Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Hael
“ W e need a bowl—a big one,” Hayes says, glaring as he comes into the kitchen.
“For the baby?” I ask, my hand flying to my chest.
Nana Morris has rubbed off on me, and I quickly pull the appendage down.
“No, you fucking idiot, for the placenta.” He sighs. “Also garbage bags. Do we have twine? I need a string I can tie the cord off with. Something thin that won’t snap. This is one of the most important parts of the entire process.”
“We have twine in the drawers in the laundry room. I think it’s in the one closest to the garage door.”
“Grab it and scissors—wash those. They need to be sanitary.” He stomps over to the sink and begins scrubbing all the way up to his elbows.
Oh, shit.
He’s not about to be that deep in her pussy…right?
“Shut the stove off, grab the string, and find more towels. By the time she delivers, the water will be cold.” Hayes frowns, shaking his head. “No update from dispatch?”
“Does 911 do callbacks?”
“Just go,” he growls. “Your face is annoying me.”
“My face is your face.” I remind him, winking and running to snag the things he asked for.
My entire body sways as I stand over Hayes’s shoulder. He threatened to cut my balls off if I disappear again, so I guess I’m backup assistance for the time being.
I’m not sure how he handled the blood and gore he was exposed to in the military. This can’t be anywhere close to the level of trauma he’s seen, and it’s still making me woozy.
Morris helps Arbor keep her thighs up to her chest during each contraction, but she stretches them out in between.
“Another,” she groans, and Morris reaches around to help support her legs.
“Baby is crowning.” Hayes holds his hand up, and I drop a clean dish rag on his palm. “Only a few more pushes, and you’ll be able to hold your baby.”
The exhausted little omega struggles through the contraction, staying mostly quiet. It’s a lot of grunting and groaning, but no full-blown screams. There were a few wails earlier when she was rambling that the baby’s head felt like it was ringed in knives, but hopefully we’re past that part because my nerves are decimated .
“It’s over,” Arbor says, lowering her legs until her feet are flat on the cushion.
Morris moves to support her with an arm just under her breasts. He runs his free hand over her forehead, and it’s a rather sweet moment. They look a lot more intimate than they really are, that’s for sure, but I’ve known Morris for three years. He gets attached to people easily. There’s no way he’s going to just drop the omega and her newborn off at the hospital.
She has no working vehicle.
Jesus Christ.
Yeah, there’s no way I would be able to just drop her off and wish her luck.
Tugging my phone out, I step to the side and snap a picture of the way he cradles her to his chest. Twisting a little, I take a picture of Hayes as he stares up at Arbor. The sheet blocks anything too revealing, which is good because I’ve done my best not to check out what’s going on down there.
At least not in the danger zone.
I’m fine watching her toes bend as her calves tighten, but I know where I’m purposely not looking.
That feels like a whole lot of not my business .
“Legs up,” Morris says tenderly as he pats the sides of her hips over the sheet.
She lifts them, but they fall as she sobs. “I can’t…”
I move to assist. “It’s okay, we can help.”
Morris takes over holding her thighs, while Arbor gasps and shakes, wiggling around like she’s desperate to find some relief.
Fuck, man.
Labor is brutal .
Why hasn’t nature come up with a more convenient way of delivering babies by now? Where the fuck is evolution when you need it?
This shit is traumatic, and I’m not even involved.
“I can see the entire crown of the baby’s head. You’re doing exactly what you’re supposed to be doing,” Hayes praises.
“You’re incredible,” Morris coos. “Keep pushing.”
“That’s good,” Hayes says at the exact same time. “You’re doing great, Arbor. You feel where my fingers are? This is where I need you to focus. Push through the entire contraction this time. Bear down and push .”
“Oh my god, I hate this feeling!” She screams, and my system revolts at the sound. It feels like I’ll crawl out of my skin if I don’t find a way to fix the problem, but the only thing that’s going to fix this is getting that baby out.
And maybe some good drugs.
I don’t miss the life I left behind in Baltimore often, but I would have been able to get her some fucking pain relief if we were there. Opiates were never my thing, but I knew enough people who loved them that I could have found her something to take the edge off.
