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CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN

ARI

Oh. My.God. I was lying there on the bed, panting. Jesus, how does Jeff do that to me? I smiled as I thought about how amazing he’d just made me feel. After two orgasms, I was spent and ready to go to sleep.

He crawled up next to me and smiled.

“Well, do you feel more relaxed, baby?”

When I started laughing, I felt a sharp pain in my stomach. Holy shit. What the fuck?

“Jeff, will you help me sit up?”

Jeff got up and helped me into a sitting position.

“What’s wrong?”

I looked at him and smiled. “Nothing. I guess I just had a sharp pain in my stomach. It was almost like the Braxton Hicks contractions, but this time it seemed different, stronger.

“Do you want something to eat?”

I nodded my head and slowly made my way off the bed. Grabbing my normal attire from the last few weeks, I threw on a pair of sweat-pants and a T-shirt.

Jeff whipped up some scrambled eggs. Just as I was about to take a bite, I felt another contraction.

Oh shit.

I looked at Jeff with a panicked look on my face. His face went white in two seconds flat.

“Holy fucking shit. Contractions?”

I nodded my head.

“Shit! I didn’t time it…you had the other one like what…twenty minutes ago?”

“That sounds about right.”

“Fuck!” Jeff jumped up and ran into the bedroom. When he ran by the kitchen, I saw he was carrying my bag that we’d packed for the hospital. He never even stopped.

At one point, he just tossed my flip-flops at me and told me to put them on.

One landed on top of the fridge, and the other hit me square in the face. Luckily, I was able to catch it. The one on top of the fridge was going to be a challenge.

I stood up, dropped the one flip-flop I had on the floor, and then walked over and grabbed the broom. I was able to knock the other flip-flop off of the fridge. It landed on the floor, and then I slipped that one on.

I reached for my purse and pulled out my cell. Oh yay! I had a signal.

I sent a text to my mother: Having contractions. About twenty minutes or so apart. Heading to Seton.

Less than a minute later my cell went off.

Mom: OMG! OMG! Dropping Matt off at Melissa’s and heading to Seton. Tell Jeff to drive safe. No! Tell Gunner to drive.

I let out a laugh and replied back with a simple okay. I picked up the land line and called Ellie and Gunner’s place. Ellie answered, and I told her I was having contractions. She screamed in my ear and then screamed for Gunner, saying they had to leave to meet us at Grams and Gramp’s place. Then, the bitch hung up on me.

Okay. I’m the one having shooting-ass pains, and I’m the one that’s about to push a watermelon out of a hole the size of a grape. What the fuck are they all freaking out about? Why am I the only one who is calm?

Gunner would be calm. I could always count on Gunner.

Jeff came running back, going straight by the kitchen, before skidding to a stop.

“Oh there you are, baby! What are you doing? I sent a text to Gunner. We have to meet him at Emma and Garrett’s house. So, um, let’s go. We have a long drive. Have you had another contraction?”

I smiled at him and shook my head.

“Have you called Dr. Wyatt’s?”

“No.”

He pulled out his cell and looked at it. “Fuck!” He ran over to the land-line and started to dial.

“Oh yeah, hi…she’s um…she’s having contractions.”

Oh dear Lord. I rolled my eyes.

“Who? Oh yeah, Ari...Arianna Johnson…she’s my wife….well shit, you know that. Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to swear, but I kind of have to go now…we have a long drive...twenty minutes…two...yeah...okay. No, I’m not driving...No! Of course, I’m not going to make her drive…okay, yeah …I’m calm… sure. Who? Ari? Yeah, she’s just standing here leaning against the kitchen island smiling at me… I think she might be in shock…she’s too calm if you know what I mean. Okay, right…on our way.”

Fuck a duck. I would have given anything to have recorded all of that. Damn.

***

By the time we got to the hospital, I was having contractions every ten minutes. Ellie went with Jeff to check us in while Gunner stayed with me. A nurse came up and had me sit in a wheelchair.

“Gunner, thank you for staying so calm. with freak number one and freak number two over there, I’m glad I could count on you to stay calm.”

“Sure, Ari. You know there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for y’all.”

Just then, Heather and Josh walked in. I knew the moment I saw Heather with the glow on her face, they had made love. Thank God. It’s about damn time. She smiled as she walked up to me, and I saw Josh look over at Gunner and smile. Damn boy looks like he’s walking on cloud nine.

