His family followed him out to the car where Luke waited. As soon as Kelly had her safely on his lap, he yelled for his brother to go. They took the fastest route as Ashlynn moaned in his arms. He held her tight as terror took hold.
There was a gush of moisture on his lap. “Fuck, I think her water broke! Go faster.”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” she cried.
Her hair had gotten longer. He brushed it out of her face and cupped her jaw. “Look at me, Ashlynn. No apologizing. This is happening to us. There is no I. Everything’s going to be fine. Just hold on. We’re almost there.”
As Luke tore into the hospital parking lot a lifetime later, Kelly was in a full sweat. Ashlynn was crying and moaning and he wasn’t sure what was happening. Wrenching the door to the truck open, he ran toward the automatic doors and yelled the first thing that came to mind. “Help! Something’s wrong with my wife!”
Chaos erupted and nurses surrounded him. Ashlynn was removed from his arms and the absence of her weight was crippling. She was his lifeline. They rushed her through a set of doors on a gurney. That’s when he saw it. Blood.
His knees buckled and strong arms caught him. “Come on, Kelly. This way.”
Luke.
“She’s bleeding,” he cried. “Luke, what’s happening?”
Luke grabbed him by the back of his neck and stared hard into his eyes. “I don’t know, but she’s with the doctors and we won’t know anything until you pull yourself together and move. She needs you, Kelly. You have to be strong.”
Breath pummeled out of him as he nodded. Fear choked him. “I need her.”
“And she needs you.”
Luke brought him to a reception desk and spoke to a nurse.
“Kelly McCullough?”
He turned and saw a nurse waiting for him, holding a folded pile of blue scrubs. He left Luke and went to her. “I’m Kelly.”
“You’re wife’s in labor and the baby’s coming quick. I need you to put these on and I’ll take you to her.”
He grabbed the scrubs, his hands trembling like autumn leaves in a hurricane. “Is she all right?”
“The doctor’s with her now. The faster you get those over your clothes the faster I can take you to her.”
His legs shook as he fed them through the scrubs right there in the ER waiting room. Once he was somewhat covered he chased the nurse through the long winding corridors and prayed for forgiveness for everything he’d ever done wrong.
Please. Keep her and the baby safe. She’s so good. Please don’t take her from me. She’s my world.
In those fleeting seconds a million fears rushed through his mind. What if this was all because they weren’t supposed to have a baby? What if this was because he wasn’t meant to be a father? He was selfish and lazy and no matter how much he tried to be a good man for Ashlynn, he knew there were always ways he could be better. Everything seemed like a punishment in the light of such stark fear.
Please…
They entered a delivery room and Ashlynn was hooked to an IV. Her face was flushed and she smiled weakly when she saw him. He went to take her hand, but a tech in scrubs stepped in his way. “Mr. McCullough, your wife’s going to need a C-section immediately. The cord’s wrapped around the baby’s neck and there isn’t much time. She’s signed the forms and we’re going to move her.”
“Kelly?” Her voice was so small.
“I’m right here, love. Everything’s fine.” He went to his wife and gripped her hand.
“What’s happening?”
Strong. Be Strong. “We’re having a baby. Everything’s fine. He’s just a little early.”
She laughed through her tears. “He?”
“She.” He had no idea. He just wanted their child delivered safely and Ashlynn to be okay. Oh God, did men still have to make snap decisions in situations like this? He couldn’t. The only courageous decisions he’d ever been able to make he’d made with her by his side. Without her he was a scared little boy. He held her hand tighter.
“We’re going to move you now, Mrs. McCullough.”
A swarm of medical staff surrounded her and instructed her on what to do and what was happening. A nurse told him to follow her to the OR. He kissed Ashlynn’s fingers. “I’ll be right behind you, love. I’m right here.”
She nodded and they wheeled her gurney away, their fingers touching until the last second. Wiping the sweat off his brow, he drew in a deep breath. His phone was going crazy in his pocket so he shut it off and followed the nurse to the OR.
Ashlynn was already being prepped. Blue sheets were suspended with large clips. Bright dome lights hung overhead. He lifted his mask and knew he looked like everyone else in the room.
Her stomach peeked through a drape cut with an open square to show where they’d operate. Someone drew an iodine line over her belly and he couldn’t watch anymore.
Moving to the head of the table he looked into Ashlynn’s eyes and gripped her hand. “Are you in pain?”
