MR. MORENO'S SURROGATE ✔️

32 - Elijah

Cayson calls me as Maria goes over what's about to happen. I hurriedly answer the phone, and I can hear him breathing heavily.

"What's going on? Leilah's in labor right now," I say, trying to listen to what he's saying.

"She's in labor? Fuck, fuck, shit!" he yells.

"What's going on?" I ask again.

"Mozaeas. He's coming, and he's not far. I'm rushing over right fucking now. Get that baby out of her. He's going straight there to kill that baby and Leilah unless you guys hurry and get it out of her, and get the two of them somewhere safe," he says.

My heart sinks.

"She's about to start pushing. You don't let him come anywhere near that front door, Cayson. I'm trusting you with Leilah's life. I'm trusting you with my son's life," I whisper, careful not to let anyone hear.

"I swear to God, I won't let you down, brother," he says, finally hanging up the phone.

I put my phone down and I try not to let anyone see the fear on my face. Leilah squeezes my hand, letting me know that she's having a contraction, then she squeezes even harder as she begins to push. Maria counts to ten and Leilah stops, inhales, and pushes again before the contraction ends. She pushes another time, her screams filling the air as me and Karla tell her how great she's doing. When she stops, she sits back, panting hard as Karla pats her forehead dry. I kiss her head as I hold her hand in mine.

"You're doing amazing, Leilah. Keep going, you got this," I say, picking up a bottle of water to quickly give her some before the nwxt contraction hits.

She squeezes my hand and begins to push again, screaming and starting to cry as she pushes. She pushes a total of three times before she sits back crying, still determined to push the baby out.

"Please tell me I'm almost finished," she says, panting and trying to look, but can't over her stomach. Maria puts a mirror down there and tells her that his head is almost out and she sighs in relief, crying harder. "Please just get him out," she begs, crying.

"You're doing such a good job baby. You're alright," I say, trying to keep her calm as Karla dries her forehead, whispering comforting words to her.

She repositions herself and adjusts her grip on my hand before she starts to push again, moaning in pain to keep from screaming. She stops to catch her breath and begins to push again. Maria tells her to push for as long as she can, but remember to stop and breathe, and the next time she pushes, she does just that. Maria gets to twelve and tells Leilah that she's doing great.

"Get him out Leilah, Get him out, you're doing great," I say, trying to encourage her.

"I'm trying," she cries. "Im trying. It hurts so bad," she says, sitting back and trying to catch her breath.

I look down and the baby's arms are almost out as Leilah prepares to push again. She takes a deep breath and when a contraction comes, she pushes long and hard. Maria lightly pulls the baby out as Leilah pushes, and after a long push from Leilah, the baby comes out and Maria immediately suctions the fluids out of his mouth and rubs his back and stomach, getting him to finally cry. She wipes him off and cuts the umbilical cord and my heart settles in relief as Maria welcomes him, Leilah crying as she's handed the baby, lying him on her chest as he cries. It's music to my ears as he cries while Leilah says hi to the baby. I kiss her head and I smile as I run my fingers over his head full of hair.

Just as he starts to settle, Maria starts to push down on Leilah's lower stomach as he pulls on the umbilical cord and my eyebrows furrow in confusion.

"What's happening now?" I ask.