The final two weeks of my pregnancy have been both heaven and hell.

Hell, because I feel like a beached whale, and I’m sweating in places I never knew existed. It’s the end of July in Texas, and I’m ready to claw my skin off.

Heaven, because being back in Alex’s arms every night has been the only thing keeping me going with a semi-positive attitude.

He’s kept his word and hasn’t left my side, even though, at times, I enjoy the quiet time to myself. I know he still feels guilty about that night he went out and got drunk, but I’m over it now. He made a mistake, and he’s more than learned his lesson. I believe him when he says it’ll never happen again, and the fact that he’d given me a second chance without much thought after how things ended in Key West tells me the kind of person he truly is.

But that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy the make-up sex in the meantime.

“River,” Alex whispers against my hair. We’re lying in bed together after a restless night. It’s Saturday, so he doesn’t have to rush off to work since he’s off this weekend. I’d been up at least once every hour. Either because I had to pee or couldn’t get comfortable.

“Mmm?” I murmur.

Before he can respond, his stomach releases a wicked howling sound. I chuckle, knowing exactly what he’s going to say.

“Hungry?”

“Starving,” he confirms. “What about you?”

I look up at him from the crook of his arm. “Do you even have to ask?”

He smiles, kissing the top of my head. “I’ll go see what we have. Otherwise, we’ll drive into town and go visit Betty.”

“Sounds good to me. Except it might take me until lunch to roll off this bed.”

“Let me help.” He chuckles, standing up and reaching his hands out for me to grab them. He pulls me into a sitting position to the edge of the bed, and when I look down, all I can see is my huge belly.

“Thank God it’s flip-flop season,” I mutter, annoyed with how co-dependent I’m becoming. I hate asking him for help even though he reassures me he doesn’t mind.

He tilts my head and presses a soft kiss to my lips. “You look beautiful, so stop whining.”

I wrinkle my nose at him and scowl. “We’ll see when I’m sweating and screaming through ten hours of childbirth.”

“And you’ll still be the most beautiful woman in the world.” He winks.

“How do you always manage to do that?”

“What?” he asks, grabbing one of his shirts from the closet.

“Give me flutters every time you say something sweet and charming. Like you don’t even have to try. The words just naturally fly out of your mouth.”

He chuckles, pulling his shirt on before grabbing a pair of jeans from his dresser. “It’s the Bishop way, darlin’. Just accept it.”

I sigh, relaxing my shoulders as I feel anything but beautiful right now.

“I’m going to check the fridge, but I’m almost certain we only have a gallon of milk and a jar of Aunt Patsy’s homemade jam.” He heads out and walks down the hallway toward the kitchen.

“Okay, I’m going to attempt to get dressed. See ya in an hour.” I groan.

Placing my palm down on the bed behind me, I start pushing myself up. After some twisting and shifting, I finally manage to stand. I really underestimated what carrying a Bishop baby would feel like. I’m convinced all those pictures of those cute pregnant women in their last month on the internet are Photoshopped.

I wobble down the hallway to where my clothes are stored in my room. We haven’t made the final transition of making Alex’s room our room yet, but as soon as the baby’s out and we’re back home, I plan to turn it into a guest room of sorts. I want my parents, and eventually, Natalie and Adam, to come visit.

“Oh my God,” I screech as I reach in my closet for one of my maternity shirts. “Dammit.” I groan and let out a growl. I’m pretty sure I just peed myself.

Why does no one tell you this happens during pregnancy? I’m going to write one of those truths about pregnancy books because that sugarcoated shit they fed me was a lie.

I step back and decide I’m going to need a shower, but that’s when I realize the liquid is continuing to run down my legs.

Wait.

My abdomen tightens as another gush of liquid lands at my feet. Holy shit. Oh my God. My water just broke.

I’d had some Braxton Hicks contractions over the last week, but nothing that was consistent. Now I’m sure this is the real deal.

“Alex!” I shout, stepping aside from the mess.

He doesn’t respond, and I stand in complete shock. It’s finally time!

“Babe, where are you?” I hear him in the other room.

“Down here, hurry!”

His feet rush down the hallway, and when he swings the door open, he spots my wide eyes and immediately comes toward me.

Before I can warn him, he steps in the mess on the floor and cringes.

“What the…?”

“I think my water broke,” I finally tell him, blinking and meeting his eyes. “First, I thought I had peed myself, but then it just kept coming.”

