124: Coco’s Wish Part 3
Easton
A few months later, we’re playing our first away game of the season. Jackson steals my
phone and dials Luci’s number after showing me his phone. She answers and I can already hear the guilt.
“Sweetness, what are you up to?” I roll my eyes as Jackson sighs loudly.
“Nothing…” She says over the phone.
“Uh huh. Are you driving somewhere?”
“I’m not driving….”
Suddenly, I hear Cole’s voice.
“And you brought Cole. Are you here already?” I shake my head waiting for her answer.
“Maybe.”
“Sweetness, you can’t lie for s**t. I know you’re here and you’re not alone.”
“That app…” She mumbles.
I chuckle. “Comes in handy.”
“I brought several someones with me.” Jackson stands up, nodding ruefully.
“Yeah, well, that doesn’t reassure me. You are very pregnant, Luci, and I don’t like you driving
long distances without me. Now where are you? I’m coming to see you. There’s about to be a
herd of hockey players headed for you.” I’m already walking.
“The box with your dad, but you can’t come up here.”
“Who’s going to stop me from seeing my son and my very pregnant wife? Your beautiful ass
had better be in a chair when I get there.” I growl playfully.
I race up there with the others following me. When I step in, I see Dad fussing at them, but he’s laughing. Luci stands there making a plate, probably for Cole, who is happily staring out of the glass. They all laugh harder when I stomp over to her and take the plate away. Setting it on the
table before I lift her up and march her over to a chair. “I think I told you where I expected that
perfect ass to be.” I growl and she shivers. “If you weren’t so pregnant, I’d punish you later,
Mrs. Reed.” I nip her earlobe and she tilts her head back to stare up at me, those big brown
eyes glowing.
1/5
+15 Point
124: Coco’s Wish Part 3
“I am fine to be here. The doctor cleared me. I have four weeks to go, Easton. And we wanted to come watch your first away game this season.”
“You scare me when you do things like that. I can’t handle it if something happens to you. Just tell me sweetness, please. A quick text to your obsessively protective husband.” I put my hand on her stomach and the excited kicking starts immediately. “Han Anakin Reed seems to agree you are in trouble.” She scowls at that. “You don’t like my newest name idea. Cole would love
it.”
She snorts. “He wants Darth Spiderman Reed as of today. You two will be the death of me. I’ll
text you next time. I know you worry about us.”
I lean down to kiss her, slow and deep. “What do you want to eat? I will make your plate and you will sit there. I’ll make Cole’s too.”
“I can stand for ten minutes, Easton.” She retorts pertly.
I narrow my eyes at her and lean down to make sure she gets the full effect in her ear. “You
are getting punished after all. But I’ll tell you what sweetness. If you’re a very good girl for me,
I’ll take your name suggestions under consideration.” I watch her clamp her thighs together.”
That’s my girl. You know exactly who you belong to. And tonight you’re all mine sweetness. Sit
a lot and rest.”
I go to make her plate as she bites her lip. I already know all her favorite names and without a
doubt, she’ll get what she wants, but I like to tease her. She is well aware of that.
Dad laughs as I make plates. “You turned your back on them.”
“I know. Might have to find a way to lock her in the house. She’ll be in labor trying to come watch me play.” I shake my head ruefully.
A week later, she’s grimacing painfully at breakfast. “Cole, go get your backpack for me and grab your shoes. I’m going to see if Grandpappy can run you to school or Uncle Jackson.” I
pick up my phone and send an SOS message in our family group I created for this purpose. It’s my brothers, Banning, Baker and Dad.
Need someone to take Cole to school. I have a suspicion my wife is in labor.
Jackson responds immediately. Already driving over to get him. I’ll pick him up today if she is.
“Sweetness, are you having contractions?” I walk over to massage her shoulders gently.
“I think so. My back is so tight.” Her face is contorted with pain.
“Jackson is on his way for Cole. Feel better to sit or stand?”
215
+15 Point
124: Coco’s Wish Part 3
“Sit on the ball.” Her voice is pained.
“Let me get it. Then I’ll grab your bag and as soon as Jackson drives up, we’re going to the hospital.” I roll it back from the living room.
Jackson is already opening the front door. “Coconut….Uncle Jackson’s Millenium Falcon is
here to take you to school.” Cole races to hug Luci and then me before launching himself at Jackson. He gives me a serious look after he takes in Luci hunched over in pain. “Go East. I’ll lock up the house.” He moves to the kitchen and checks the stove, turning off lights.
I grab her bag and then lift her up, running toward the garage. “Getting worse.” She says
tightly.
I race to the hospital. She’s writhing in pain by the time we arrive. “My wife’s in labor.” I tell
them as I rush her inside.
They get us in quickly and I lay her gently on the bed. She’s biting her lip with the pain. “You
want the epidural if they ask?”
“Yes.” She pants out.
I hold her hand and help her breathe through the next two contractions as the nurse comes in
and begins placing her IV, starting fluids and checking her and baby boy’s vitals. Our doctor
comes in and starts talking. I don’t hear a word, focused on her. “Breathe sweetness.” I
whisper.
“Luci, you want the epidural?” Dr. Brown asks quickly after examining her. “You are dilating
nicely, but we have time if you want it.”
