Chapter 23
Chapter
Twenty-Three
The house had exploded with Christmas decorations.
Mom had brought boxes of them back to the house, ones that she’d had in the storage unit. She’d never been able to bring herself to get rid of them, but they didn’t really work in her condo.
Xander had dutifully hung lights and weird paper bells and all the stuff that matched her glorious seventies and eighties kitchen and bathroom, which were no longer glorious in seventies and eighties style.
It didn’t matter. Iago had embraced it all with a wondrous energy that had made him laugh like an idiot.
His lover was sitting right now on the couch in the front room with his mom, going over an album of pictures from his first Christmas way up to the time he had graduated from high school.
Those old pajama pictures were a little embarrassing ,but that was okay. He would make it through.
“Babe, we have to do this for Diana. Digital is great, but I’m going to get the pictures printed and put them in a book.”
He just snorted and went on stirring his gravy.
They were having a roast dinner tonight instead of another turkey like they’d had at Thanksgiving.
Roast beast, Yorkshire puddings, crispy potatoes, and of course he had to have an appetizer soup for Iago.
He’d gone with butternut squash because French onion would make Iago’s acid reflex worse, and so would something like a tomato soup.
For dessert he’d made two kinds of pie because he loved pie, and he hadn’t gotten enough of it at Thanksgiving.
“If that’s what you want,” he finally replied, “then that’s absolutely what we’ll do.”
“Ah, the humor the lunatic words.”
“No, more like keep the pregnant man happy words.”
Mom giggled, and Dad just shook his head where he sat, surrounded by the presents they’d opened like a king on his throne.
Iago’s laugh was soft, happy. He stretched again, rubbing his belly, almost like he was massaging it.
It was a little weird, making Xander tilt his head. “You doing all right, babe?”
“Yeah, it’s just Braxton-Hicks, but man, they’re getting more and more powerful all the time. My body’s getting ready to expel the beast.”
“Don’t you talk about my granddaughter that way.” Mom laughed, shook her head as she stood. “She’s not a beast; she’s just a big baby.”
Big.
Yeah.
The last time that they had checked, she was close to seven pounds they estimated, and there were still three weeks left until her due date.
Xander was a little worried that when she was born she would come out as a linebacker.
Mom came over to him, getting in the fridge for a drink, whispering low. “He’s having contractions, love. We’ll watch, but they’re coming regularly. Dad and I have been timing.”
“Shit.” His voice was low too but now he was panicking a lot. “It’s Christmas Day, Mom. How are we gonna…”
She patted his shoulder. “The birth center and the hospital are both open today. Well, the birth center is on call. We don’t have to worry about it.”
His mouth went dry. “Should I stop cooking? Should I put the food away?”
“No, son, it’ll be a while. Let it just happen.
I was just warning you. He’s got his bag ready.
We’re here. It’s not snowing. Roads are open.
All the things that could have gone wrong, didn’t.
You’re in a good place, so just relax.” It was amazing to have his folks here. He didn’t think he could do this alone.
“Should I maybe at least go into the back and warn Devon? I think Raven is actually the one on call, but should I warn them?”
She shook her head and handed him a Coke. “No, you have plenty of time from when you decide to leave here to head over, and then you call.”
“All right,” he whispered. “I’m not ready.”
“Don’t let him know it,” she whispered back.
That was fair. He was pretty sure that was actually The Plan.
Xander had decided long ago he was going to be alpha about things when it was time for Iago to have the baby.
No panic attacks, no freaking out, no running around in circles slapping his head.
Just calm, with hand holding, doing what needed to be done and not passing out.
“Thanks, Mom.”
“That’s what I’m here for, and I’m here for Iago because his parents are not around. He was in foster care, right?” She looked pretty fierce about it though.
“Yeah, and he’s not close with his foster families, I guess, so, Gent and Colton are his family. I should text them. Tell them not to come over but let him know what’s happening.”
“I have an idea. I’ll go distract your husband to be.”
He hugged her gratefully, and then Xander grabbed his phone while he pretended to stir. There was a little text block that just didn’t have Iago in it, thanks to all the planning they’d had to do for the shower.
I think he might be in labor. Please don’t come over. He’s fine. I don’t even think he knows yet. We’re just watching and waiting.