Only I specifically cleaned up my act when I knew Hayes was coming home. Well, I was working on it before that, but the crowd I was hooked up with didn’t make it easy.
Once I lost my mentor at the bike shop, there was nothing keeping me in Maryland. I met Morris when I was about the lowest I’ve been, and he gave me a shot.
No bullshit, that guy saved my life.
The more I think about it, the more I see a pattern. He coddled the hell out of Hayes when he came back from the Middle East an anxious mess.
That’s just Morris. He adopts strays and takes care of all of us, and Arbor sure looks like she could use someone in her corner.
“Get your ass down here,” Hayes growls. I shove my phone in my back pocket and step over. “Grab a towel and be ready.”
My hands shake, but I follow his instructions.
“I can’t. I’m too tired. I don’t think I can do this anymore.” Tears stream down her cheeks, making her big blue eyes beet red. “I’m sorry. I swear I’m trying, but it feels like I’ve got nothing left.”
She’s exhausted. Her face is swollen from all the crying, and she really does look like she’s done for, but saying that wouldn’t help anything.
What she needs is to be hyped up.
“You’ve got this,” I tell her, stepping closer to her side and offering an encouraging smile. “You’ve spent all this time growing your baby. You’ll feel so much better when they’re in your arms.”
Fuck.
It’s only one baby, right?
Morris and Hayes haven’t been specific about gender, so I went that route, too, but I hope it’s not one of each.
That’s like twice as much of an emergency.
Arbor’s face gets red, and her whole body tenses like it does when she’s pushing.
“Gentle push, but follow through,” Hayes says, startling the hell out of me. “I’m touching the baby’s head right now. That’s it! Just like that, push just like that . Follow through, keep going…”
Moving back to stand next to his arm, I make the mistake of looking.
Holy fuck me.
There’s blood dribbling around the baby’s head, and I’m pretty sure the kid is face down. They have a head of dark hair, just like Arbor, and everything is bloody and swollen.
I sway a little, but catch myself.
Hayes and Morris might be terrified, but at least on the outside, you can’t tell.
They’re rock stars at not panicking.
I’m not about to be the weak link in something so important.
I don’t know what it means when Arbor stops wailing and moves to softly crying, but the baby’s head that seemed to be about to pop out suddenly scoots back in. She’s still got her legs up to her chest, and it seems like she’s keeping them there for now.
“Is that normal?” I ask Hayes in barely more than a whisper.
“It’s called retraction, and it is. We need to swap out the towels.” He lowers his voice even farther before going on. “Preferably without her seeing how soaked they are.”
I nod.
That plastic shower liner is the only thing saving us from needing an entirely new couch.
But fuck the couch.
That’s something replaceable.
Screwing this up isn’t an option.
I’m still baffled how Morris and Hayes aren’t losing their shit.
My whole world feels like it’s on fire.
“Okay, can you plant your feet on the cushion and lift up for me?” Hayes asks.
“I don’t know,” she says in a wobbly tone as Morris releases her legs. The sheet makes a tent around her knees, which is good. If she could see all that blood, she’d be panicking.
Morris helps while Hayes takes over, wrapping his forearms under her knees and lifting.
I tug the towels free and drop them in a garbage bag. Once they’re gone, I place another layer on the comforter. My hands are soaked in her blood. I would normally freak out about it, but Hayes made a big deal about him needing to be sterile to avoid introducing germs into the equation, and he only has one pair of gloves left.
I had no idea the human body could even hold this much blood. It’s terrifying and impressive all at the same time.
Hayes barely gets her lowered to the couch when another contraction takes over. Arbor groans, muttering something I can’t make out as she pulls her legs up once more.
Morris wraps his massive hands under her thighs, which makes the tent area of the sheet smaller, but Hayes doesn’t mind…he gets all up in there.
I collect another clean washcloth, handing it over his shoulder. He grabs it and pats around the baby’s head while I use another to clean off my bloody skin.
