Chapter Thirty-Four

Shelby

We all but ran to the labor and delivery wing hoping we hadn't missed anything. Jase was making fun of me, and I couldn't help but laugh at myself. The physical therapy I continued in California made it seem like everything was back to good, but when I ran, I still looked like a gimp. I guess it just took time to build the muscle back up.

We finally got to the information desk and were told she was in active labor.  Feeling defeated because we didn't get there in time, I grabbed Jase's hand and we walked together to the waiting area.

"I'm sorry we didn't get here in time."

It wasn't his fault my flight got in when it did. 

"Don't take any blame for this. She was supposed to wait until tomorrow so it would be convenient."

He laughed, making me smile just when I needed it most.

"Miss Carmichael?"

Both Jase and I turned to look at the nurse standing in front of us. 

"Yes, that's me."

She looked relieved, like was happy she didn't approach the wrong person. 

"We have Arianna Michaels asking if you were here yet. She's been holding back pushing the little guy out until then."

I lit up like Christmas morning when I was a child. What she didn't know was she was giving me the greatest gift I had ever received. I immediately took a step forward before I remembered Jase would be left alone. But one look from him said more than any words. 

"I'll be out to tell you as soon as he is here."

"I'll be right here waiting for you."

The nurse led me down the hall until we reached the doorway to my sister. 

"Have you ever seen a birth before?"

I didn't even look at her when I responded. I was too transfixed on the door in front of me.

"Not yet."

"Oh, honey, get ready for the wildest experience of your life."

She pushed the door open, and my heart filled with so much joy. There was my sister ready to welcome her son in the world with Canyon by her side like the proudest man on earth. 

"Hey there, princess. I'm so glad you're here."

"Me too."

The doctor was resting between her legs making me flinch, but clearly he was where he needed to be.  He turned his head in my direction and said, "Okay, now can we do this?" making it obvious he felt fairly perturbed by the wait. 

Arianna held out her hand for me to take before she answered, "Absolutely."

I closed the space between us and gratefully took the hand extended for me on the other side of her from Canyon. 

"I'm so glad you could be here."

Looking down into her eyes, I responded, "Thank you so much for allowing me to be."

All of us turned our attention to the doctor when he barked, "Let's get this show on the road Ari. This isn't your first at bat."

I didn't know what to expect, but when she leaned forward and squeezed my hand so hard I thought it would break off, I looked over at Canyon. He was being squeezed just as hard, but it was like he couldn't feel it. He was so focused on what was happening between her legs that I about passed out.  Do you get supersonic strength when you push out a baby or what? went through my mind as the doctor said, "Just one more and you should be done. Make it a good one!"

A good one? All I could think was, What would you call the last one? And then she squeezed harder and Holy Hell was my hand turning purple. I actually thought I felt my bones grinding and cracking. What I really didn't get was how she wasn't screaming bloody murder because I was about to.

"The head’s out. Now, take a deep breath and give—"

Arianna didn't apparently need to hear the rest. One last squeeze and the doctor's face told the rest of the story. Canyon leaned down further and watched a little too closely as the doctor held a slime-covered, funky-colored baby in his arm and sucked something out of his mouth with a contraption I didn't even know how to describe. My eyes practically fell out of their sockets when he slapped the poor baby on his back. I mean, who does that? And then the sweetest sound in the world pulled me back to what this moment was really about. My nephew cried for the first time. He wasn't the only one, that's for sure. I looked down at my sister as she reached between her legs and brought him onto her chest. Canyon rubbed his head softly, and all I could do was wipe my own tears at the perfect moment happening in front of me.

"Shelby, would you like to hold him?"

I was flattered for sure but he still looked all slimy and I was pretty sure with the doctor still involved in her “downstairs”, that she wasn't done. Luckily, Canyon took the baby and my choice away from me. "Let's get you cleaned up a little before Aunt Shelby throws up."

My jaw dropped, and they both laughed. 

"That's not true."

"Oh, it so is. Why do you think I offered him to you first?" She laughed even harder and the doctor jerked his head back.

"Well there, the placenta is out."

The what is what? More comes out? My mind was racing with ideas, but there was no way I was looking for confirmation. I kept my eyes on my sister and her husband as they cried together and welcomed their last child in the world. 

"Everyone, meet Dylan Patrick Michaels to the world."

Jase, my mother, and the kids were waiting patiently for someone to come out and give them the good news, and I am happy to say I was the one who delivered it. The kids all but ran to meet their new brother and my mom wasn't far behind them. Jase hung back with me but took my hand in his and kissed it as we made our way slowly down the hall.

"So? How was it?"

I didn't even hesitate. 

"The most disgusting thing I have ever witnessed in my life."

He openly laughed at me and said, "I can only imagine."

We rounded the corner to the packed room and chose to stay outside while we witnessed a family's completion. All eyes were glassed over with wonder as the miracle of life can only do.

"You want to hang out a little while?"

He looked at me with the sweetest smile. "I'll be wherever you are until I can't be anymore."

I hated that he spoke the truth. I wasn't staying, and that only meant that once again I would have to leave him behind. One thing was for sure, though—he and I were going to say our goodbyes the right way this time, and for God sakes, have some fun while we had the chance. 

Four hours later, we were pulling into the driveway of Jase's home. Canyon was staying with my sister at the hospital and my mother was taking the kids home with her which meant a full night alone with the man I was supposed to stay far away from. Rules were meant to be broken, though, and sharing one night with him was worth whatever punishment would be handed down. 

Walking to the house, it was like we had never had time apart.  We laughed about pretty much everything and being there didn't have any weird feel about it like I thought it would. Jase kept my hand in his as we walked together through the house and up to the bedroom. It was as if we both felt we were getting away with something we shouldn't be doing but our carnal need blocked out all warnings. Once we reached his room, he turned to me and took my face in his hands. 

"I'm not going to lie to you and say that I trust myself with you, and that scares the fuck out of me."

Looking into his eyes, I could see the fear building within them.

"Jase, I trust you. That may be wrong to feel, but I can't help it. Let's not think about what could happen. I want to focus on now, being with you, and the rest can come later."

He lowered his lips to meet mine, bringing on an explosion of emotions with them. Every pull on my bottom lip, every swipe of his tongue as he led me backward to his bed, felt like he was marking me as his, as if he didn't already believe the obvious.  

We quickly stripped each other down bare before we tangled our bodies to match our need. Every touch of his hands made my skin scream. Every kiss from his mouth brought stars to my eyes.  I loved this man with all of my heart and soul, and when we joined in this closest form, tears fell. I pushed the pain of knowing it couldn't last away, knowing it would only bring me out of the euphoria he was supplying me. There were times I cried out his name and others I dug my nails down his back from pleasure, but never was there an instance I didn't feel loved. Whole-heartedly loved. He would do anything for me, and that in itself was a gift from God that I refused to take for granted. We both knew how blessed we were for this time, this opportunity, that neither of us held anything back. We knew we may never have a moment like this again. Hours passed like minutes, and at times, I believe the clocks stopped entirely. We were granted a chance to build a memory that nothing would ever be able to strip from us.

In the end, he took me in his arms and softy pet my curls as he whispered to me, "I'm never going to give up", before my drained body pulled me to sleep.