Chapter 43

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

KATE

M y heart has never been fuller as I sit in the family box with my two girls to my left and Hollie and Claire to my right.

And neither has my womb. I'm fit to burst, like literally. The doctor told me at my checkup a couple of days ago that they would definitely take me to thirty-six weeks, but honestly, I don't think I can stand another thirty-six minutes.

Sitting next to Luna, I snag a piece of her popcorn. "I still hate this stuff, but the constipation from my vitamins is a killer."

She side-eyes me. "Another tip from Jensen's collection of mom and baby books?"

I wash it down with a sip of water. "Yep." Trying to get comfortable, I kick out my swollen feet. Even though it's mid-February and freezing outside, I opted for flip-flops. "Why is it you can still wear shoes?" I point to Luna's brown winter boots. "And why do you still look cute? I, on the other hand, look like a beached whale."

I feel like one, too.

"Because she's not carrying a whole other baby," Hollie chimes in. She reaches across and rubs my huge bump. "Beautiful."

"Whale," I retort.

Felicity clears her throat. "All I'm saying is JJ would be pissed if he heard you referring to yourself like that."

"True," Luna nods. "Last week at our prenatal class, you referred to yourself as gross, and I thought he was going to throw you over his knee or something."

He did—later that night.

"Wait." Claire holds up a hand. "My son is attending prenatal sessions with you?"

"Oh, he doesn't just attend. He arranges them. He takes notes and everything." Luna swoons.

"Wow," Hollie gasps.

My attention focuses back on the ice. Home games against Colorado were once full of angst and banter, but since Jon retired, his former team has progressively lost their grudge against the Scorpions.

With the score three-zero, I watch as my husband never takes his eyes off the action, even though he's had almost nothing to do the entire time.

He won't let me out of his sight. He's constantly checking on me. I swear if he could take his cell phone onto the ice and text me for thirty-second updates, he would.

Hollie leans in to break me from my drooling session. "If he wasn't my brother, I would be swooning with you. He's a mighty fine husband, future dad, and everything you deserve."

I quickly reach over and snatch another piece of Luna's popcorn to distract my mind from the tears threatening to pool in the corners of my eyes.

"He absolutely is," I reply on an exhale, my attention fixed back on number eighty-eight.

"Has he told you the name he's chosen yet?" she asks.

Shaking my head, I twist my lips to the side. "Nope, that's the only secret we have from each other—the names we've picked out."

My eyes return to the ice just as Jessie Callaghan sinks the puck, making it four-zero, and Luna jumps up, punching the air.

What it is to be carrying just one baby.

"Babe, you've spilled your drink all down me," I groan.

Her head whips over. "But I'm not h-holdi?—"

"Oh. Shit." Felicity announces as I slowly take in that I'm sitting in a puddle of my own amniotic fluid.

Time moves slowly as I watch the liquid soak through my leggings. "I think my waters just broke."

"Are you feeling any contractions?" Claire asks, slightly panicked.

"Nope. Just really, really wet."

"I think we need to take you to the hospital. They need to check you over because at this point, labor could start at any moment," Felicity adds.

I wince and ask the question I've been putting off for some time. "How bad is childbirth exactly?"

"I'm not going to lie to you, babe. Horrific," my best friend answers.

I look to Claire for some form of reassurance. She shrugs and nods at Felicity in agreement.

"You could've just lied and told me it's uncomfortable like the doctors do."

"It's a mild feeling of discomfort followed by a sharp scratch," Felicity corrects.

I huff. "Now I know you're lying."

"There's still a good chunk of the period left." Luna points to the countdown clock, which indicates that just over fifteen minutes of the second period remains. "He will lose it if he's not told that she's going to the hospital."

I wave a hand in front of me. "I'm not about to have the babies right now. Let him know after the game."

Felicity raises an unsure brow. "If your husband isn't told in the next ten seconds, he will lose his shit, and I'm not being the one to witness his wrath."

"Leave him to the game," I repeat, coming to a stand, and I wince at the way my hips scream at me. I look down at myself. "He'll be too busy worrying about my wrath over the state he's got me into to care."

Luna snorts a laugh. "Why do I get the feeling he's going to be in more pain than you?"

Hollie rubs her hands together with glee at the thought. "Oh, to be a fly on the wall."

With a large black Scorpions hoodie wrapped around my waist to cover my very wet dignity, we pull up in the hospital parking lot.

Throwing my head back in the seat, I realize I couldn't be any less organized right now. "Shit."

"What. What is it?" Felicity looks across at me in panic. "Are you in pain? Have the contractions started?"

"No. I just don't have my overnight hospital bag with me, and in terms of pain, I am, but not from the contractions. More the way you've squeezed me into this tiny fucking car." I look around at Martha Mini. "I really hate this thing right now. I'm defecting to Jon's side."

She ignores my jibe and checks her watch. "It's been fifteen minutes since we left. The boys will be heading off the ice. Are you sure you don't want me to make the call?"

"No. I want him to concentrate on his game. I'm not in labor. I just need to find out what I need to do next and if I'm staying in."

Unclipping her belt, she rounds the car and extracts me from Martha, an amused smile on her face.

"Don't laugh," I grit out, trying and failing to look as graceful as possible.

