Broken Dreams (Franklin Blues #2) (22 page)

Amy is crying even harder now, and I can feel the tears welling up in my eyes as well. I’m so scared that something is going to happen to my baby or my wife. I don’t know what I would do without either of them. The doctors start placing the new monitor on when Amy yells out in pain.

“Doctor, am I supposed to feel everything you’re doing down there? I feel you inside me moving around, and it really hurts.”

The doctor pages the guy that came in with that huge ass needle, and I can feel the blood drain from my face. I really hope I don’t have to see that thing again. About five minutes later, he comes in and puts a syringe in her IV and leaves again. Thank God, I didn’t have to see all that.

“Doctor, I feel like I have to push. Please, let me deliver my baby. I really want to push.”

She’s all but begging the doctor but she shakes her head and tells Amy that she would be doing more damage than good trying to push now. The doctor leaves the room again, only to come back a couple minutes later with a bunch of forms.

“Okay Mrs. Underwood, you need to sign these papers. The baby is in distress, and we need to get it him or her out now. If not, I can guarantee that they will not survive. If you feel as if you can’t sign them, then your husband can. Make the choice soon because we don’t have much time to waste.”

She hands us the forms and walks back out of the room. I turn to my wife, and I hate the fact that she’s terrified and I can’t do anything to stop the fear because I’m feeling it too.

“Baby, we need to sign these papers. I need you and the baby healthy. Come on, please for me?” I will get on my hands and knees and beg if I have to, I am already crying from fear alone. Amy looks up at me with nothing but fear written all over her face, but she nods her head and asks for a pen.

I’m thankful she’s agreeing, because I refuse to lose either of them. We’ve been waiting too long for this moment in our lives.

~**~

Amy

I’m so afraid that I’m going to lose my baby. I am currently being wheeled into the OR, and the doctor took Lance to get suited up so he could join me. I don’t have to wait long before I see him walk into the room. I feel a fresh set of tears fall down my face. If this is what’s going to happen every time I get pregnant, then I’m good with having one kid. I can’t go through this every time.

They put the divider up so I can’t see anything right below my boobs. The doctor asks me if I can feel something but I don’t feel a thing. Lance is holding my hand the whole time and talking to me. When I look back over at him, his face is white as a ghost.

“Lance, Babe, what’s wrong? You aren’t looking so good.”

He shakes his head and tells me he thought for a minute he was going to pass out. When I ask him why, he says that he looked around the room for a second, but caught the reflection of them reaching inside me through one of the windows of the cabinets along every wall. I roll my eyes and think that I had to bring the biggest baby in here with me. Bastard better not pass out on me.

I hear the doctor say that we have a baby boy. I look over at Lance and we both start crying. A baby boy, thank God, because I wouldn’t know what to do with a girl. I love Scar more than life itself, but I was always a tomboy growing up.

I’m still looking at Lance when he looks away, and I’m confused as to why. I realize about two seconds later why, the doctor is bringing our son over to us. She places him in Lance’s arms, and I can’t help but stare, he’s the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen. I can’t believe I actually had my dreams come true. I get to experience motherhood, something I gave up a long time ago.

Amy

Back in my hospital room, surrounded by everyone who loves us is so surreal. I never thought I’d have a family after my parents died. Now, I have more people in my life than I ever thought possible. They all hold a special place in my heart, and I couldn’t imagine my life without them in it.

Lance is sitting on my bed, and I can’t help but stare at him while he holds our son. He seems so content in his daddy’s arms, and my heart has never felt so full. Aaron is complaining that Lance is hogging his nephew, and Lance’s response is to flip him off, of course.

I nudge Lance, silently telling him to give our son to Aaron. He reluctantly hands him over but not before making sure Aaron all but bathed in hand sanitizer. I can’t wait for Aaron and Tyler to adopt a baby or find a surrogate because they will be great parents. They’ve hinted that they have been thinking about it, but weren’t sure if any adoption agency would take them seriously since they were a gay couple.