Law:
Oh my God, really? Does he need anything?
Mason:
Dude, the man just said, ‘Don’t come over. Listen.
Gent:
I’m happy to drive
Colton
It can take forever.
Gent
It doesn’t have to.
Mason
You’re such a worrywart, boss.
Law
You want to film it? We could have a film crew there.
You guys already filmed the baby shower.
He rolled his eyes.
For extra footage for the website.
Law
Hell yeah, how often do one of us get pregnant?
Mason
Only Iago.
Exactly. I’ll ask him when the time comes if he wants you guys to film it, but I bet not.
Law
You are no fun, my friend.
Mason
We established that when he first joined the party, but what can we do? We’re adventurers and we must take on everyone who can roll the dice.
Colton
Wow Mason, that was deep.
Law
It also took a long time to type.
Xander silenced his phone.
These guys.
Jesus.
He looked over the food and decided enough was enough. “Okay, guys, I think dinner is ready.”
It wasn’t anything major — roast and potatoes, puds and pie.
It was going to be the perfect Christmas dinner.
It was going to be his last Christmas dinner before he was a father.
It may be his last day before he became a father. He would just have to go with the flow.
Dinner had been beautiful. The soup was perfect. Iago just wasn’t hungry.
His belly hurt, and his back was killing him. He just kind of wanted to... He didn’t know.
He couldn’t get comfortable.
As soon as dinner was done, Iago summoned a smile for Xander. “It’s perfect, and I’ll happily do dishes after, but I think I need to go take a bath. I’m really uncomfortable.”
Xander looked at him, frowned a little bit. “Do you think you’re in labor?”
“It’s too early. I’m due in January.”
“Yes, but the baby is really bi—”
“I said I’m due in January.” He wasn’t going to discuss this. He was going to go take a bath. He didn’t want to hear about this. He didn’t want to have the baby. He was tired, and he wanted a bath.
“Okay, baby, we’ll get you a bath.” Xander looked a little wild around the eyes, but he absolutely would not deal with that right now.
“I’ll do the dishes,” Dad said. That was so sweet. Xander’s dad was such a wonderful guy.
“We’ll deal with everything. You just go upstairs and have a bath.” Mom waved them off.
“Come on, love.” Xander got him up and moving, taking him up the stairs.
Honestly, why hadn’t they put in a bathroom downstairs?
A real one, not just a powder room. Maybe he could get a hot tub.
Did they have enough room back in that little yard of theirs for a hot tub?
They did have a double city lot, which, compared to Sebastian’s yard, was huge.
He sat on the toilet while Xander ran him a bath. Oh no, he had to pee, so he got up and lifted the lid of the toilet and sat back down after pulling off his pants. They felt really tight anyway, even though he’d gotten a size god-knew-what in order to accommodate his belly.
Sharing a bathroom with someone was kind of weird.
He’d shared a house with Mason and Law, but they weren’t the kind to run into the bathroom and pee while someone else was in the shower or brushing their teeth.
The big house had also had enough bathrooms to go around.
Gent had made sure of that when he rented it for them.
But he was used to it now, he thought, and this was Xander. Xander had seen everything anyway. Xander had been there when he’d gotten stuck hanging over the washing machine, trying to get to the bottom so he could get the clothes out.
“You all set, babe?” Xander turned, hands out to help him up.
“Don’t let me fall when I get in.” He worried about that a lot, but he loved a bath so much, and he wasn’t going to forego the floating. His accoucheur, Devon, had said it was good to float sometimes. It took the pressure off.
So he sank into the water, sighing with pleasure when it surrounded his swollen self. Xander had run enough to really make it feel decadent, buoying him and lifting him up a little. The temperature was also amazing. Not too hot but hot enough that he didn’t shiver when the air touched him.
“Thank you love, this is perfect. It’s just what I needed.”
Xander beamed at him. “Good deal. You liked supper?”
“It was amazing. I just felt so damn swollen and full, and I feel better now. I might have to have a piece of pie in the bathtub.”
Xander cracked up, reaching over to stroke his hair. “That’s my omega.”
That was him, the omega who’d swallowed the world.
His belly rippled again, and this time he could see it. He could literally see everything move.
