Keeping Her (The Lexington Series Book 2) (22 page)

Lucy

“I TOLD YOU! I freaking told you that
we needed to go to the hospital and what do you do? Call Landon for permission.
I should hurt you. If I wasn’t in so much pain and I didn’t need you as a ride
I would’ve knocked you out.” I fussed at Nick. My contractions were too strong
and gradually grew closer together. I honestly didn’t care if I was wrong and
was just having Braxton hicks but I didn’t want to risk it. I figured that we
would leave right away and call Landon on the way to tell him to come straight
there. But no, common sense doesn’t live with me.

“Whatever Lucy. You know how easy it
is for that psycho to lose it when it comes to you. I don’t need a reason for a
black eye you get me?” he told me with a shrug. He grabbed the hospital bag I
had packed a couple of weeks ago and helped me waddle down the stairs. When we
got to the bottom he ran back up the stairs and grabbed sweats and a t-shirt
for Landon and tossed it in the bag.

Nick grabbed my hand to help me walk
out to his car. Max was in tow in his pajamas looking sleepy and excited at
once. Nick was being so stupid and gentle I would’ve been laughing
hysterically. I knew he was scared shitless the boy was sweating like he just
ran a marathon. I left him alone and didn’t mention anything about it. I really
can’t blame him he’s probably afraid the baby is going to slide out of me on
the way to the hospital. We got in the car and as he turned the key in the
ignition I heard him say a silent prayer that we make it to the hospital in
time. I shook my head. I knew him all too well.

We were halfway to the hospital when
it happened. I bit my lip nervously because I didn’t know how to break the news
to Nick. My eyes bounced back and forth between him and the windshield. I
sighed when I decided there was no good time for this. “Um Nick?” I asked.

He glanced at me then turned back to
the road. “Yea?”

“I have to tell you something but you
have to promise me that you won’t get mad.” I told him.

“What’s up? If it’s something that I
need to know you need to spit it out Luce.”

I sighed. “Well it’s not really my
fault it just happened but I either just peed in your car or my water broke.”

His eyebrows shot up and he glanced
at me again. “I get that you’re pregnant and all but you are just too fucking
old to be having accidents on yourself. You couldn’t hold the fluids until
after
we got out of the car?”

I scowled. “Don’t be an ass I
couldn’t help it. I was just sitting here and it came out. I didn’t
make
it happen Nick. I promise to pay to have your car cleaned.”

He rolled his eyes. “Oh hell no. I am
not waiting for you to get out of the hospital before I have that fixed. I have
a date tomorrow and there is no way I’m driving any girl around in here
smelling like piss.”

Now I rolled my eyes. “Fine then shut
up and stop complaining and get me to the damn hospital.” I told him in
frustration. Sometimes there is just no winning with him.

He sighed. “I swear you’re lucky I
fucking love you girl. Any other person would’ve gotten tossed out of my car
while I was driving.” He muttered and I believed every word of that.

When we got to the hospital Nick
parked illegally by the entrance to the ER. He was careful helping me out of
the car and getting me into the main entrance. He rushed ahead to the front
desk and said pretty loudly. “We need a doctor. She is pregnant and she’s
already either peeing on herself or leaking water.”

Cue the face palm. Did he honestly
have
to make an announcement like that so that half of the people in this unusually
crowded room could hear him? I waddled up to him and told the lady gently. “I
believe I’m in labor. It’s only a few short days before my due date.”

She nodded and got me into a wheel
chair. She looked at Nick, “Here take this clipboard and fill out the
information for your fiancé while we have her checked out.” She told him.

He paled. “I’m sorry lady but you
have it all wrong. I did
not
knock this girl up. We don’t need Maury to
tell you that I am not the father. However you will know when he gets here. He’s
going to be the deranged beast that will give you a really hard time if he can’t
find Lucy immediately.” He warned her. She laughed as though he told a good
joke but that was nothing but the truth.

They ushered me into a room and had
me change into a hospital gown. Nick stayed outside the door until I was
changed and in the bed. He looked like he was ready to pass out when the nurse
inspected me to see how dilated I was. She told me that I was in fact in labor
but I was only two centimeters and I needed to be ten in order to begin
pushing. Since my water broke, she advised the sooner we get to it the better.
She recommended that I walk around and asked about the epidural. Right when I
was going to answer the door flung open and Landon was there breathing heavily.

“Hell yea, shoot her up now.” He told
the nurse.

Her eyebrows hit her forehead. “I’m
sorry but she will need to consent sir.” She told him. His nostrils flared and
I saw the warning in his eyes of what was coming.

I placed a hand on her arm. “I’m
having the epidural please do not fight with him.”

I took in Landon and saw that he was
still in his football uniform and dirty. There was a bathroom in the room and I
pointed to it. “Landon go do something with yourself and hurry up. You look
like you’ve been rolling around in mud.”

He rolled his eyes. “I have been
rolling in mud Lucy. Now don’t start anything without me I promise to be fast.”
He scooped up his bag and went into the bathroom. I couldn’t help but notice
the nurse checking him out. Yea I know girl drool fucking worthy.

She went on to get the
anesthesiologist to perform the procedure while Landon cleaned himself off. He
came out in jeans and sneakers with wet hair. I had heard the shower running
the lucky bastard. I knew he didn’t shower after the game so I was grateful I
didn’t have to have a smelly Landon next to me for the next who knows how long.
The only thing he was missing was a shirt. The nurse followed my line of sight
as I took in his abs. I let out a small sigh because I don’t think I’d ever
tire of the sight. Her mouth dropped open some and I giggled. She must’ve heard
me and snapped herself back to the present. She looked at me with a raised
eyebrow in question and I just shook my head.

