Page 327 of By His Vow
“Tatum,” I call, jumping to my feet and rushing to her. “Baby, what’s wrong?” I ask, covering her hand with mine, aware that every set of eyes in the room is focused on us.
She thinks for a moment, her lips rolling between her teeth. “I think…I think the baby is coming.”
“Oh shit. How do you know?” I ask in a panic.
“Well…it’s either that or I just pissed myself.”
“Oh, Jesus. Fuck. Meeting canceled,” I call before ushering Tatum out of the room.
“What do I do? What do you need?”
“Dry pants?” she deadpans.
“Umm…I don’t?—”
“What’s happening?” Miles asks in a rush, spilling out of his office with wide eyes.
“I’m having a baby, Miles,” Tatum says calmly.
“Shit.”
“Yeah, shit.”
“Okay, while you two stand there freaking out, I’m going to the bathroom to clean up.”
“We need to be going to the hospital,” I say in a rush, my voice a tone I’m not sure I’ve ever heard before.
“And we will, but not while I’ve got liquid running down my legs, and when my contractions are—” Her face twists in pain and her hands go to her stomach again. “Fuck, that really fucking hurts,” she cries.
“Okay, we’re going to the hospital right fucking now.”
Wrapping my arm around her waist, I try to guide her toward the elevators.
“No, I need the bathroom,” she demands, standing firm. “Miles, there is a packed bag in my office cupboard. Can you please get it and bring it to?—”
“Got it,” Miles says before darting off, following orders without question.
“Bathroom, Kingston. I promise I’m not going to deliver her on the toilet. There is time.”
“Him,” I correct as I spin us around and head toward the ladies’ bathroom.
She goes straight into a cubicle and strips the bottom half of her clothes off before sitting on the toilet. The whole time, I stand there completely useless and totally clueless about how to help her.
“Oh fuck,” she cries when another contraction hits.
“Fuck, baby. I hate this. I wish I could take the pain away.”
“This is only the beginning, King. You’re gonna need to man up. You?—”
“I got it,” Miles shouts, sounding a little too proud of himself for finding a bag before he rushes to my side. “Oh shit,” he gasps when he finds his sister half-naked on the toilet.
“Miles, don’t be a pussy,” she snaps. “King, there are pants, panties and most importantly, sanitary towels in that bag. Find them all for me. Then we can—motherfucker,” she barks.
“On it,” I say, finally feeling useful.
I find the packet of sanitary towels first and thrust them at Miles so I can keep searching for what she needs.
“I am not qualified for this,” Miles mutters, and when I glance up, I find him staring at the packet like it’s about to bite him.