AIDEEN

I screamed loudly once more as increasing pressure mounted at my entrance, intensifying the burning.

Kane was laughing as he said, “Shoulders are out... chest... torso... butt... legs... and toes. You did it, baby.”

I slumped forward as I felt the baby leave me.

“It’s a... boy!” Kane suddenly a

I gasped and tried to look down between my legs, but the water was clouded with blood. “Are you sure?”

Bra

The baby wasn’t crying.

“Bra

“It’s normal, give him a second,” Bra

He still wasn’t crying.

Five-seconds of nothing passed and it felt like a lifetime.

“Oh, please,” I screamed as panic struck. “Please make him cry.”

Kane grabbed hold of my shoulders as I tried to stand up. I shoved him away from me and tried to make it closer to Bra

“Come on, baby boy,” Bra

Alec had his hands on either side of his head, Nico and Damien were both chewing on their nails, and Ryder was just staring at the baby and Bra

Time was frozen until... magic.

The loudest wail you could imagine from a newborn filled my apartment, and it was the best sound I had ever heard in my entire life.

I cried harder with relief that the baby was alive, and Kane, who was shaking behind me, whimpered lightly and pressed his face into the back of my hair.

“You little brat,” Bra

“Your fuckin’ uncles, too,” Alec stated and bent forward, placing his hands on his knees, panting like he just ran a marathon.

Bra

“It is a boy,” I cried with happiness. “We have a son.”

Kane wrapped his arms around us and kissed the side of my face. “Thank you so much, baby.”

“For what?” I sniffled, looking back to him.

“For giving him to me,” he said and kissed my lips.

I cried with happiness and looked back down to my son who started to cry, loudly. “Shhh,” I cooed and gently rocked him. “Mammy’s got you.”

My heart burst with love in that moment.

I was someone’s mother.

“He looks just like you, Kane,” Bra

“No way,” he murmured, his eyes locked on our child’s face. “He’s beautiful, that’s all Aideen.”

I smiled with glee, and let my eyes roam over my son’s face. He had a cute button nose, real chubby cheeks, a head full of dark brown hair and plump pink lips. I lifted him up and leaned my mouth down to his head and I kissed him.

“I love you,” I whispered. “I love you so much, baby boy.”

Kane repositioned himself behind me. He put his legs on either side of my hips and pulled me and our baby back into his chest. He leaned his head into the side of mine and we both stared down at out little angel.

“I can’t believe we made him,” I murmured. “He is perfect.”

“He is,” Kane agreed.

Bra

“Cut between the clamp and my fingers.”

I opened my eyes and saw Bra

Kane did as told and cut through our son’s umbilical cord. It took a few cuts, but he cut it off and handed Bra

“You might want to claw my eyes out, but can I have him for a few minutes? I’ll dry him off and wrap him up nice and warm.”

I frowned at Bra

Bra

Oh, right.

“Okay,” I glowered and carefully handed my son over to her.

Bra

I hoped so, I already missed him.

Bra

Ten. Fucking. Pounds.

I was terrified to think how big he would have grown had I carried him full-term.

After weighing him, Bra

The next ten minutes were painful, but not as painful as active labour.

“There you go,” Bra

I winced as I felt something pass through my body.

“All done,” Bra

Bra

I glanced up when I heard a soft click. I noticed Bra

“I was so scared there for a second.”

Kane kissed my shoulder. “Me too, sweetheart. My heart stopped.”

Mine did, too.

Our son wailed and it made me chuckle when Kane said, “I love your cry.”

I gazed at the baby then murmured to Kane, “You don’t think the smoke from that night hurt him, right?”

“No,” he replied. “Look at him; he is healthy as can be. Pink and big all over.”

His little face was pressed against my chest, and his instinct took over. He tried to suckle on my skin so I nervously repositioned him under my breast as I remembered what Bra

It took about a minute of adjusting, and brushing my nipple against our son’s mouth, but he eventually latched on and began to suckle.

“Ow,” I winced.

“Are you okay?” Kane asked me, his voice barely a whisper.

I nodded, but continued to wince. “It hurts a little, but it’s okay. Bra

Kane pressed his face to the side of mine, and we both looked down as our son fed for the first time. I heard a little click, but didn’t look up. I heard some movement then the sound of a shutter caught my attention.

I looked up and saw Bra

“Sorry, it was too perfect of a moment not to capture.”

I smiled and looked back down to my son.

“How is everythin’?” Bra

“Perfect.”

“Bra

“Brilliant,” she beamed as she moved closer. “Are you feelin’ okay, Aideen?”

I nodded my head.

I felt incredible.

I looked down to the baby when the pressure on my nipple lessened. I noticed he unlatched and smacked his lips together a few times, before just lying in my arms in a baby drunk daze.