My gaze moves back to what Hayes is doing, and it looks like he’s got two fingers at the top of the baby’s head and two on the side. He’s not pushing, at least I don’t think he is. From here, it seems more like he’s gently guiding where the baby moves to.
Honest to God, I’ve never put much thought into how babies are born, but my mind is blown. If I was Arbor, I would have passed out by now. She’s a fucking beast at giving birth.
My mouth falls open as the entire head twists slightly to the side and pops out.
“The head is out,” I tell the exhausted omega. “Holy fucking shit! You’re doing so good.”
“You really are,” Morris says, kissing her temple. “Almost there, sweetheart. Just a bit more, and you can hold your baby.”
Hayes continues to monitor her, and on the next push, the shoulders pop out. The rest of the body follows, along with a gush of blood and fluid.
Hayes keeps the little one upside down for a few seconds while he cleans out their mouth and nose. He nods for the towel, patting and rubbing the baby’s back, while I’m still frozen in awe.
My heart pounds like a drum as I hand it to him, and he flips over the baby to wrap them up.
“It’s a girl,” I whisper, blinking like an idiot as he wipes off her face and stomach.
“Oh my god, a girl?” Arbor sobs. “Is she okay?”
“She’s perfect,” Hayes says, smiling. She starts to fuss, and the sound makes my knees weak. “The cord is still attached, and we need to wait a minimum of a minute to clamp it. Closer to three is even better, but once it turns white, she’ll have all her blood back from the placenta. That’s why we don’t want to clamp it too early.”
How the hell does he know all of that?
And why does it make me feel like a useless piece of shit that I don’t?
“You did it,” Morris whispers with tears in his eyes.
The big gooey fucker.
He’s always been a softie, but even I’m a little emotional.
It feels a little like we stumbled headfirst into a miracle we had no right to witness.
Hayes holds the baby on top of the sheet over Arbor’s lower stomach so she can see her daughter. “Let’s just rest her here. See how perfect she is? All ten fingers and toes.”
The little omega stretches an arm down, brushing the baby’s cheek. Her eyes are wide, and I’m a little concerned that she might be in shock.
The baby fusses, rolling her face around as her arms flail.
Arbor groans. “Another contraction is coming.”
“Okay, we still need to deliver the placenta, and I don’t think the cord will reach.” Hayes looks at me. “I need you to take her, but don’t put pressure on the cord. No tugging, no pulling, so I need you to stay down here.”
“Sit next to her hips,” Morris says, nodding at the cushion.
I take a careful seat, despite the puddle of blood, and Hayes unwraps and rewraps the baby in a fresh towel before placing her in the crook of my arm.
She’s still got the bluish umbilical cord attached, and it slides over my arm, which is weird, but I ignore it. I’m already covered in Arbor’s blood, so what’s a little slimy umbilical cord action?
The sweet baby starts to fuss, and I turn to show her to Arbor.
But she’s pushing again.
I pull the baby closer to my chest, taking in her long dark lashes. She’s gooey, a little like something from an alien movie, but she’s perfect.
Her eyes pop open, and I think we’re both shocked. She wails, her little jaw trembling.
“Shh, it’s okay. I’ve got you,” I coo, gently rocking her. “You’re a fully formed little human. That’s crazy.”
“This one should be easy,” Hayes says to Arbor. “It’s nothing compared to what you just accomplished.”
In no way, shape, or form did I see the night going like this after Sunday dinner at Nana’s.
The banging on the door startles all of us, but I can’t get up with the baby still attached to the placenta.
“EMS!”
Hayes and Morris both yell for them to come in.
On one hand, thank God .
We really needed some backup.
On the other, they ruined this perfect moment.
What if she tells us to get lost now that she has them?
No, there’s no doubt. Arbor and the baby both need professional care. I just hope they all understand that we’re coming with them.
Morris changes clothes while the EMTs get Arbor loaded up, and of course, he gets to ride with them.
Hayes and I do a cursory cleanup, tossing the bloody towels in garbage bags and carrying them out to the dumpster before taking the world’s fastest showers and hauling ass to the hospital.
