Authors: R Gendreau-Webb
Dare to Trust (28 page)
“I think I should run to the drug store and pick up a pregnancy test. What do you think?” He was smiling again. Mia was trying to decide if he was right. Could it be possible? Jason sat next to her, not liking her silence. “Hey, talk to me.” He gently touched her jaw, forcing her to look at him. If his theory was true, he would be thrilled---Jason hoped she would be, too.
“I think I could be.” Her admission was a mere whisper as her wide eyes stared up at Jason. “Are you mad?” Jason almost couldn’t stand the fear that was in her expressive eyes.
He wrapped his arms around her, pulling Mia to his chest. “Oh, baby, no. How could I be mad?”
And the tears started. Mia couldn’t stop her sobs, feeling ridiculous as her tears streamed down her face and soaking into Jason’s shirt. He held her, gently stroking her back, speaking softly as he tried to convince her it would be okay. “Don’t be scared, Mia. It’s going to be fine,” he tried to convince her. “I hope you are,” he told her truthfully. He was ready to be a father. When she finally stopped crying, she pulled away from him, shyly looking at him. Her face was tear-stained, her eyes red rimmed and swollen. Jason thought she had never looked more beautiful.
“I think we’re going to be parents, but I’m going to go buy the test so we can make it official,” he told her. Jason got up from the edge of the tub and smiled at his wife. “I love you.”
In less than an hour, Mia ripped open the pregnancy test and disappeared into the bathroom. She closed the door and Jason could hear the water running. She was in there a mere three minutes, but to him, it felt like forever. Finally, Mia emerged, the test in her hand. She wore a poker face.
“Looks like you were right,” she told Jason as she held up the test, displaying the pink lines on it, indicating it was positive. She wasn’t sure if she was happy or not. She was simply stunned.
He grabbed her and with more force than he meant to, pulled Mia into his arms. At the moment, she was glad for the support from his arms wrapped around her. “God, I love you,” he told her before his mouth crushed into hers. “Everything is going to be fine, I promise. It won’t be like last time.”
***
Their shower had multiple shower jets and the water from them usually felt heavenly when it pelted her back and shoulders. Today, her lower back had ached all day and she had been looking forward to the shower. It hadn’t helped. Mia slowly made her way from the shower stall. She dried off and put a comfortable pair or sweat pants and a t-shirt, both belonging to Jason, on. She hadn’t eaten much today but wasn’t hungry. And Jason was out of town for the night on a case, so she didn’t have anyone to cook for. So she wasn’t making anything.
The last several nights, Mia hadn’t gotten any real sleep. She had a month to go before the baby was born, and he or she didn’t seem interested in sleep. Through-out the nights, the baby kicked and kept Mia awake. When he or she wasn’t kicking, Mia couldn’t sleep more than a few hours without her muscles cramping. Thus, during the day, she was exhausted.
Although it was only a little after six in the evening, Mia crawled into bed and tried to find a comfortable position. She fell asleep quickly but awoke in a few hours. Horrific back and flank pains woke her. They gripped her for a minute and subsided. A few minutes later, more pain gripped her. Mia struggled to breathe through it until it dissipated. With growing anxiety, Mia realized she was in labor. Of all the times for Jason to be away…When she was able to move, she reached for her cell phone and dialed Kate.
In less than an hour, her best friend had Mia at the hospital and frantically trying to get a hold of Jason. After leaving three voicemails, on the fourth call, Kate finally reached him. He had just checked into the hotel for the night following a long day of interviewing witnesses and checking out alibis for suspects.
“Jason, its Kate.” Her tone wasn’t right; her voice held anxiety.
“What’s the matter? What’s wrong with Mia?”
“She’s in labor. You need to get back here,” Kate told him.
“It’s a month early,’ Jason observed in a panicked voice. “Is she okay?” He was already throwing his stuff in his bag as he spoke. “I’m about two hours away. I’m leaving now.” Kate heard a door close. “Can I talk to her?”
“They’re doing all sorts of stuff---examining her and starting IVs. I’ll call you back when they’re done. Okay? But, she’s doing fine, Jason. A little pain but she’s fine.”
“Tell her I’ll be there in a couple hours. And tell her I love her.”
He couldn’t stop worrying the entire two hour drive back to Boston. Jason had only agreed to make the overnight trip because the delivery was supposed to be a month away. On the drive, he phoned Captain Saunders and explained Mia was in labor. Jason told him he had left the hotel and realized he hadn’t even let his partner know. The captain assured Jason he would tell Lisa. “Take care of Mia and the baby---don’t worry about anything related to the job right now,” Saunders had told him before hanging up.
“Oh, God, I’m so glad you’re here,” Mia panted as Jason rushed through the door of her hospital room. The pains had grown more intense and more frequent since Kate had initially called Jason. She appeared to be in great discomfort, panting, her face was red and blotchy as if she had just finished a work-out. But the sight of Mia, her belly swollen with his child about to be born was one of the most beautiful sights Jason had ever taken in.
“I love you,” Jason said, bending down to gently kiss her. He didn’t like seeing her in pain and he felt guilty for not being there with her from the beginning of the labor. “I’m so sorry I left this morning.” He glanced around the room and his eyes rested on Kate. She had immediately stepped away from Mia when Jason entered the room. “Thank you for being here with her.”
Kate nodded. “She’s been a trooper. But she’s all yours now. She’ll try to break your hand if you’re not careful,” Kate jokingly warned him.
“Where are you going?” Mia asked with anxiety. She was in agony and scared; she wanted both Jason and Kate there with her. She grabbed onto Jason’s hand and squeezed with the intention of not letting it go.
