Page 102 of Unbearable

“Let’s go, Dotty!” I called as I saw her waddle adorably out of the front door.

“My water broke. I didn’t die, Trent.” She rolled her eyes at me.

“Exactly! Your water broke! Let’s go!” I waved my arms at her, trying to usher her to the car.

“I’m not going to give birth in the driveway if I take an extra minute braiding my damn hair. Calm down.I’mthe one in labor here.” I ran up and helped her down the few steps off the front porch.

“I already put some towels down on the seat and called the clinic. They are ready for you.” I tried to hide the panic in my voice, but she was as calm as could be.

We got her settled in my truck. The gravel crunched as we drove away, and I tried to be mindful of the speed limit, but when a contraction hit, I found myself pushing down the pedal.

I grabbed her hand and kissed it as she breathed through the pain. While Dotty could be a big baby when it came to the common cold, she turned into a composed superwoman when it came to having a baby.

She breathed through the contraction, and I could only imagine what it felt like to have a baby trying to exit your body. I shuddered at the thought. Her body finally relaxed after a minute.

“This girl is already up to trouble. Just like her father.” She smiled at me.

“What can I say? Strong genes.” I kissed her knuckles again.

We pulled up to the local clinic, and the midwife rushed out with a wheelchair.

“I can walk,” Dotty insisted, opening the truck door before I could get it for her.

“But you shouldn’t have to,” Mia, the midwife, said as the doctor walked out.

“Thanks, Mia,” Dotty replied.

I held her hand, whispered words of encouragement, and stayed close, trying to mask my own nervousness with a calm exterior.

Each contraction brought a mix of awe and anxiety, but Dotty’s strength amazed me. A few intense hours later, I was a dad. We had a beautiful baby girl.

With Dotty as her mother, this baby was about to be the most loved little girl. I couldn’t wait to watch her grow up, but I simultaneously wanted to freeze this moment forever. Dotty looked beautiful—no makeup, puffy eyes, and all. She had a glow about her that you couldn’t deny as she held our baby girl on her chest.

“You did so well. I am so damn proud of you.” I beamed, looking at my family that had grown within the last twenty-four hours.

“He’s right, you know,” Mia said from across the room, typing notes into the computer. “That was a seamless delivery.”

“Thank you,” Dotty replied. Our baby girl was sound asleep on her mother. “Do you want to hold her?” Dotty asked.

“Absolutely,” I said, taking off my shirt. She gave me a puzzled look. “What? Skin-to-skin isn’t only for the mom. It’s good for bonding. I read it in one of the books I bought.”

I sat down in the chair, and Dotty carefully transferred our daughter into my arms. She was placed on my chest, and a blanket was draped over her back to keep her warm.

“I’ll give you three some privacy. Just have Trent come grab me or doc if you need anything,” Mia said.

As I peered down at the little miracle and her mom next to me, my heart threatened to burst. I had never felt something so deep, so strong in my entire life, and I was certain I never would again unless I convinced Dotty to have more of these little suckers.

“We have to give her a name,” Dotty said.

“I think I have the perfect one.” I smirked.

We had spent hours searching through names, trying to agree on one with no luck. But as soon as I saw her, I just knew.

“Darlene. Darlene Mae Akers,” I said.

Dotty’s eyes filled with tears. “Yeah… I think you’re right.” She reached behind her neck, taking off her necklace and letting Darlene’s little grasp take hold of it. “You are definitely too little for this for now.” She wiped her tears and let out a breath. “But it was your grandmother’s, and then it was mine, and now it will be yours.”

She looked at me and smiled.

And damn, was I lucky to have the two most beautiful girls in my life to call mine.

Reflecting on the past Dotty and I shared, it was hard not to think about how it all led me to this exact moment. From the hours we spent running around the James family ranch as kids to the ten years we spent apart. As much as I wished I could have had that extra decade with Dotty, I knew everything played out exactly as it was supposed to. Especially since it led to her as my wife and the mother of my child.

I glanced over at her, and she was biting her lip. “You look so hot right now, cowboy. Shirtless, cuddling a newborn baby—I could get used to this,” she teased.

I think I could get used to this too.

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