“Oh my God…” He steps in front of me, holding my face. “Does this mean it’s time? It’s really time?”

Nodding, tears surface, and my lip trembles. Now that the reality of having this baby is happening, I can’t help feeling scared out of my damn mind.

“Sweetheart, don’t cry.” He wipes his thumbs under my eyes before pressing a sweet kiss to my lips.

“I’m nervous,” I admit. “What if this baby is like…fifteen pounds and ruins my vagina for life?” I blurt out, and I can tell he wasn’t expecting that by the way he chokes on his laughter.

“I will love our fifteen-pound monster and your vagina no matter what, okay?”

I smile and nod, though I’m not convinced about how my body is going to handle labor.

“Let’s go have a baby.”

We’re packed and on the road in less than thirty minutes. I text Natalie, my mother, and Benita to let them know we’re heading to the hospital. Alex calls Evan and says he’ll let them know to be expecting us since he’s already on shift. I doubt we’ll see him till after the birth, though, since he works in the ER. Between calling his parents and his brothers, I’ve barely come to terms with the fact that I’m really in labor this time.

“How are you feeling?” Alex asks me, reaching for my hand and squeezing three times.

“The contractions are getting more intense. Worse than the Braxton Hicks because I feel it in my back and my stomach.”

“Well, maybe that means he’ll be here sooner than later.”

“God, I hope so. I like to think I have a high pain tolerance, but then again, I’ve never pushed anything the size of a watermelon out of my vagina, so I guess we’ll both find out.”

He coughs to hide his smile, though I know he’s trying to be supportive.

“Well, I’ll be by your side the whole time.”

“And I’m sorry if you were hoping I’d be one of those girls who wanted to have an all-natural birth, but I’m not. I plan to go as long as I can without any meds, but when it makes me want to cut off your balls, I’m getting the epidural,” I inform him, wincing from another discomforting jab. God, it feels like my menstrual cramps are on steroids.

He shifts his body as if to guard his balls. “I’m on board for anything that saves my junk.”

“Don’t make me laugh,” I beg, choking on my own laughter. “How much longer till we’re there?” My head falls back on the seat, and as I hold my belly with one hand, Alex squeezes my other hand three times.

“Not too much longer. As long as there isn’t traffic.”

I groan, praying that I can breathe through this pain long enough to get into a room.

Within the hour, we’re at the hospital and in the delivery unit. They set me up in a room with monitors and fluids. The contractions are intense, and when my doctor finally comes in to check me, I’ve only progressed to five centimeters, even though I’ve been at a three for weeks.

Natalie asks if she can FaceTime me and since I’m bored, I let her.

“Oh my God! I can’t believe it’s time!” she squeals as soon as I accept her call.

“He’s already being stubborn,” I groan.

“Just like his Mama,” Alex blurts out, and I turn and scowl at him.

“Well, he’s not wrong.” She laughs.

“You’re supposed to be cheering me up,” I remind her. “Distract me. Talk to me about something else.”

“Okay, well hmm…” She twists her lips, thinking. “Adam and I found a few houses we really like, so we’re doing another private showing on one of them next week.”

“Oh, that’s exciting! Are you leaning toward one more than the others or is it a tie?”

“Well, the two we were looking at are one-bedrooms with a big kitchen. Then one we looked at yesterday is a two-bedroom, and though the kitchen isn’t as big, the yard is really nice.”

“Hmm…well are they priced around the same?”

“Yeah, pretty close, so we’ve been writing down pros and cons of each, but I think we’re already leaning toward one.” There’s a hint of amusement in her voice, but I shrug it off as pure excitement. Now that she and Adam are engaged, they’re finally settling down and buying a house in the suburbs of Milwaukee. Close enough so Natalie didn’t have to drive far for work, yet not too close they had to deal with city noise.

I squeeze my eyes tight as a contraction comes to light, and Alex grabs my hand and rubs circles over my knuckles. “Breathe, baby,” he reminds me.

Thirty seconds later, it passes, and I can breathe normally.

“You okay?” Natalie asks.

“Yeah, keep talking,” I say as I grab the cup of ice chunks on the table next to me.

“Okay, so the pro is the extra bedroom, and the con is that it’s an HOA neighborhood.”

“Oh.” I don’t hide my disapproval. “You hate being told what to do, so maybe not.” I chuckle.

“Oh, I know. But I think we could really use the extra bedroom, and it has everything else we need. So as Adam says, I need to put on my big girl undies and follow the rules.”

