Chapter 27
Three Weeks Later
“Everything here looks good. Baby’s heart rate is perfect, and she’s head down, ready to make her appearance,” the midwife tells me as she steps away from the bed she’s just examined me on. “Now, all we have to do is wait.”
“So she could come anytime now?” Vike asks, sounding excited.
“Any time,” the midwife confirms, making me suddenly overwhelmed.
“So just so we’re clear; when the time comes, we wait until the contractions are five minutes apart or her waters have broken, then we call the hospital and let them know we’re coming?” he checks.
“Someone’s been doing their homework.” She looks at me, impressed.
“Better believe it. I have four different routes mapped out to the hospital,” he assures her, helping me off the bed and back onto my feet.
“And you're sure everything's okay?” I check, feeling a little apprehensive. Just lately, everything seems to be going so well for us; I can’t remember the last time I felt this happy, and now it just feels like I’m waiting for something to go wrong.
“Everything’s perfect; just make sure you get plenty of rest, ready for when the time comes.” She sees us out into the hall, and when we see Dev and Millie sitting in the waiting room, they both look up at us like deer in the headlights.
“Fancy seeing you here.” Vike heads straight over to where they’re sitting, and while Dev smirks, Millie looks up at me, guilty.
“I swear we only just found out, and I wanted to tell you all. It just didn't feel right with all that's going on with Peyton and Eden,” Millie explains.
“You're being silly, Mills. Despite everything, the girls are gonna be so excited for you; the club needs some good news.” It’s been nearly a month since Raze left, and we’ve still not heard anything. Everyone's starting to lose hope of him ever coming back.
“I’ve been saying exactly the same thing.” Dev looks at his old lady like I just proved his point.
“I know, but I just think we should check everything's okay before we start spreading the word.” She takes his hand and smiles up at him.
“Everything's gonna be fine.” He kisses her. “And I don’t wanna keep this to myself no more.”
“You’ve fuckin’ changed, brother.” Vike shakes his head and laughs in disbelief.
“Could say the same about you,” Dev hits back, and when Millie's name gets called by the midwife who’s just seen us, I give her a huge hug when she stands up.
“Good luck, and call me later so we can talk about this.”
Vike gives Dev one of his manly club-brother hugs to congratulate him, and we both head out toward my car, ready to go home.
“How exciting! That's me, Lettie, Eden, and Millie all with little ones around the same age.
“I hope for little Rory's sake you don’t all have girls.” Vike laughs as he gets behind the wheel.
“Eden’s having a boy, we’re all convinced of that,” I tell him, wondering how she and Wrath have found the willpower not to find out their baby's sex yet. I wanted to know the second I saw the line appear on the pregnancy test if I was having a boy or a girl. Not that it would make any difference, I’d love a boy just the same, but something tells me I’d have a much harder ride trying to raise a son of Griller’s.
“So any day now; you excited?” Vike takes hold of my hand and raises it to his lips so he can kiss my knuckles.
“Excited...and scared,” I admit, not sure how I’m going to handle the whole labor situation. All those YouTube videos Greaser used to insist we watch did nothing to help. The whole thing looks like torture.
“You got nothin’ to be scared of, darlin’. I’m gonna be right there, holding your hand.” I smile at him bravely, but still can’t shake off the feeling that everything with us is too good to be true. Even Iris and Greaser seem to have taken the hint and have backed off these past few weeks.
“Besides, once I get you to the hospital and they give you all those drugs, you ain’t gonna feel a thing,” he assures me.
“And with four routes planned, I guess I have nothing to worry about there.” I let him see how amused I am that he’s taking all this so seriously. He may be acting all cool for my sake, but deep down, I know he’s as nervous as I am.
“Will you speak to Wrath and make sure you don’t get sent on any runs until she gets here? I don’t want you being too far away from me.”
“Already spoke to him, I’m all yours for the foreseeable.”
“Then let's hope she doesn’t keep us waiting much longer.” I let out a nervous breath as he continues driving us toward home.
“Alicia, you’ve unpacked and repacked that bag three times since we got back from the doctors.” Vike laughs at me when he’s gotten out of the shower and has joined me in the bedroom.
“I know, but I don’t want to forget anything.” I sit on the edge of the bed and start wondering if I’ve packed a warm enough coming-home outfit to put her in.
“You ain’t forgotten anything; you’re ready for this.”
“Do you think?” I bite my lip nervously.
“Without question. You have thought of everything. The house has been scrubbed to perfection, and when this little girl is ready to show us some action, I’m gonna be ready to get her mommy to the drugs.” He laughs.
My cell starts to ring, and when I see my mom's name flashing on the screen, I decide not to answer it. I’m nervous enough without stressing myself out by talking to her.
“Don’t ya wanna get that?” Vike checks, seeing who it is for himself.
“Not right now.” I shake my head.
“Okay.” He kisses my head before starting to get dressed, and it makes me wonder what he knows about my past when I realize he never questions me, the way everyone else does. In fact, I’m realizing that I know nothing about his past either.
“Does your mom and dad know you're livin’ in sin with a woman, and about to have a baby?” I ask, not wanting to turn this into a big deal.
“I’d like to think so,” he answers, confusing me as he buttons up his jeans.
“What? Have you not thought of just telling them?” I laugh.
“Last time I checked, they ain’t got a direct line to heaven, darlin’.” He smiles sadly, before taking my hospital bag off the bed and placing it back by the door where we’ve been keeping it. “Stop worrying, you're ready to be a mom, Alicia,” he tells me before heading back out of the room.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know your parents were dead. How old were you when it happened?” I follow after him, not ready for this conversation to be over.
“Saul never told me,” I add, wondering why that was when he doesn't answer.
“Thats because Saul knew I don’t like to talk about it.” He sits on the couch and pulls up his long hair into a ponytail.
“I guess you don’t wanna talk about it now, either?” I sit beside him, giving him the opportunity to open up to me. But knowing how it feels not to want that kind of pressure.
“It’s been a good day, Alicia, let's not ruin it by talkin’ about the past.” Pulling me onto his bare torso, he wraps me up in a hug and kisses the top of my head.