Brooks

 

I’d just squatted back behind the plate, ready to call a pitch that I knew the pitcher would like when our manager stepped out of the dugout, calling a timeout. Why? No idea, but Jenner, Silas, and Urban started for the mound. When our manager headed toward me, they all turned and hurried this way. Cobb was right with them.

 

Before he got a word out, I saw our backup catcher hurrying out of the dugout.

 

“What’s going on?” I asked. “You’re pulling me?” As far as I knew, I hadn’t made any mistakes.

 

“Yup. Got the call.”

 

At first, I furrowed my brows and then it dawned on me and my heart threatened to explode. “Fuck,” I muttered.

 

“‘Call’?” Cobb asked, so clearly, it hadn’t occurred to him.

 

“Harlowe,” I told him. “She’s in labor.”

 

“Yep,” our manager said. “Your sister called. They’re on the way to the hospital, so you’d better get the hell out of here.”

 

My brothers patted me on the back as I turned to jog off the field.

 

Fuck.

 

We’d been waiting for this. Her due date wasn’t for a couple of days, but the doctor had said that didn’t matter. She could give birth at any time. And that time was now.

 

First, I changed quicker than I ever had before. I couldn’t go in my uniform for a lot of reasons. But I was in jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt with my sneakers on in minutes. Then I ran out of the building and didn’t stop until I was sitting behind the steering wheel of my car.

 

If Harlowe was on her way to the hospital, that meant she thought things were moving because she’d sworn she wasn’t going before she had to. She’d been so adamant that I worried she’d wait too long and deliver in the car on the side of the road.

 

Her body had rounded as the baby grew… fucking beautiful, if you asked me, but she complained about it, even though she’d had a hard time gaining weight the entire pregnancy. Her stomach had just grown while the rest of her had stayed almost exactly the same.

 

I don’t even remember the drive to the hospital, but it was like a pressure lifted from my chest once I was there. At least I was in the same place as Harlowe, even if not with her yet.

 

After a quick stop at the information desk, they pointed me in the right direction, so I went up to the fourth floor and stopped at the nurses’ station. The tall, gray-haired woman there looked up at this screen on the wall then told me to follow her. No problem, yet she wasn’t walking like she was in a rush—when I was.

 

As soon as the nurse opened the door and we turned the small corner inside, Harlowe came into view and my shoulders relaxed. At least I was here now.

 

My sister stood next to her bed, holding the side in a white-knuckled death grip, while Harlowe blew a breath out slowly as she listened to another nurse. She’d already been hooked up to everything. The IV. The baby monitor. Things we’d learned were going to happen when we’d taken the baby class.

 

Her hazel eyes found me. “Hey,” she said with a smile playing at her lips for a split second before her brows pinched together and her face grew more serious.

 

“Contraction,” Camden said as I took her place next to the bed. It was almost a full minute by my guess before Harlowe relaxed again.

 

“You’re Dad?” the nurse asked. She was tall and thin with dark hair. I nodded. “I’m Michelle. I’ll be taking care of you today. Hopefully, we’ll see this baby before my shift ends at seven.”

 

“I really hope so, too.” Harlowe groaned.

 

“All right,” Camden said as she grabbed her purse. “You’re here now, so that’s my cue to go.” Then she cocked her head to the side looking at Harlowe. “Unless you want me to stay.”

 

“No.” Harlowe snorted. “You’re good.”

 

Once Camden was gone, I kissed Harlowe’s forehead and asked, “So, what’s the status?”

 

“She’s a good six centimeters dilated and eighty percent effaced,” Michelle told me.

 

I immediately looked to Harlowe. “How long have you been having contractions?” Because that was a lot to just be getting to the hospital.

 

“Since about five this morning,” she answered sheepishly.

 

I groaned. “Why didn’t you tell me before I left?”

 

She shrugged. “What if it was nothing? I don’t want you wasting a paternity day when it’s nothing.”

 

Though I was about to chastise her, Michelle spoke first. “Well, this is definitely not nothing. We are having a baby and my experience says it will be before I leave tonight. As a matter of fact, Harlowe knows she only has a short while to make a decision about an epidural. Once she hits seven centimeters, it’s too late.” She gave Harlowe a pointed look, probably to drive the message home. “All right. Anything I can get either of you?”

 

My eyes stayed on Harlowe, but I shook my head.

 

Once Michelle was gone, I pulled a chair over to Harlowe’s bed and took a seat, allowing this all to sink in.

 

I was going to become a father today. All the preparation we’d done couldn’t prepare me for this moment. The heaviness of having a little life in my hands. Not only was I excited as hell, but it was the most terrifying moment of my life.

 

This baby was already loved and wanted, but nobody talks how about how absolutely scary it is in this moment. And if I was feeling that, so was Harlowe.

 

“How are you doing?” I asked once another contraction had passed. I’d grabbed her hand when I sat down and was still holding it.

 

“I’m all right.” She blew out a quick breath. “It’s not super terrible yet. I’m mean, it hurts like fuck, but I’m managing.”

 

“And the epidural?”

 

She shrugged. “I always said I’d get it if I needed it, but if this is going to go quick…”

 

I swallowed hard. While I hated to see her in pain, it was her choice on whether or not she got one.