Shawn and Hailee are sitting next to my bed, Shawn holding the newest member of their family, Daniel, and Hailee is holding a very talkative Scar. I have no idea what she’s talking about because the pain meds are making me so tired. I can feel my eyes get heavy, and Lance tells everyone that they can come back tomorrow. I hear them asking about our son’s name, and he said we’d make the announcement when I wasn’t so tired so they’d have to wait until tomorrow. I don’t remember anything after that as I succumb to much needed sleep.

I’m walking in the backyard towards the gazebo, when I see two people standing inside it, holding what looks like an infant. I walk closer, and realize the two people standing there are my parents. I run to get there faster, and they step into the yard.

“Amy, Baby, we couldn’t be more proud of you. Even though we aren’t here with you physically anymore, it doesn’t mean that we aren’t with you. We are always in your heart, and we will always be there. You are going to make a terrific mother. If you ever need anything, come outside at night and look at the stars. We will be there in those stars, looking down on you.”

I’m crying as I listen to my mother’s words. She was always my rock, and I can’t imagine raising my baby without her and my dad with me. It gives me comfort knowing that they are always with me.

I look over to my father, whose eyes are glassy from unshed tears. “Amy, you are my baby girl. No one will ever be good enough for you in my eyes, but the man you have chosen to spend the rest of your life is okay, I guess. I know he’ll treat you right and will love you unconditionally for the rest of your lives.”

I want to hug my daddy, but I get the feeling that I’m not going to be able to. I look back over to my mom and down at the baby she’s holding. My parents must see the confusion written all over my face because they both start laughing.

“Baby girl, you don’t recognize her do you? This is your first child with Lance. You don’t have to worry about her anymore because she’s safe with us, and will be watching over you and her baby brother too. We love you so much Amy, go, be a good wife and mother. We are both always here for you.”

I try to hug my daddy, but they start fading away. I start crying because I don’t want them to leave. I need them here with me. I can’t do this without them. They both smile at me and fade away as they walk back to the gazebo and disappear.

I wake up and can feel the tears on my face. I guess my movements wake up Lance and he asks if I’m okay.

“Yeah, I’m good. I had a dream about my parents. They told me how great of a mother I would be and how they’d always be watching over me. They said if I ever needed them, to look at the stars in the night sky, and that’d be them watching down on me. Lance, they were holding a baby girl, and they told me it was our first child, and that they were taking good care of her for us. I probably sound crazy don’t I?”

Lance shakes his head at me, “No, Babe, you don’t sound crazy at all. If anything I’m glad your parents are with her so she’s not alone. I knew that heaven needed another angel and that’s why she was taken from us. I’m glad that we have three guardian angels guarding and protecting us. It makes me feel better knowing that you’ll always be safe.”

I ask Lance to come lay with me since the nurses took our son to the nursery for the night since they have to watch him for his first bowel movement. Lance doesn’t protest and climbs in bed with me. I lay my head on his chest, and the sound of his heartbeat lures me back to sleep.

The next morning, my room is full with everyone again, and I know what they are waiting for; they want to know what we have decided to name our angel.

“Alright everyone, since I know that you are all chomping at the bit to know little man’s name, we might as well go ahead and tell you.” I look up at Lance and smile. “We have named him Emmett Ryan Underwood.”

The whole room erupts in “Ooohs” and “Ahs”, and I know that we picked the perfect name for our little boy. The nurse brings our bundle of joy back into the room after his circumsion is done, and I ask Lance to hand him to me since the doctors gave me strict orders not to get out of bed unless it was to go to the bathroom.

Lance hands me our son, and I stare at him, and it’s only now that I realize that dreams are never truly broken, that with love on your side, any dream is something that can come true. I look around the room at my family, and I know that although my dreams may have come true, they are also beginning.

The End for these two

See what happens in Mason and Melanie’s story coming soon!!!!

