20. Rosie
20
ROSIE
M y pout causes Carter to nearly howl a laugh as we sit up in bed.
Instantly, my jaw hangs low. “What? It’s true!”
He shakes his head, annoyed, and encourages me to lie on my side. It’s morning, and it’s been snowing steadily since I woke up an hour ago.
“Rosie, I do still find you attractive.”
“Really? Could have fooled me,” I say, flippant.
He scoots closer and wraps his arm around me. Not that he can fit me in his safety net anymore, I’m not getting any smaller. Even since the other day when I requested my ring to return to my finger.
“I’m desperate to fuck you,” he breathes into my ear, and his finger begins to circle my clit. “Your tits drive me crazy, and all I want to do is touch you.”
I growl a sound because I’m frustrated. “But you won’t fuck me.”
The feeling of soft lips dusting the curve of my shoulder sends sensitive ripples straight to my sensitive breasts.
“Rosie, putting my cock inside of you right now… scares me. Nothing to do with your amazing beauty, I’m just scared to hurt you.”
I wrap my fingers around the wrist of the hand between my legs, and I put in the effort to guide him even lower.
His gravelly morning voice chortles softly into my ear again. “I’m not changing my mind.”
“You know some people fuck to get a baby out,” I remind him with an annoyed tone.
The pad of his finger stroking my bundle of nerves isn’t bad. I mean, I guess, his mouth now circling my nipple isn’t horrible either.
“You said it yourself, you have been feeling a bit tighter down there,” he says against my skin before he licks the tip of my nipple.
Ah hell, maybe he’s right.
I sigh and sink into the mattress as my soon-to-be husband relaxes me in the best possible way. Closing my eyes, he continues his quest while I moan as he takes the speed of his finger up a notch.
It doesn’t take long, and he still gets me to what was my end goal to begin with. Blissfully at ease due to an orgasm.
I glance back and give him a kiss. When we part, he is smirking to himself. He feels he has won this little debate. And hell, he might have a few solid points. Everything is starting to feel drastically different.
Carter slips out of bed, still in his boxer briefs because he needed to keep a safety layer between our skin-to-skin contact. His fingers ruffle his hair, and I enjoy the view. Morning Carter is always determined and ready for the routine of his day.
Wobbling out of bed, I make it to the dresser to grab a warm sweater dress to wear around the house. “Do you really have to go? They say the snow will only get heavier as the day goes on. They are expecting a lot of lake effect snow up near Chicago.”
He is already buttoning the shirt of his uniform when we look to one another. “I’ll only be a few hours. Just think. Soon, I’ll be a man always in sweaters and jeans, smiling with prized farm animals.” Half of his mouth curves up.
Glancing down to my belly, I rub a circle. “Hear that, little boy or girl? Your daddy is excited to be talking to farm animals. And as First Lady of Everhope, I’ll be smiling right there next to him.”
Carter walks to me and places a kiss on my forehead. “Not quite First Lady yet.”
I hum a sound and finish buttoning his shirt up to his collarbone. “Tomorrow, I will be.”
“I’ll pick up our license on my way home later and confirm again that we will be meeting with the judge tomorrow. Just a quick signature. It’s not our first time at this rodeo.”
“Perfect. Just in time before our little bo—” My voice drags, and I squinch my eyes at Carter, seeing if he will slip yet.
He smiles at me. “Little baby,” he corrects me.
“Fine,” I snap. Maybe I’m a little grumbly today. I just feel lethargic and heavy.
He sets both of his hands on my shoulders to steady me, and his handsome eyes remind me of everything right in my life. I’m where I’m supposed to be.
With him.
Which is why we’re getting married.
“You make me so incredibly happy. You know that, right?”
My lips press together and slide to the side. “I do.”
He rubs my arms, and his eyes have a tint of marvel as he surveys my body. “I promise. I’ll be fast, and tomorrow, we’ll sign off on being married… again.” He smiles wryly.
“You had to remind us of the again part, didn’t you,” I tease.
Carter lifts a shoulder before he steps back. “Meh.”
After we both finish getting dressed, we head downstairs where Carter fills his to-go coffee mug, and I make chai tea.
“Not stopping at Foxy Rox for your free coffee and muffin? You have them wrapped around your finger, while us peasants are forced to pay full price plus tax.” I shake my head in good humor.
He tightens the lid on his cup. “Wish I could, but I think I saw on my morning scroll of the socials that they closed today due to the storm.”
I gawk at Carter. “See? All the more reason that you shouldn’t be on the road. I swear, I’ve always had a twinge of fear every time you’ve ever put on that uniform, although it is kind of hot. Something could happen to you from a crime, even if we live in Everhope. But this snowstorm? Yeah, something doesn’t feel right about this.”
“Have you been reading your tarot cards again?” He looks at me oddly and is still trying not to laugh.
“No! I don’t read tarot cards.” I’m offended, and I roll a shoulder back. “It was this week’s horoscope. We’re in the month of Aquarius,” I correct him.
He rolls his eyes at me. “Really. I’ll be back. Take a nap or double-check the baby clothes for the thousandth time. Maybe cook a nice meal that we can enjoy together before we have nights of baby crying.”
I lift my spoon from my tea and throw it across the kitchen, and it lands in the sink. Least I didn’t accidentally hit Carter. “Nice. I made it.”