She kissed me and asked if there was anything she could do. I shook my head and gave her a bigger smile.

She leaned down and got up next to my ear.

“It was amazing, Ari.”

“I knew it would be with that boy. Was he big? I bet he was big,” I said as I winked at her.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Gunner say something in Josh’s ear as he patted him on the back.

Heather laughed and shook her head at me. “You’re nuts!”

Jeff came walking up with a nurse, and of course, I would have to have a contraction right then. I tried to hide it. Oh my god, it hurt like hell.

Jeff dropped down to his knees. “Ari, just focus and go to y our happy place.”

“Why the fuck do you keep saying that to me?”

Gunner and Josh started to laugh, and Jeff snapped his head up and gave them a dirty look.

“We learned about it in Lamaze class. Don’t you remember, babe? You were supposed to pick a happy place where you could escape to.”

“The only happy place I’m going to is the place where this baby is out of my stomach, and I’m drinking a damn margarita. That is my happy place, Jeff.”

“Good, babe…just go there.”

I just stared at him.

“Baby, please don’t tell me that again, okay? Because if you do, I’m gonna grab you by the balls until you feel the kind of pain I’m about to feel.”

Jeff started laughing. “God, I love you, Ari.” He leaned forward and kissed me right on the lips…fast and hard.

***

I was finally in a room, and the contractions were coming faster and stronger. Everyone had left the room, except my mother and Jeff.

Dr. Wyatt walked in with that damn smile on his face. “How are you doing, Arianna?”

I wanted to tell him to fuck off. Instead, I smiled. “Good.”

“So, I hear you want an epidural, Arianna?”

“Ah, yeah, that would be really awesome if that could happen…like before the next contraction.”

Too late.

“Coming faster are they? Let’s take a look at how far along you are, Ari.”

Dr. Wyatt looked up at me and smiled.

“I hate to be the one to deliver this news, Ari, but you’re at ten centimeters. The baby is crowning. You’re ready to push.”

“What? Oh no… no, no, no, you have to push him back in! I’m not ready yet.” Panicking, I looked over at Jeff and my mother, who both had goofy-ass smiles plastered on their faces.

“I wish I could, Ari, but it looks like your little guy is ready to make an appearance.”

Then, another contraction hit me. Oh god.

“Jeff, come on over to the right hand side of, Ari. You might want to take her hand.”

Jeff let out a laugh. “I think I’ll pass.”

I snapped my head at him, and he stopped laughing.

“I’m only kidding, baby.” He took my hand and kissed the back of it.

My mother was on the other side of me, stroking my head.

“Are you really sure you couldn’t just push him back in enough for me to get the epidural?”

Dr. Wyatt just laughed and winked at me.

Does he think I’m kidding?

“Alright, Ari, I need you to give me a good strong push when the next contraction starts.”

***

Motherfucker. If I was told to push one more time, I was going to scream.

“One more good push, Ari, and I think we’ll have it.”

I leaned up and pushed as hard as I could.

“Shit,” Jeff muttered.

I realized I was squeezing the hell out of his hand.

Good. I hope it broke.

Then, I felt an instant relief.

“Here, Jeff, time to cut the cord.” Dr. Wyatt said.

Lying back down, I looked up at Jeff and saw he was crying. The moment I saw him cry, I started to cry. The nurse laid a towel on my stomach and then placed our son on me.

He was perfect.

I glanced at my mother, who was crying like a baby. Then, I turned my head back to Jeff. He looked white as a ghost while he watched whatever Dr. Wyatt was doing.

Then he looked at me and our son.

He leaned down and kissed me so sweetly.

“I’m so proud of you, Ari. You did it baby.” He looked at our son and smiled.

The nurse leaned in to scoop up our son, and then she walked with him over to a table.

“Can I go with him?” Jeff asked me.

“Of course!”

I watched as they did what they needed to do to our son. I glanced down at Dr. Wyatt. who looked up at me.

“You had a third-degree tear, Ari, so you’re going to be pretty sore. I’ll have them give you something for the pain, and they’ll explain how to take care of everything before you leave the hospital.”

He stood up, walked over to my side, and smiled.

“Congratulations, Ari, and you as well Susan. You have a beautiful, healthy baby boy.”