First and foremost, I need to thank my husband! Between my son and him, they have kept me grounded and even kept me sane. Even though they drove me crazy at times too.

Next comes Shauna Kruse of Kruse Images & Photography. When you shot Lance in New York, I knew I had found my “Lance”. Everything about that photo screamed “Lance Underwood”. I’m so thankful to you that you were able to capture such an amazing photo.

To one of my models, Lance Jones, there are no words to describe what you mean to me. You came into my life like a storm and just blew me away. You pushed me when I was stuck, you made me laugh when I was so frustrated I just wanted to cry, and you were just there for me through it all. I’m so blessed to be able to call you more than a friend. You’re family!! I love you #Lancealot!!

To Melissa, my other model. God sent you to me for a reason, and I know it was to make you my Amy! You are family to me and I can’t wait to be able to hug you to death. You even helped me write my blurb because you knew it would eventually kill me if you didn’t step in. We are so much alike and I’m blessed to call you my #Twinie!!

Rick Gamby, thank you so much for shooting my ideas to create Amy! I am so thankful to you that you got exactly what I wanted!!

Cheryl Keene, thank you so much for editing this book for me. We had never met and the fact that you took my book and made it even better means the world to me.

CP Smith my formatter, thank you so much for taking me on and helping me get this book out to the public. You will never know how much this means to me.

Melanie Pilcher, you are not only my best friend, but a sister. You will never know just how much your friendship means to me. You have definitely been one of my biggest supporters. If I ever got blocked, I knew I could come to you and you would help me through it. When I didn’t want to be an author anymore, you lit a fire under my ass and helped me see what made being an author so great. I can never repay you for everything you’ve done for me.

Amy Crull, my dear friend who is the inspiration behind Amy Masters, thank you so much for your friendship. Without you, I’m not sure I’d have this book have the kickass heroine that it does. You have definitely been a light in my life! Love you woman!!

Terri Anne Browning, thank you so much for all your support and words of wisdom. You have become such a good friend to me, one of my best friends, and I thank my lucky stars for you. You definitely cheered me on when I got close to the finish line and were there almost every step of the way. You are my #soulsis for a reason!!

Chrissy Kagel, you are the one of the best people I know. You have helped me so much in this book world and navigating through it. You became my PA and that’s a decision that I will never regret!!!!

Kathy Coopmans, thank you so much for all of the words of wisdom and all the advice you gave me. I’m so thankful to have met you and am able to call you a friend.

MJ Carnel, you had such faith in me with this book from the moment we started talking. When shit hit the fan, you were there still pushing me along and making sure that I was still on the right track. You are definitely a blessing that I thank god for every day.

Kirstin, you are something. You helped me write my synopsis, and I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have been able to write it without you!! Work would be far too boring without you here with me, and I love you!! We have become so close in such a short amount of time and I couldn’t imagine my life without you in it.

Tammy, where do I ever begin with you? It all started when you won my first book from me, and that started an immediate friendship. Now, you are my ##SFAM, and push me to be the best I can be. If I ever get discouraged or down on myself, you seem to get my head back on straight. Even if you have to call in reinforcements. You help me in any way that you can and I am so grateful to you. Whenever I got down and wanted to give up, you would light a fire under my ass to make sure I knew just how great I am!! If you couldn’t get through to me you’d enlist the help of others *cough cough Daniel cough cough*

Daniel Wells, thank you so much for everything you have done for me. Your friendship has meant more to me than you will ever know. You are probably one of my biggest cheerleaders and have always had so much faith in me.

Shelby Reeves, thank you so much for all the sprinting sessions. They pushed me to get this book done even faster than I thought possible. You are one amazing bad ass friend. Thank you for taking my photos and helping me find my “Meet the author” photo!! I love you!!!!

To my betas, Colbie, Melissa, Theresa, Amy, and Tammy; thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me make this book the best that it can be!!

To everyone who has read Shawn and wanted to continue the series with Lance, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You’ll never know what all of your love and support mean to me!