“Do you think you should maybe check on Kimberley?” Matt asks.
“Do you think she’s been gone a long time too?” I say. “I thought I was just being paranoid.”
Matt nods and I move through to the hallway. I tap on the bathroom door.
“Kimberley? Are you alright in there?” I shout.
“Ummm yeah. But Matt might not be too pleased with the puddle on his floor,” she says.
“You’re in labour?” I say.
“I hope so. Because if not, I’ve peed myself,” she says.
I feel a mixture of excitement and panic fill me.
“Open the door,” I say.
“It’s not locked,” she says.
I push the door open. Kimberley is sitting on the closed toilet lid, her hands pressed to her bump. She gives me a nervous looking smile.
“I’m scared Sebastian,” she says.
“You don’t have to be scared. I’m right here. Let’s get you to the hospital.”
I help her up and wrap my arm around her waist.
“Is it happening now?” Callie asks as we step back into the lounge area.
I nod, barely able to keep the grin off my face.
“About your floor …” Kimberley starts.
Matt waves her words away with a laugh.
“I was joking, really. It’ll wipe up.” He turns to me. “Do you need a ride to the hospital?”
“No it’s fine. I have my car downstairs.”
Kimberley moans beside me and bends double as a contraction hits her. She breathes through it as I stand watching, feeling completely helpless. She straightens back up again with a relieved sigh when it passes.
“They’re less than four minutes apart now Seb. This is moving quickly. And we need to move quickly too,” she says.
I don’t wait around when she says that. I whisk her out of the apartment with promises to call Matt the second the baby comes. I practically run her to the car and head straight for the hospital.
Luckily, the roads are clear and the hospital isn’t too far away, but by the time we get there, Kimberley’s contractions are only two minutes apart and she’s really starting to freak out.
“It’s ok,” I reassure her. “We’re here now and before you know it, our baby will be in your arms.”
Two hours later, after being screamed at, yelled at, cursed at, and having my hand almost crushed, I am filled with such pride and love as I clutch my new born son to my chest. I sit down on the edge of Kimberley’s bed where she lays looking exhausted but happy. I smile at her and she smiles back at me.
“He’s perfect,” I whisper.
“I know,” she smiles. “He looks just like you.”
I laugh and shake my head in wonder.
“So, what are we going to call him. I don’t think Aria really suits him do you?” Kimberley grins.
I laugh and shake my head.
“Nope,” I say. “Why were we both so sure he was going to be a girl?”
“I have no idea,” Kimberley grins. “We really should have found out the sex when we had the chance. You’re not disappointed are you?”
“Disappointed? No of course now. But I have no idea what we should call him.”
“I did have one idea,” Kimberley smiles. “I was thinking maybe Carl. You know, after your dad.”
“He’d love that,” I smile.
“Carl it is then,” she smiles. “Carl Hunter.”
“You know, if he’s going to take my name, maybe you should too,” I say.
“Why Sebastian, are you proposing to me?” Kimberley smiles.
“I know it’s the worst proposal in the world, and I don’t even have a ring yet, but I don’t know. It just feels right. Yes, I’m proposing to you. Kimberley, I love you. Will you marry me?”
“Yes,” she smiles, and for the second time that day, she makes me the happiest man in the world.
The End
Coming Next
Tangled With The CEO
Chance
I raise my glass in the air as the others do the same and then I down my rum. I get up and go to the small bar at the back of the plane and pour another one.
“Careful Chance,” Sebastian warns me with a laugh. “You might actually start enjoying yourself.”
I laugh along with the others, but Sebastian is right. I have a few things to do before I can let my hair down and enjoy myself this weekend. I take my drink back to my seat to sit down and watch the others for a moment.
Matt and Sebastian, my two older brothers, are playing some sort of drinking game, cheered on by Bradley, Mark and Rick, Sebastian’s friends. It’s his stag night and we’re on our way to Vegas. I know I should be making more of an effort, but I just can’t get in the mood until I know the few loose threads I had to leave at work are tied up.
In some ways, I admire Matt and Sebastian. They work hard, but they play hard too, especially Sebastian, although he’s calmed down a little since he became a father. Carl is almost two now and fatherhood suits Sebastian in a way I never thought would be possible. I half wish I could be a little bit more like Matt and Sebastian. Just leave my work at the office and worry about it on Monday. But it’s just not my style.
I’m not the sort of guy who can put off things that need to be done. They only play on my mind and niggle at me, where as if I can just get them done, then I can stop thinking about them. Except one thing always leads to the next and then I start thinking about that. And so it continues until my day off becomes another work day.
I sigh and shake my head. I don’t know why I’m suddenly being so reflective. I like my life.