“Mia, honey, this is time for you and your husband to be alone. I’ve seen enough, especially if I to ever meet my Prince Charming and want to have a kid or two.” Kate had stayed with her friend through contractions and exams by the nurses to assess Mia’s progress. She kissed her best friend on the cheek. “You’re doing great and you will be fine.” Kate started for the door. “You better call me, Howard, when the baby is almost here. I want to see this kid as soon as he or she is born.”
“I’ll call,” Jason promised.
The next few hours crawled, as Mia’s contractions continued to become more frequent with worsening intensity. At first, she had refused pain medication but by midnight, she gave in. As she dozed, Jason stayed with her, rubbing her back, grateful for Mia’s respite from the pain. The Dilaudid took the edge off and allowed her to get a little rest and energy until she was fully dilated and it was time to push.
Twenty-two hours later, an exhausted Mia and Jason finally were left alone in the hospital room with their healthy seven pound, nine ounce dark haired son. The doctors and nurses had finally left them alone, for now, and Kate had just left. Dillon was all of two hours old.
Jason was sitting up in Mia’s bed, with her reclined against him, Dillon sleeping in her arms. “He’s so perfect,” Jason whispered as he gently touched his son’s face. “And you are so beautiful.” He hugged his arms around Mia tighter. Jason was in awe of the strength Mia had exhibited through the labor and delivery. Mia hadn’t complained; the only real indication of her pain had been the intensity on which she squeezed Jason’s hand through the contractions. His hand still ached. “You need to get some rest, baby,” he told her as he kissed her cheek. “I know you’re exhausted. Sleep.”
“I will.” Mia couldn’t keep her eyes off her son.
Their
perfect, healthy son. “I can’t believe he’s here.” Even up until the end of her pregnancy, Mia always had a nagging fear something would go wrong. Now that baby Dillon had made his appearance without issue, Mia was memorized by their son.
“I know.” Jason gently took the infant from Mia and set him in the bassinet that sat next to the bed so that she would rest. Now that Dillon had arrived, Jason couldn’t imagine having not wanted to be a father. “While he’s sleeping, close your eyes,” he urged. “He’ll be waking you up soon enough when he wants to eat.”
“I know,” Mia sighed as the exhaustion claimed her. Jason watched as her heavy eyes closed. Jason shifted in the bed so she could recline and get a little more comfortable, but he still held her. He felt her body relax against him and she drifted off.
“Love you,” he murmured into her hair as he kissed her temple, contentment coursing through him. After all he and Mia had been through, he couldn’t have asked for a more perfect life they now shared. Soon, Jason slept too and he dreamt about his new family---Mia and Dillon---and in the future, giving Dillon a baby sister. Life was perfect.
The End
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Other Titles by Rosalyn Gendreau-Webb available on Amazon Kindle:
Leave the Past Behind: Starting Over Series, Bk I
Grief and loss has prompted both Logan and Emma to move on and start solitary existences. They are unprepared when sparks ignite when they meet. There is no denying the intense physical chemistry between the sexy bar owner and fiery new girl in-town. After giving in to their desire, they both reluctantly realize their relationship is more than the convenient, mind-blowing, no-strings attached sex they had agreed upon. Logan struggles with the ghost of his dead fiancé as he attempts to forge ahead with a relationship with Emma. She has her own demons to slay; Emma has been alone since she was a young teen and her father died. She learned not to rely on anyone after her last boyfriend cheated on her. She has never truly needed anyone until a crisis forces her to seek Logan's comfort and support. His past holds him back and Emma leaves, feeling the sting of abandonment. She moves on reluctantly, wounded but still in love with Logan.
Another man offers her a distraction from her heartache and Emma eventually accepts the marriage proposal. Their relationship gives Emma reliability, not the scorching passionate love she and Logan briefly shared. Even though she is going to marry Michael, her heart can’t forget Logan.
Still undecided on how to win Emma back, a chance sighting of Emma with her new beau shakes Logan to his core. Emma is his. He has to fight for her. He has to have her back and will do whatever it takes.
This book is part one in a series but can be read as a stand-alone novel.
A Soldier’s Absolution
After suffering debilitating injuries and the loss of his men in Afghanistan, former Special Forces soldier Derrick Ryder withdraws from life, attempting to forget his military past. Until he meets Zoe. She is new to town and fresh out of a hellish marriage. Neither is interested in a relationship but circumstances keep pushing them together. Derrick is forced to come to terms with what happened in the cold mountains of Afghanistan, or risk losing Zoe and a future with her.
Hide and Seek
The past is never far away.
She has been running for years. Maddie left her abusive childhood and started over in Boston. She was happy with her boyfriend, apartment and career until her mother showed up on her doorstep. She finally had left Maddie’s violent father. The reunion was short-lived; Joe Dixon found his wife and daughter and in an act of vengeance, shot his wife to death in front of Maddie. Since witnessing the murder, Maddie changed her name and disappeared. Now, five years later, the murder investigation has been re-opened and her father has hired two private investigators to find Maddie. One does. Sam Riker, a former police detective, soon realizes that his client’s reason for finding his estranged daughter is sinister. Instead of reuniting father and daughter, he finds himself protecting Maddie from Dixon and his strong desire to quiet her before she talks to the police. He also finds her smart, beautiful and against his better judgment, falls for her. At first, Maddie resists his help; she has been self-sufficient on her own and trusts no one. She can’t deny the attraction to the sexy private investigator but can she trust him? Sam vows to keep her safe until her father is behind bars. Can he deliver on that promise and also put to rest his past, a murdered wife and unborn child, to have a shot at a real future with Maddie?
Bridge to her Past
---February, 2013