decent coach to Matthew.
“I feel like I want to push,” he said.
“Not yet. If you can help it. Wait until you feel the cramp coming over you and then push as hard as you can.”
Matthew grumbled but obeyed, eyes squeezed shut.
I heard the front door open and close, and let out a sigh of relief. “River’s here.”
“Good.”
Footsteps came down the hall and a jolly voice yelled out, “I’m home.”
When River entered the room, all the energy changed. Everything became more relaxed. I felt the muscles in my back ease. Matthew let out a long sigh and opened his eyes, smiling up at his other alpha mate.
River sat down beside us outside the edge of the nest. He put a hand on Matthew’s forehead. “How’s my favorite omega doing?”
“No one told me how hard it would be to lay an egg. It’s rounded and smooth, not like a baby. Shouldn’t it just slide right out?”
“Well, it’s a griffin egg. You know that.” River winked up at me as he spoke. “They’re about the size of a dragon egg. It’s going to be a little work, right?”
Matthew pouted. “So, it’s Allen’s fault.”
River laughed. “Should we be putting blame on anyone at this point?”
“Yes,” Matthew grumbled. “We should because it hurts a damn lot.”
I ran my fingers through Matthew’s hair knowing he liked that, showing him I didn’t take anything he said at this moment personally. This was an ordeal, and he had earned the right to say whatever he wanted to say to get through it.
Another cramp came and River and I together held our beloved omega until it passed. He was still on his side and I could see the slick pouring out of him now. When the next one hit about ten seconds later this asshole seemed to bulge out from between his cheeks. The hole expanded and inside I saw a flash of gold.
“I see the egg! I see it.”
Matthew moaned and dug his head into my chest. Now River’s hands rubbed up and down his back.
“You’ve got this, baby. Our egg is almost here.”
“I’m not ready. Can’t we just put it back for a little while?” Matthew asked.
River, ever patient, petted him and said, “It doesn’t work that way. Come on. One more big push and it’ll be out and over with.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
As we spoke, the next cramp was already coming over him. I held his upper body and River held his hips. We both chanted, “Push. Push.”
His hole stretched wider. The smooth gold surface of the egg started to appear. Its widest part started to stretch Matthew further than I thought he could take. For a moment it looked as if he might tear. But the slick kept him lubricated enough, the skin pliant and wet, that his body was able to adapt quickly.
“Almost there,” I encouraged. “One last push and it’ll all be over, sweetheart.”
Matthew made a strange, long-winded sound. He dug his fingers into the muscles of my upper arms. I felt his entire body straining and pushing and wished I could do more than just hold him. But all I could do was watch the miracle unfolding before us.
As he strained, the egg moved its the fattest part past his opening. From there it was like a balloon bursting. The egg slipped out of his body followed by a gush of slick.
“You did it! Matthew, it’s beautiful.” I kissed the top of his head.
“It’s the most beautiful egg I’ve ever seen.” River’s voice floated around us.
After Matthew caught his breath, I helped him sit up a little. He leaned against me, then said, “Where is it? Let me see.”
River held up the warming basket we had all three picked out together. Inside the soft folds of cloth sat our egg, gleaming.
Matthew’s breath caught in his throat. His eyes filled. “It’s entirely gold.”
“I told you it would be,” I said.
“Yeah, but I wasn’t sure I quite believed it.”
“We did that. All three of us together. We made this happen.” I wiped a tear from my eye.
“I love you both so much.” Matthew leaned toward River. His arms out.
“And we love you,” River and I said in unison.
We both enfolded him with our bodies and our love.
“Now all we have to do is wait for it to hatch,” River said.