Chapter Twenty-Six – Caden
Caden
The last few weeks had felt like a whirlwind.
For it being toward the end of March, the temperatures were on the warmer side, and that meant the cattle and horses wanted to get out onto the ranch and explore more.
The snow had melted, and everyone was hopeful that the winter snowstorms had come to an end. Hopeful being the keyword.
Lilibeth and I had gone on a few more dates, though nothing like our first date at the theater. We’d gone to dinner in Granby, took a drive to Estes Park and spent the day there, planned movie nights at home—where I made sure she had her Sno-Caps, which I was pretty sure she was addicted to.
There were a few moments when innocent kisses almost turned to something more passionate, but I was hell-bent on keeping my hands to myself to prove to Lilibeth that this wasn’t about sex. This was about so much more.
“Caden?”
I lifted my head and looked at my father. “Yeah?”
He laughed as he entered my small office in the cattle barn. “I said your name at least five times. Where were you?”
I sighed. “Sorry, lost in thought, I guess.”
A knowing smile grew across his face. Everyone always told me that I was the mini version of my father. We had the same blue eyes, but my mother said mine were more silver at times. Otherwise, we had the same shade of brown hair. Same build, even the same height.
“I’ve seen that look before on plenty of men. That’s the look of a man who’s thinking about a woman.”
Sitting back in my seat, I nodded. “I was thinking about Lilibeth, yes.”
He took a seat in the chair in front of my desk. “Your mother told me you’re going for an ultrasound today, and you might be able to find out if it’s a boy or a girl.”
Nodding, I replied, “Today is the day.”
“And are you going to find out?”
“I think so. We talked about it last night. Dad…can I ask you a question about when Mom was pregnant?”
“Sure you can.”
“I imagine growing a baby is tiresome.”
He laughed and nodded in agreement.
“Was Mom tired a lot? Lilibeth falls asleep almost every night on the sofa. I end up carrying her to bed, and I’m afraid one of these nights I’m going to trip on the way up to her room.”
His brow lifted, and I knew what he was thinking.
I cleared my throat. “We’re not together in that sense...yet.”
“Is there a reason why? If you don’t mind me asking.”
I squirmed in my seat, not sure how I felt about discussing my sex life with my father. I cleared my throat. “It’s not that I don’t want to. I just want to show Lilibeth she means more to me than just sleeping together.”
My father nodded. “May I be frank with you, son?”
I narrowed my gaze. “It depends on what you’re going to be frank about.”
He chuckled. “Have you been reading up on the pregnancy? Week eighteen, right?”
I nodded. “I was in the beginning, but I’ve fallen off on reading as much as I should.”
“Your mother did nap often, especially when she was pregnant with you. She was teaching full time, and I’m sure that didn’t help. There’s one thing I remember about all of her pregnancies, though.”
Leaning forward, I asked, “What?”
Now it was his turn to look uncomfortable. “How to say this delicately, since I’m talking about your mother…” He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them. “Okay. There comes a time during the pregnancy where a woman has…needs.”
“Like sleeping?”
A strained laugh came from him. “No, son. Not sleeping. Needs.”
“I mean, her cravings are really weird. The other night, I found her dipping pickles into ranch dressing. The night before that, she was eating mac and cheese with lima beans in it.”
“Lima beans?”
“I know! I don’t think I’ve even eaten lima beans before and I honestly don’t even know where the beans came from.”
He chuckled. “That’s part of pregnancy as well, but that’s not what I mean. I see I’m going to have to be direct. Horny. They get horny, Caden.”
It took a few moments for his words to sink in. “Gross, Dad. I mean, really? Couldn’t you have said it any other way?”
“I tried! Needs! I said needs, Caden!”
I screwed up my face, then practically shook myself out of the chair when I thought about it in the context of my parents. “I think we should go back to her being tired.”
My father laughed and stood. “I’m just saying, I get that you’re trying to be noble and all, but I’m not so sure Lilibeth is appreciating your efforts, as far as you keeping your distance.”
I stood and followed him to the door. “Duly noted, thank you, Dad. And please, let’s not ever speak of this again.”
He laughed again as he headed out of my office and toward Mike’s. He lifted his hand and said, “Have a good night, son!”
The moment he walked into Mike’s office, I went back to my computer, pulled up Google, and did my own research.
After ten minutes of reading, I closed up my computer, grabbed my jacket, sent a text to Uncle Mike and David and told them I was leaving for Lilibeth’s appointment.
When I walked out into the aisle, I turned to see my father and uncle watching me leave.
They both laughed their asses off and I knew it was because I was leaving to be with Lilibeth.
Rolling my eyes, I turned and headed out of the barn.
I walked into the waiting room and found Lilibeth already there, reading a book. There was another couple in the room, on the opposite side. Lilibeth glanced up and smiled when she saw me.
Waving, I headed over, kissed her, then sat down. “How are you feeling today?” I asked.
She shrugged. “Tired. We were so busy at the store today, and I couldn’t figure out why until Moreen told me there was a snow-sculpting contest in Granby.
They had to make snow for the event since the weather has been on the warm side.
I guess people are making their way to our small town and checking it out.
Hey, your idea about Moreen making some food items to sell in the store has been a hit!
She made some chocolate-chip, banana-nut bread and put samples out.
She had twenty-five small loaves, and she sold them all! ”
“That’s amazing!”
“Well, she sold twenty-four. I ate a loaf.”
“The whole loaf?”
Her cheeks turned pink. “In my defense, they were mini loaves.”
“Other than that, you’re feeling good? Okay?”
Her brows drew down. “Yes. Why?”