I snort laugh.

“Wait. Why could you use the extra bedroom? You hate company.” I narrow my eyes, confused.

“Well I mean, eventually we’ll need it.” She tries to cover her tracks, but I don’t buy it.

“You’re lying.”

“Just tell her, babe!” I hear Adam shout in the background.

“Shut up!” she hisses.

“Tell me what?”

“It’s nothing. I can tell you later. Today’s your day.” She smiles, guilt all over her face.

“Natalie…” I warn. “Shit.” I wince again, feeling the next contraction rip through me. Once it’s over, I go back to my phone. “You better tell me, or I’ll withhold baby pictures from you!”

“You wouldn’t!” She gasps.

Alex is next to me shaking his head.

“What?” I ask him.

“You really don’t know what she’s trying to say?” He raises his brows, and I follow his eyes down to my belly.

“What?” I screech, looking back at Natalie. “You’re pregnant?” I sit up straighter. Her expression tells me everything I need to know. “Oh my God!”

“Yep, you’re going to be an auntie!”

Tears start flowing down my cheeks before I can stop them, and I know I’m a hot mess right now. “Our kids are going to be close in age, and you’re all the way up there.”

“But we’ll visit and vice versa. There’s no crying during labor,” she teases.

I chuckle, wiping my face. “When did you find out?” I ask, but before she can answer, a harsh contraction begins.

“They’re getting closer together,” Natalie states. “Are you getting the epidural?”

“Alex, press the call button. It’s time.” I squeeze my eyes shut and try to inhale and exhale slowly.

“Good luck, sweetie! Alex, FaceTime me when she starts pushing so I can watch!”

“Ew, no,” Alex responds. “I’m staying above the waist.”

“You better not!” she scolds. “You get down there and watch your son being born!”

“Okay, I’m hanging up now! Bye!” Alex presses the button before Natalie can retaliate.

“Do you two have any boundaries at all?” he mutters, but I can barely breathe to respond. “Okay, I’m paging the nurse right now.”

Another thirty minutes go by, and I finally have an epidural and some relief. It felt like a couple of boxers were punching me down there, and now I feel happy as ever.

“I can’t believe Natalie and Adam are going to be parents,” I say, dreamily.

“I see the meds are working.” He grins.

“Yeah, they are…” I rest my eyes and enjoy the comfort.

---

I sit next to River’s bed and hold her hand as she falls in and out of sleep. I’m so relieved she doesn’t have to feel her contractions anymore, but I know this is just the beginning.

Hours go by, and when the doctor checks River’s progress again, she’s only dilated to six centimeters.

“All of that, and I’m only at a six?” she whines to the nurse. She looks to be in her mid-thirties, and when I look down at her ID tag, it says Amelia.

“I’d suggest walking around, but you can’t once you’ve had the epidural.”

“I know,” River says. “I used to work as a nurse up in Milwaukee,” she adds.

“Oh, how cool. They have great hospitals up there. What brings you all the way down here?”

River points at her belly and then at me. Amelia chuckles.

“Well, then you probably know that these things take time. Rest as much as you can now because once you’re at a ten, the doctor’s gonna want you to start pushing.”

“Great.” She moans, her head falling back against the pillow. “Pushing alone can take a while.”

“Up to two hours sometimes for a first pregnancy.”

“Two hours? I don’t think I even have twenty minutes in me.”

Amelia pats her hand and smiles. “Let me know if you need anything, okay?” She directs her question at me.

“Will do, ma’am.”

My phone is blowing up, so I start texting my brothers and Dylan back. I tell John to call our folks to give them an update before tending back to River.

“You want a foot rub?” I ask.

“Have sex with me,” she blurts.

“River,” I scold.

“It’ll help me dilate. C’mon.”

I laugh, knowing she’s desperate to progress naturally and have the baby.

“I’m serious.” She pulls on my hand, pouting.

“You can beg all you want, but there is no possible circumstance that will make me say yes to that right now. Also, I’m pretty sure that puts you at risk for infection since your water already broke.”

“Argh,” she groans. “That stupid book.”

“Want me to read to you to distract you and pass some time?”

“Ooh yes. No, wait. That’ll just make me want sex more. You’ll have to find a thriller or something to read instead.”

I click open my phone and begin searching. Once I find something she agrees to, I start reading aloud. She eventually falls asleep, and I step out momentarily when Evan knocks on the door just as Amelia comes back in with River’s chart.

