LUCIOUS & COOKIE: TUG OF WAR (REMASTERED)

ITS A THIN LINE

Six Weeks Later

"OOHH....MYYYY.... GODDDDD!"

I shrieked, strained breaths hurdling through my lips while my eyes clasped tightly shut.

I know for a fact that I wasn't in this much pain with any of those three big head sons of mine. But this little girl, it feels like this little damn girl is trying to fuckin' rip me in half and kill me.

Hour 31 of labor.

YES... I said hour 31, and although Dr. Turner has continued to say that we're in the home stretch for the past two hours it damn sure doesn't feel like it.

Tubes running from my chest and arms, I gulped as much air as my lungs could consume then unleashed a shacky couple of breaths to calm my nerves. The steady tempo of the monitor above my head, tracking my rapid vitals, sweat beading down my neck.

Carol and I were at the mansion when I went into labor yesterday, I thought it may have been gas at first but then a blistering pain bombarded me on my way to the bathroom and I had to clutch the wall to steady myself.

Luckily enough Porsha was there dropping off a few files from the office, so she was able to get me to the hospital rather quickly while my sister tried to keep me calm and coach me in the back seat.

Whoever said that multiple childbirth is like riding a bike is a damn lie cuz despite having three babies, my ass ain't seventeen no more, like I was with Dre.

Carol called Lucious when we got on the road, so he and the boys met us here. I was hoping that it was going to be a simple process, well I mean as simple as giving birth can be, but oh no....my ass is still up in here.

"Come on Cooks, You can do it.  We're almost there baby, just keep breathing." I faintly heard Lucious chime in over the swarm of doctors and nurses in the room, my hands gripping the rails of the bed. Carol to my left and my baby daddy to my right, my eyes darted up onto his.

"Shut the hell up Lucious!" I howled, angrily gripping his hand cradled along my forearm. His knees buckled for a second as I locked him into a death grip and continued breathing.

It's his fault that I'm in this damn situation yet again, he kissed me and kicked shit off between us that night, thus imma squeeze the hell outta his hand until it breaks if that's what it comes to.

My epidural's been worn off and since anything else they give me will affect my baby girl, Imma make him feel some semblance of the amount of pain I'm in right now. Carol wiped my brow, I noticed the muscles in Lu's jaw flex a bit, but he didn't recoil from my clutches.

"Okay Cookie, here we go. Strong push now. Ready......push." She instructed and I bore down, pushing with all my might like Dr. Turner advised.

"Yes. Yes sis. Good job. Now breath." Carol coached, my chest heaving heavily.

The nurses hovered while Dr. Turner repositioned herself head on into the stirrups propping my legs.

"Okay, I see her coming. One last big push should do it." She exclaimed. A bright smile along her lips, as I took a deep breath then pushed with everything, I have left in the tank.

Loins on fire, my ears began to ring, and then I heard the sweet sounds of my daughter's crying voice. I went limp against the bed. My little sister's smiling face beside me as I exhaled deeply, and she whispered confirmation within my ear.

She's here.  She's finally here.

Lucious' hand left mine in an instant as he followed the medical staff like a shadow when they took her away for inspection. Arms crossed, he stood guard while they worked, a grin painted along his lips like none I've ever seen before.