I shrugged. “Just curious.” Glancing down at the book, I asked, “What are you reading?”
“Everything that’s happening in week eighteen! The baby’s about six or seven inches. And I wasn’t just imagining my boobs getting bigger—they are!”
I closed my eyes and tried not to picture that in my head.
“She—or he—is about the size of a pomegranate!” Pausing, she looked up in thought. “Now I want some pomegranate.”
I chuckled. “Other than all of that…are you feeling any other…symptoms?”
“Heartburn. And if I get up too fast, I get dizzy.”
“Dizzy?” I asked, worry etching my voice.
“Nothing bad at all, so please don’t worry.”
I nodded. Maybe it was just my mother who had those…needs. I shuddered once more.
“Are you cold? Where’s your coat?”
Looking at her, I frowned. “What?”
“You just shivered.”
“No, I’m not cold.” Clearing my throat, I was about to just ask her outright when the door opened, and they called her name.
She jumped up. “Here we go!”
I followed her to the back and couldn’t help but notice a few of the nurses smiling…but not at Lilibeth. At me. I moved up alongside her and laced our hands together.
She looked up at me and smiled. “Nervous?”
“No. Are you?”
“A little.”
Once we’d finished the standard weighing and questions, the nurse told us the doctor would be in shortly. From previous experience, that usually meant we had at least fifteen minutes to talk about…things.
“Lilibeth, I was wondering if I could ask you a question.”
“Of course you can.”
There was a light knock on the door, and Dr. Lawrence came in.
Damn it all to hell!
“How are you today, Lilibeth and Caden?”
“Wonderful!” Lilibeth said, while I smiled and nodded.
“I take it the morning sickness is gone?”
“Almost. It’s been replaced by weird cravings.”
The doctor laughed. “That’s normal. When I was pregnant, all I wanted to do was eat dirt.”
“Dirt?!” Lilibeth and I said, at the same time.
The doctor nodded. “Yep.” She glanced at the book that was in the seat next to me. “You’re doing your reading, I see. Do you have any questions for me? Things that are changing with your body that you’re worried about or have concerns over?”
I wondered if that question was directed at me, as well. Could I ask on Lilibeth’s behalf?
“Weight gain?” Lilibeth asked.
“You’re right on track, and please don’t worry about that. I would actually prefer you not even get on the scale moving forward. Just eat a balanced diet, drink lots of water, fruits, and veggies, and try to avoid too many sweets.”
They spoke for a few more minutes, then the doctor asked, “Are we ready to see your baby?”
I thought Lilibeth would jump up and start dancing, she was so excited. “I’m so ready!”
Dr. Lawrence chuckled, then looked at me.
“I’m excited to see how much she’s grown. Or he.”
“Okay, let’s get everything set up. We’re going to move you to another room.”
Once inside the imaging room, Lilibeth lay back on the table, and the doctor put gel on her stomach. The moment our baby appeared on the screen, I blinked to hold back my tears.
Lilibeth let her tears fall freely. I inched closer to her and took her hand in mine. When she looked up at me, it felt like a gut punch. I knew her tears were happy, but something else happened when I looked into her eyes—something moved through me so fast and so quick, it left me slightly dizzy.
I had the insane urge to lean down, kiss her, and tell her…
Tell her I loved her.
She looked back at the monitor, so I did as well. The head appeared, and the doctor began taking measurements and pictures.
“This little one is really moving around in there,” Dr. Lawrence said with a soft laugh.
Lilibeth gasped when a little foot appeared on the screen. Her hand covered her mouth to stifle a sob. I squeezed her other hand and wiped a tear from my cheek with my free hand.
The baby’s profile appeared, with one little arm up to their mouth.
“Looks like baby might be trying to figure out how to suck his or her thumb.”
“That’s amazing,” I whispered, as I leaned in closer to look. “What is all of that?” I asked, as things started to appear on the screen that were unrecognizable. “Is that the umbilical cord?”
“It is. Good eye, Caden.” Turning to look at us, she asked, “Do we want to know if it’s a boy or a girl?”
Lilibeth nodded and wiped more tears away. “Yes. We’d like to know.”
She moved the transducer around a bit on her stomach, paused the screen and smiled. Lilibeth squeezed my hand, and I realized I was holding my breath.
Dr. Lawrence started to type.
It’s a girl.
Another sob slipped free from Lilibeth.
“It’s a girl?” I asked, as I read the sentence over and over. “We’re having a girl!”
Dr. Lawrence smiled. “It’s a girl.”
Now I couldn’t stop myself. I bent down and kissed Lilibeth. “We’re having a little girl.”
She nodded as tears fell down the sides of her cheeks. “I knew it was a girl. I just knew it!”
“Let’s listen to the baby’s heartbeat.”
The room suddenly filled with the sounds of our child’s beating heart. I let go of Lilibeth’s hands and stumbled back to drop into a seat.
I stared at the monitor. “A girl.”
Instantly, a movie played in my head of a little girl with curly light-brown hair, her braids woven with flowers, playing in the front yard, Lilibeth chasing after her.
“Heartbeat is perfect at one sixty-one. All looks amazing.”
The next thing I knew, I was helping Lilibeth into the truck as she clutched the pictures and digital copy of the entire sonogram. She leaned her head back against the seat, a smile on her beautiful face.
I pulled out of the lot, and it wasn’t two minutes later that I heard snoring. I looked over at Lilibeth, passed out, her lips hanging open and a bit of drool coming out of the side of her mouth.
I chuckled and focused back on the road.
There was no doubt in my mind—I was head over heels in love with Lilibeth Asher.