“How’s it goin’?” he asks.

“Fine, I guess. Slow. River’s getting anxious.”

He pats me on the shoulder and pulls me in for an unexpected hug. “Proud of you.”

“Thanks, but I’m not the one pushing out a Bishop.”

He chuckles then makes a wincing face. “Well, text me if you need anything, okay? If you get hungry, I can bring you somethin’.”

“Will do, thanks.”

An alarm going off behind me grabs my attention and both of us come rushing in.

“What is it?”

Evan searches the monitors and answers. “The baby’s heartbeat monitor. The heart rate is dropping.”

“What? Why? What’s that mean?”

Amelia clicks the button and mutes the sound. She’s looking it over and tells us she’s going to page the doctor.

“Is he okay?” River asks, panicked.

“River, let’s move you to your side. Sometimes that helps.”

Evan steps in and helps Amelia shift River till she’s lying on her side. Amelia adjusts the monitor and continues watching it for several minutes until the doctor finally arrives.

“His heart rate went back up a tad, but it’s not staying steady,” I overhear Amelia say.

“River, I want to check you again and make sure everything’s okay. The nurse is going to help you roll back over so I can take a look.”

I squeeze River’s hand three times once she’s rolled onto her back. The doctor checks her progress, but this time his face drops when he looks back up at us.

“You haven’t dilated anymore. I could give you a dose of Pitocin to help speed it up, but with his heart rate being inconsistent, I don’t want to risk it.”

“Why isn’t she dilating?” I ask.

“The baby’s not dropping, which makes me believe the cord could be wrapped around his neck.”

“Oh my God,” River screeches.

“Or his shoulders are too wide,” the doctor adds. “He could be stuck.”

“What does that mean? Now what?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady for River’s sake even though I’m panicking inside.

“I think the safest option right now is to start prepping you for an emergency C-section. If the cord is wrapped around his neck, it puts both you and the baby at risk,” the doctor explains.

River and I both look up at Evan for confirmation. I trust the doctor, but getting my brother’s advice is just as important to me. Evan nods and says he agrees it’s the safest option right now.

The next ten minutes flash by in a blur. I didn’t read much up on C-sections, stupidly assuming River wouldn’t need to go this route, so I’m hanging onto every word the nurse tells us.

Before they roll River’s bed out, I cup her face and kiss her. “I’ll be right there next to you, okay?”

Tears fill her eyes, and I swipe them away. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” she chokes back. “Hurry up and meet me in there.”

“I will.” I wink before pressing my lips to hers once again.

Once she’s rolled out of the room, I’m instructed to put a pair of scrubs over my clothes along with a scrub cap. Having Evan here is helping me stay calm, but inside, I’m freaking out. River’s about to have emergency surgery to get our baby out, and I’ve never felt this terrified in my entire life.

“She’s gonna be okay,” Evan reassures me. “Doctor Granger is very skilled at what she does. River’s in good hands.”

“She fucking better be,” I mutter under my breath. He leads me down the hall, and when Amelia steps out, she waves me inside.

“Good luck. I’ll be out here waiting,” Evan calls out.

I rush over to River who’s spread out on a surgical bed with her arms out. “Hey, baby,” I say softly, rubbing my hand on her head and dipping to kiss her forehead.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” she whispers. The doctor and nurses are already working on her, but there’s a small sheet hanging above River’s chest so we can’t see anything. “I know this is a routine surgery, but I’m scared.”

I want to comfort her, but at the same time, I’m as scared as she is right now. Regardless, I’ll always put her needs before mine no matter what.

“Do you remember that first song we slowed danced to in that bar?” I ask, that night feeling like it was a lifetime ago already, yet I remember it so vividly.

She wrinkles her nose, then nods. “‘Slow Dancing in a Burning Room’?”

“Do you remember what we said about the lyrics?”

“They were sad and tragic,” she says.

“Yeah, and that was the night I made you mine. I knew the meaning behind that song, yet I wasn’t willing to accept it was about us. A relationship ending that hadn’t even started, yet we took the risk. And look where it’s brought us now.”

She smiles up at me, an oxygen tube running under her nose and still looking cute as hell.

“I always think of that night when I hear it,” she admits.

“It’s a night I’ll never forget.” I rub my nose along her hairline, desperate to kiss her.

