“Isaac,” Cash barked into his phone. “Get the fucking car around the front, now.”

“What’s happening?” Kinga dashed over with William in tow.

“Natalia’s in labour,” Cash said, trying desperately to keep panic out of his voice. “The baby’s coming.”

“Now? But it’s too early.”

He glared at Kinga. “Fucking genius,” he said through gritted teeth as fear flashed across Natalia’s face. “Come on, baby. Isaac will be waiting outside. Everything’s going to be okay.”

Her whole body shook as he put his arm around her. He glanced over his shoulder and began snapping out orders. “Emmalee, Rupe, follow us there, yeah? Em, call the hospital and tell them we’re on our way. And call Pete.”

She nodded. “Leave it with me. We’re right behind you, babes.”

Natalia barely acknowledged Emmalee. Her face was pale, far too pale. “I’m scared, Cash.”

He pulled her closer. “I know, baby. I’m scared too. Let’s get you to the hospital. I’m right here.”

Isaac had the back door open, and as soon as Cash had helped Natalia inside and climbed in after her, Isaac floored the accelerator. As he turned a corner a little too fast and they were jostled, Cash tapped him on the shoulder.

“Fast, but in one piece, okay, Isaac?” Cash said.

“Yes, sir.”

Natalia groped for his hand, her fingers curving around his.

“Any pain? Or contractions?” he said.

She looked up at him, her eyes wide and fearful. “I haven’t felt the baby move.”

Cash swallowed hard. He could not let her see how terrified he was for both her and their child. He couldn’t allow anything to happen to Natalia, and his mind was running useless scenarios about what he’d do if he were asked to choose. It wasn’t a choice. He’d pick Natalia every time, but if that happened, would she ever forgive him?

“We’ll be there soon.”

Isaac worked miracles, getting them to the hospital in twenty minutes when thirty had been much more likely. Her contractions had started on the way, and she’d spent most of the journey gripping his hand and trying to control her breathing.

He helped Natalia from the car. He wanted to run ahead, to shout for someone to come and help them, but he forced himself to stay calm and walked at her pace into the hospital.

“Sit down,” he said, pointing to a row of chairs. “I’ll get someone.”

He strode over to the reception desk. “We need help,” he said to the nurse with a glance over his shoulder. “My fiancée’s waters have broken. She’s almost thirty-three weeks pregnant. We were booked in for July.”

“Okay, sir,” the nurse said, moving at a fucking snail’s pace. She handed him some forms. “Can you fill these in?”

“Did you hear what I said?” he snapped. “She’s in labour. Can you fucking get someone?”

The nurse peered over the top of her glasses. “There is no need for profanities. I am getting someone. Now, I suggest you calm down, fill in the forms and allow me to do my job.”

Cash snatched the clipboard off the counter. “Make it quick.” He sat beside Natalia and began to fill in the bloody form.

She placed a hand on his arm. “I need you to keep calm, ace. I’m panicking enough for both of us.”

He scrubbed a hand over his face, his smile weak as he looked at her. “Sorry, sweetness.”

His writing was barely legible as he wrote answers on the form. He had to ask Natalia one or two questions, and by the time he’d scrawled his signature at the bottom, a wheelchair had appeared.

“Thank you.” The nurse took the clipboard from him and gave it a cursory glance. “Okay, Natalia, pop yourself in here, my darling. Let’s go and take a look at you.”

“It’s Tally,” Natalia managed to gasp out as another contraction hit her. She doubled over, taking short, sharp breaths. Once it had passed, Cash helped her into the wheelchair.

“Tally it is, then.” The nurse scribbled something on the clipboard then tucked it into a slot at the back of the wheelchair. She began pushing Natalia down the corridor and then glanced over her shoulder. “Are you coming, Daddy?”

Cash bolted after them, feeling like a complete dick. This was so far out of his comfort zone, and the reality of having a baby was hitting home. He’d never thought about how dangerous it might be for Natalia. He’d assumed everything would be fine, never thinking for a second there might be complications.

He wasn’t prepared.

The nurse ushered them into a private room and settled Natalia into bed. A few minutes later, a doctor appeared. He was at least forty years old, which weirdly gave Cash some comfort. Surely a medical professional of his age would have the right level of experience to give Natalia the best care.