“No. They took care of that. It’s going to be okay, right, Kelly?”
He nodded and bit his lip. “Everything’s going to be fine, my love.”
Requests were made and the mood of the room settled as numbers were called out and words that made no sense were spoken. Ashlynn winced.
“Pain?” He didn’t want her in any more pain.
“No, but I feel them tugging. It’s weird.”
He peeked on the other side of the curtain suspended above her chest and nearly fainted. A woozy sensation came over him and he wobbled.
“Easy there, Dad. We need you on your feet,” a man in a mask said as he grabbed Kelly’s arm.
“Jesus.” He glanced at Ashlynn. Her eyes were squeezed shut and her mouth was moving quickly. He leaned in and recognized her words as The Lord’s Prayer. Holding her hands and leaning close, his voice softly joined hers.
Minutes traveled at the speed of light and took years. There was no time, only fear. He kept his face pressed to his wife’s as they prayed. Nothing had ever taken so much love, hope, and devotion. This child had taken so much out of them he feared ever having to do it again. How could he have let Ashlynn convince him to do this? She was too important to risk.
Oh God, please…
There was a squawking sound and then someone announced, “It’s a boy. A healthy boy!”
His entire body shivered with chills. A son. He sobbed into Ashlynn’s shoulder. “You hear that, love? You have a son.”
Her lips pressed to his damp brow. “We have a son.”
“We,” he agreed.
The cries grew louder. They were raspy but hardy.
Drawing in a deep breath, he whispered into Ashlynn’s ear, “I love you. So much it hurts. The only thing that could hurt more is never knowing the love you’ve given me. You’ve given me everything, Ash. You’re my everything.”
“I love you too.” Strength rippled from her in waves. “Be brave, Kelly. You’re my hero. Now go meet our son.”
* * * *
His name was Nathanial McCullough, meaning gift from God. He was small, but he was perfect, with hair as golden as his mother’s and eyes as blue as his father’s. He was their son. Their healthy—early—little miracle.
He was everything she ever wanted, and everything he needed. He was their family, their love come to life and their faith in years of blessings ahead.
Once the McCulloughs invaded it took days for them to leave. Nate needed some extra care and that was okay, because he was gaining weight and would be coming home with them soon.
Ashlynn recovered beautifully and there had never been a more stunning image than his wife holding and nursing their baby boy. Kelly passed the long hours of the night sketching those memories that humbled him, never wanting to forget these precious moments or how the journey to this point in time had changed him—made him a man.
He had everything he never knew he wanted right here. All because a chaste little church mouse named Ashlynn d
ecided he was worth loving and showed him what love truly was about.
It was patient and it was kind. Love did not boast and was formed of greater things than a man’s pride. It rejoiced in truth and, just as she’d reminded him every time he lost his way, love was founded on trust, protected hearts, and breathed hope. Love like theirs always persevered.
She had found him and in turn, he’d found out what it was to truly have faith again. And every day his love for her grew in ways so private and personal, only they would ever know. The façade was gone and everything they shared, ever stolen glance, chaste kiss, and show of pure affection was, unarguably, real. And that was the beauty of their love.
*The End*
About the Author
Lydia Michaels is an award winning author of paranormal and contemporary erotic romance. She lives in Pennsylvania with her wonderfully supportive husband, beautiful daughter, ridiculously spoiled kitten, and a dog that believes he’s an underworld spy.
After graduating college, Lydia married her childhood sweetheart and best friend then became a mother and quickly discovered her love for literature. The only hobby she enjoys more than reading exciting romance novels is writing them! If she is not off spending time with her family you can usually find Lydia at her computer working on her next story or hiding somewhere quiet with a great book. She loves taking a romantic plot with steamy chemistry and pushing the characters through an evolution of emotion by creating real life challenges any hero or heroine worth their salt could overcome. She presses the bounds of love and surprises readers just when they think they have her stories figured out. Her books are intellectual, erotic, haunting, always centered on love.
www.LydiaMichaels.org
More Titles by Lydia Michaels
Sacred Waters
Skin
White Chocolate
All 4 You
To Catch a Wolfe
Chasing Feathers
Breaking Perfect
Simple Man
Call Her Mine
Secret Cravings Publishing
www.secretcravingspublishing.com
Lydia Michaels, Chaste
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