“To think it was only nine months ago.” Her eyes widen. “So weird.”

I chuckle. “Crazy what can change in just nine short months.” I wink.

“River,” the doctor calls out. “You’re going to start feeling some pressure now, okay? He’ll be out in the next sixty seconds.”

Holy shit. Sixty seconds.

“You’re doing so good, sweetheart.”

“I hope he’s okay.” I can tell she’s tearing up, so I rub my finger on her cheeks.

“Everything’s going to be perfect,” I promise, taking her hand in mine.

“Okay,” she says, barely above a whisper.

I can see the doctor’s movement as the nurses all shuffle around, passing him objects and removing them from his hands. They’re moving so fast, by the time I look down at River and back up again, he looks like he’s elbow deep inside her stomach.

“A little more pressure, River,” the doctor warns.

I give her hand three squeezes, and when I lean forward a bit, I see him removing some filmy stuff from the baby’s face. I notice his face is blue, and that’s when I see the cord is, in fact, wrapped around his neck.

My face drops, and River takes notice.

“Is he okay?” she asks nervously.

I watch the doctor wedge his finger between the cord and his neck. A nurse hands him a clamp, and within seconds, the doctor cuts off the cord.

“Oh my God.” I smile, relieved when I see his little mouth move. “You’re doing great, sweetheart. He’s almost out,” I explain.

Within ten seconds, the doctor pulls him the rest of the way out and is holding him up for me to see.

“It’s a boy!” the doctor announces, giving me a wink. “Do you want to come cut the umbilical cord, Dad?” he asks me.

“Absolutely.”

I take a few steps forward, and when the nurse hands me the tool, I grab it and cut where they tell me to.

The doctor holds him up higher over the sheet so River can see him. It’s not for long though. Soon he passes the baby off to one of the nurses who starts cleaning him up right away.

Loud screams erupt from his little body, and it’s the most perfect sound I’ve ever heard.

---

Watching Alex hold our baby is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. He looks even smaller in Alex’s big arms, but he came out at ten pounds, eight ounces and twenty-one inches long. So suffice it to say he wasn’t a small baby.

“He looks so peaceful,” I say, watching Alex rock back and forth on his feet. He’s cradling him in his little security blanket while the baby sleeps soundly.

“I can’t believe we made this.” He looks up at me with pure happiness on his face.

“He definitely looks like a Bishop,” I say. “Blond hair, square jaw, build like he’s been ranching since conception.”

Alex laughs, agreeing. I love how he can’t take his eyes off him, watching him so proudly.

“He has your features, too,” he tells me, though I’m not convinced. The baby looks like a Bishop from head to toe.

“Fatherhood already looks good on you. Go figure.” I chuckle. “You’ve got that sexy dad look goin’ on.”

The corner of his lips tilts up as he shakes his head at me. “I think he’s ready to eat.” He walks over and brings him back in my arms. His little mouth is twitching, searching.

It’s been two hours since they rushed me into surgery, and between stitching me up and cleaning him, it’s the first intimate moment we’ve all had together as a family of three.

I slide my gown down and bring him to my chest. “I wish I’d been able to hold him right away.”

Alex steps toward me and flashes me a sad look. “I know, darlin’, but I’d rather have both of you alive and healthy.”

“You’re right.” I look down at him and smile. “He’s here now and healthy.”

I FaceTime Natalie and then my mom and dad to introduce them to the newest member of the family. Later that night, Alex’s family all come up and visit us. Mama is over-the-moon excited and can barely contain herself as she looks over my shoulder and stares dreamily at him.

“Are you excited to meet your uncles?” I coo, rubbing my finger along the softness of his cheek. “They’re a crazy bunch.”

“And it’s about to get even crazier,” Evan chimes in.

“Is Benita coming too?” I ask, wondering if we should wait to announce the baby’s name or if she’s coming later.

“She had to get the boys to bed, but she said she'd be coming first thing tomorrow,” John tells me. Though it’s disappointing she can’t be here tonight, it’s kind of nice just having Alex’s parents and brothers here.

“So be honest,” Jackson begins. “You named him after me, right?”

I snort, chuckling. Alex rolls his eyes.

“You want to tell them, darlin’?” Alex asks with an encouraging smile.

Everyone’s standing around my bed, watching as I lay the baby on my lap, so they can all see him. “Okay, y’all,” I start, purposely dragging out my Southern drawl. “Meet Riley Alexander Bishop.”