Turning into the large entrance of the hospital, I slammed on the brakes so hard my car shuddered. My tires squealed and left black marks on the pavement. Flinging open the door, I lunged out of the seat, not even bothering to shut the door behind me. I was lucky I remembered to take the keys.
A security guard stopped me before I made it to the sliding doors of the hospital, holding up his hand.
“Sir, you can’t leave your car there. The parking lot is across the street—”
I interrupted him, shaking my head. I tossed my keys in his direction. “Look, kid, I trust you. Park my car and bring me the keys.”
“I can’t do that!”
Reaching into my pocket, I grabbed a wad of cash. I had no idea how much it was, but to this kid standing in front of me, blocking my way, masking his youth by pretending to be forceful, I was certain it was a fortune. I shoved the money into his hand, smirking as his eyes widened at the sight of the cash.
“Sure you can. Think of it as a reward for a job well done. Park my car and bring me my keys.” I pushed past him.
“Where are you going, sir?” he shouted.
I glanced over my shoulder as I hurried away. “The maternity ward!”
I tapped my foot as I waited for the elevator. My heart beat frantically, hands clenching and unclenching at my side, thinking about the call I received while having lunch with a client and Graham.
“Hello?”
“Richard, it’s Laura. I need you to come to the hospital.”
Ice flooded my veins. “What?”
“Katy’s gone into labor.”
I was on my feet, rushing out of the restaurant without another thought. I heard my name being called, but I ignored it. I jumped in my car, speeding toward the hospital. Katy wasn’t due for another three weeks. The baby was early. I had to get to her immediately.
The doors opened, and I cursed under my breath as I waited for people to exit. Didn’t they know I was in a hurry? I pressed six on the panel, then hit the ‘door close’ button, even though people were still filing in. My head fell back on my shoulders, as I inhaled a deep breath and counted to ten. I endured the slow ascent upward, trying not to snarl at people as they got off on other floors. I pushed the ‘door close’ button constantly, ignoring the frowns sent my way.
When the door opened on six, I burst out of the elevator, running to the desk. A nurse entering some information into the computer ignored me.
“My wife—”
She held up her hand, stopping me, and continued to type, not at all concerned with my panic. I wanted to scream, but I fisted my hands and held my tongue. Katy constantly told me I needed to learn patience. A few seconds later, she looked up with a bright smile.
“How can I help you?”
“My wife—I got a call—she’s having the baby today!”
“And the name?”
I stared at her, my brow furrowed. “We don’t know the name. The baby hasn’t been born yet.”
She scowled and opened her mouth, but I kept talking.
“How would I know the name? We didn’t want to know the sex. We wanted it to be a surprise. But she’s gone into labor early. I got a call. I need to find her.”
“Your wife’s name, sir.”
I sucked in a deep breath. Well, that made more sense.
“Katharine—but I call her Katy. She likes that better.”
She arched an eyebrow.
I said nothing in return, just glared. What the hell else did she want?
A hand fell on my shoulder, and I startled, looking down to see the amused face of Dr. Suzanne Simon. She patted my shoulder. “Calm, Richard. Katy is fine.” She smiled at the nurse. “VanRyan, Shelly. It’s Katy VanRyan.”
The nurse named Shelly grinned and threw me a look that made me think she was laughing at me. “I wondered. She warned me.”
I looked between the two of them. Warned? Who warned her? About what exactly?
Dr. Suzanne squeezed my arm. “Come with me, Richard. I’ll take you to Katy, and then I’ll explain everything.”
I nodded, following her down the hall, my stomach tense and my nerves tight.
“What did she mean, ‘she warned me’?”
Suzanne glanced up with a knowing look on her face. “Katy said she had a feeling you’d be a bit less in control than usual today. ‘Freaked out,’ I think were her words.”
I opened my mouth to protest, then shut it with a snap. As usual, my wife was right. I was rather freaked out right now. I needed to see Katy so I could calm down.
Suzanne stopped in front of a door, regarding me patiently. “Katy is fine. The baby is fine. You need to be composed and strong for her, all right?”
I exhaled hard. “Yes.”
“She needs you.”
“She’s really all right? The baby is early.”
“Babies come early all the time, Richard. With all the books you’ve read and the questions you’ve asked, you know this can happen. Katy is young and healthy. You also know I would never hold anything back from you.”