The doctor took the clipboard from the nurse and glanced at it. Satisfied, he attached it to the bottom of the bed and peered over the top of his glasses.

“Tally, I’m Dr Saunders. I’m going to be looking after you.” He turned to Cash. “Are you the father?”

Mute, Cash nodded.

He turned back to Natalia. “Try not to worry. I know it’s scary, especially as you’re early. I’m going to examine you, okay?”

Natalia nodded and waved her hand. “Cash.”

“I’m here, baby,” he said, finding his voice. He clung tightly to her hand as the doctor examined his girl. He’d never felt so fucking inadequate in his entire life.

“Right, Tally. I don’t want you to worry, but you’re definitely in labour. You’re already four centimetres dilated.”

“Oh God,” she muttered as the remaining blood in her face drained away, leaving her pale and gaunt. “Can you stop it?”

Dr Saunders shook his head. “Your waters broke. That means we have to let the labour play out.” He made some notes on the clipboard and handed it to the nurse. “This is Louise. She’s going to be with you the whole time. We’ll get a foetal monitor on you so we can monitor the baby’s heartbeat, and I’ll be back to check on you shortly.”

“Wait, you’re leaving?” Cash thrust his arm out, making Dr Saunders draw to a halt.

“She’s in good hands. Louise is a very experienced midwife.”

“But she’s not a fucking doctor, is she?”

Dr Saunders frowned. “Mr Gallagher, please stay calm. I’m aware you’re concerned, but let us do our job. Neither the baby nor Tally are in any immediate danger. I’ll be back soon. I do have other patients.”

Cash’s hands curled into fists. “Is this a joke?”

“Cash,” Natalia snapped. “Stop it. Just stop, okay? I don’t need you going postal on me. I need you here. Man up, for fuck’s sake.”

“Shit.” He dragged a hand through his hair. “Sorry,” he muttered to the doctor, stepping out of his way. He pulled up a chair next to Natalia’s bed and ignored the disapproving glance from Louise.

“Don’t lose it, okay? I need you.”

He pressed the back of her hand to his forehead. “I’m not going to lose it.” He met her gaze. “I’m here, baby.”

“Good. Because I can’t do this alone.”

“You’re not alone.”

Louise attached the monitor to Natalia’s stomach. A thudding sound, like horses galloping, flooded the room. His heart leaped with relief.

“A nice strong heartbeat, Tally,” Louise said with a warm smile. “No signs of baby being in distress.”

“Thank God,” she whispered, her hand flexing inside his.

He squeezed back then released her hand when his phone vibrated in his pocket. He glanced at the screen.

“Emmalee and Rupe are here, and Pete’s on his way. Do you want me to get them?”

Natalia shook her head. “I only want you.”

He stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. “Okay, baby. Shall I go and tell them you’re all right?”

She nodded. “But come straight back.”

He closed the hospital door behind him and strode back to reception. He didn’t want to be away from Natalia a moment more than necessary. Emmalee jumped to her feet the minute she saw him.

“Is she okay? What’s happening?”

“She’s definitely in labour, so one way or another, the baby’s coming. I’ll let you know more as soon as I know anything.”

“I want to see her.” Emmalee took a step towards the door, but Cash gripped her arm.

“No. She doesn’t need crowding.”

“But—”

“For fuck’s sake, Emmalee. She doesn’t want anyone in the room apart from me, okay? Now, sit down and wait it out. Or better still, go home. It’s going to be a while.”

Emmalee jutted out her chin. “I’m not leaving.”

“Up to you.” He signalled to Rupe and then pointed at Emmalee. “Stay with her.”

Rupe nodded. “Sure thing. Give Tally our love.”

When he returned, Natalia was sitting up in bed, sipping a cup of tea. A little more colour had flooded her cheeks, and she definitely appeared calmer.

“That’s better,” he said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

“Did you tell them?”

“Yes. Emmalee is an annoying bitch at times.”

Natalia gave a small smile. “She can be.” As her face twisted in pain, the smile fell, and she thrust the cup of tea at him. Her hands curled around the bedcovers. “Ow, ow, ow,” she said, doubling over.

“What can I do?” Cash put the tea down and started wringing his hands. God, he felt fucking useless, surplus to requirements.

Louise bustled over and clutched Natalia’s hand. “Okay, sweetie, breathe. In, out. Come on now, deep breaths.”

