Irish Promises

Bonus Chapter Three - Part Two ❤️

I attempt to make the beeping of machines and rustling of equipment fade into the distance as I keep my whole focus on Stas.

"Does it hurt?" I ask as she winces but she shakes her head.

"It's uncomfortable" she replies her voice so low it's scary.

Her face is pale and her eyes wide with an undoubtable fear so I lean my face closer to hers to try and block out the chaos that's going on at the other end of the operating table.

There's something wrong and she's losing a lot of blood but I keep talking to her to keep her focus on me.

"I wonder if he'll have Cian's big head" I say and attempt to chuckle but it just comes out sounding pained.

A bleak barely there smile appears as she holds my gaze.

"Your twins" she breathes shallowly. "Your heads are the same"

"Nah Cian's is bigger" I quickly retort but she doesn't smile this time instead her breaths come in short shallow bursts and the beeping on the machines changes.

"You're doing so well beautiful you have no idea how proud of you I am" I manage to choke out having to force each word out.

Finally, the soft cry that fills the air is overwhelming. The relieving force that comes over me makes me feel as though I've just had everything knocked out of me.

"You hear that beautiful? He's here" I practically beam with pride.

"He's here" she repeats on a murmur and her hand clenches mine.

The crying grows louder, completely overpowering everything and that right there hits me hard deep down inside. It's a feeling I don't think I could even begin to describe but it like in this very moment my whole world shifts.

"Is he" she gasps barely able to get the words out "okay?"

"Baby's all good mum" one of the nurses calls from across the room. "But we need to look after you now" she then says.

Another one of the nurses comes towards me.

"We need you to go with baby dad" she says but I shake my head and clench Stas' cold hand tighter.

"No" I snap causing her to flinch slightly. "She needs to see him"

"We need to-" she begins to argue but I cut her off.

"You need to bring our fucking son here so she can see him!" I shout and stand to my full height towering over the nurse.

The room goes deathly silent for a moment, the tension palpable. I know I'm being unreasonable but there isn't a hope in hell I'm letting her go through this without being able to see our baby first I'm not letting her go through that agony again.

"Here he is dad" another nurse calls as she comes towards us with cradling our boy in her arms.

The moment my eyes land on him my heart races as I take in his tiny features. He's so small and delicate all bundled up. I thought I knew what love is with Stas but seeing him now I know this is without a doubt a different kind of love.

I know the chaos is still going on around us but as soon as the nurse passes him over to me it all disappears. A rush of warmth and overwhelming love consuming me.

Turning to face Stas I bring him down to her level so she can see him.

"Hey little man looks it's your mummy" I whisper to him and as I do Stas' eyes flickers open to see him.

They widen and shimmer with tears as soon as she realises that he's here. I feel like the whole world disappears and it's just the three of us right here in this moment.

"Declan" she whispers her eyes closing briefly before they flutter open again. "My baby Declan"

I almost want to laugh because this whole time she's found it impossible to decide on a name yet in this moment she picks the perfect one and I can't help but cradle Declan tighter in my arms.

"Declan" I repeat my voice breaking as tears prick at my eyes.

Then like a tidal wave overtaking me I'm moved back. Declan is taken from my arms and a crowd of nurses and doctors crowd her. The panic and chaos breaking through our little bubble.

Then the next thing I know I'm outside the theatre without either of them. My arms empty and my mind reeling.