Worth Any Risk

Epilogue

*Jordan

Through the foggy depths of sleep, my bladder presses uncomfortably against my belly. Scratch that, my belly is definitely pressing on my bladder. I roll over to my side and push myself up to sitting.

My hand automatically scoops under the heavy bulge of my baby-belly. I put my feet to the floor, the cold sends a shock through my legs. It takes me a minute to gather my courage and leave the warm cocoon of the bed entirely, but if I don't get to the bathroom, soon, there will be an accident.

I waddle down the hall wondering how the heck I'll ever manage for another two months.

It's only going to get bigger and worse. My heart flip-flops. In two months, this baby will be in my arms and taking up even more time and energy. I can hardly wait.

I reach Emma's door and out of habit, pause. It's cracked open, as usual and I peek in. By the dim glow of her night-light her bed is clearly empty, though.

I suck in my breath in fear. I can't help it.

No. She was probably in the bed and I just didn't notice it. She loves to climb in with us and Cole always scootches her closer to him so she won't kick me. I continue on to the bathroom, tiptoeing.

The relief of finally making it to the toilet nearly makes me swoon. I'm ready to sleep some more. For at least a couple of hours until my bladder or Emma wakes me up, in any case.

I feel my way through the dark back to the bed and ease under the thick duvet where the warmth is still hidden away, and I reach out to pat the side next to me.

It's cold and empty. I sit straight up in alarm, my stomach muscles tightening in protest.

Where are they?

Where's Emma?

I stand and head down the hallway. She's not in her room, I even check the closet floor where she likes to read in secret. Holding up my belly, I take the stairs as fast as is safe. There' s a pale glow of light in the living room. Did we leave a lamp on?

I reach the bottom of the stairs and turn into the living room. A multi-peaked mound of blankets forming a tent greets me.

I sag in relief against the wall. After all these months, I can't help but be afraid. Maybe one day it will disappear.

If anything can make my fear fade, it would be the big, hairy-chinned man curled up on the floor in the tent, cradling a teddy bear as a pillow, with the sprawled out form of my daughter at his back.

She must have fallen asleep in the act of kicking him, by the looks of things. This man is my hero.

My absolute hero. Heart filled with tenderness, I shake his shoulder to wake him.

"Hey, gorgeous," I whisper. "Want to finish the rest of the night in bed?"

He moans and rubs his face. "That would be amazing. Someone here wanted to wake you up for a glass of milk because she couldn't sleep. We might have gotten carried away afterwards."

"Bless you for letting me sleep. I can stay on the sofa down here, if you want to go back to bed."

"Not a chance. That sofa would be hell for your back. Come on, I've got this one, if you keep carrying that one."

He scoops up Emma gently, who gives a little snore. Her head lolls on his arm and he shifts to support her. He nods that he's ready and follows me up the stairs to tuck Emma into her bed. Then he walks me to the bed.

As he lays down, he grabs me for a big kiss. "Do you have any idea how adorable you are when you waddle?"

I smack his chest. "There's nothing adorable about this! This is your fault." I turn my back on him, fuming.

"It is all my fault, isn't it?"

Oh, he is entirely too smug. "And you are going to pay for it."

"Tonight? Am I going to pay for it tonight?"

"No," I say, as I snuggle deeper into his hips in a big spoon. "You're going to pay for it tomorrow when you get up with Emma for me and make us pancakes for breakfast."

"Up early and pancakes, got it. And that's it? For talking about your adorable waddling?"

"Enough. You start paying for it now." I turn over, slowly and carefully, bringing my belly with me, and wrap an arm around his neck. "Ready for a night of almost no sleep while I get to stay in bed tomorrow?"

"I'm at your beck and call, my love."

"Good. Get on your knees and get ready."

"I am always ready to give you whatever you need," he says, hands on mine.

My heart flips.

No. It grows. It expands in the warm safety and enduring love of this man. What was once broken, is now whole and new and fuller than I imagined possible. We kiss.

*** That's it! Thank you for reading my story - I hope you love Cole and Jordan as much as I do! ***