When we got to the driveway at the bottom of the hill, Liam spun out a bit on the rocks, and I saw a couple large pieces hit the side of my Hummer. “If you dinged the paint, fucker, I’m taking it out of your hide.”
Liam rolled his eyes as he shut the buggy off. Ignoring Kiera’s comments that that was the scariest ride she’d ever taken and she should have just walked down, I unstrapped Anna and helped her climb out of the contraption. It took some finagling; dune buggies weren’t exactly pregnancy friendly.
Once Anna was on solid ground, I hurried her over to the Hummer; it was running, along with Mom and Dad’s minivan. “My bag,” she murmured as she stepped up to her open car door. “My stuff.”
I let out an annoyed grunt. We weren’t the prepared type, so we didn’t have a hospital bag packed and ready to go in the car. “I’ll get everything later, after I get Gibson.”
She nodded, then settled herself into the car. She didn’t seem to be in as much pain, so her contraction must be over. Hell if I knew for sure though. A chick’s body was a mystery to me. Well, the inside at least, the outside, I was an expert at, which is how Anna had wound up this way in the first place.
We’d considered waiting between kids, but me and my siblings were close together, and I loved that. It made us tight. Kind of. If Liam wasn’t such a selfish asshole, we’d be closer. Chelsey and me were tight though. Man, I hoped she did all right with Gibson.
Peeling out of the driveway, I hauled ass to the hospital. Kellan better already have the gate open, or I was going to plow right through it. I had no idea who was following me, and I didn’t much care. Gibson was accounted for and Anna was with me. That was my world right now.
The next several hours were a blur of pain, blood, gore, screaming, and name-calling, and at one point, a plastic tray of vomit was tossed across the room. Not by me. The day was seared into my memory, even the parts I wished I could forget. But in the end, when I was handed a warm, tiny person swaddled in a pastel pink blanket, it was all worth it.
“Another girl,” I whispered, in awe of the miniature version of Anna and me. “Guess the doctor was right.”
Finding out the sex was another one of those moments that was forever seared into my memory. I was happy about this one though. “Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Hancock…it’s a girl.”
“No fucking way!” had been my immediate response. I’d been so sure the doctor would be wrong again and I was going to have a little man to mold into another me. Oh well. I still wanted a boy, but girls were awesome too, and now Gibson had a sister to do girly things with—dress-up, tea parties. Whatever the hell girls did.
Anna was tired but ecstatic to be over with the uncomfortable part. Physically, at least. The exhaustion part was still coming. “I’m just glad she’s finally here…and no longer pressing against my sciatic nerve.”
Reaching over, she brushed a finger across our daughter’s forehead. Her eyes were wide open; the deep gray studied me like I was the strangest thing she’d ever seen. Lifting up her crocheted cap, Anna peeked at our little girl’s head of dark, dark hair. “I think she’s gonna look like me,” she said as a tired smile brightened her face.
Looking down at my wife’s deep mahogany hair, I nodded. “Yeah, I think so too. Lucky girl,” I added with a playful wink.
Anna giggled, then her eyes drifted down to the baby in my arms. Her face took on a nearly reverent glow. “We’re so happy to finally meet you, Onnika.”
My smile matched Anna’s as I watched Onnika’s tiny features twist into a yawn. “You’re about to find out how incredibly awesome your mom and dad are. I’m kind of jealous of you.”
Anna laughed again, then held her arms open in invitation. “Gimme. I want to smell her.”
Reluctantly, I handed her back to her mother. We’d have plenty of cuddle time later. Pride stretched across my chest as I watched my wife and daughter bonding. All the women in my life were so gorgeous. I always knew I would create attractive kids. I mean, how could I not? But scoring someone as hot as Anna for my partner was what really sealed the genetic deal. My kids were fucking lucky. Ah, who was I kidding, I was the lucky fucker.
After a few more minutes of one-on-one time, family started knocking on the door and stealing into the room to get a peek. We’d made them wait outside during the event. Mom hadn’t been too happy about that, but Anna had been adamant on it only being her and me. I think Mom had planned on staying anyway, maybe hiding somewhere in the back, but the aforementioned tray of vomit smashing into the wall above her head had changed her mind. When Anna didn’t like something, she let you know it. I dug that about her too.