Page 11 of Bound by Love
“When can I have the epidural?” Brie pleaded, not wanting to suffer another wave of excruciating pain.
“Unfortunately, you’re too dilated for that to be an option now. This wee babe is coming au naturel.”
“But that wasn’t the plan,” she whimpered.
“You can handle this, Brie,” Sir said reassuringly, squeezing her hand.
“You don’t understand,” she told the doctor. “I’m not a masochist.”
The doctor smirked, looking at Sir and Rytsar. “Well, today, lass, you are. I can give you medicine that will dull the pain, but it can make you a little woozy.”
Brie shook her head. “No, I don’t want that.” She lay back against the pillow, thoroughly terrified.
Sir squeezed her hand again and commanded in a smooth voice, “Look into my eyes.”
Brie did so immediately.
“You are a strong, determined woman. Keep calm and utilize the lessons you’ve learned and meet this challenge head-on.”
Brie swallowed hard. She’d never thought that her training at the Center would prepare her for a moment like this—yet here she was. She glanced over at Rytsar for encouragement.
He gave her a confident smile. “You are strong like your daughter.”
Both men had endured incredible physical challenges in their own right. They were the examples she needed to follow. When another labor pain hit, she stifled her whimpers but her courage and conviction seemed to be hanging on by a thread, and she was consumed by one prevailing thought:
I wish my mom was here…
Despite her age, she longed for the comfort of her mother.
A lone tear rolled down her cheek as she remembered the day when her parents had finally had enough of her pushing them away and flew to LA to confront her.
It broke Brie’s heart now, knowing she hadn’t even been happy to see them at the time.
Having another early knock at the door surprised Brie. It had been thesecondtime in the same day, and she looked at Rytsar in alarm.
“Are you expecting anyone else?” he asked.
Brie frowned, shaking her head. “No, especially not this early in the morning.”
She stayed behind while Rytsar approached the door with caution. They had been through too much recently not to be paranoid about unannounced visitors.
Rytsar took a quick look through the peephole and turned to Brie with a smirk. “Things are about to get bumpy for you.”
Brie had no idea who could be on the other side of the door, but the glint in Rytsar’s eye let her know whoever it was, he expected an entertaining show out of it. Rytsar swung the door wide open and smiled at the couple standing in the doorway.
“Welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Bennett. How nice to see you again.”
Brie’s stomach twisted in a knot when her parents walked through the door. She’d avoided all contact after the crash because of Lilly. It had been a cruel but necessary decision, but now, she was going to have to face their wrath because of it.
Wanting to curb her father’s hostility, Brie hugged her mother first and asked in a forced, but pleasant, tone, “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”
“Why would we?” her father replied, huffing in disgust. “You would have just brushed us off again. We’re your parents, for Christ’s sake.”
Brie was hit by the force of his anger. Sadly, she knew it was justified so she tried to make amends by hugging him. She hoped the physical contact would ease some of the tension between them.
Brie’s mother pulled her back into her arms, holding her tight. It hurt Brie deeply to see her mother’s tears. “It’s been too long. Way too long, sweetie,” she said, staring at Brie’s stomach in shock. “Look how big you’ve gotten! What are you, six months, now?” The tears started up again as she glanced over at her husband, lamenting, “I can’t believe how much I’ve missed, Bill.”
Brie was crushed by a wave of guilt, and it only increased when her father added, “You have been very unkind to your mother, young lady.”
