Something Worth Fighting For (40 page)

BOOK: Something Worth Fighting For
7.96Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

“I know what on Earth are we going to do with two more of him?” I nodded toward Atlas leaning against the couch, laughing.

“Have you thought of names?” Dad’s hand clasped Atlas’ shoulder.

“That’s what we came to talk to you about.” Atlas said as Darcy sat down in the kitchen. “We want to know if it’s okay if we name one Benjamin...”

Dad looked up at the ceiling, laughing. “Ah, shit guys, you’re going to get an old man all choked up.”

“Benjamin Jackson and Adam Quinn.” I announced as Darcy gasped.

“Really?” She whispered.

“Really,” I nodded as she jumped up hugging me.

“It’s so perfect.” She ran her hands over my baby bump. “I can’t wait to meet you guys, Aunt Darcy already loves you both.”

“Well that’s a good thing because we were hoping that you would be Adam’s Godmother. Jacks and Katie will be Benjamin’s...” Atlas came over, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

“Seriously?”

“No one else we would want him with, Darcy.” Atlas said as I smiled up at him.

“Of course, yes, yes, of course!” She stood up hugging both of us.

“You’ll always have Adam, Darcy. It might not be the same but he’s here and we’re here and you’re part of of our family.” Atlas spoke softly to the two of us as she sniffled. “There’s only one thing left to say...” Atlas looked down at me, grinning.

“What’s that?” Darcy looked at him confused.

“Don’t you do it, Atlas.” I warned with a stern look. He had been threatening songs from “
The Lion King”
for weeks now.

“Oh it’s coming...” He took a deep breath as I started laughing, shaking my head.

“No! I’ll pee!”

 

 

 

Epilogue

 

24 weeks and five days later...

 

 

“Staff Sergeant Ryker!” I whipped my head around to see Lance Corporal Krayger standing in the doorway of my office panting like he had run a marathon. “Staff Sergeant,” he huffed, leaning over with his hands on his knees. “Staff Sergeant, I...”

“This better be good, Krayger.” I growled, narrowing my eyes as the intimidated kid walked in the room. “Damn, breathe kid.”

“You-- Your wife is in labor, sir.” He stuttered as I dropped my coffee cup, watching in slow motion as it shattered and the black, lukewarm liquid spilled across the floor.

“Oh shit!” I started pushing things around looking for the keys. “Keys, keys, where are my
goddamn
keys?!”

“Here!” Sergeant Roberts tossed me the keys to my bike. “Get the fuck out of here!” He laughed as I took off running, pushing Krayger out of the way. “Congrats, man!” Roberts yelled out the door as I dodged past uniforms, hauling ass to the parking lot. My phone was buzzing in my pocket.

“Ben!” I answered, looking at the screen. “I’m on my way!” I held the phone away from my face. “Open the fucking gate!!” I yelled as they slowly started sliding open. “Ugh! Hurry up!”

“She was in the studio, poor kid she was teaching was scared to death. You better hurry.” He was laughing as I hung up. Pulling on my helmet, I jumped on, fumbling with the keys until I got them in the ignition. I pushed the kickstand up and took off.

I was trying to control my breathing and my shaking hands as I sped through traffic. The sirens behind me were not slowing me down as the bike hit 100 mph. “Keep up, bro.” I said into the wind as I exited the highway and all but slid into the hospital parking lot. Ellie would have killed me if she knew how I was driving.

“Leave the ticket on my bike, my wife is in labor!” I yelled as I pulled off my helmet and ran inside labor and delivery. “Penelope Ryker,” I told the nurse as I leaned over the counter.

“Atlas!” Darcy’s voice snapped my head in the opposite direction as she waved me over. I took off running, sliding past two nurses who scowled at me. “She’s asking for you.”

I pushed the heavy wooden door open to see my Ellie laying in the hospital bed, face twisted in agony as another contraction hit. “Oh baby, I’m here... I’m here.” I walked over, grabbing her hand as she squeezed as hard as she could. My lips hit her forehead as she whimpered. “I’ve got you, you’ve got this. You’re so strong. You can do it, baby.” I whispered into her sweat drenched hair.

“I hate you so much right now.” She mumbled, laughing.

“I know, you can hate me all you want, it’s okay.” I tried to stifle my own laughter as she glared at me.

“Stop being so fucking happy, asshole!”

