Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 26052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 130(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 87(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 130(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 87(@300wpm)
I hadn’t been sure I’d ever see one of my set designs anywhere other than on a school stage. Finishing my degree after getting pregnant during my freshman year hadn’t been easy, even though my professors had been surprisingly understanding. Probably because I was carrying the giant baby of a six-foot-three, two-hundred-and-twenty-pound professional football player who glowered at anyone he thought might even consider crossing me.
Luckily, the timing had allowed me to pick my studies back up in the fall after having Ryan in early July. My mom came and stayed with us for the first few months, then Judith had taken over grandmother duties for the next three. Their help got me through that first semester, and then the other football wives pitched in to watch our baby boy while I was in class, working on projects, or studying for tests.
Although I had been a football fan since I was a little girl, I had no idea the team was like one big family until my wedding day when half of the guys—and a bunch of wives, fiancées, and girlfriends—flew out to Wisconsin to see us get married on such short notice. And they’d continued to prove each day since then that they were more than willing to pitch in if we needed anything.
Judith turned to grin at me as she tugged on Rigby’s wrist. “Don’t get too handsy with your wife. You might send her into early labor with all of this excitement.”
My mom and dad were babysitting for us, and his had come to the theatre since Natalie was the show's star. They’d all come in for opening night…or at least that was the excuse they gave us. Since they planned to stay for two weeks, I figured it had more to do with my looming due date and them wanting to be around when their second grandchild was born.
Rigby’s startled gaze jumped to my face, and his hold on me tightened. “Are you okay, baby? Are you having contractions? Do we need to leave?”
His parents chuckled as I shook my head with a sigh. Reaching over to grab his other hand, I placed it over my rounded belly. “I’m fine, see? No contractions or anything like that.”
“I was just teasing you,” his mom added.
“You can’t blame him for being on edge with how pregnant she is and after how quickly the last delivery went,” Tony pointed out.
Rigby sent his dad a grateful look and nodded. “First pregnancies are supposed to take longer, and I don’t want you to give birth in the back of a car on the way to the hospital.”
Judith and I shared a humorous glance. As the only two people in our little group who had actually given birth to a human, we didn’t need a reminder about what to expect. But I’d gotten all sorts of advice from Rigby since he had read even more pregnancy books this time around than he had with Ryan.
I knew he was nervous about getting me to the hospital in time. Last week, he insisted on packing my labor and delivery bag and keeping it in the car.
Although, his worries weren’t completely irrational considering the traffic in Manhattan. Getting to a hospital wasn’t just a quick drive, which was why I wasn’t crazy enough to pretend I wasn’t in labor when it happened.
Turning to Judith, I murmured, “Don’t tease him. He’s already on edge enough that I wouldn’t be surprised if he swept me into his arms and carried me out of here out of abundance of caution…before I got to see all of my hard work put to good use.”
She winked at me with a smile. “Only because you’re the one asking, dear.”
Rigby chuckled and pulled me against his side to whisper, “And you didn’t believe me when I told you that you were my mom’s favorite.”
I giggled as the curtain raised and watched in awe as my set design was revealed to the audience. Unfortunately, I only got to enjoy my sense of accomplishment for a few minutes. We had apparently jinxed me with the talk about going into labor.
There was a gushing sensation between my legs, and I gasped. “My water just broke!”
Rigby jumped from his seat and did just as I predicted, carrying me past shocked faces all the way through the theatre.
It turned out to be a good thing he was prepared because his mom almost had to help deliver our little girl. Clara was born only fifteen short minutes after we arrived at the hospital.