He blew out a hard breath. “Damn, that’s intense.”
“Does it hurt?”
The temptation to snap, ‘not as bad as it’s going to’ was harsh, but he resisted manfully. Instead, he rubbed at the skin, letting the water lap against his sides.
“Not too bad yet.”
“I’m sorry, baby. What can I do?” Xander looked like he was very determined not to be worried.
It was terribly amusing, because he was clearly stressed.
“We’ll wait and see what happens, and when it’s time to go down to Secret Springs, we’ll know, right?” He chuckled and stretched. “There’s no reason to get stuck down there before we have to.”
“Yes, but we need to remember we have a little bit more of a drive than everybody else.”
“True. I don’t think you want to be delivering the baby.”
Xander looked utterly horrified. “No. In fact, we should go to Secret Springs. Just chill out at the big hotel, and then we’re right there.”
“Let me think about it. It’s Christmas right now, and I’m in the bathtub.” He didn’t want to leave and go to a hotel and be in labor there.
“Sure. I want you happy, but I want you safe.”
“Well, Gent can drive us, and you can sit in the back with me.” That was a good compromise, right?”
“He already offered.”
“He knows I’m in labor?”
“I just wanted to warn them. You know they would never forgive me if I didn’t.”
Iago snorted softly. “Bet you five dollars he offers to film the delivery.”
“Bet you ten dollars he already has.”
Oh, damn. “Good thing all of our dollars are our dollars, huh?”
They cackled, and then Xander went to texting.
He managed to float for about an hour, and then he had to admit this wasn’t fake labor. Things were starting to get a little intense.
“Do you think your folks will mind if we head down to the Springs? Do you think Gent’s family will? Maybe we ought to head that direction.”
“Nope.” Xander popped up off the toilet. “They’re all waiting. Gent is ready to drive, and his people are all going to watch Christmas movies and eat leftovers.”
“Okay. Well, help me up, huh?”
Xander sent off one more text before coming to lever him up out of the tub, wrapping him in a fluffy towel before letting out the water. “What would you like to wear, baby?”
“Something super soft, but not the blue sweat suit.”
Xander glanced at him. “No?”
“I don’t want my water to break while I’m wearing it.” He hoped to wear that home, too, holding his baby.
“Okay. I’ll put it in your bag then.” Xander walked him to the bed, got him sweats, and packed his blue ones in the go bag they’d made up. “Now downstairs.”
“Downstairs.” He glanced at his lover. “Should I bounce down on my butt?”
“No. I’ll help you. I was just pumping you up.” Xander winked at him now, such a shit. That was his Xander.
Xander stuck the bag over his shoulder, then helped him ease down the stairs with one hand on the railing, Xander’s arm around his waist.
“Mom? Dad? We’re heading down the mountain.”
“Oh. Oh, good idea. We’ll follow once things progress to bring the car seat and such.” Xander’s mom beamed at them. “I’m so proud of you both.”
He smiled, or tried to, but it hurt. “Is Gent here?”
“Right here.” Gent stepped up. “Colton and Bastian are packing up the kids to come stay at the hotel. Abby thinks this sounds like the best adventure as long as she can bring her new doll and her play iPhone.”
“Wow. They don’t have to—”
“We’re your family, Iago. We don’t have to. We want to.”
Law and Mason appeared behind them. “Us too! We’re taking the van!”
“You’re not filming this.”
Law winked at him. “I can totally, if you let me.”
“No.”
“At least let me do the way to the birth center.”
“Did you call them, Xander?”
“I did. Raven is meeting us there. Devon is on secondary call of we need him.”
“Or if you take all day tomorrow, I bet Devon comes in to relieve Raven.”
He stared with horror at Mason. “Bite your tongue. I’ve been in labor all damn day.”
“Well, you kept it from us, so you deserve to wait.”
“Stop it, you two,” Gent barked. “In the van. Now.”
“Come on, baby. Are you bundled up enough? It’s damn cold out there.” He let Xander put his coat around him. He was wearing slippers, but they had hard soles, and he had an extra pair in his bag, so he didn’t dirty up the birth center.
“I’m ready. Let’s do this.” He had his family all around him, he had his lover, and he was…well, ready or not, here she came, he guessed.