She nods. Ten minutes later, the anesthesiologist places it. After half an hour, she’s still crying
with the pain and I page the nurse.
“Oh honey, I think it failed.” She frowns sympathetically at Luci. “I’ll call Dr. Brown.”
He comes in explaining epidural failure. They can’t replace it either. I hold onto my temper and concentrate on distracting her as best I can. Two hours later, she says she feels funny. I hurry to page the nurse again. Dr. Brown comes instead and checks her again. “She’s pretty much
ready to push. Luci, you ready to have this baby?”
“Yes.” She cries.
It all passes in a blur after that. Helping encourage her and her face is all I remember. An hour later, she cries out the loudest as she pushes. “Here he comes!” Dr. Brown exclaims.
I turn toward the loud wailing. “Those are some healthy lungs.” Dr. Brown says gladly. I look
3/5
+15 Poin
124: Coco’s Wish Part 3
over, drinking in my newest baby boy screaming his head off. “He looks perfect Mom.” He says before handing him off to a nurse. “Easton, you can come cut the cord in a few minutes.” I nod
and kiss Luci’s forehead.
“He’s beautiful, sweetness. You did great.” I take the cool rag the nurse holds out and wipe her face. “I’ll be right back.” She nods weakly, her eyes locked on our baby boy. I cut the cord and hover as they take his vitals before diapering him. I curb my impatience to hold him. He’s got such pale blonde hair, a whole head full of it. “Here Dad, he’s ready for some skin to skin time with his momma.” I take him and can’t stop the tears as I smile down at him.
“Been waiting to meet you little man. I’m your daddy. You’re gonna be more loved than you can handle.” I warn him and walk to Luci’s side. She holds her arms up for him and the nurse
moves her gown so he can eat and be on her bare skin. He latches instinctively and begins
eating.
“He’s so perfect.” She says softly, her fingers tracing all over him gently. I put my hand under
the warm blanket on his back.
“He is. Wonderfully perfect, like you.”
The rest of our family is in the hallway and I hurry out to talk to them before they wheel her
upstairs. We decided to keep Cole at school so Luci can rest a little before he comes to meet
his brother. Once they walk into her postpartum room later, I’m holding him all swaddled up in
a soft blanket Cole chose. Dad comes in first to immediately steal him. “Mr. Hayden Lucas,
your big brother is never going to let any of us hold you, so I’d better get my time in now.”
We told Cole his name last week. He didn’t get Luke Skywalker but Luci figured he’d be happy
with Lucas as his middle name. He was and already came up with Hayden’s nickname.
Everyone passes him around before they leave us to let Luci rest. Jackson left already to pick up Cole from school. Thirty minutes later, Jackson carries him down the hallway until he sees me. He sets him down whispering in his ear and he takes off running to me. I catch him and
he frames my face with his fingers. “Daddy, he’s here?”
“Yes he is. Are you ready to meet him? He’s asleep, but you can talk to him.” I open the door
and Jackson follows us. He’s videoing this for me.
Luci smiles at him as he whispers, “Hi Mommy.” I set him on the bed next to her. She moves Hayden closer and Cole examines him wondrously. “He’s so little.” He breathes out. Luci
chuckles. He’s a big baby, going to take after me, but to Cole, he’s little.
“Ready to hold him?” She asks.
4/5
+15 Peir
124: Coco’s Wish Part 3
Cole immediately holds his arms out like we taught him. Luci places him there and turns him to let his back rest against her while she keeps one hand under Hayden’s head. “Look at me, Cole.” I whisper. Cole does, his whole face lit up with complete ecstasy. He quickly goes back
to perusing his little wish come to life.
“Hi Hayhay, it’s me, Coco. Member, I talked to you every night? Me and Daddy even read you some stories in Mommy’s belly. I’m your big brother. I waited a long time for you. I’m going to help Mommy and Daddy take the bestest care of you. I’ll protect you and hug you.” He takes a short break. “Mommy even said someday I can feed you a bottle. I’ll share all my toys and even my Dark Vader stuff. We have a good little big family.” He kisses his forehead and I swear my heart melts a little watching his expression. Pure love and he means every word of it. Luci is crying as she kisses the top of Cole’s head. “It’ll be you and me and Daddy and Mommy at our house, but then I can put you in the wagon and take you to Grandpappy’s. Baker lives there and so do some of our uncles. Or they live next door. That’s the big family. The little one is just us with Mommy and Daddy. Oh and Skittles. She’s sweet. She’ll lick you probably and maybe sleep next to you in your bed. It’s a good family. We love everybody in it.”
Jackson sniffs next to me. “Damn, he’s something else. I love that kid’s heart. You sure he’s
yours?” He ends with a chuckle.
“Yours will be something else too.” I answer him softly. “He’s mine thankfully, but I swear he’s
truly Luci’s somehow. Like a piece of her heart split off when he was born and he magically
got it.”
“Are you happy your wish came true for a baby brother?” I ask Cole.
“Yes. Can I get a baby sister now too?” He stares down at Hayden as Luci and I exchange
looks and laugh. Jackson gives him a big thumbs up over the top of his phone and I’m glad he
got that on video.
“Keep on wishing, Coco.” Jackson answers him with a big grin.
44
Ivory Row
alright everyone. I’ve dragged this out long enough. Epilogue tomorrow.
23