Fighting Temptation (Men Of Honor) (50 page)

Kayla and I both bust out laughing. Suddenly Annabelle kicks my bladder. Yes, that’s right- Annabelle, Jaxson and I found out we are having a girl and I am so excited. We both agreed to name her after my mother.

Jaxson is incredibly protective over her already, and Sawyer’s comment never helped either. The first thing he said to Jaxson when he found it was a girl: “Ha ha, you’re going to have a daughter and she’s going to grow up and be hot, just like Julia.”

Annabelle kicks my bladder again, breaking me from my thoughts.

“Uh,” I struggle getting up out of my chair. Jaxson jumps up and pulls my hand helping me stand. “I can’t wait until I’m not fat where I need your help just to stand up.”

Jaxson pulls me to him… well more like pulls my belly into him. He leans down kissing my cheek close to my ear, “You’re fucking sexy and once they leave I’m gonna show you just how sexy I think you are.”

I shiver with anticipation, loving how much he still always wants me.

Turning around before Cooper and Kayla can see my flushed face I waddle my way to the bathroom. Sitting on the toilet I’m just about to pee when Annabelle kicks me so hard I gasp in pain and a ton of wetness gushes into the toilet.

What the…

Looking into the toilet I see it’s not pee. Oh. My. God. My water just broke and boy am I happy it happened this way and not at the dinner table.

Okay Julia, calm down and think. What did I read about. I guess the minor cramps I’ve been having today makes sense now.

Once the majority of my water spills in the toilet I grab a pad from under the sink and get myself situated. I walk back into the kitchen to the three of them laughing about something Sawyer did. Their laughter dies abruptly when they spot me.

Jaxson flies out of his chair, “What’s wrong.”

“Um well, nothing’s wrong. It’s just well… my water just broke.”

“WHAT!?” Jaxson and Cooper both shout at the same time. Then chaos erupts around me.

“Shit, the bag. I’ll get the bag,” Jaxson says running around the table in a panic.

Cooper shoots out of his chair and runs into Jaxson. “Shit!” he yells when he falls back into the chair. He waits till Jaxson passes, “I’ll drive, I can put the sirens on.”

Then they’re both bolting out of the kitchen, grabbing everything in sight that they think we might need. Kayla takes my hand and we walk to the kitchen entryway, freezing to the spot as we watch the chaotic scene unfold. Jaxson comes flying down the stairs with his hands full of things, including my blanket and pillow that I don’t need.

He trips over the blanket at the bottom of the stairs and stumbles, “Fuck!” he shouts and recovers quickly, then he’s out the door.

Kayla and I look at each other as Cooper’s sirens turn on. “Are you fucking serious? Did they just leave?” Kayla asks exasperated. She shakes her head, “Unfuckingbelievable! Don’t worry Jules, I got you. Let me grab my purse and we’re out of here.”

Suddenly tires skid to a halt outside and Jaxson comes running back in. He glares at me, “Julia! Why aren’t you in the fucking car?”

“Don’t talk to her like that you asshole. She’s having your baby,” Kayla spits out. “If you and Cooper would calm the fuck down you wouldn’t have almost left without us.”

Jaxson takes a deep breath trying to calm himself then he rushes over to me, “I’m sorry baby, can you please get in the fucking car.”

I nod since I can’t speak. Feeling too many emotions inside of me. Excitement, happiness and most of all fear.

“Come on,” Jaxson picks me up as if I’m not a giant pregnant woman.

“Jax, I can walk.”

He shakes his head, “This way I won’t lose you.”

Kayla scoffs, “You wouldn’t have if you guys would calm the hell down.”

“What the hell is taking you guys so long? Let’s fucking go, I don’t want to have to deliver this fucking baby on the side of the road,” Cooper shouts out his open window.

Jaxson speeds up and places us both in the back keeping me on his lap.

Kayla hops in the front, “You!” she shouts pointing at Cooper, “Need to calm the fuck down. Julia is going to have a baby and you’re only…”

“Ohhh, owwww,” I gasp and grip Jaxson’s shoulder when my minor cramp starts to become more painful.

“Oh fuck! Hurry Coop,” Jaxson shouts out as if the baby is going to fall out of me any second.

I start breathing heavily, “Jaxson…” I stop when another cramp hits me, again this one becoming stronger.

“It’s okay baby, I’m here. Keeping breathing, you’re doing good.”

Once the wave passes I quickly try to get out words before another one hits me. “Jax, I really need you to stay calm, okay? Promise me you will stay calm. Because I’m scared right now and I don’t want you yelling or scaring any nurses away.”

Jaxson starts kissing my neck and shoulder, “I’m calm baby and I’ll stay calm. I promise I’ll make sure you’re taken care of.”

“Okay, thank you,” I pant out. Then I look at him and smile, “She’s coming Jax, I can’t wait to see her.”

He smiles back, “Me too baby. You’re going to do great.” Then he crushes his lips to mine, right when another wave of pain hits.

“Ahhhhh!!!” I scream against his mouth then start breathing through the pain again.

I feel Jaxson tense, “Cooper please hurry the fuck up.” Jaxson tries to say it calmly but it comes out as a growl.

Oh god I have a feeling this is not going to go smoothly.

“Ahhhh! Oh God. Oh God.”

“Deep breaths Julia, deep breaths, you’re doing great,” the kind nurse reassures me.

Jaxson shoots up and glares at the nurses, “Where the fuck is the guy with the drugs? He was supposed to fucking be here 2 hours ago.”

I grab his hand, “Jax don’t, you promised.”

Hit sits down and kisses my hand, “I’m calm baby, I’m calm. Don’t worry, I got this shit under control.”

