Page 127 of Other Side Of Never
The girls weren’t the only ones who hung out with me in my enormous kitchen.Aaron was a regular visitor.Sometimes he brought Nadine with him, most of the time he came by himself.
We didn’t get into the deep stuff every time.
“You know, you don’t have to wait for me to bring stuff up,” I told him.“If you need to talk, jump right in.”
“I know.”He stood up and dropped a quick kiss on my cheek as he made his way out.At the door, he stopped and turned around.“Sometimes I just need to be around someone who knows what I’m going through and believes in me anyway.”
It took a long time before I was ready to go back up to the house after he left.
31
Never
“Hello?”
I sat up in bed and pulled my cell phone away from my face.Squinting to check the time as the bright screen cut through the darkness, I slammed it back to my ear.
“It’s time.”
“Aaron?”I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and leaned forward to turn on the bedside lamp.
“Shit, Bridge.It’s time.”His voice shook.“Are you coming?Please tell me you’re coming.”
I swung my legs out of bed, my bare feet hitting the wood floor.“Oh, you better believe I’m coming.Are you on your way to the hospital?”
“Yes.Contractions are four minutes apart.”A sharp, semi-hysterical laugh burst in my ear.“Nadine wanted to let me sleep as long as possible.”
I laughed as I padded to the dresser and pulled out clean clothes.“It’s good she keeps you on your toes.”
He growled.“You women are going to be the death of me.Tell me you’re on your way.”
“I’m on my way,” I replied simply.
“Is Jake home?”
“Yes.”
“Good.Bring my dad.”
A heavy silence hung between us.I looked at Kian who had sat up in bed with his eyes trained on my face, that gloriously messy bedhead begging for my fingers even now.
Steadfast.
Patient.
Ready and willing to be and give whatever we needed.
“Okay,” I replied softly.“I’ll bring your dad.”
“Thank you.”
I closed the call and watched Kian’s face as the words, and their meaning, penetrated.Saw the moment understanding dawned.
Raising a shaking hand to cover his eyes, he muttered a shaky, “Shit.”
“Eloquent,” I teased.“But succinct.Are you ready to go meet your grandbaby?”
We made it to the hospital in record time, the harsh glare of the overhead lights in the family waiting room a stark contrast to the moonlit night we left behind.But as first babies were wont to do, this one was taking its sweet time.
