Breathe | s.b | bridgerton

Bonus (01)

Letting out another groan of pain, Carina loses her cool and yelled a couple of curse words a lady of her likings should never even be aware of. Hearing the commotion inside the room and wincing at his wife's pained screams, Simon's abandoned all manners and etiquette and rushed into the room his wife had been guided inside of only a few minutes ago. Leaving behind a dumbfounded Jeoffery, and some officials (as witnesses? he wasn't sure why they were there)

That's how long Simon's will had lasted him- a mere few minutes. Not that there's anything he or anyone else could do about it- or want to- Simon was madly in love with his wife, and even a few minutes apart when he knew she was suffering hurt him as if he was trapped in a burning room.

Entering, the first thing he saw was the midwife checking on his Carina regarding how far dilated she is. The sight all but made him cry. Even looking at the scene looked painful, he had no idea what Carina was feeling. He hoped there was some way- a device, a remedy, some magic trick, anything- that would make him feel that pain instead of the love of his wife. Well, maybe there would be such devices in the future.

Rushing to Carina's side, he immediately held her hand, his free one going to comb through the hair strand sticking to her forehead as he peppered her face with kisses, muttering encouraging words and sweet nothings to her. And it worked.... for a while at least. It wasn't until around fifteen minutes later that the midwife announced that Carina was almost ready to push, it was only a matter of seconds. By that points Carina's grip on his hand had already reached what seemed like the maximum strength and her yells had grown significantly in volume, yet as the next contraction hit, he felt her grip tighten, and he could swear he heard something pop.

Now that Carina had let go of his hand, Simon was at a loss of what he could do. He had no idea how he could help his wife. Violet would have known how to help. That is why she was set to arrive at Clyvedon that morning, a few days prior to the estimated date of birth. Yet it seemed like his baby was too eager to see his father as a routine trip to the washroom early morning at about four had turned into Carina breaking her water and going into labour because Simon decided it was the perfect time to talk to her belly and ask the baby to come meet him soon. How was he to know the baby would take him this seriously? Now even though she is rushing, Carina's mother cannot be here until a few more hours.

Suddenly, Simon remembered something from the countless birthing books Carina had forced him to read in case such an emergency occurred, and he sat behind her, gathering her in his arms. He scooted her a little to fit her better, positioning his legs around her as she sat between his legs, leaning back on him. Instantly getting more comfortable due to the reassurance of her husband, Carina settled into him as he began peppering endless kisses all over her head, neck, cheek, just any place he could reach. His arms were wrapped around her, right above her swollen belly as his right hand intertwined with her left and vice-a-versa.

While helping Carina prepare for pushes and positioning her more comfortably, the midwife scooted her a little, causing Carina's back to arch a little as one of her hands went flying to her knee, a pain shooting through as it hit the bed post. That and Simon's touch made her switch her yelling and screaming in the direction of her husband, "SIMON BASSET I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU EVER COME NEAR ME WITH THAT COCK OF YOURS I WILL CUT IT OFF!" she had yelled, a light slap to his thigh that rested by her middle section.

Now Simon should have been appalled at the crass language, or feared for his privates. Yet all it did was send a rush of warmth and love through his chest as the sight of his pregnant wife yelling crass words and threatening him amused him to no ends. She looked so cute! Downright adorable, what was Simon to do with that!? As the contraction passed, she pleaded in a softer tone, still a yell, "No please! Forget what I said, I love your dick too much to stay away..." she said with a peck to his lips as she turned her head a little to face him and then returned leaning it on his shoulder. Simon couldn't help it anymore. He laughed.

Right then another contraction hit, and Carina's face contorted in pain as she followed the midwife's instructions and started to push, "YOU'RE LAUGHING? HOW COULD YOU LAUGH?! YOU IDIOT! I CANNOT BELIEVE THE AUDACITY OF MEN!" she yelled.
Around thirty more minutes of name calling and screaming passed before the midwife shouted that the baby was crowning.  More ten minutes of all the same before the baby was finally out. His wife fell limp in his arms as he made sure the baby was looked after by the midwife and all his attention went to her, feeding her water and caressing her, kissing her all over, whispering praises and love confessions into her ear.

It was a good thing their midwife had been specially instructed and trained for this woman. She had also been living with them for about two weeks now, preparing for this moment. As soon as the baby was clean, she checked it for basic health markers and wrapped it up in a blanket, bringing it over to the crying couple. Carina immediately gained energy as she looked to her kid, their kid, with a bunched up face, seemingly about to sob again, Simon just continued stroking her side and arms.

Her arms reached out to her child as the midwife uncovered its front a little and laid it on Carina's chest after pulling her gown down, allowing skin to skin contact of the mother-child duo. Simon's hand came up to caress the baby's head a little as he smiled tearily.

To anyone else, this would seem strange and scandalous. The baby being held by the mother first, not given to the father to ensure its gender? The father being in the delivery room with his wife? The mother being allowed to dress scarcely enough to make skin contact with the baby? The baby not immediately having nannies and caregivers? Their midwife and extra house help to guide Carina through post partum, was immediately horrified when they were being given these risqué instructions, and yet, they had been trained for weeks now to do exactly that. Some of the less accepted, yet scientifically accurate books Carina had searched high and low for had helped them make sure they were prepared for the arrival of the young one, with Carina and the baby's health at priority.

Carina giggled out with tears freely flowing down her face which Simon wiped with one hand, the other wrapping around both his wife and his child, resting on the newborn's back. His family, right there in his arms, his entire world. The midwife just smiled and whispered, "Congratulations to the duke and duchess, it is a baby boy!" Simon kissed Carina once again, seemingly still lost in the sight of his life in his arms, eyes trained on the now two people who he would do anything for.

"Simon he's so little. Oh my! Look at how he grabbed my finger." Carina sobbed as she watched her son. Their son, her new love. She had barely held him for a few minutes and she already knew what the unconditional mother's love meant. "He's perfect..." Simon whispered in awe. He knew technically he should be outside right now, announcing the happy news to the sleazy men outside and celebrate with them. That is what respected gentlemen would do. But that is the farthest thing on his mind right now. He figures they can simmer outside for a few more hours as he enjoys his family. Maybe he would be lucky and they would even leave.

It wasn't until four more hours later that Lady Violet Bridgerton and Lady Danbury had arrived, at around nine in the morning, and disturbed the peacefully sleeping mother and son while Simon had been admiring them. And it was then, that the arrival of baby boy James Anthony Basset had been announced and celebrated.