Chapter 30 Zofia
zofia
may
How are you feeling?” Angelina asked me, folding another tiny onesie. “God, this is tiny. I can’t believe how small newborn clothes are.”
Considering the little one had been consistently tracking off the charts for his size, he wouldn’t be tiny at all.
“Yeah, until you consider the fact that I have to push a baby that size out of me,” I said, quirking an eyebrow.
Between his genetics and mine, there was no way our kids would be small.
“Another reason Ben and I aren’t having kids any time soon,” Angelina insisted, nodding to herself. “I’m extremely happy with the DINK lifestyle. Just us and the cats.” They’d adopted two black kittens soon after their honeymoon, naming them after Batman and Catwoman—Bruce and Selina, respectively.
I chuckled as Gabbi grabbed a finished pile of folded clothes, putting them into the dresser. The girls had insisted on coming and helping me when I told them I had to finish the nursery today, and I was honestly grateful for the companionship.
“I never really knew how I felt about having kids, but being with Hunter, I just… I really want to see him be a dad,” Gabbi admitted as she spun her engagement ring around her finger. Hunter had just proposed to her last week, and I knew everything was still new and exciting for her.
Part of me wondered what it would be like if Nic and I had that experience—an actual, genuine proposal from the start—but no matter how strange our start was, I didn’t regret one piece of Nic and I’s story.
That contract changed my life for the better. It made me realize how the right guy had been standing in front of me all along, but I’d been too stubborn to see it.
And now, well… we were married, happier than ever, and expecting our first baby at the end of the month. Life couldn’t be any better.
“The way he dotes on you... I can guarantee, if Hunter’s anything like Nic, he’ll spoil you rotten when you choose to go down that path.
” From watching them interact, I knew he was.
We’d gotten lucky, and I knew there were a lot of women who couldn’t say that.
I looked down at my bump, feeling him moving around inside.
“This baby wasn’t exactly part of the plan—you both know that—but Nic has shown me how supportive and caring he is every single day.
I’m feeling… ready, I guess?” I said, going back to Angelina’s earlier question.
“I mean, maybe not right this minute. Little man can stay in there till his due date—” He kicked, and I patted my belly, like I was telling him to stay right where he was.
“But I’m excited. For the longest time, I didn’t think this would ever happen to me.
After I broke off my engagement with my ex, I wasn’t sure I’d have a family of my own. Now I’m about to be a mom.”
I couldn’t believe that in just a few short weeks, Nic and I would be bringing him home from the hospital.
Shifting in the rocking chair, I attempted to get comfortable—a feat made harder since that I was currently huge, carrying low.
When was the last time I’d been able to see my feet? I didn’t know.
“You good?”
Sighing, I slumped back. “Yes. I just need to pee. He’s sitting on my bladder.” Wincing, I rubbed my bump.
Angelina quirked an eyebrow. “You’re really selling this whole pregnancy, babe.”
“It’s not that bad,” I told her. “And the sex is incredible. Oh my god.”
“Really?”
I nodded. “There’s more blood flow down there, which makes you so much more sensitive. And then with the hormones…” I fanned myself. “Nic is so obsessed, we have a hard time keeping our hands off each other.”
Angelina made a noise of appreciation.
“Just wait until you hold your niece or nephew in your arms,” I said, remembering the first time I’d held my brother’s son after his wife had delivered their first. How surreal it had been, cradling that tiny little bundle. “Then you’ll be changing your tune.”
Charlotte and Daniel had just told all of us they were pregnant, after a whirlwind engagement and marriage this winter. Apparently, they were eager to start a family, and I’d never seen her so happy. She was already glowing.
She shrugged. “Babies aren’t the problem, Zo.
They’re plenty cute. It’s just pregnancy that freaks me out.
And the thought of losing who I am to motherhood.
” Angelina looked down at her lap, her pile of onesies completely folded.
She stole part of my stack and continued.
“I mean, Ben said he’d be willing to be a stay at home dad when the time came, so I’m not completely opposed to it.
” She looked up, her eyes meeting mine. “After we’ve had a few years to ourselves.
” She was a few years younger than me, so I understood.
I laughed. “Fair enough. Now, help me out of this chair so I can go evacuate my bladder before I wet myself in this beautiful new chair Nic bought for me.”