“I know. I stopped trying to figure
out how he was made.” I whispered to her and she shook her head.

“Hot damn.” She replied and I giggled
some more.

“What’s so funny?” Landon asked.

I peeked around her. “Nothing, why
don’t you have clothes on?” I asked.

He shrugged. “I forgot my shirt.”

I shook my head. “Good thing for you
that Nick packed you clothes otherwise you would’ve been forced to leave.”

His eyebrow arched and he crossed his
arms causing his muscles to bugle and flex. “Why?” he asked curiously.

I arched an eyebrow right back at
him. “Because you’re distracting.”

“I wouldn’t have left anyway.” He
muttered under his breath and walked over to Nick for the t-shirt. I had a snarky
comeback at the tip of my tongue but it never made it out. A really painful
contraction tore through me and I cried out. Landon was by my side in an
instant. “What’s wrong? What happened?” he asked frantically as he brushed hair
out of my face.

“Contraction.” I told him through
gritted teeth.

The anesthesiologist came in about
five seconds later and I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to see anyone in
my life. I sighed. “Thank god. Please drug me and now.”

He laughed and setup everything for
the procedure. He told me to remain perfectly still and it was done quickly.
The nurse informed me that it is going to take the feeling from my legs so I
won’t be able to get up and move around. They got me placed back in bed and
inserted a catheter. After that it was the waiting game. Landon grabbed a chair
and brought it to my bedside while Nick and Max got comfortable on the couch.
We settled on Nickelodeon since the stations in the hospital were limited.
Hours passed and I even took a nap. The nurse came in about twice to check my
progress and I was slowly dilating. We were there for over 12 hours when Nick
had enough. The nurse came in to check again and he met her eye. “Can’t you do
something to
make
him come out?”

The nurse shook her head.
“Unfortunately no, this needs to happen naturally. Let’s see where you are
now?” she asked.

I nodded and she checked me. “We’re
at six centimeters.” She told us. Landon sighed I knew he was more than a
little antsy and got only a little sleep. Just then a head nurse entered the
room and gave us this huge speech about how with this being my first child it’s
far from uncommon that I be in labor for a ton more hours. There were a group
of people with her so I can only assume she was training. I kind of tuned her
out and eventually they all left the room and it was just us again.

About 10 minutes after everyone left
I turned my head to Landon. “Umm Landon?” I asked.

He met my eyes. “What’s up? And don’t
tell me you’re hungry again because you can’t eat anything until after the baby
comes out.” He told me in warning. I thought it was totally unnecessary since I
only asked him a few times about food.

I rolled my eyes and got to the
point. “Well I feel like I need to push.” I told him.

His entire body straightened in
alarm. “What do you mean?” he asked.

I looked at him like he was stupid.
“I have this pressure feeling and I feel like I need to push.”

His eyes went frantic. “Push the
button for the nurse!” he demanded.

I pressed it a few times and no one
came. I guess they really bought that shit that the doctor was just saying.
Nick stood up on his feet and walked out of the room. I’m not even kidding you
but three seconds later you heard his voice boom in the hallway. “I know you
hear the bell we’ve been pressing. The girl needs to push out the baby, get
your asses in there and do something.”

I closed my eyes and sighed. “Well I
guess they know now.” I told Landon. When I looked back at him he didn’t look
the least bit embarrassed, go figure. I’m not surprised he condoned that crap.
A few seconds later a doctor and two nurses entered the room with Nick on their
heels. They looked a tad bit either scared or nervous. I don’t blame them
because I could only imagine the death glare he probably gave them when he went
out there.

“Let’s check you out dear.” The doctor
said and checked to see how dilated I was. Her eyes widened and she gaped in
surprise. “You’re 10 centimeters it’s time.” She announced.

The doctor told Landon to get up and
move the chair so he could stand on one side while a nurse went to my other
side. “We’re just going to wait outside until this is done. I can’t see this.”
Nick said.

I heard Landon mutter under his
breathe, “You damn right.”

Nick grabbed Max and practically ran
out of the room. She instructed Landon to follow the nurses lead to put one
hand under my leg to help keep it up. Once they were in place the doctor told
me to wait for a contraction (or in other words the urge to push) to hit again
and that’s when I push and hold it until it passes. The first one came and then
the second and the third. Landon was smiling a big smile because he had his
face well into my girly parts not wanting to miss a thing.

“I see his hair!” he told me
excitedly. I continued pushing a few more times before exhaustion took over. I
was thirsty and tired. My mouth was dry and I was struggling to put effort into
pushing.

“Landon I can’t do this.” I told him
panting.

He looked at me and frowned. “Yes you
can Luce, he’s right there I can see him. On the next contraction I want you to
push and put all your effort into it ok? Do it for me baby. Do it for all of
us.” He told me.

The monitor that was attached to my
stomach started making this weird noise and I became nervous. I looked at the
doctor, “What’s wrong?” I asked.

She met my eyes. “The baby is under
stress stuck in your tunnel. We need to get him out.”

I could see the panic that I was
feeling all over Landon’s face. No this cannot happen. The next contraction
rolled through and I pushed like my life depended on it because well… it sort
of did. The next thing you now it felt as though I lost a ton of weight and
then I heard a wail. I heard them ask Landon about cutting the cord and I felt
his hands release me. Landon was looking towards the nurses in awe but I was so
exhausted I was delirious. My body was shaking a bit for the exertion and my
vision was unfocused. I felt when they placed him on my chest but my arms felt
like dead weights.

“Landon please pick him up. I can’t
move and I don’t want him to get hurt.” I felt the pressure lift off of me and
then I felt something cool on my lips. I opened my mouth and it was an ice
chip. I was fed a few more and although I still was lacking energy I wasn’t
delirious anymore. I could hear and see what was going on.