Page 94 of Infinite
“How’s she doing?” Quinn asks.
And then she growls.
“That good, got it.”
Catherine walks over. “Oh, she bit me. She’s a peach.”
Poor Quinn, he’s so nervous and Gretchen has said he’s not allowed in until it’s actually the birthing time. He’s also only allowed to stay by her head. I laughed . . . a lot. I love my best friend, and we both can never repay her for doing this for us. If the biggest demand she makes is for him to stay outside and then by her head, we’ll take it.
I, however, was not so lucky. No, I’m to be here the entire time, and she’s used every minute to remind me how much she hates me.
At least now I know what some guys go through.
“She shouldn’t be too much longer,” I tell him. “Dr. Danton said she was finally progressing, so we’ll keep you posted. How’s Ben?”
Quinn looks heavenward. “Ben and I are having a contest for the most worrisome.”
“Is he winning?” Gretchen asks.
“Don’t think so.”
“Damn, tell him to step up his game. I’m his wife, for god sake, and I’m doing all the fucking work!”
Gretchen asked that Ben not be in here, he’s seen his wife deliver two children, and she worried he wouldn’t be able to handle knowing that this baby wouldn’t be his. So, Catherine is here for Gretchen.
I smile when Quinn’s eyes bulge. “See, she’s a peach—with a potty mouth.”
“She is carrying our baby,” he excuses her.
“Yes, this is true.” I idly slide my pendant on my chain, and when he looks down at me, his eyes soften and it feels like we say so much in these seconds.
I opened the black box the day we found out that Gretchen was pregnant. I didn’t want to open it sooner, for no real reason, but Quinn also seemed content not to touch it until we decided whether we were going to do this or not. Months of waiting and wondering if we should attempt it. Then we agonized over the possibilities and finally decided to try.
The first two attempts failed, and I made a promise that if it didn’t work on the third attempt, I would stop trying and be happy. I meant it, at least in theory.
When Gretchen took her pregnancy test and it turned out to be positive, we went into our bedroom, pulled the box out of the safe, and, as promised, opened it together. Inside, was a beautiful necklace with two angel wings with a red ruby in the center. Rose is symbolized by the stone and the wings, he said, mirrored each of us.
I put it on that day and have never taken it off again. Rose is with us right now, I can feel it.
“You okay?” he whispers.
I nod. “I’m ready.”
“Me too,fragolina.”
I smile and lace my fingers through his.
Another contraction hits, and Gretchen groans. “Ohhh, this baby hates me. I have to push!”
“No!” Catherine and I both yell at the same time.
Even though my job is to make babies, I don’t ever deliver them, and I’d prefer this to not be my first. If she has to push that means she’s much farther along than we thought.
I turn my head to Quinn as I rush toward Gretchen. “Get the doctor!”
He bolts out of the room, and Catherine and I take Gretchen’s hands. “You can’t push yet, there’s no one there to catch it,” I tell her. “The doctor is coming.”
She looks at me with exasperation. “Then get there with a basket because it’s coming! I can’t stop it. I need to push!”