“I’m sorry, no more happy. Happiness is shut off.” I looked up at the ceiling, tears welling up in my eyes as I tried not to laugh. “I’m sorry, baby.” I sucked it up, kissing her forehead again.

“Well Ellie I think we’re ready to do this.” The doctor said as the nurses behind her set up the stations.

Holy shit, I’m about to be a Dad...

“Atlas I want you to hold her leg when we get ready to push, okay? Just talk to her, keep her going, you got it?”

“Yes ma’am.” I nodded, hooking my arm around her leg.

“Ready, Ellie? On your next contraction we’re going to push. I want you to take a deep breath and push as hard as you can until we reach ten.” The doctor was talking to Ellie but we both nodded. “Okay, here we go, ready and... push!”

“You’ve got it baby, you’re doing great, keep going, you’ve got this.” I leaned my head down whispering into her ear.

“...9, 10. Breathe, Ellie.”

I watched her tiny body relax again. “Get ready to go again, Ellie. Ready and... push!”

We did this for what seemed like days but was really only an hour until the wail of Adam filled the room. “One baby down, one to go!” I was in awe as the little bundle was whisked away by the nurse. “Come on girl, you’re doing great.”

“Almost done, Ellie, you can do it.”

Half a dozen more pushes and a second cry began to fill the room.

“He’s here...” The nurse took Benjamin to the second station to get him cleaned up and weighed. Darcy was standing there taking pictures as I looked down to see Ellie crying.

“You did incredible, baby.” I held her hands in my face, kissing her lips over and over again. Two nurses walked over each holding a bundle of blanket wrapped, blue caps.

“Would you like to meet your boys?” Ellie and I both nodded. “This was your second born, Benjamin.” She sat the baby into Ellie’s waiting arms. “Daddy, this is Adam.”

My hands were shaking as I took the small human being into my arms. Staring down at his soft pink skin in awe. “Hi Adam,” I choked on the lump in my throat. I kissed the top of his head, a shock of red curls poking out from under the little blue cap. “I’m your Daddy.”

There are moments in life when you think nothing is going right and nothing ever will. When you’re in the middle of the desert with gunfire all around you, bombs exploding, and standing next to your best friends grave. When you’ve lost all hope and there is no light at the end of the tunnel, and you just want to give up.

Then there are those moments when you look at your beautiful wife holding your son and the other is safe in your arms, that you know you will spend the rest of your life protecting them, and thanking God that you are there to see it.

Those are the moments when you are reminded that there is always something worth fighting for.

 

 

 

 

 

Ellie’s Playlist:

( In no particular order)

 

Angel’s Wings - Social Distortion

Your Surrender - Neon Trees

9 In The Afternoon - Panic! At The Disco

All These Things That I’ve Done - The Killers

Kiss Me Slowly - Parachute

Reminder - Mumford & Sons

Falling Slowly (Live) - Glen Hansard ft. Eddie Vedder

The Feel Again (Stay) - Blue October

Come Home - One Republic

Longing To Belong - Eddie Vedder

20 Years - The Civil Wars

Safe & Sound - Taylor Swift ft. The Civil Wars

Disarm - Smashing Pumpkins

Crash Into Me - Dave Matthews Band

Just Give Me A Reason - P!nk ft. Nate Ruess

Nothing Else Matters - Metallica

Heartbeat Slowing Down - All American Rejects

Sleeping Sickness - City & Colour

Bad Company - Five Finger Death Punch

Not Broken Anymore - Blue October

 

 

 

 

 

About The Author:

 

I’m Ashley McNiel, Mom of two wild children, and general chaos manager. I live my little life in the big, beautiful state of Texas where I daydream of cooler climates. When I’m not reading or writing I am chasing toddlers and consuming more caffeine than any human being ever should.

 

Keep up to date on my blog: ashleymcniel.blogspot.com

 

You can find me on Twitter ranting and raving about Sons of Anarchy or whatever music I’m listening to. As well as Goodreads and Google+

 

 

 

BOOK: Something Worth Fighting For
7.96Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

Other books

The Fallable Fiend by L. Sprague deCamp
Super Human by Michael Carroll
The Kitchen Daughter by McHenry, Jael
Waiting for Kate Bush by John Mendelssohn
Lanark: a life in 4 books by Alasdair Gray
Somebody's Wife: The Jackson Brothers, Book 3 by Skully, Jennifer, Haynes, Jasmine