“Look at us, already living our domesticated life as husband and wife.” The way Carter approaches me as a man hunting for his prey is causing my body to heat again. “That’s what happens when your mommy makes wise decisions,” he says to the baby.
“Daddy forgot that the wisest decision was forgetting to use a condom because now we are having you, and we love you already,” I coo to my stomach.
Carter chuckles again and quickly kisses my lips. “Rest.”
I shoo him away. “Yeah, yeah, yeah.”
* * *
Slowly waking up from my nap on the couch, I adjust to the feeling of a cramp around my waist. I wince as I begin to sit up on my arms, and the throw blanket slips down to my waist. A deep exhale and the feeling subsides.
My eyes roam the living room and fully adjust to my surroundings. I sit up and saunter my way to the window where the snow is still falling, heavier even. Rubbing my eyes, I search for my phone and notice it on the coffee table. One glance and I see that it’s almost three.
Carter said a few hours. I guess a few hours could range from one to six. Is that a few?
Feeling awake and energized, I push the thought of the cramp to the side. That is until five minutes later and another one hits. It’s bearable, nothing difficult, maybe even easy peasy. It passes and is forgotten.
But okay, this isn’t a good sign.
I grimace because I’m not sure if this is funny or scary.
These definitely are contractions, which means it’s time, and, of course, Carter isn’t here.
I set the stopwatch on my phone and begin to dim the lighting, light a few candles, and set the mood for a calm beginning of labor that I most definitely was not planning for today.
But panicking won’t get me anywhere. Carter will be home soon, and I have no plans to alert him and freak him out. Besides, it’s early in the labor, with plenty of time between contractions. We’re fine.
I continue arranging the living room for nature’s adventure and ready for Carter’s return to help me. Then when we feel it’s time to go to the hospital, we’ll go.
Except half an hour passes and no sign of Carter, but the time between contractions has gone down to four minutes. It causes me to travel from level calm to hmm, this doesn’t feel great .
I breathe through another contraction, and it’s a little more painful than before. It passes, and I can no longer be in denial. Pressing Carter’s number on my phone, he picks up after two rings.
“Yeah, so, you need to get home now. ”
“What?”
“Carter, I’m in labor. Baby didn’t like our plan of getting married before they enter the world. I thought we had another week. But then I looked at the moon positions and I wanted to scold myself because it makes total sense, and I should have been more prepared,” I ramble and walk to the window to revel in the beauty of snow and the quiet of everyone cozy in their houses.
“Rosie, slow down.”
“I’m in labor, and I need you here ASAP.”
“Rosie!” he squeaks out.
“You sound more terrified than me. Chill it down a notch. Besides, why aren’t you home?”
He curses to himself, and I envision him pinching the bridge of his nose. “I was about to call you. I’m stuck. There is too much snow on Main Street, and the plows won’t get out for another two hours.”
Fuck tranquility.
“Carter! No. No. No. I need you here .”
“Listen to me, call my brother and Hailey or Esme, hell, even my mom. Maybe they can all walk to our place.”
I gasp in horror. “First off, no fucking way is your brother going to look down there if this baby wants to come out now. Besides, he and Hailey are away for some hockey celebrity thing, and Esme and Keats are there with them. Gracie is at her parents’ for the night. And secondly, are you fucking out of your mind? What would possess you to suggest I call your mom? Besides, she hurt her ankle the other day in racquetball and can’t even hobble to her martini table in the living room, let alone through unshoveled snow on the sidewalks. The residents of Everhope Road are failing us right now. Will you just get home now ?” I admit, I’m getting a little feisty.
I’m not sure if it’s my outburst or if it’s simply that time is ticking but another contraction waves through my body, and I breathe heavily with Carter on the other end. “Please,” I beg as I attempt to inhale a long breath and close my eyes, remembering that I have inner Zen to channel.
“You’re doing great,” Carter encourages as he patiently waits for the contraction to pass. When it does, he is in action mode again. “Rosie, you need to hang up and call the doctor. I have to figure out a way to get to you, but I won’t be there soon. I’ll call some other neighbors and see if they can do something.” I hear the alarm and concern in his voice.
That little bit of panic inside me now rockets high.
“Are you saying that I might be having a baby alone?” I wail. The sound of scratching on glass snatches my eyes away from the window to the kitchen back door to see Jet covered in snow that is up to his stomach. He must have escaped, as Carter’s parents are watching him because his mom’s secret love for the dog triumphed on the babysitting front. “Great. A canine answered my distress call.” I’m being sarcastic, and I walk to the door to let Jet in.
I’m on the receiving end of hearing Carter’s puff of air. “Please hang up and call the doctor.”
Letting Jet in, he instantly shakes snow away and begins to follow me around as I sway side to side. “Okay. Just get here soon.”
Ending the call, I search my contacts and call the doctor’s office. After a two-minute check-in of my timing and pain level, they informed me that I need to call 911 if I feel the labor is progressing faster. Not the most comforting of signs, but I take a few more cleansing breaths and lower myself to the floor on all fours then lean forward to rest against my yoga pillow. I need to gather my thoughts and find my inner strength. Jet is instantly next to me, and he must sense my current state, as his nose prods my arm to pet him.
Swallowing and trying to draw in my composure, I admit that I’m struggling. Gritting my teeth through another contraction, I can no longer ignore the facts.
There will be no re-marriage signature tomorrow.
This baby is coming.
And I’m all alone.