Ready Or Not

Ch 24 - Valentine's Day

** Jordyn's POV **

I had everything ready for the baby. And I had worked right up until the week before my due date. Luke had even finished up his part of recording ahead of schedule so that he could be present for the baby's birth. He came to Nashville a week before the baby was due.

Luke stayed at a hotel at night, but during the day we had a lot of fun while waiting for the baby to make his appearance. I think we watched more Netflix than I had in an entire year. He taught me to play some video games, which I actually enjoyed way too much. And now and then I'd talk him into playing the guitar and singing "for the baby," though we both knew it was really for me.

Then February 12th came and went. I had gone to the doctor that day and was checked to see if I had dilated any. Nope. No signs of impending labor. But that really didn't mean anything. I could still go into labor that day, or it could still be a few days away. And as long as everything was okay, there was no rush to induce labor, as it's common for first pregnancies to go past the due date.

I was still terrified about the actual labor. I really wanted to do it naturally, but was leaving the option of an epidural open, just in case.

Even as comfortable as I had become around Luke, I was nervous asking if he wanted to be in the delivery room. I wanted him to be, but was afraid he'd think it would be weird or gross.

To my surprise, he said, "Are you kidding me? Of course I do, as long as you're comfortable with it. I won't look at your, um, girl parts."

"Yeah, it's okay with me. It's not like you haven't seen my girl parts, Hemmings." I completely embarrassed myself saying it. "Besides, I've been told that you lose all modesty during labor anyway, and you don't really care who sees your business while trying to push out a baby. And oh my god, Luke, I'm gonna be pushing a baby out of my hoo ha. Holy shit I wish I could just be unconscious." I got torn up thinking about it every time.

He chuckled at me and said, "Come here." He held out his arms and I gladly scooted next to him, laying my head on his shoulder. He gave me a tight squeeze as I took a breath, relishing the scent that I had become accustomed to. A scent that sent my hormones into overdrive, even in my condition. "You're going to be fine. I'm not leaving your side, I promise."

I was counting on it.

Two days later I was still with child. I was miserable. I didn't sleep at all the night before. It actually hurt whenever the baby moved, to the point that I had cried more than once. I had been up to pee every freaking half hour. And I could hardly even stand up straight because my back hurt so bad.

Jodie, being the awesome sister she was, massaged my back for a few minutes before she left for class. She suggested that I take a hot shower, so I did. And, while it didn't really help with the discomfort, it did at least make me feel more energized.

No sooner than I finished up, there was a knock on the door. I assumed it was Luke, though he hadn't texted me like he usually did before coming over. And he was never there that early.

Sure enough, it was him. I opened the door for him and could tell that he was hiding something behind his back.

"Whatchu got there, Lukey?"

He was grinning sheepishly, but didn't say a word. I tried looking around him, but he was quicker than me. "Fine. If that's how you want to treat your very pregnant..." Shit, what was I? "...friend, then I don't want to see anyway." I playfully pouted and turned away, crossing my arms. They barely fit between my huge boobs and belly.

Luke hugged me from behind with one arm, placing his hand on my belly. Then he reached around with the other hand, which was holding a single red rose. "Happy Valentine's Day," he said into my ear and then kissed my temple. I forgot all about my pain for a moment.

I turned around and said, "Aww, look at you being all romantic and shit. I mean, not necessarily romantic, just, you know, sweet. Thank you." I did not just say that. I tried to play off my embarrassment by standing on my tip toes to return a kiss on his cheek. But as I did, a burning pain went across my lower abdomen. It wasn't a contraction, just a pain from stretching. It brought tears to my eyes and I cursed, seizing my belly.

"Are you okay?!" Luke took the rose from me and placed it on the counter.

"Yeah. I just stretched too far. I'm so damn ready for this baby to come out. I've never been so uncomfortable in my life."

He rubbed the back of his fingers along my jaw. "I'm so sorry, babe. I'd take the pain myself if I could."

"I know you would. And I have to say that right now I'd let you." I laughed, but was totally serious.

"So, where were we? Oh, yeah. I believe you were going to kiss me?"

I can only imagine the look of shock on my face. But then he smirked and leaned down, turning his head so I could kiss his cheek without stretching. Oh yeah, that's where we left off. Shew! So I kissed his cheek, not minding the roughness of his perfect scruff against my lips at all.

He grinned at me for a second, then said, "This is your real gift, though." He reached around to his back pocket and presented a ring box.

"Luke! I didn't get you anything." I felt like a loser. It never crossed my mind to buy him a gift. I mean, it was Valentine's Day, a day couples celebrated their love for each other. Yes, I loved him, but Luke and I were not a couple. And there was no way he loved me in return.

"I didn't expect you to. Here, open it."

I opened it and found a gorgeous family ring. "Oh my god, Luke. This is the most thoughtful gift I've ever gotten. It's beautiful. Thank you so much."

"I hope it's okay."

"Okay? It's perfect." It even fit perfectly.

"I mean, I hope it's okay that I included all three of our birthstones. Well, I'm really talking about mine. I wasn't sure if I should since we're not really, you know, together." Luke Hemmings was blushing. It was so attractive and pure that I didn't even give him a hard time about it.

"Of course it's okay. You're his dad." My heart was absolutely melting.

He was quiet for what seemed like forever. He stared at me with an intensity that made me a little uncomfortable, his lips pursed in a straight line and his eyebrows furrowed. He looked worried.

I asked, "What's wrong?" He was so serious I was honestly a little scared about what he was getting ready to say.

He shook his head and said, "Fuck it." Then he took my face in his hands and kissed me.

I responded instinctively, savoring exactly what I had longed for for the past nine months. His kiss was soft but assertive at the same time, and I felt it in every cell of my body. My hands had a mind of their own, gripping Luke's shirt and pulling him closer. But instead of deepening the kiss, he pulled away.

His eyes opened, but he didn't move otherwise. I opened my mouth to ask why he stopped, but didn't even get the first word out before I felt a sudden trickle of fluid escape my nether regions. Oh. Shit.

Luke misinterpreted the shocked look on my face. He let go, backed up, and ran his fingers through his hair. "Dammit. I'm sorry, Jordyn. I shouldn't have done that."

I couldn't even speak. All I could do was shake my head. Then I rushed off to the bathroom.

It wasn't like this huge gush like they portray it on TV. It was just a steady trickle, like peeing on yourself. "Oh shit. I'm having a baby. Oh fuck. Oh my god," I mumbled to myself.

"Jordyn are you okay? I'm sorry. Shit." Luke pleaded through the door.

"Um, yeah," I answered weakly. "I'm just, you know, going to have a baby."

"You're... what? What's going on?"

I opened the door just enough to peek out because I was pantless. "Luke?"

"Yes?"

"My water broke."