Chapter 16
Sixteen
Axel
“Is she okay?” I asked, pressing the phone as close to my ear as possible so I didn’t miss a word Jo said.
“She’s fine. Dr. Foster was able to confirm that Charlie is not in early labor, however she wants her to rest here for a while so she can monitor her contractions. I will bring her back once she’s been cleared and is feeling well enough to walk.”
“Well enough to walk?” My eyes bulged as I imagined poor Charlie feeling so exhausted and in pain that she couldn’t walk. “I thought you said she was okay?”
“She is. You need to calm down,” Jo said sternly.
“Charlie has been having contractions all morning, and we got them to stop for a little bit, but they’ve started again.
Her body is exhausted, Axel. On top of that, she has some mild cramping and bleeding from the exam.
She is in the absolute best place she could be right now.
Dr. Foster is sitting in the room with her, watching her while Charlie sleeps.
She has her hooked up to the monitors so she can keep an eye on the baby.
Everything is alright, she just needs some rest. I didn’t want you to worry—though that was apparently pointless. ”
She laughed, and it made me relax a tiny bit. I hated the thought of Charlie being in so much pain and not being able to do anything about it.
“I will let you know when she’s coming back.
For now, try not to stress. If you need something to do, work on making things more comfortable for her when she gets there.
Add more pillows to the bed. Roll up blankets so she can use them for support.
Do a load of laundry so she can wear her favorite pajamas.
There’s plenty you can do to help out and keep yourself busy. ”
I nodded and started making a plan before I even hung up.
“Thanks, Jo. I’m on it. I’ll make sure everything is ready for her when she gets here. Call if you need anything.”
“Will do.”
The line went dead, so I tucked my phone into my pocket and headed to the kitchen, where Ashley was cleaning up.
My mind was racing as I thought about all of the things Charlie might need and what I could do to make things better for her.
I was so distracted that I hadn’t realized I had been picking stuff up and putting it down as I wandered the kitchen until I felt Ashley’s eyes on me.
It didn’t take a genius to know she had likely heard parts of the conversation with Jo, given how quiet it was in the kitchen and that sound traveled easily from the front of the bar to the kitchen.
“Just go,” she said with a laugh and a shake of her hand. “I’ve got things here. Lainy will be in soon, so I’ll have her cover the front while I run the kitchen. We’ll be fine.”
“How did you know I was going somewhere?” I frowned, wondering how she was able to do that.
“It’s written all over your face. Plus, I heard some of your conversation with Jo.” She smiled and studied me before scrunching her face as another thought hit her.
“You know, I always thought it was just mothers who nested. Apparently, guys do it too. You, my friend, are totally nesting.”
“Nesting?”
“Nesting is when a soon-to-be parent starts getting ready for the baby by cleaning and preparing the things they will need for the baby. Sometimes they get obsessive about making sure everything is perfect—kinda like how you look right now.” She laughed.
“Shit,” I hissed, realization striking me like a ton of bricks. “Charlie doesn’t have anything for the baby. She’s been stuck here with me, waiting out this storm, and the baby is coming.”
While I had been focused on making sure Charlie had what she needed when she got back, I hadn’t even taken into consideration that the baby had nothing.
I shoved a hand through my hair while Ashley held her hands in front of her mouth and tried to hide the smile she was wearing as I fell apart.
The thought of Charlie having a baby and not having what she needed for her sweet girl pulled at my heart in a way I had never felt before.
“I’m serious—she doesn’t have anything. We don’t have diapers or clothes or food or a bed. We don’t have anything, Ashley. Nothing. Zip. Zero. Zelch. Nada. And that baby is coming. Like any day now and we have—”
“Nothing?” she offered, cocking her head as she grinned at me. “It sounds to me like you need to go fix that before Charlie gets home.”
I stood there in stunned silence as her words hit me. It wasn’t that she was in agreement with me going and getting some of the stuff Charlie would need. It was that she had said before Charlie gets home.
Home—as in here with me, where she belonged.