Page 32 of Wildcat

I know it’s coming, but damn, when it does, we all watch with our mouths open wide. With tears running down her face, Taz looks at her ol’ man and lets loose. I’m totally shocked, as all my sisters are.

“Travis, get the hell out of here. I don’t want your negative energy around me or my baby. Yeah, you donated the sperm but that’s it. I’ve been growing and nurturing this child for nine months, so I should be able to decide how it makes its journey out into this fucked-up world we live in. My job as this baby’s mother is to protect it, even from you if I have too. I said get out, until you can keep your energy down. Right now, I don’t want to see you or have you in here. Please go.”

Enforcer’s mouth is open, eyes huge. Taz is now sobbing, trying to hide her face. He leans down, grabbing her hands and again shocks the shit outta all of us in the room.

“Que, shit, I’m so sorry. Please, Raquel, don’t cry. You don’t want our baby being born with you having sad energy. I’ll personally go get that tub. Doc, what type of water should be in it?”

“Enforcer, usually lukewarm, not too cold or hot. If that’s the plan, I suggest you move your ass. This baby isn’t going to wait too long. Taz is dilated to just about eight centimeters, so I’d get moving.”

At that moment more boots are hitting the floor as the rest of the Intruders make their presence known. Tank is the first in, followed by Yoggie with a huge black bag. Yeah, always a medic.

In no time at all, between the Intruders and Devil’s Handmaidens, the tub is cleaned and almost filled by the assembly line Duchess started. The room is now almost empty. Atlas said he wanted it to be calm for Taz, so it’s just Enforcer, Tink, Shadow, and me. Glory stepped out when she got a call from Momma Diane.

Shadow and I help Taz off the bed after we lowered it as far down as we could. Next, between all of us, we get her into the tub. She smiles when she’s sitting in there looking at Enforcer.

“Come on, Travis, you know what I want.”

He looks around at us with a scowl.

“If any of you say a word, I’ll kill you with my own two hands, swear to Christ.

Then he takes his kutte off, placing it on one of the robe hooks, and then empties his pockets. Boots and socks are next. With his T-shirt already off, by the time his jeans hit the table Taz is panting through another contraction. Atlas is reaching in, trying to gauge how far along she is.

“Is there someone here who has some medical background? How about that man who brought in the bag? I could use a hand, no actually two.”

Tink walks to the door and yells for Yoggie. When he walks to the door, she tells him he’s needed.

Time seems to go quickly by as each contraction gets closer and closer. Enforcer is now behind Taz in the tub, holding her up. Atlas is scrunched down at the other end of the tub, doing what baby doctors do, I guess. He took his socks and gym shoes off. He was already in workout shorts, showing off his muscular calves. No, I didn’t just think that. Yoggie is on the outside of the pool, right across from the doctor.

“Rebel, come here, I need you close.”

Shit, just what I need, never done anything like this before. When I walk toward the tub, Enforcer smirks, so I flip him off.

“Keep it up, Dad, and you’ll be sorry. Shadow, snap a picture of the Intruder’s Enforcer in his boxers.”

Just as Shadow snaps the pic, Taz screams and squeezes my hand so tight I think she might break it.

“That’s it, Taz, doing great. Breathe, in and out. Come on, follow me. Take a deep breath, hold it for five, four, three, two, and one, release. Again, take your time and hold. Okay, we are there, so on the next contraction I need you to push as hard as you can.”

We all wait for maybe thirty seconds when she lifts up a bit and bears down, moaning the whole time. Travis is holding her up and I’m letting her break one hand as the other is pushing her hair out of her face. When she leans back, I see Atlas and Yoggie looking at each other.

“What? Is there a problem? Come on, tell us so we can fix it, and let this little one celebrate their birth day.”

“I think the cord is around the baby’s neck, so just want Yoggie to be ready when the baby arrives. That’s it, Auntie Rebel, so calm down. Shit, I mean, here we go. This time when she starts to push, Enforcer, lean down, push her forward so she bends more, which will help with pressure so the baby comes out. Everyone, get ready.”

In my entire life I’ve never experienced anything like this. Taz breathing hard, face red, body tight, muscles all popping. Enforcer sweating as he helps Taz push their child out. Shadow is on the other side of Atlas, helping Yoggie out. Tink is the only one standing back and I know why. This has to hurt because she and Noodles have been trying to have their own baby. Damn it.

I hear Atlas yelling so I look down and can’t believe it. The baby is half in and half out. Yoggie is pulling the cord off its neck, and Shadow is holding one shoulder. Meanwhile, Atlas rotates the baby one way then the other until the other shoulder literally pops out. In less than a second Atlas has the baby out, and instead of a crack on its tiny wrinkly ass, he’s rubbing up and down its back. Then he looks to the parents and smiles.

“Congratulations. It’s a baby girl. Dad, want to cut the cord?”

Enforcer looks at Atlas then me and shakes his head.

“Let Rebel do it. I’m good where I’m at.”

Atlas gives me what looks to be some sort of scissors and shows me where to cut between some clamps. When I do, I feel them rolling down my face. Shit. When I look up, Shadow and Tink are wiping their faces.

“What’s her name, Mom and Dad?”

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