Page 118 of While We Waited

She bats my shoulders. “Wrong way. I need to change my clothes first.”

“Fuck your clothes. We have a bunch of clean clothes in your go bag.”

“I am not going to the hospital with soaked panties.”

“Yes, you are.”

“Hudson Clark, turn your rearend around and carry me to the bedroom to change my clothes this minute or I won’t give you a blow job until this baby is in college.”

Damn. She’s serious. I whirl around and head toward the bedroom.

Once she’s changed into clean, dry clothes, I carry her to my truck and drive her to the hospital. We arrive and I stop in front of the emergency room. I jump out and run to the passenger door.

“What are you doing? You’re blocking the emergency room door.”

“Nova, you are an emergency,” I say as I pick her up and carry her toward the entrance.

“Promise you’ll move the truck once I’m inside.”

“I promise.” I’d promise her anything right now.

I set her in a wheelchair and push her toward the reception desk. Dr. Katz is waiting for us there.

“It’s about time you got here,” she greets.

Nova’s brow wrinkles. “I only called you five minutes ago.”

Dr. Katz points to me. “The big guy rang me this morning when you had your first contraction.”

Nova twists to glare up at me. “I told you not to bother the doctor.”

The doctor laughs. “Follow me. I’ve got your room ready.”

I walk with the doctor as we head to the maternity ward. I roll Nova into the room and help her get situated on the bed.

She glances around. “There’s only one bed in here.”

“Because Daddy wanted a private room,” Dr. Katz answers.

Nova frowns at me. “I don’t need a private room.”

“Maybe I need a private room.” I kiss her nose. “There’s a couch in here I can sleep on until you and little Sprog can come home.”

“Dang it. How am I supposed to stay mad at you when you do such sweet things?”

I grin. “You’re not supposed to be mad at me when you’re having my baby.”

“On the contrary, I’m pretty certain I get to be mad at you and scream all kinds of obscenities at you when the pain gets to be too much.”

“Which is why you’re having an epidural.”

“Let me have a look.” The doctor sits on the stool between Nova’s legs. “It might be too late for an epidural. Yep,” she says a moment later. “Baby Myers is on her way. No time for an epidural.”

“Baby Clark.”

She clears her throat. “My apologies. Baby Clark.”

Despite Dr. Katz’s announcement about the baby being born soon, it’s another three hours before our baby girl arrives in the world.

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