Paxton snorted loudly and once again, Paisley punched him in the arm.
“What’s that for? I know I’m not the only one who’s thinking it. You know that we’ve all grown up except for Brax.” Paxton gave a shit-eating grin.
Hearing Paxton say the words out loud only solidified Braxton’s concerns. His heart began to race, his palms started to sweat, and his throat felt like it was closing in on him. Was he really ready to be a dad?
“Paxton, you’re a dick,” Paisley exclaimed, causing Paxton to go on the defensive. An argument was about to ensue, but Braxton quickly stopped it.
“He’s right.” Braxton looked Paisley in the eyes. “I am the only one of us that doesn’t hold a respectable job.”
Paisley started to speak up, but he cut her off. “Don’t say it, Paisley. I don’t, and you know it. I take clients to dinner, golfing, and sporting events. Then I sell them on what you and the team can do for them. Not what I can do for them. We all know I’d rather be outside doing anything other than working in an office. I’ve never wanted to be confined to a desk.”
“That doesn’t mean you’re not a responsible adult. It just shows you’re not afraid to live life the way you want it: on your terms and no one else’s. Unlike some of us.” Paisley glared at Paxton.
Paisley couldn’t have missed the scowl on his face when Paxton spoke. “What? I’m living the life I want.”
“You’re living the life our parents wanted for us.”
Paxton thought about it for a moment before raising his head slightly in acknowledgment. “Okay, so you’re probably right. But hey, I’m making a shit ton of money. Hell, we all are, so what’s there to complain about?”
High-pitched squeals filled the room, and the monitor began to flash red. Alissa’s right hand reached out for Braxton’s. She squeezed tightly as her left hand grasped ahold of her belly. The door flew open, and two nurses rushed in. Nurse number one pushed the twins out of her way.
“Her fever has spiked,” nurse one told the salt-and-pepper-haired nurse beside her.
The monitor reflected the blinking numbers 103 in bright red lights. The older nurse walked around the bed and stopped in front of Braxton, breaking the hold he had on Alissa’s hand.
Panic shone in Alissa’s eyes as tears streamed down her cheeks. “What’s happening to—”
Her words were cut off as the second nurse placed an oxygen mask over her nose and mouth. Alissa reached for Braxton again, but the damn nurses were in the way and he couldn’t get to her—couldn’t comfort her. He was useless in that moment when she needed him the most.
It tore him up inside. Braxton felt sweat beading across his forehead as a sick feeling bubbled up in his stomach. Alissa was in distress and he had no idea what to do or how to help
Paisley immediately came to his rescue, taking his hand in hers and offering him the slightest bit of comfort. Within moments, an older overweight doctor entered the room. He was not the young doctor who’d recently graduated from UCLA Medical. The one who’d made Braxton feel at ease about this whole pregnancy. This one looked as if he was ready to retire and was just waiting out the years. He stood in front of the monitor assessing the situation.
“Ms. Ivey, your baby is in distress. We need to perform an emergency cesarean.”
Alissa called out to Braxton, her voice muffled beneath the mask. He froze, unable to move. Move, damn it. She needs you. Your baby needs you. But, his feet remained firmly locked in place as if snagged in a bear trap as he watched in horror while they wheeled the pieces of his heart away.
“Braxton!” she screamed his name. He could understand her clearly this time, but he still couldn’t move as her bed was pushed through the door and out of his line of sight.
A slender brunette nurse in her early forties moved closer to him. “Mr. Michaels, if you and your guests will move to the OR waiting room, we’ll find you there.” Braxton’s mind stopped functioning. His body was tingling like when your appendages fall asleep from loss of blood circulation. “Mr. Michaels, are you alright? Did you hear me? We need you to go stay in the waiting room.”
His head moved in an up and down motion involuntarily, and that must have been the sign she was looking for because she turned and walked away.
Paisley took Braxton’s hand, tugging at him to follow her. He stared back at Paxton as his friend grabbed the stuffed elephant and exited the room behind them.
Outside of the l suite, Paxton caught up to Paisley who had let go of Braxton’s hand. Braxton began walking faster, following behind the twins, trying to catch up to them as they made their way to the waiting room, unsure of what his future would hold.
Minutes seemed like hours. Braxton’s mind wandered back to the past and then jumped to a future he envisioned that was full of love and laughter with Alissa and their child. He was everywhere, but in the present and that was where he needed to be. He needed to stay grounded to the moment.
He stared at Paxton, but his mind didn’t process that it was his best friend sitting across from him. It was as if he was in his own world, secluded from the here and now. Paisley’s hand rubbed up and down Braxton’s arm. It was soothing, and calmed his railing mind.
When Alissa’s doctor walked through the door, his teal green scrubs and the cap on his head were soaked with sweat. The first thing Braxton noticed was the solemn expression on the doctor’s face. As though they were all joined at the hip, they rose and followed him to a nearby room.
“Mr. Michaels, your daughter is in NICU. We’ll monitor her for