Cash began to pace. He didn’t like this. Not one bit. He hated seeing Natalia in pain when there wasn’t a fucking thing he could do about it.

* * *

Hours passed, and as each one did, his girl became more and more exhausted.

“I can’t do this anymore,” she said when she’d been in labour for seven hours. “I’m tired.”

Cash leaned forward in his chair and held her hand. “You can, baby. You’re the strongest person I know.”

“I can’t.” She began to cry.

A fist closed around his heart and squeezed. He nestled next to her on the bed and pressed a cool cloth to her damp forehead.

“How much longer?” he asked Louise.

“It could be minutes, or it could be hours.” When Cash gave her a horrified stare, she smiled and patted his shoulder. “Everything is going well. The baby is doing great, and Mum is doing great. It’ll happen.”

Late evening became night, and night became dawn. Natalia’s contractions grew longer and more painful, and he was about to insist on a caesarean when Louise, during yet another fucking examination, looked at them both and smiled.

“Ten centimetres. Are you ready to meet your baby?”

The news had an immediate impact on Natalia. She perked up, a steely determination appearing on her face as she reached for his hand. “Let’s do this.”

The staff wheeled her down the corridor to the delivery suite that had the equipment they’d need when the baby was born. That fact alone made him feel sick. Everyone was behaving as though this was completely normal, but it wasn’t. The baby shouldn’t have been there for another seven weeks. He was no expert, but he knew that wasn’t good. How would he cope if things went wrong?

Whatever happened in the future, he would never forget what Natalia went through in that room. He stood by, helpless, as her face turned redder and redder and she pushed and heaved and screamed. Whoever said childbirth was a miracle was a fucking idiot.

After she’d been pushing for two hours, two goddamn awful fucking hours, she turned to him, sweat pouring down her face even though he’d been mopping it every ten seconds.

“I can’t. I can’t,” she sobbed. “No more.”

Agony scored a fucking big cut in Cash’s heart. “You’re amazing,” he said, kissing her hand. “You’re doing amazing.”

Dr Saunders smiled encouragingly. “Almost there, Tally. Next contraction, big push, okay?”

She clung to Cash’s hand as another contraction tore into her. “Oh God, no,” she yelled, pushing with every ounce of energy she had left. At that moment, he hated the baby, hated what it was doing to her. She wasn’t ever doing this again.

“Okay, the head’s out,” the doctor said with a bright smile. “Stop pushing for me, Tally, just a second.”

“Is it okay?” Cash said with an anxious glance at Louise.

She ignored him, instead passing the doctor a couple of horrific-looking medieval silver things. Natalia seemed out of it, as though whatever he was doing with those instruments didn’t matter.

When Saunders finished messing about, he looked up. “Ready? Big push.”

Natalia grimaced and gritted her teeth. With Cash lifting her up, she pushed once more, and out came the baby with a whoosh.

“Congratulations, you two,” Dr Saunders said as Natalia collapsed against the pillows. “You have a daughter.”

“Can I see her?” She raised her head. Cash put his arm around her shoulders to help her see better.

The doctor held up this tiny little thing, her face red and angry as she whimpered.

The first thought that hit him was, I know you.

Different emotions scattered throughout his body, taking his breath away with their intensity. Nothing in either of their lives would ever be the same again.

“Oh, Cash,” Natalia said as tears began streaming down her face. “She’s amazing. She’s the image of you.”

“Poor thing,” Cash said with a grin. He leaned over and kissed Natalia, and when he gazed into her eyes, the pain that had necessitated their daughter’s arrival into this world seemed to disappear, the night of tension and terror vanishing, memories already being wired differently so the two of them could inaccurately look back on this experience as a true miracle.

“You are something else,” he said. “I couldn’t love you more.”

“Four pounds one ounce,” Louise said, making a note on Natalia’s chart. She wrapped up the baby and placed her into a glass incubator.

“We need to take her to NICU,” the doctor said.

“Why? What’s wrong?” Natalia said, panic leaching into her tone.

“She’s fine,” Dr Saunders said in a reassuring voice. “But she’s small. It’s routine, Tally. She’ll be able to get the extra help she needs.”

“I want to go with her.”

“We need to take care of you first, and then you can be with her.”