After I thanked Dr. Wyatt, I wondered why I wasn’t feeling any pain. One of the nurses came over and helped me to slowly sit up. I started to move.

“Holy shit.” There’s the pain.

“I’ll get your pain medication, Mrs. Johnson.”

I smiled at her. “Thank you, and please call me Ari.”

***

I watched as one of the nurses walked up to Jeff, who was standing next to me now. She placed our son in his father’s arms for the first time. Jeff had tears rolling down his face, and I couldn’t help it, I started crying again.

Then, Jeff cleared his throat and spoke to our son for the first time.

“Luke, I am your father,” Jeff said in his best Darth Vader voice.

My mother and I both busted out laughing.

“So, we agree on his name?” I asked.

“Yeah, baby, we agree on the name. Luke, it is.”

Jeff kissed Luke on the forehead and then turned to hand him to me. The moment Jeff placed him in my arms, something happened. Something inside me changed.

I looked into those beautiful eyes, and it was like he was looking into my soul.

“Hey, little bit. Well, I hope you’re ready for a ride, baby boy.”

He just stared at me, and I stared back at him. He was perfect. He had a perfect nose, perfect lips, and perfect ears. I pulled back the blanket, counted all of his toes, and then looked at every finger. I kissed both of his hands and then looked up at Jeff. He quickly wiped away a tear that was running down his face.

“Are you happy, Ari?”

“I’ve never been so happy in my life. What about you?”

“I feel like I’m on cloud nine, and I’m scared to death to wake up if this is a dream.”

My mother laughed, and we both looked at her.

“Enjoy it no. In a couple days, you’ll wish it was all a dream when he wakes you up every two hours.”

The nurse, who was standing there, started to laugh.

“Oh my gosh, Mom, really?”

My mother moved to stand next to me, looking down at my little man.

“He truly is beautiful, Ari and Jeff.” Shall I have the others come in? You know your father is probably about to die.”

“Sure,” I said with a smile.

My mother left the room, and the only person who came back in with her was my father. He walked up to Jeff and shook his hand before he came to stand next to me. He gave me a kiss on the forehead and looked down at Luke.

“Daddy, meet Luke Drew Johnson.”

“Mon petit-fils belle.”

“Yep, you’re beautiful grandson.”

“Et ma belle fille.”

“I love you, Daddy.”

“Mom, would you like to hold him next?”

“Oui, I would.”

My mother held Luke while my father looked on.

Jeff leaned down and whispered in my ear.

“Are you hungry, baby? Do you want me to go get you something to eat?”

Oh, I could have jumped him and started kissing him that very moment. Just the fact that he asked if I was hungry turned me on.

“I’m so hungry that I’d eat my horse right now if I could.”

***

Gunner, Ellie, Josh, and Heather all came into the room and took turns holding Luke after I made them all wash their hands twice.

Jeff was back with Rudy’s Bar-B-Q. Oh my gosh, it smells so good.

I’d been hinting to everyone for the last hour that I was exhausted. I finally ended up just telling everyone to get the hell out.

“Are y’all driving back to Mason tonight?” I asked.

“Yeah, I think so unless y’all want to crash at my place,” Heather said.

Gunner looked at Ellie and smiled. “I think we’ll just head to a hotel tonight. I’m too tired to drive. Oh, wait. Shit, we took your truck Jeff.”

“No worries, Gun. I got your truck keys from your dad, and I followed Heather here in your truck. I figured you were going to need it,” Josh said.

Gunner walked up to Josh and slapped him on the back.

“Dude, you rock.”

***

When the last person was out the door, Jeff collapsed onto the sofa that pulled out into a bed. I would have thought he had just given birth to an almost eight-pound baby. He fell asleep in less than two minutes. The nurse walked in, looked at him and smiled.

“It’s from worrying about you. It totally wears them out.”

“Uh huh.”

She let out a giggle. “Do you want me to wake him up, so I can open the sofa bed?”

“Nah, he’s alright.”

“Ari, I’m going to take Luke for a few hours to the nursery. When did you feed him last?”

“Just a few minutes ago.”

“Great. I want you to get some sleep, okay? If you need to get up, make sure wake up your husband or call me.”

