Resilient

Chapter Eight

I'm curled up in a waiting room chair impatiently waiting the arrival of my niece. I keep nodding off and my head does that little jerk thing. I need to be awake for when it's actually time to push.

Stone sits beside me with a coffee in his hand. "Lay your head on my shoulder and take a nap. I'll wake you when it's time," he says.

I look a him sleepily and he laughs. "Georgette before you fall out please," he jokes.

I give him a small smile and lean my head on his shoulder; closing my eyes. Some actual rest would be nice.

"Georgia, Stone, it's time," my mom announces as she walks into the waiting room.

I bolt out of my chair and Stone takes my hand as my mom leads us back. Mentally I'm thinking I want to sleep, but I can't. Ellie is coming. She's going to be here, and she's going to need all the help she can get.

We stop outside of the room and put the covering and gloves on. "You think she'll be okay, right?" I ask Stone.

He brushes the hair out of my face with both hands because he's yet to put on his gloves. "She'll be fine Georgette," he assures me. I give him a smile and help him put on his gloves, then we walk inside the room.

Wendy is breathing heavily and groaning and Colt is holding her hand while pushing her hair out of her face. "It's go time everybody," Colt says with a smile.

Three hours and three hundred screams later, Eleanor Georgia-Ann Collins has arrived. They carry her off to the NICU as Wendy and Colt are kissing and crying.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Stone says holding his stomach.

"You and me both," I groan.

We walk out of the room and strip off all of the protective gear. "Alright so it's later," I say as we sit in some chairs down the hall from Wendy's room.

"I'm just worried about you, but you're so damn stubborn sometimes," he says with a chuckle.

I sigh. "I'm sorry," I apologize.

He gives me a smile. "You're forgiven. Still a pain in the ass though," he teases.

I laugh. "Right back at ya," I say.

"Hey is she here?" Carmen asks rounding the corner.

"Yeah they took her to the NICU," I say.

"Is she going to be okay?" She asks.

"She should be," Stone says.

"This is all so crazy. I can't believe Wendy's a mom," she says with a smile.

"Yeah it's insane," I say.

"I still can't believe she's able to reproduce," Stone jokes.

"Oh stop it," Tommy says walking up next to Carmen.

"You two are next right?" Eileen jokes as she walks up to us.

"Yeah," Andy says laughing.

"No," Carmen says with a laugh.

"Glad y'all could join us," I tease.

"We were getting food," Eileen says sitting on the floor.

"If you can call that food," Andy says sitting beside her.

"What do you say we all go back to Wendy's and get some sleep?" Stone asks.

"Is there enough room for all of us?" Tommy asks.

"Pallets and couches my guy," I reply with a laugh.

"I'm down," Eileen says.

"Yeah it'll be nice for when they get home," Carmen says.

"Alrighty then," Andy says.

Everyone leaves to go get their stuff and to get in their respective cars. Me and Stone get in the van, and I let out a sigh.

"It's been a long night," I say with a laugh.

Stone laughs with me. "It definitely has," he agrees as he starts the van.

We drive back to my brother's and Wendy's place, and Stone parks the van. I climb out and stretch.

"Jesus I'm sore," I say.

"Getting thrown of a horse will do that to ya," Stone says walking over to me.

"Thanks for being so cool through all this, and putting up with my stubbornness," I tell him with a smile.

He chuckles. "I wouldn't have it any other way," he says.

"You're amazing you know that," I tell him.

He shakes his head. "I'm just doing my part," he says.

"Don't sell yourself so short," I say and shove him playfully.

He gives me that infamous Stone Keller grin. "It would be impossible for me not to be there for you, you know that right," he says to me.

I nod my head. He brushes my hair behind my ear and looks into my eyes. "I mean that Georgia."

"I know you do Stone," I assure him.

"I shouldn't," he whispers.

I look at him confused. "Shouldn't?" I question. He leans down and kisses me. I'm shocked, well not really, but I am shocked I kiss him back.

He pulls away with a sigh. "Don't kiss me like that, unless you mean it like that," he says.

"I do," I tell him and kiss him again. And I do. I really do, I've just been so scared to let myself be in this position again. In the position where I could get my heart broken.

He pulls away and chuckles. "I've wanted this for so long," he tells me.

"I'm sorry it took me so long," I tell him.

We hear someone clear their throats and look in the direction to where the noise came from. "Sorry to interrupt, but I heard Wendy had her baby," Joey says with his hands shoved in his pockets.

I stare at him in shock. What is he doing here? "What're you doing here?" Stone snaps.

"Like I said, I heard Wendy had her baby," he says.

"She hates you," Stone tells him.

"I know, but I'm not here for her," Joey says looking at me. Stone looks at me then back at him.

"Oh that's golden," Stone says with a scoff.

"You're here for me?" I question.

"I still care about you," he tells me. "But obviously you've moved on."

I glare at him. "Really," I snap. "You don't get to do that. You don't get to judge me. You broke up with me. You left me. How I chose to fix my broken heart is none of your concern anymore."

"I should've known. I mean you two did hookup that one time," he says.

"We kissed you asshole, and it was because you broke her heart. Here we are, again," Stone says.

"Aren't you tired of being the rebound Stone?" Joey asks.

Stone walks towards him menacingly, but I stop him. "Stone, he's drunk," I say catching the smell of bourbon in the air.

"I suggest you walk it off, and be gone within the next five minutes," I tell him as me and Stone walk inside.