We’d found it during one of our shopping trips while playing hooky from work, and I’d fallen in love with it immediately. Little did I know Nic was going to buy it as a surprise for my baby shower last month.
The nursery was pretty much completely put together. We’d gone with a baby blue color scheme with a slight ocean theme, and it might have been my new favorite room in the house.
Angelina and Gabbi helped me off the chair, and then I waddled towards the restroom, rubbing my back as I went.
“Are you sure everything’s fine?” They asked as I let out a small groan.
“Yeah. Just my back bothering me with all the weight. I’ll be fine.”
Over the last few days, the pain had come and gone, but I was trying not to worry about it. I’d had some Braxton Hicks contractions a few weeks ago, and these pains were nothing compared to that.
I planned to spend the rest of the day curled up with Duchess and Cooper in bed, watching TV or reading a book until Nic got home from work.
Technically, I wasn’t on maternity leave yet, but Nic was too worried about me over-exerting myself in the office, and I’d already switched to working part-time hours.
After the baby was here, I’d be off for the first few months entirely.
So instead, I’d been nesting. The entire house was cleaned, and organizing the freshly laundered baby clothes was the last thing on my to-do list. I’d even packed my hospital bag yesterday.
Another wave of pain hit me as I headed back into the room, causing me to grip the back of my chair as I exhaled deeply through my nose.
“Zofia.” Angelina frowned. “Are you having contractions?”
I shook my head. “No. Well, uh… maybe? But just small ones. We’re still two weeks early though, and my water hasn’t broken yet.”
“Still, I think we should call Nic.”
Even though I knew it was the right call—I probably should call my husband and tell him I’d been having small contractions since last night—there was nothing to do yet.
Which meant all it would do was to cause him to hover and dote on me. Though I liked the latter, the former would drive me crazy. I knew how powerless he felt when he didn’t have full control of a situation—it was why he’d begged me to be his assistant, after all—and there was no controlling this.
“Do we have to?” I pouted.
“Zofia.”
I sighed. “Fine. But can we finish putting these clothes away first? I really want to get this room done before I go to the hospital.”
“Zofia?” Nic’s worried voice shouted, echoing through the house.
“Up here,” I shouted, bent over the bed, my elbows resting on the mattress as I breathed through another contraction. The girls had left a few minutes ago, once Nic had reassured them he was on their way home, and I could tell the contractions were already coming closer together.
My fists clutched the blanket, clutching on for dear life as the pain started to subside.
Then Nic was standing there, staring at me with concern. “Baby. Why didn’t you tell me this morning?”
I gave him a weak smile. “I didn’t know if they were just false contractions again. I didn’t want to get our hopes up.” The doctor had told me she wouldn’t be surprised if I delivered early, since our son was running out of room, but I’d been determined to go full term.
Nic pulled me into his arms, cupping my bump. “I don’t think they’re fake contractions, baby.” Nodding, I buried my face in his chest. He held me, hands stroking my back, and I sank into the comfort, letting him hold me up.
My husband swayed me back and forth, the two of us standing there until I felt a small gush of water between my legs.
“Nicolas.” I gasped, looking down at my feet. I was wearing a sundress since the weather was finally nice outside again, but I knew what had just happened.
He frowned. “What?”
I squeezed my eyes shut. “My water just broke.”
Nic smoothed his hand over my forehead as he helped me to the bathroom. “You’re in labor, gorgeous. The real kind.”
I bit my lip. “Yeah.”
“You’re still only thirty-eight weeks,” he whispered, shaking his head as he rushed to the closet. “I thought we had more time.”
Another contraction hit, this one more painful than the last. I tried to breathe through it, but let out a groan. “Tell that to your son,” I bit out as he came back. “Because he seems really eager to come out now.” I slumped as the pain subsided.
“We need to get to the hospital,” he told me, pressing his lips to my forehead. “Your bag is all ready to go?”
I nodded. “It’s in the closet.”
“I’ll grab it, and then we can head to the car. Do you want to change before we go?” He held up a pair of clean clothes.
“Mmm, yes. Good call.”
“Come on, then, baby momma. Let’s get you dry and comfy, and then let’s go have a baby.”
He held out his hand to me, and I slipped my fingers through his, knowing there was no one in the world I’d rather be doing this with.