I relaxed a little hearing the honesty in her voice—and she was right. I had read a ton of books, and asked endless questions. Suzanne had always been honest, blunt, and to the point with us. She wouldn’t tell me Katy was okay unless she was, indeed, all right.
“Okay. I’m good. Can I see her now?”
She grinned at my impatience. “Yes.”
When I entered Katy’s room, she was lying down, with Laura sitting beside her. I hurried over, dropped a kiss to my wife’s mouth, then drew back.
“Hi, sweetheart.”
She smiled up at me, clutching my hand, her eyes clouded in pain. “Hi. I’m glad you’re here.”
“I got here as fast as I could.”
Laura grinned and stood up. “That’s my cue. I’ll go sit with Graham and give you two a little time alone. Come get me if you need me.”
“Graham is here?”
“He didn’t come with you?”
“Um, no, he didn’t . . . Oh, shit.” I shrugged my shoulders with a grimace. “I forgot him.”
I left Graham behind in the restaurant. I ran out without telling him what happened or where I was going. Right in the middle of a pitch to a new client, as well.
Laura began to chuckle. “I left my phone in the car. I’m sure he’s been calling.”
I pulled out my phone from my pocket, seeing I had missed several calls and texts. I handed it to Laura. “Use mine. I owe him an apology. Or ten.”
She took the phone, shaking her head. “I’m sure he’ll understand.” She paused beside me to give me a quick hug. “She needs you, Richard. She’s scared, but trying to be brave,” she whispered.
I nodded and quietly thanked her. That was my Katy. Brave and silent. My gaze followed Laura’s departing form with gratitude. She was a positive force in both our lives and the closest thing to a mother I had ever truly known.
I sat beside Katy, holding her hand in mine, and looked at Suzanne. “Well?”
“We thought maybe it was Braxton Hicks, but Katy’s water broke, and her labor is progressing at a steady pace. I think you’re going to meet your child today if things keep moving forward like this.”
I lifted Katy’s hand to my mouth, pressing a kiss on her knuckles. “Today,” I repeated, meeting her anxious gaze.
“We’re going to monitor Katy, and we’ll move her when it’s time. Meanwhile, I need you to remember everything you learned in your classes. Help her with her breathing, keep her comfortable, and let her lean on you.” Her gaze went to Katy. “You can walk if you want to—in fact, I recommend it. There’re ice chips and water here. Are you certain no epidural?”
Katy shook her head. She was adamant on that subject, no matter how I pleaded with her to change her mind.
Dr. Suzanne smiled at Katy and patted her hand. “You can change your mind, if you want, but we can’t leave it too long. There is a point we can’t go back.”
“I know. I want to do this without drugs.”
“Okay, you two. Settle in. I’ll be back shortly.”
She left, and I bent over and kissed my wife, meeting her worried gaze steadily. “I’m here, sweetheart. You’re going to be fine. I won’t leave you for a minute. And later, we’re going to meet our child.”
“It’s so overwhelming,” she admitted in a shaky voice. “I’m scared.”
I was relieved she said the words aloud. I pressed another kiss on her head.
“What do you need?”
“You to hold me.”
“You never have to ask.”
She shifted to the side, and I sat beside her, wrapping my arms around her body, spreading my hand wide across her stomach, and rocking her gently until I felt her relax.
“Someone is anxious to meet you.”
She hummed softly. “Meet us. It’s your voice he or she reacts to the most.”
I smiled, dropping a kiss to her hair, then stroked her swollen belly.
It had felt odd the first time I talked to her stomach. I felt like an idiot, lying beside her with my hand on her skin, muttering about silly things. Except, I liked it. I started reading books, humming music, talking about how much fun we were going to have when he or she was born—anything to connect myself to the life growing inside Katy. The first time I felt the push of a hand or foot against my skin, I actually wept. And for the second time in my life, I knew I was in love. Boy or girl, I would love and protect this child with everything in me. Knowing I would hold them in the next few hours made my chest ache with a sweetness I still wasn’t used to feeling. I glanced up at Katy, who was watching me with tender eyes.
“I love you, Katy.”
She smiled. “We love you.”
She grimaced when another contraction hit, grabbing my hand.
I inhaled hard, knowing this was only the start, and hoping I was strong enough for her to lean on—both physically and emotionally. “Okay, sweetheart. Breathe with me.”