 

Three contractions later, she said, “I want the epidural.” Her face was dotted with sweat and her jaw was tight.

 

I pushed the button to call Michelle back in. She came in like two seconds, so she must’ve already been close.

 

“What’s up?” she asked as she pushed the button to turn the call light off.

 

“Harlowe wants the epidural,” I told her. By my estimation, Harlowe had been here an hour, though it could’ve been more if they hadn’t called for me until they’d been sure this had been the real thing.

 

“OK. I’ll get the anesthesiologist up here, but I do have to check you again before I can call him.”

Harlowe didn’t say anything during the check and I stayed right where I was. God damn, what women went through. They and their bodies were fucking amazing.

 

Michelle pulled her hand back and bit her lips together. “I’m sorry, Harlowe. You’re eight centimeters. It’s too late for the epidural.”

 

“How?” Harlowe yelled, her breathing quick and shallow as she squeezed her eyes closed. “I just got here and was six.”

 

Michelle dropped the glove into the trash. “I’m thinking you were contracting before you even knew it, but some women just go fast. It’s time to start setting up for delivery.”

 

Harlowe looked at me with wide eyes. “I can’t do this, Brooks. I can’t do this without the epidural.”

 

I ran my hand over the top of her head. “Remember what they said? They turn it off when you have to push, anyway. You can absolutely do this, Harlowe.”

 

“No,” she snapped. “You have money. Buy me an epidural.”

 

Michelle snickered, but her back was to us, so I couldn’t see her facial expression. It did take a bit of restraint not to chuckle. I would’ve bought her a dozen epidurals, but that wasn’t the issue.

“Baby, you know I can’t do that.”

 

She sighed and dropped her head back against the bed, and a tear fell silently down her cheek. I’d bet my whole paycheck that was a tear of frustration.

 

Michelle didn’t think it’d be too long and as we got closer to dinnertime, the contractions were so close together. Harlowe was breathing through them like a champ. I didn’t know how she did it, but she was fucking doing it.

Michelle was in there checking everything when Harlowe popped her head up with wide eyes.

 

“Uh… something’s going on,” Harlowe said, swinging her gaze to the nurse. “Pressure.”

 

Michelle hurried over and lifted the blanket, then put another pair of gloves on before coming back to check Harlowe again. As she did, the nurse’s eyebrows raised. “This baby is determined to come into the world. You are fully dilated and one hundred percent effaced. I can feel the top of baby’s head.”

 

She pulled back as adrenaline shot right through me. This was it. Our baby was about to come into this world.

 

Michelle pushed the button to call another nurse and asked that she page Harlowe’s doctor, who’d only been here once while I’d been here.

 

It was a flurry of activity that I couldn’t keep track of and I didn’t want to. I just wanted to be there for Harlowe. I’d been doing anything she asked. Getting her anything I thought might help. None of it had actually helped and it was hard to feel so fucking useless.

 

Then they had Harlowe’s legs up in stirrups and it was time to push. The doctor wasn’t there yet, which I thought was weird when the nurse had her pushing. It was just Harlowe, me, and the nurse at first. After twenty minutes of pushing on each contraction, the doctor came through the door and put on one of those doctor apron things.

 

I’d met Harlowe’s doctor at prenatal appointments, but I’d never been so grateful to see her in my life. My heart was pounding in my chest and my entire body filled with anticipation. This was unlike anything I’d experienced in my life.

“How are we doing?” she asked, but I wasn’t sure whom she was asking. Harlowe sure as hell didn’t answer and the nurse gave her some medical jargon. “All right. Let’s get this baby born.” She got situated between Harlowe’s raised legs. “On the next contraction, push with everything you have.”

 

Harlowe had already been doing that, but I kept my mouth shut and helped her any way I could. First, I helped support her head and neck because that was what she wanted. But then that irritated her. So I held her leg, as the nurse told me to. This had to be utterly exhausting for Harlowe, so I’d do anything I could.

 

“Stop pushing,” the doctor said after she did three more times. “This is called the ring of fire.” Harlowe groaned. “I know. It sucks, but it’s better to pause. You’re less likely to tear.”

 

My stomach turned at the idea.

 

“OK, one more big one.” Harlowe rolled herself into a ball and gave it everything she had. “That’s it, that’s it. OK. Stop. Blow out quick breaths, but don’t push.” The not-pushing almost looked harder than the pushing. The doctor did something that I couldn’t see. “Now, small pushes. For the shoulders.”

 

“‘For the shoulders’?” I asked. That could only mean that her head was out. My hands started to shake, but I focused up. Harlowe was where my attention needed to be.

 

The doctor gave me a smile and nodded then Harlowe let out a grunt of relief and… our baby cried.

 

Harlowe’s face relaxed as she bit her lips together like she was trying not to cry. I leaned over and whispered, “I love you so much.” Then I kissed her sticky forehead.

 

Right as I pulled back, our daughter was put onto Harlowe’s chest as they rubbed her with a towel. Whatever else they did, I didn’t notice.

 

I was too busy falling in love.

 

As much as I loved Harlowe and had thought she’d be the love of my life—she was. This was just different.

 

Kelsie Harlowe Briggs was the love of both of our lives.