Page 102 of Stone Rules

She shoots me a look of annoyance. “I haven’t wet the bed since I was four, Ethan.” Then her face goes back to looking terrified. “Oh my God. It’s too soon.”

“Charlie, you are close to thirty-seven weeks. Dr. Chavis told you last week that even if you delivered at thirty-six, the baby would most likely be fine. That’s what she told you, right?”

I try not to think about the fact that I wasn’t at the appointment. That it was the only one I’d ever missed. I wasn’t there because Thompson’s asshole attorney called John and told him his client would be showing up and wondered if he should bring the police with him to escort me from the building. I almost lost my shit then, but Charlie assured me everything would be okay. She took PiperandSkylarandGriffin with her. I also insisted Levi go and sit in the waiting room to keep an eye on the manipulative prick.

“Yes.” She nods. “But that’s not what I’m worried about, Ethan.” Tears pool in her eyes and spill over as she breaks down in hysterics. “I can’t do this without you. We don’t have the test back. Your restraining order. This can’t happen now.”

I look at the rather large wet spot on the bed. “Oh, this is happening now,” I tell her. I take her hand. “Everything will be okay.”

“How? How will everything be okay if I have to deliver this baby alone? If I have to go through labor without you, knowingheis in the next room?”

“Let’s make something clear. You are not going to have this baby without me, Charlie.”

“But what about the restraining order?”

“Fuck the restraining order,” I say. “I’ll deal with the consequences later. We don’t have to let him know. He’s not expecting the baby this early anyway.”

She grabs a hold of her belly and her face scrunches tightly.

“Are you having a contraction?”

She nods, breathing through it. “It’s not that bad.”

I rub her shoulders until her face goes back to normal. “Come on,” I say, getting out of bed and offering my hand to her. “Let’s clean you up and head to the hospital.”

She looks up at me. “Maybe I could have the baby here. Surely you wouldn’t have to leave your own home, even with the restraining order.”

I realize going into labor might cause some women to make unreasonable demands, so I try not to look at her like she’s said something really ridiculous. “Charlie, I’m not risking the health of you or the baby over a stupid piece of paper.”

“That piece of paper could have you ending up in jail, Ethan.”

“Not if Thompson doesn’t know the baby is coming.”

“But what about the other order, the one that says I’m required to call his attorney when I go into labor? When he finds out we didn’t comply, it will give him ammunition to fight for custody.”

I sit back down on the bed next to her and cup her face with my hands. “Charlie, listen to me. No judge is going to give this baby to that dirt bag. Especially not now with all the information my team has found on him. The guy is grasping at straws here. He wants money, not a kid. Let him sue me for emotional trauma or whatever the hell they call it. And if by some strange twist of fate, he is the biological father, I’ll make sure he signs his parental rights away, no matter how much it costs me. I don’t give a shit about the money. All I care about is the two of you.”

She grabs her stomach again, wincing.

“Unless you are serious about having that baby right here on this bed, we’d better get going,” I tell her.

Ten minutes later, I’ve gathered the things I need along with Charlie’s overnight bag and we’re in my car calling all of the Mitchells. I smile when I back out of my parking space, seeing the car seat that’s been in my back seat for over a week now. The next time I drive this car, a baby will fill that seat.My baby.No matter what any goddamn test says.

~ ~ ~

Four hours later, the sun has come up, the Mitchells have all arrived and Charlie is dilated to a seven. They just gave her an epidural, so she’s no longer feeling the contractions with a lot of intensity.

Now’s the time.

I’m hoping the whole being unreasonable during labor thing will work in my favor.

When the nurse finishes looking at the baby monitor stats, she exits the room, leaving us alone. I wait for the current contraction to pass. I’m relieved she’s no longer in excruciating pain with them. Both the lines on the monitor and the decreasing pressure on my hand alert me to the end of this one.

I lace my fingers with hers and sit on the edge of the bed, looking deep into her eyes.

She holds a hand up in front of her face. “Stop looking at me like that, I must look hideous.”

I pull her hand away from her face and kiss the back of it. Then I brush a lock of red hair behind her ear. “I’ve never seen you look more beautiful,” I say.

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