I start laughing even though I’m in excruciating pain. Jaxson smirks, “Alright well maybe not totally under control.”

“The anesthesiologist is on his way sir. You have only been here 45 minutes, so no, he wasn’t supposed to be here 2 hours ago.”

Jaxson glares at her, “Well it’s 45 minutes too long. This guy should be prepared and waiting for this shit to happen.”

I shake my head and let out a half laugh, half cry when another contraction hits. Jaxson holds me through it, whispering things in my ear that I’m really starting to find annoying, which makes me feel bad.

Thankfully the anesthesiologist comes in shortly after and brings me peaceful relief. Though not before Jaxson was ordering him to ‘be careful’ with the fucking gigantic needle in his hand.

A few minutes later the nurse checks me again and watches the fetal monitor. Instantly I can tell something’s wrong. One nurse starts yelling out the door: “Get the OR prepped, stat!”

The other nurse looks at me gently, keeping her hand inside of me. “Miss Reid, everything is going to be okay, but we have to do an emergency C- section. The umbilical cord is wrapped around Annabelle’s neck.”

I gasp in fear, “What?”

“What the fuck does that mean?” Jaxson asks heatedly.

The nurse rushes to explain while others come to help wheel my bed out. “It’s alright, this sort of thing happens more often than not. So try not to panic, I know it’s hard, but trust us that we will take care of you both. You’re still going to have a healthy baby, just not the way you were anticipating.”

“Jaxson?” I whisper fearfully.

All of a sudden Jaxson turns into a different person. He doesn’t look scared or panicked, just relaxed and calm.

He leans down reassuringly and kisses my forehead, “It’s going to be okay Julia, you heard what she said. Annabelle is going to be fine, you’re just going to have her a different way. Trust me baby, I won’t let anything happen to either of you.”

Even though that’s a silly promise to make, I trust him completely.

“Okay,” I nod.

“Sir, follow the nurse as you will need to get scrubbed up before coming into the OR.”

Jaxson stares down at me intensely, “I’ll be right there, everything will be fine.”

Then I’m being rolled away.

Jaxson comes rushing into the OR a few minutes later. He sits down by my head and grabs my hand, kissing it. Soon everything is happening in a flash.

“You’re doing great Julia, everything is good on this end. I almost have Annabelle out,” Doctor Bayer says reassuringly.

Jaxson holds my gaze and kisses my forehead, reassuring me through all of it.

Suddenly the sound of a baby crying fills the air, causing my own tears to automatically fall with the sound.

“Here she is, your beautiful baby girl,” Dr. Bayer says, placing this little teeny tiny naked thing on my chest.

Her skin is a warm pink, her eyes are big and blue and she has the perfect amount of brown hair.

“Oh my god,” I sob out, “isn’t she so beautiful Jax?”

I look up to see his head hanging down, his hands clutched in his hair. A second later he looks at me with wet emotional eyes, it’s the second time I have ever seen him cry. He clears his throat, “Ya Jules, she’s really beautiful. Just like you.”

“Oh my god, you’re so beautiful. Seriously, she is. This is the best looking baby I’ve ever seen. Don’t ya think Coop?” Kayla asks looking over at Coop.

“Yup, only because she takes after her mom,” Cooper chuckles teasingly.

“Actually I think she has Jaxson’s eyes,” Kayla looks over at Jaxson, “don’t take that as a compliment buddy.”

Jaxson shakes his head, “I wouldn’t dream of it Kayla.”

“Auntie Kayla is going to buy you so many pretty dresses. Yes I am! You’re going to be the best dressed kid around.”

I giggle as I watch Kayla coo at Annabelle.

“Alright, time’s up. Give her back to me now,” Jaxson says reaching for Annabelle.

“No. I’m not done yet.”

“Come on! Once Margaret gets here I’m not going to be able to hold her until she leaves and who knows when that will be.”

Kayla rolls her eyes, “Fine. Sorry kid, your dad can be a real pain in the ass. Be prepared for when he turns all green and spittin’ mad. You will probably see it when you bring your first date over to the house.”

Jaxson glares at Kayla then grabs Annabelle, “There will be no dating,” he mumbles grumpily. Then he cradles Annabelle and leans down to press a gentle kiss to her forehead. The sight of it warming my heart. “The only man you need is me, baby girl. So don’t go getting any ideas from your Auntie Kayla. I’m going to show you exactly what to do if any boy asks you out.”

“Oh ya, between you, me, Sawyer and Cade we got that shit covered,” Cooper says completely seriously.

I giggle and shake my head. Even though I am excited for the others to get here I love that it’s just the four of us right now. The way it always has been. Cooper and Kayla are the closest Jaxson and I have had to siblings and the four of us have been through a lot together.

I look at Cooper and Kayla, “Jaxson and I were talking and we would really like you both to be the godparents.”

Kayla starts crying, while Cooper wears a big smile, “Of course we will, we would be honored!” Kayla says bouncing around excitedly, “alright give her back now,” Kayla goes to grab Annabelle from Jaxson.

“I just got her back.”

“So what? You get to live with her and see her every day, I won’t.”

“What the hell are you talking about, you’re pretty much over every day,” Jaxson grumbles out but reluctantly hands her back to Kayla.

He moves to lie next to me on the queen bed. We got a private luxury room at the hospital since I will be here for a few days to recover.

Jaxson kisses my forehead, “How you feeling baby? Do you need anything?”

I smile and kiss his lips, “Just you.”

“That’s something you will always have,” then he leans his forehead against mine, “you did real good today Jules.”

“Thanks, so did you. You only got mad at 2 people,” I say teasingly.

Jaxson smirks, “Anything for you baby,” then his expression turns serious, “I love you.”

I smile, “I love you too, forever.”