Page 66 of Claiming Xan
“XAN?!” The raw panic in my best friend’s voice woke me right the fuck up. I sat upright in bed like my ass was spring-loaded.
“Shay? Babe? What’s wrong?” I crooned into the phone, my heart taking off at record speed.
“Xan, I’m having a baby! I’m scared. I’m freaking out. It’s happening! It’s coming and it hurts and I’m scared and—ohhhh fuuuck! Oh god,” he cried, letting out a sob.
I sucked in a sharp breath and tried to focus. Shay was in labor. It was go-time. “Okay, breathe, honey. Deep breaths,” I reassured him. “Where are you?”
“In the car,” he whimpered.
“Where’s Donovan?”
“Driving the car. We’re going to the h-hospital right now, but I… What if I have the baby in the car?” He hiccuped, sounding frantic. “I’m wearing pants! It’ll suffocate!”
“Shay!” I barked. “Breathe for me, babe. It’s gonna be okay. I’m getting up. I’m putting clothes on. I’ll be there soon, okay?” I swung my legs over the side of the bed despite the way my lower back protested.
“NO! Don’t leave! Keep talking to me, please? God, it hurts so bad. No one ever tells you how much it hurts. My graceful feline form can’t handle this!” He began to cry again. In the background, I could hear Donovan calmly telling Shay that things would be just fine, to hang on, that they were almost there.
I fumbled to get dressed in the dark, one-handedly, since the other was still holding the phone. I needed to be there for my friend. I knew he’d be there for me if the situations were reversed.
River sat up in bed. “What’s going on?” His voice was muzzy with sleep.
“Shay’s in labor,” I said. “I’m going to the hospital.” River pushed the blankets back and got up. I turned to him. “Babe, you don’t have to come. You have work in a few hours.”
“I don’t care,” he said. “Shay needs you, and you might need me. So let’s go.”
The two of us bundled up and got in the car, and I drove to the hospital with Shay on speakerphone, because my car was too old and frumpy for bluetooth. He cried and whimpered, and I tried my best to soothe him until we had to hang up.
“I’ll be there soon, Seamus,” I promised him. “Hold tight.”
I ended the call. River snorted softly. “His full name is Seamus?”
“Yup. Shay fits.”
“Shay definitely fits.”
We got to the hospital, parked, and went in, and apparently, Shay hadn’t been kidding—it was go-time. The baby was comingnow.
River and I were asked to wait until the delivery process was over and Shay was stabilized.
We sat in the lobby together. I held River’s hand, my heart still beating pretty hard from all the adrenaline. My other hand rested on my belly.
“Does Shay have a name picked out?” River asked.
I smiled. “A couple, but nothing set in stone. He wanted to wait until he saw the baby to choose something.” I breathed in deeply and let it out in a sigh. “I hope our sons grow up to be best friends.”
River squeezed my hand. “I’m sure they will.”
After about an hour, we were called back. Donovan greeted us at the door with hugs of relief.
An exhausted Shay laid in the hospital bed, his black hair sweat-damp and smoothed away from his face, but he looked so proud. In his arms was a bundle in a blue blanket.
When I drew closer, my heart melted. His son was beautiful, tiny and delicate with a wisp of brown hair and yellow-gold eyes.
I smiled. “He’s got your cat’s eyes,” I teased lightly.
Shay smiled tiredly. “Runs in the family.”
I stroked a finger down the baby’s face, a bit awestruck. “He’s gorgeous, Shay,” I murmured. “Was the pain worth it? Asking for a friend.” I grinned.