The moment she left the room, I closed my eyes. I drifted off into a deep sleep, dreaming about Jeff and Luke riding by the river while I followed behind them. Right behind me was a little girl, a bit older than Luke, riding on a white stallion. She had brown curly hair and emerald green eyes. When I turned around to look at her, she smiled at me, and I felt my whole body get warm. A feeling of complete peace took over.

“Don’t worry, Mommy. I’ll never leave y’all.”

My little angel would always be with us.

CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

HEATHER

Josh and I decided to head back out to Mason the day after Luke was born.

After we’d left the hospital, we had gone back to my apartment and did nothing but make love and talk until three in the morning. We woke up the next morning, went out for breakfast, and planned on heading out to the ranch. I had never in my life felt so complete and happy. It was the happiest I’d been since my parents passed away. Being with Josh was beyond amazing.

I called Jeff to see if there was anything they needed for Ari or Luke before they got home. I made a list of a few things, and Josh and I hit H-E-B before heading back to Mason

Josh’s cell phone died yesterday afternoon. We stopped and bought a charger, so it could charge on the way out to Mason.

We were just walking out of H-E-B when my cell phone rang. I looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Ellie calling.

“Hey, Ellie! Have you seen Luke and Ari today?”

“Yeah, they’re both doing wonderful, and I think they might get to go home today. If not, then they’ll be heading home tomorrow for sure.”

“Okay, well, I’m heading back to Mason right now with Josh, so I’ll be sure to cook up a few meals. I know Ari asked if I could stay a few extra days to help out, so I probably will.”

“Um, Heather, I need to tell you something.”

“Okay, is everything alright?”

“Is Josh not answering his phone?”

“His battery died yesterday. He just bought a charger, and it’s charging right now. Why?”

“Jim has been trying to get a hold of him. They came back a few days early from their trip.”

My heart started pounding. Lynda was back and probably trying to get a hold of Josh.

“Okay…”

“Heather, Lynda was in a car accident yesterday when she was heading over to Josh’s apartment.”

I stopped walking. Oh god, no.

“Is she.”

“She’s in the hospital, but she’s banged up pretty bad. She’s been asking for Josh.”

I looked at Josh. He had been smiling, but now, his smile faded.

“Which hospital?”

“Brackenridge.”

I handed Josh the phone and started to walk toward my car. I heard him talking to Ellie…and I heard the panic in his voice.

“I’ll have Heather take me over there right now.”

Josh hung up with Ellie and walked up to me. “Can you please take me to Brackenridge? I’ll figure out a way to get my truck later.”

“Um, sure. Yes, of course.”

He helped me put the items that I had picked up in my car, and then he jumped in on the driver’s side. I walked around and got in. I looked at him, but I didn’t even know what to say.

***

The ride over to the hospital was completely silent. It was clear Josh was not going to talk to me.

He looked over at me and gave me a small smile.

“Will you come up with me?”

“Why?”

“I need you with me, Heather, I’m not sure how bad she is, and I don’t know if I should say anything about us.”

“Josh, of course, I’ll come up with you, but Ellie said she was in bad shape. I don’t think now would be the time to tell her you want to break things off.”

Josh slammed his hand on the steering wheel and cursed.

“There is always something that gets in the damn way.”

***

As we walked into the hospital, he took my hand. He held on to it until the elevator doors opened, and he dropped it before he walked out.

Jim and Michelle were standing at the nurses’ station. Michelle turned around and saw Josh coming toward them. She walked over to him, gave him a hug, and started to cry. Josh looked at me. He looked so confused.

“We’ve been trying to get a hold of you,” Michelle said.

“I’m sorry. My phone died. We left Mason in a rush yesterday when Ari went into labor, and I didn’t grab my charger.”

“Where were you last night, Josh?” Michelle asked.

“By the time we left the hospital, it was late and.”

“He crashed at my apartment since he drove in with me from Mason,” I said as Josh turned to look at me.

Michelle smiled at me and then turned back to Josh.

“She’s in bad shape. She has a broken leg, a few broken ribs, a concussion, and her left eye is black and blue.”

Shit.

Josh grabbed my hand right in front of Michelle, and he asked if I would go in with him. Michelle looked a bit confused, and it was not lost on me when she looked down at our hands.

“Of course, I’ll go in with you if you need me to,” I said.

