Page 62 of A Future in the Bay

“You ran in here?”

He nodded, and he caught the receptionist hiding a smile.

The hospital staff was kind and communicative, and it wasn’t long before Alissa was settled in a delivery room. A nurse came by and announced that Alissa was going to give birth very soon, and that she would come back with the doctor in a matter of minutes.

“Just stay comfortable and keep taking deep breaths,” the nurse said. “It won’t be long at all.”

She slipped out of the waiting room, and Dane turned to his wife with a brave smile. “How are you feeling, champ?” he asked, squeezing her hand.

She squeezed his back tightly. “Um…” She took a deep breath. “I have to admit, now that the moment is here, I feel really overwhelmed. I—I’m not sure I’m ready.”

He leaned forward and looked her in the eyes. “Alissa Taylor,” he said. “You absolutely are ready. You’ve been ready for a long time. I know it all feels like a lot right now, but thatdoesn’t mean you’re not ready. You can do this. You’re going to be an amazing mom.”

She smiled at him warmly, and he thought he caught a glimmer of tears in her eyes. “Thank you.”

“Of course. I have to admit, I’m nervous myself about becoming a father?—”

“You’re going to be an amazing dad!”

“Thanks, sweetheart. It’s a lot for us both to take on, but I know we can do it. We’re going to do it together and support each other. We’re going to have each other’s backs. I’m so grateful you’re my wife, and that we get to start this next adventure together.”

He stood up and bent over her, giving her a kiss. She smiled up at him, and she seemed to be feeling less nervous than she had been.

“You ready, Oscar?” he asked, patting her stomach. “You be a good boy now. Don’t give your mommy a lot of trouble.”

Alissa laughed, and then winced as she felt another contraction. “I can’t wait to meet him,” she said, grinning at her husband.

At that moment, the nurse and the doctor stepped inside the room, and Dane squeezed his wife’s hand, feeling a rush of adrenaline. They were going to meet their son very soon.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Caitlin gazed into Michael’s eyes as they danced together under the stars. She felt more full of positive emotions than she ever had before in her life. She’d just married the man of her dreams, and her sister was about to have a baby.

“It’s been quite the day, huh?” Michael asked, grinning at her.

He seemed to be practically glowing with happiness, and just like her, he couldn’t seem to stop smiling. He hadn’t wanted to stop dancing with her. They’d barely left the dance floor since their first dance as husband and wife, and she wasn’t complaining.

She loved dancing with him, and their dance floor area was exceptionally beautiful. Twinkle lights glowed overhead and danced in a fragrant breeze from the ocean, and in the distance, over the sound of the music, they could hear the soothing sound of the surf rushing up against the sand. The stars winked and sparkled overhead, and she couldn’t help feeling that their wedding had been the most perfect event of her life.

“Quite the day.” She let out a soft sigh. “I feel thrilled that I’m married to you, and thrilled that I’m about to become an aunt.I couldn’t think of two more exciting things to be happening at once.”

He nodded, his eyes warm and soft. “A lot of new beginnings,” he murmured, and then leaned in for a kiss.

The evening seemed to pass in a whirlwind. She and Michael continued to dance, and she loved looking around at the smiling faces of all their guests. Everyone seemed to be having a great time, and most of their friends and family members were out on the dance floor with them.

The night had been filled with laughter and love, and she felt incredibly blessed to be surrounded by people that she cared for so much. Pearl was dancing with a group of other children, looking like a little fairy princess in her pink dress. Caitlin’s heart warmed to see her. She looked so happy, and she overheard her tell several people that she was about to have a cousin and that she was extremely excited.

She saw Isaiah dancing with Gwen, the new doctor, and she had to hide a grin. She loved the idea of them as a couple, and they looked adorable together.

She saw Corey dancing with Olivia, their heads held close together, and Johanna and Everett swing-dancing like a couple of teenagers. Hannah and Luke were standing on the side of the dance floor, eating cake and laughing hysterically about something. Marsha and Willis were walking along the beach together, holding hands and talking happily. Sandy and Daniel were sitting near the dance floor, showing off Chandler to Josie and Wesley, who looked absolutely captivated with him. Just in front of them, Paige and Tommy were dancing, and their dance moves seemed to include some kind of secret handshake.

Many of the guests came up to congratulate her and Michael and wish them well. Most of them asked if they’d heard anything from Alissa or Dane, and she kept having to shake her head and say, “Not yet.”

She exchanged a few sympathetic glances with Johanna as they waited. Although she was having a wonderful time, she felt impatient for news from her sister, and she kept checking her phone, which she kept inside a pocket that she’d had specially made for her wedding dress.

“Nothing yet?” Michael asked as she slipped her phone back into her pocket for what must have been the fifteenth time.

“No.” She smiled at him but couldn’t help sighing. “I feel all pins and needles.” She laughed. “I just want to know what’s going on.”

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