Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 69775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 349(@200wpm)___ 279(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 349(@200wpm)___ 279(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
“You better be good, or you’ll be leaving,” Boone growled.
My heart skipped a beat.
Eddy was Eddy. I loved her with all my heart, but sometimes words came out of her mouth before she could think better of them.
“It’s okay, Boone,” I replied, panting and exhausted.
“No, it’s not.” Boone leveled my sister with a glare. “I love you, Eddy. But say one more word, and you’re out of here.”
She held up her hands. “I’ll be good.”
She was such a liar.
She was never good.
Nor did I expect her to be.
But I was tired, and my man was picking up on that.
Plus, he was worried.
We all were.
That was why Eddy was adding commentary when she should be keeping her mouth shut. She jabbered when she was nervous.
“One more push coming up!” The nurse lifted my leg and practically shoved it to my throat.
“I can’t do it again, Boone.” I wept.
Boone’s big hands cupped my face, holding me really still, as he said, “She’s okay. She’s okay. Just push, baby. Push.”
I pushed.
And pushed. And pushed.
“Shoulder,” my doctor said almost too quietly for me to hear.
Then all of a sudden the room went absolutely wild around me. Two nurses jumped onto the bed, dislodging my sister from one side and Boone from the other.
An almighty pressure came from below, and I cried out in pain despite having an epidural—though it was a partially failed one which had been half my problem today.
Then I was staring at a baby covered in icky stuff on my chest and Boone’s big hand came to rest on her back to hold her in place.
“You did it, baby.” Boone’s words were deep and soothing.
I felt anything but soothed.
My vagina was on fire.
My eyes were leaking uncontrollably.
And my baby was wailing with her little shoulder looking a little weird.
I was dissociating, and I didn’t know what was going on.
“…fourth-degree tear.”
I blinked some more.
My mind swirled around me.
The baby continued to scream.
I was lost somewhere in my head.
There but not there.
I didn’t know how long that happened, but eventually the baby was lifted off of my chest, and I lay there staring at the ceiling for long moments.
That was what I was doing when I finally came back to myself.
Boone’s hand was on my face, and his forehead was against mine. He was whispering words to me.
A song.
The song that I’d always considered ours.
“…fishin’ in the dark…” he crooned.
I blinked.
“What happened?”
He pulled back and stared at me for long moments before he said, “You don’t remember?”
No.
He blew out a shaky breath. “Margery’s a big girl. Ten pounds on the dot.”
I blinked and smiled.
“Prick coming up right here.”
I flinched.
“She got stuck. Something called shoulder dystocia,” he said. “She came out, but the lady had to shove her entire arm up your vagina to get her out since she wasn’t breathing when she got stuck. You’re torn pretty bad.”
I winced. “Torn how?”
“Grade four,” the doctor said upon hearing what I’d asked. “From the clitoris to your anus. Though, it might be considered a really bad three. I don’t foresee you having any issues using the bathroom or anything. Thankfully.”
Shit.
I hadn’t even realized that was a possibility!
“Dad?”
Boone looked over at the nurse holding my baby.
“We’re going to take her to the nursery to check out her shoulder to make sure there are no issues. But we thought you might want to get a little cuddle in first.”
Boone left me so fast my head spun.
I snickered.
He reached for his girl and looked deep into her eyes. “Hello, Margery Mae.”
After his cuddle, he brought her to me so I could see her with clear eyes.
“She okay?” I asked as I pressed my cheek against hers.
“She’s perfect,” he said quietly.
“Good.”
“Time to go. Dad, are you coming with us?”
He looked at me.
“Go,” I urged. “I don’t want her switched at birth.”
He winked and stepped out of the room with our girl.
Eddy came to stand next to me and whispered, “I wish I hadn’t just witnessed that.”
“Why?” I laughed.
“Because I just found out that I’m pregnant.”
I smiled big. “Oh, Eddy. It was the best thing ever.”
She looked down at what was going on between my legs.
“Well, you did shit yourself.”
I gritted my teeth. “I’m going to fucking murder you, Eddy.”
Eddy grinned wickedly at me.
“Dear.” The nurse looked at my sister. “She has a fourth-degree tear. She just pushed a baby out of her that was a full ten pounds. She did this all naturally with an epidural that was spotty at best. She doesn’t need to be reminded of this every three seconds. Now, either you sit there and don’t add commentary that we didn’t ask for, or you leave. Those are your two choices.”
Eddy looked contrite. “Sorry.”
Hours later, I finally got to head to the nursery where my husband had been keeping vigil at our daughter’s side.
“Which one’s yours?” a woman asked from my side.