We walked into the room and I tried to take my hand from Josh’s, but he held on to it tight. Lynda looked over at us, and immediately, she looked down at our hands and then back up at Josh. She tried to smile, but I could see the hurt in her eyes. Although she was hurting, I still didn’t trust her, especially not after she’d lied to me about Josh asking her to marry him.

“Josh…” Lynda said.

He let go of my hand and walked up to the side of her bed.

“Hey, I’m so sorry this happened to you, babe.”

My heart slammed into my chest when he called her babe. She tried to smile at him. When she glanced at me, I smiled. If looks could kill, I would have been on the floor in two seconds flat.

Then she looked back at Josh.

“I had a dream. You left me…” She glared back at me.

Oh.My.God. She knows. Somehow, she knew Josh and I had been together.

“What?” Josh asked.

“I had a dream on the plane on our way back. I woke up in a panic, so when we landed, I ran to my car to try to get to you right away.” She started to cry or at least attempted to cry and then she called out in pain because of her ribs.

Oh, she’s good.

“Lynda, please don’t be upset.”

“I was trying to get to you when I had the accident. Please don’t ever leave, Josh. Please don’t ever leave me.”

Josh put his head down on the hospital bed, and Lynda looked up at me. The look she gave me showed me exactly what type of person she was. She knew exactly what she was doing.

Then, she gave me a smirk.

“Heather, can I talk to Josh alone, please?”

“Oh, um… Yeah... sure.”

I left and sat in the waiting room. About fifteen minutes later, Josh came walking out, looking white as a ghost. He sat down next me and put his head in his hands.

“Motherfucker.”

“Josh, you have to know she’s trying to make you feel guilty. She knows we’ve been together.”

“I can’t leave her right now, Heather.”

“What?”

“I just can’t walk away from her. You heard how upset she is. She’ll be devastated.”

“Oh my god Josh, can you not see she just came up with that stupid story because you walked into that room holding my hand? She’s playing you and you’re falling for it. Can I just call a Rebecca here?”

“Heather, stop. She’s in such bad shape. How could she come up with a story that fast?”

Michelle clearly saw our conversation was not one to interrupt because she turned away and walked the other direction.

“I just need more time. I need to help her heal and get in a good place mentally before I just leave her.”

I shook my head and stood up.

“I knew this was going to happen. I knew there would be some reason why you wouldn’t leave her. I knew it was stupid to be with you while you were still with her.” I tried not to cry, but I felt a tear slowly slide down my face. I turned away and started to walk to the elevator.

Josh called out for me, but I didn’t stop. I hit the down button and thanked God the doors opened immediately. I could hear Josh telling Michelle that he would be right back. I got in the elevator and tried to hit the main floor button as fast as I could. Then, I saw him as he started running toward the elevator.

Shit! Close, you damn doors. They started to close, but Josh stuck his arm between the doors and they opened back up.

He got in, reached over, and hit the button to close the doors. As the elevator started to descend, I backed away from him, but he came at me and kissed me. I pushed him off of me.

“Stop. You can’t do this to me, Josh! You can’t.”

“Just give me a couple of weeks. Please, Heather, you’re the only person I want to be with, but I can’t leave her right now. I’d be a dick if I walked out on her and left her like this.”

I knew he was right, but I also knew that Lynda was going to do everything in her power to keep Josh.

“She’s going to trick you into staying with her, Josh. I don’t trust her.

I felt sick to my stomach.

“Please, princess, just give me some time. I promise that we’ll be together. I promise.”

He pulled me to him and kissed me with so much passion that it felt like he was trying to pour his love into my body. Then, he pulled away and smiled at me.

“I love you, Heather. I love you more than anything.”

“I love you, too, Josh. I probably need to get back to Mason. What about your truck?”

“I’ll see what time Gunner and Ells are leaving, and I’ll catch a ride back with them to get my truck. Can we spend some time together before I come back to Austin?”

As much as I wanted to say yes, I shook my head.

“I don’t think it would be right, not while you’re still with Lynda.”

He looked down and stared at the ground. When he looked back up, he had tears in his eyes, and my heart was breaking all over again.

“Please wait for me, Heather. Please.”

I smiled, leaned over, and kissed him softly on the lips.

I turned and walked out of the elevator. I left the hospital and headed toward my car.

I didn’t start crying until I pulled out and drove away.

The worse feeling came over me. Lynda was not going to give up on Josh without a fight.

I also knew she wasn’t going to fight fair.