Page 28 of Possessive Greek Chef

“This must be exhausting for you, princess. Do you need to take a break?”

“Now that you mention it, I am feeling a little weird. Maybe I should go sit down.”

“What do you mean weird? Is the baby okay?”

“I’m sure the baby is fine. I can’t explain it. I just feel sort of light-headed, and there’s a tightness around my belly. Maybe I should have eaten before we left the house. It could be low blood sugar or something like that.”

“Okay, you sit and try to enjoy some time with the family. I’m gonna facilitate the dessert so we can start getting people out of here. First thing tomorrow, we’re calling the doctor.”

“I’m sure that I’m fine. This is my first time you know,” she smiles and pats her tummy. “Everything is new and strange to me.”

“Still, I’ll feel better once I get you home to rest,” I escort her back to the table and tell her mother to keep an eye on her while I go back to our guests.

Dessert has been served, and one by one, the tables begin to empty. As the host, I spend more time than I’d like to on goodbyes and compliments, but I make sure to keep my eye on Aria. She seems to be enjoying herself, which eases my mind a little, but I know her well enough to know that she would put on a brave face to keep everyone from worrying.

I survey the room and confirm that all of the fanfare has subsided. The customers that are left inside are milling around the bar. I turn to head back to Aria, but what I see sends panic through my bones. Aria is standing beside the table with her mother and sister holding her upright and a puddle on the floor beneath her.

My mother waves to me and I run to Aria’s side. “What’s going on?” I demand.

“It’s time, Yavrum. You need to take your wife to the hospital,” my mother replies.

“No, it can’t be time. We have two more months!”

“Tell that to your baby. I don’t think he knows how to tell time,” Aria’s mother replies.

“Baby? Is it true? Do we need to go?”

“Yes, Daddy. It’s time.”

Without thinking, I pick her up, cradle her in my arms, and rush toward the door.

“We’ll meet you there, Yavrum,” my mother calls out from behind me.

I place Aria in the car and drive off toward the community hospital as Aria calls ahead to let them know that we’re coming.

“I hope everything is okay. This is so early. We don’t have anything prepared at home. What if it’s too early?” Aria sobs.

“No, don’t do that, little girl. This is one of the happiest days of our lives and you and our baby are both going to be just fine. Perfect, in fact. I promise.”

We arrive at the hospital where Aria is rushed to a delivery room. I spend the next three hours wiping her brow with cool water, holding her hand, and helping her to push. Finally, after a grueling and emotionally charged delivery, Alexis Adimos comes into the world. He weighs six pounds and is a pink, chubby, healthy little boy and for the second time in my life, I’m experiencing love at first sight.

I hold Aria in my arms as she feeds him for the first time on her breast. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Nurturing our child comes so naturally to her. It’s as if she’s known our little boy for a lifetime.

“I need to go tell the family, but first, I want a minute alone with you so that I can tell you how proud and blessed you’ve made me,” I stroke her hair and kiss the top of her head.

“Can you believe that we made this beautiful baby? It’s almost like a dream. I bet he’s going to look just like his handsome father, too. He has your eyes,” she smiles up at me. “I love you so much, Daddy.”

“I love you, too, princess. Now, let me tell the family so they can go home and you can rest.”

My family agrees to drive Aria’s mother and sister back to the hotel, and I call ahead to book rooms for them, too. Once they’re on their way, I return to Aria’s room to find that both she and the baby are sound asleep. I sit in the chair across from her and watch her as she sleeps. After all she’s been through tonight, she’s still the picture of beauty. As I sit in silence, the baby begins to stir. Not wanting him to wake Aria, I lift him out of the bassinet and cradle him in my arms.

EXTENDED EPILOGUE

ATTICUS

Six Years Later

The local news is buzzing about the upcoming parole hearing for Lucas Bedros. This event has reignited media interest in my family and our restaurants, especially Aria’s, so we decide that this is the perfect time to take the kids to Molyvos for a family visit.

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