Fidelity (Infidelity #5)

That wasn’t what he said.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Alex’s water just broke and your son is crowning. It’s show time.”

Charli’s head went back and forth. “No shows. This is real.”

I smoothed her beautiful hair away from her face. “I think that means there isn’t time for any pain medicine.”

“I-I don’t know if I can do this.”

“Trust me, princess. You can do anything.”

Her eyes closed. “Doctor, it’s so fast. Is it all right? Will he be all right?”

“Don’t worry, Alex, your son has his mind set. He’s ready to meet his mom and dad. There isn’t anything we can do to dissuade him.”

“He’s a Demetri, all right,” Charli murmured.

“When did the contractions start?”

“Not that long ago. They weren’t even strong until suddenly they were.”

“How fast are they coming?”

“We were timing every four minutes in the car,” I volunteered.

Suddenly the room was filled with people in scrubs as someone covered me with a paper gown.

Charli peered at me with wide eyes. “You need to tell Momma and Oren.”

A new wave of uneasiness washed through me. “I don’t want to leave you.”

“Are they close?” the doctor asked.

“Right outside, I think.”

“Go. Hurry back. You have time.”

As Charli nodded, I let go of her hand and weaved through the crowd of people. The hallway seemed quiet compared to the mayhem within the delivery room. I didn’t have to look far to find our parents’ concerned expressions.

“The doctor said everything is fine,” I reassured. “But things are moving fast.”

“How fast?” Adelaide asked.

“He’s crowning.”

She gasped as Oren nodded. “Demetri men are determined.” He patted my shoulder. “Go. We’ll be right here.”

“Lennox,” Adelaide said, “tell her I love her… we love her.”

I smiled. “I will.”

I rushed to Charli’s side as her neck strained and back arched. Her feet were up and the doctor was in place. “I’m here. You’re doing great.”

Charli nodded with tears in her golden eyes.

“Squeeze my hand. Let me take some of the pain.” She reached for me, her petite hand falling into my palm. As she squeezed my skin blanched. “Do you trust me?”

“Y-yes.”

“Then believe. You’ve got this.”

“Talk to me,” she said.

“What do you want to talk about?”

“The story you tell Angi. Tell me.”

My chest tightened as I concentrated on my wife, doing my best to block out the other voices. “You want to hear a bedtime story?”

Charli nodded as her expression contorted.

“Okay… listen to my voice. Don’t think about anyone else.”

She nodded again as her shoulders relaxed and grip loosened. “There once was a princess…” she began.

“There once was a beautiful princess,” I went on, “with flowing hair of red and eyes of gold. She lived in a castle with shadows all around. They darkened the corridors and rooms. They’d fly all around while soldiers stood guard, but the princess wasn’t scared. She was the bravest princess of them all.

“She was so much smarter than her evil captors that she even escaped. While free from the castle’s shadows and resting in the sun, she met a man. Little did she know that the man she’d met also lived in darkness, in the blackest of night. Unready to show the world his face, he kept it hidden by a mask and cape. His disguise was work. He wrapped his days and nights with it and kept the rest of the world away.

“One day, the mean dragon with beady eyes and fiery skin lured the princess back to the castle. Knowing her kind heart, he tricked her.”

“Push, Alex,” the doctor said. “We’re almost there.”

“Keep going,” Charli said as her face grew red. “This is my favorite part.”

“Did Prince Charming save the princess?” one of the nurses asked.

“No,” I said, kissing Charli’s forehead. “Batman did. And she saved him, too.”

With my cheek near hers, we both turned toward the ringing cry of our son and watched as the doctor lifted Dominic’s little body. A fine layer of dark hair covered his head as his arms and legs flailed in time to his healthy wail.

“And the best part,” Charli said with a smile as tears rolled down her cheeks. “They all lived happily ever after.”