We bring in Arbor’s bags, but the lady at the ER desk stops us.
“Mom and baby are being triaged. I’ll let them know you’re here. Someone will come for you as soon as they’re able to have visitors.” She’s a little old lady. Cursing her out would be frowned upon, but I’m half fucking feral to know the girls are okay. “Can you fill out her admission paperwork for me? That’s the best way you can help right now.”
“I’ve got her ID.” Hayes snags the clipboard the lady holds out. “Make sure they know we’re here.”
“That paperwork cannot be this hard,” I say to my twin as he frowns at the form and glances at her license. “Is it written in another language?”
Hell, maybe she’s been living out of the country, and she only came back to the States to give birth.
I’m antsy… Hayes has barely made it past the second question, and the first one was the date.
“It’s an Arizona address,” he whispers, like he’s sharing classified information.
I bump my shoulder against his, smiling to help offset the stress that radiates off him in waves. “Okay, I’m pretty sure pregnant ladies go on vacation and deliver in other states on occasion. It’s not the end of the world.”
“Did you see her cheek? I don’t think that was from the accident.” He turns to face me, quirking an eyebrow. “I’ve seen a lot of bruises heal, and it had to be at least a week old. Maybe longer.”
My chest gets tight as my hands fist in my lap.
What is that supposed to mean?
No, I get the implication.
I just wish I didn’t.
Hayes runs the training gym in town. He works with everyone from MMA fighters to up-and-coming boxers, and he’s right. Compared to me, he would know how a bruise looks as it heals.
“What if she’s running from someone and the hospital sends a bill to her old address? It would lead them straight here.” His head shakes, and he curses under his breath.
He might be right.
That would be seriously shitty.
If that person happens to be an abusive ex, I’ll probably end up in prison for fucking him up.
I snag the clipboard from his lap, making sure her license doesn’t go flying. “We put down our address—problem solved.”
Hayes goes back to digging in her wallet while I fill out her name and birthday.
“Jesus Christ,” he mutters, swiping a hand over his face. “There’s no insurance card. Not even one for a dental plan.”
My jaw falls.
The three of us pull pretty good money between the gym and the shop, but something like the bill for an uninsured delivery? That would wipe out a huge chunk of our savings.
I can’t imagine Arbor has that kind of cash lying around.
The state of her car proves as much.
“Don’t they give all omegas that free insurance through the government or something?”
Hayes shakes his head. “I have no idea, but I think it’s only free at the OPA, like for care done there on site. I doubt they give all omegas free health insurance.”
“Damn,” I whisper, grimacing. “Then she’s going to have all those baby appointments.”
“Yeah,” he growls, shoving himself out of the chair and beginning to pace the waiting room. His hands fly up, and he runs them through his curls over and over again. “What are we going to do?”
Hell if I know.
He’s the planner.
Hayes knew he wanted to go into the military from the time we hit middle school. Back then, I still thought I was going to be a rock star, but he knew his life plan, and he followed through.
While he was doing his thing, I was doing mine. I went to school to be a mechanic and realized I’m actually really good at fixing shit. Sure, I ended up dropping out, but that’s because I got an apprenticeship with one of the old timers in Baltimore who taught me everything he knew.
As it turns out, I’m even better when I can build a bike from the ground up. And bikers pay a fucking premium to have it done the right way.
Morris and I have insurance through the shop.
If I were to get someone pregnant…
Dammit.
I should have paid more attention to the rules of how all that works, but I doubt I could add Arbor on to my plan unless we got married. Even then, it would take a while to kick in, so this hospital stay is going to be out of pocket. Still, I’m pretty sure I can add the baby to my plan as long as I claim I’m her father.
Leaning forward in my seat, I pull out my wallet.
What’s the worst they can do?
Say no?
It wouldn’t much matter anyway. Arbor is already in a shitty situation. No woman would choose to go to the hospital to give birth alone if she had any other option.
Plus, if she does have insurance, I’m sure she can just call and swap it out.
What I really want to do is get back there to check how she and the baby are doing.