“Cash, go with her,” Natalia said as their daughter was wheeled towards the door. “I don’t want her to be alone.”

“Baby, she’s not alone. Let’s go up together after you’ve been seen to.”

“I didn’t even get to hold her.” Smiles gave way to tears as Natalia began to sob. He wrapped his arms around her and let her cry into his chest.

“You will,” he whispered, brushing her face softly. He kissed the top of her head. “We both will.”

She nodded and sniffed loudly as she wiped her nose with the back of her hand. Cash chuckled and reached into his pocket for a tissue. He passed it to her.

She blew her nose. “I’m such a classy girl,” she said with the hint of a smile.

“I know. I’m the luckiest guy in the world,” Cash said.

“Do you think Em’s still here?”

He gave a wry smile. “Knowing Emmalee, I’d say it’s a safe bet.”

“Can you go and tell her and Pete? I don’t want them worrying.”

Cash shook his head. “I’m not happy about leaving you alone.”

Natalia rolled her eyes. “I’ll be fine. There’s not a lot you can do,” she said, tilting her head towards the doctor, who was doing things to her that Cash didn’t want to have to think about. “Go on. And tell Kinga I’m sorry for ruining her day.”

Under duress, Cash set off for the reception area, but about halfway there, his legs buckled, and he leaned against the wall. He closed his eyes and let the joy of what had happened over the last few hours seep into his bones. He wanted to remember this moment for the rest of his life. He had a daughter. A precious baby girl. And as clichéd as it sounded, his life had changed forever. But what surprised him more was how much of a positive change he knew it was going to be.

After composing himself, he opened the door to the reception area. Emmalee was asleep, her head resting on Rupe’s shoulder. Cash glanced around and chuckled. Everyone had turned up. Pete, Brad, Jamie, Kinga—still in her wedding dress—and William. The only person missing was Mum, but he hadn’t exactly had time to call her. She’d be disappointed when she found out she’d missed the birth.

“Hey,” Cash said, his voice sounding exhausted even to his own ears.

Like a choreographed move, everyone jumped up at virtually the same time.

“Tally?” Emmalee said. “The baby?”

A broad grin spread across his face. “A girl. Four pounds something I can’t remember. She’s perfect. They’ve taken her to intensive care, but it’s routine apparently. Natalia’s fine. Exhausted but fine.”

Cash found himself surrounded as they all hugged him and then hugged each other. He managed to extricate himself and caught Pete’s eye.

“My girl okay?” Pete said, his eyes glistening with emotion.

Cash nodded. “She’s better than okay. They’re… looking after her, and then we’re going to see the baby, but after that, I’m sure she’ll be dying to see you.”

Pete shook Cash’s hand and clapped him on the back. “Well done,” he said gruffly as though Cash was the one who had performed the impossible.

“I’ll come and get you as soon as she’s rested.”

He wandered over to Kinga. Her small hand was clutching William’s much larger one. “Natalia wants me to apologise, even though I know you’ll be fine. She didn’t want anything to detract from your day, and yet, in her mind, she’s managed to do that rather spectacularly.”

“Tell her not to be so ridiculous,” Kinga said. “We had a wonderful day, made even more wonderful by this amazing ending to it.”

Cash nodded. “I knew you’d see it that way, but you know Natalia.”

“I do,” she said with a smile. “Tell her we love her, and we can’t wait to see the baby.”

When Cash pushed open the door to the delivery suite, Natalia was alone. She was sipping on a cup of tea, and her normal pale complexion had returned.

“I could murder one of those,” he said, nodding at her cup.

She pointed at a tall cabinet behind him. “Good job Louise brought you one, then. She’s gone to fetch a wheelchair, and then we can go to see the baby.”

He lowered himself onto the bed and tilted her chin up to his. Her eyes seemed to hold a newfound knowledge and wisdom.

“I will never forget what you did today. What you went through.”

She put her cup down on the cabinet beside her then removed his from him and placed it next to hers. Her arms curved around his neck, and she kissed him. When they broke apart, her eyes were brimming with tears.

“I love you,” she whispered.

He was about to kiss her again when Louise arrived with a wheelchair.

“Okay, kids. Want to go and see your baby?”

Excitement crossed Natalia’s face, and she gripped Cash’s hand. “Try to stop us.”