Her shoulders shake slightly as she loops her arm through mine, and we make our way to the entrance. "I'm not laughing," she says.

"I'm scared," I say, coming to a stop in the freezing air. "Promise me it's going to be okay."

Placing her soft, warm palms on either side of my face, she looks me dead in the eyes. "You really think that boy of yours is going to let anything happen to you or the babies?" She casts a glance down my body and smiles. "Especially when you turn up at the labor ward wearing his jersey?"

I twist my face to the side as a wave of dull pain radiates into my lower back and pelvis. Felicity drops one of her hands to my stomach in response, asking a silent question.

I nod. "Call him."

JENSEN

"Easiest period we've had in a while." Jessie stands from the bench and checks the laces on his skates.

"Yeah. But don't underestimate them. They won't want to be totally embarrassed, and I want the shutout for my stats."

"Damn right you do, Jones!" Coach Burrows bellows across the noisy locker room. I swear that guy has radar ears.

He looks at me and then at Jessie, narrowing his eyes at him.

Ignoring the look, Jessie picks up his stick and nods at the exit towards the ice. "More of the same."

The team begins to file out when Zach hangs back, staring down at the phone in his hand. His eyes blown wide in panic.

Shit. Luna.

Pushing past a rookie forward who looks like he came out for a Sunday stroll rather than a league game, I stride over to the other side of the room and clamp a gloved hand on his shoulder. "What's up?"

He shakes his head, words trying to leave his mouth but failing.

Eventually, he looks up at me. "She's at the hospital."

"Luna?" I reply. "She's not due for another few weeks, right?"

Shaking his head again, he hands me his phone to check the text.

Felicity

I'm trying to reach Jensen, but he isn't answering his phone. I'm here at the hospital with Kate. Her waters broke in the second period, and her contractions have just started. They're coming on pretty fast and strong.

The phone leaves my hand, but Zach grabs it before it crashes to the floor. The only few minutes I haven't had my phone glued to my side, and it happens.

"My fucking babies are coming," I whisper.

"Go. Now. I'll deal with Coach and replacing you," my captain instructs.

He doesn't need to finish his sentence. I'm already halfway out of my pads, adrenaline pulsing through every part of my body as I throw on a pair of black sweats, a gray hoodie, and a Scorpions cap to cover my sweaty hair.

Fucking great. I'm going to become a dad looking and smelling like a piece of trash.

"When was the text sent?" I shout, pulling open the door to the locker room, but Zach's already gone.

I run faster than my legs can carry me down the player corridor and into the private parking lot.

Jumping into my Range Rover, I crank the engine and hit dial on Kate.

"He-hello?" She answers almost instantly and sounds breathless.

Exiting the lot, I join the freeway, but fucking traffic is everywhere, and snow is beginning to fall from the sky.

"Princess." My heart cracks clean down the fucking center. She's in pain, and I'm not there. I promised I'd be there. "What's happening? Tell me you're okay."

She blows another breath. "Just peachy, Husband. My uterus feels like it's auditioning for the contortionist of the year award, and I've only puked twice in the past ten minutes."

I switch lanes and hit the gas. "Such a pleasant wifey."

She groans like another contraction is hitting her.

"Put Felicity on for me."

"Hello?"

"How's she doing?" I ask.

"Her waters broke during the second period, and she asked us to hold off calling you since she wasn't in labor. But as soon as I got her to the hospital, the contractions started, and they've been coming on pretty strong and close together. The doctor doesn't think there will be time for strong pain relief."

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I promised her I would get her anything she needed.

"How dilated is she? I'm ten minutes away."

"She was checked a few minutes ago, and they said six." She takes a sharp breath. "Hurry, Jensen."

I cut the call and drive like a fucking lunatic towards my girl.

After everything I said and all the ways I promised I'd protect her, here I am, letting her down and running the risk of missing the most important moment of my goddamn life.

My phone rings again, but I'm relieved to see ‘Jon' flash on the screen and not his wife's name.

"I'm on my way," I rush out.

"I'm here, in the hospital parking lot."

"What, why?"

"I've got her overnight bag; Felicity asked me to go grab it. Apparently, it's got everything she needs, including her relaxation techniques, a calligraphy set, and things she needs after the babies are born."

I huff out a laugh. "Bro, my wife's six centimeters dilated and about to give birth to my twins on next to no pain relief. If I hand her that calligraphy set, there's only one place it's going to end up."

"What do you…oh right, yeah. Your ass."

"Yep."

"I'm in my silver Porsche. You can't miss me, right next to Martha," he instructs.

"I'm turning the corner now."

Jon's car comes into view as the snow begins to fall more heavily onto my windshield, and I throw my Range Rover into the drop-off zone. I'll sort that shit out later.

Running across the lot, he hands me the black leather bag. "Have you told her the name you picked out yet?"

I shake my head. "Nah. We agreed to at the birth."

He nods. "Everyone is on standby waiting. The boys will be here after the game."

"Claire and my sister?"

He points at the hospital entrance. "Already here and waiting. I saw them run from their car and inside."

Turning to enter, Jon takes my arm, halting me for a second. "Fucking proud of you, man. Proud of you both."

"Thanks," I reply, my voice thick with emotion.

"Now go. Have your babies, and complete your life."