Baller’s Baby(32)

“I’m fine. Can you grab me a glass of water or juice, please?”

“Yeah, I’ll be right back.”

“I’ll come with you. I want some of those cracker thingies they’re passing around,” Nana says, following Lisa into the crowded room. My eyes automatically lift, searching the room for Kiptyn. For some reason, I feel like I need him by my side right now. I don't know what’s going on with my body, but I have quickly come to understand that whatever it is, it isn't normal.

“Granny . . .” I say, gripping the table as another cramping pain starts in my lower back. This one works its way around my side, darting to the center of my stomach. I suck in a deep breath and hold it until the pain passes. Granny is watching me with a knowing gaze.

“I’ll go grab Kiptyn. You just sit right here, dear, and wait on your Nana.” I nod my head and watch as she stands and walks with purpose through the crowd. Another pain grips me. It seems the last one just finished, and this one is already starting. I try to breathe through it, but I can't do it sitting here at this table, so I stand, and taking small steps, I walk in the direction Granny just went.





Chapter Forty-Five

Kiptyn



Granny reaches me moments before I turn and see Skila. Jordan is standing next to me, and when he sees her, his eyes widen. Granny doesn't even get a chance to say a word. No one does.

“Ow," Skila cries, grabbing her stomach.

"Sky, are you okay? What's wrong?"

I panic, rushing to her side. When I see the wetness beginning to puddle at her feet, I know what’s happening. It’s time. I stand there frozen in fear before Jordan slaps me on the back, sending me into motion. I wrap my arms around Skila, steadying her. Her hands are still cradling her stomach, and by the look on her face, she is still in extreme pain.

Skila looks up at me, her beautiful chocolate eyes clouded with worry, and whispers, "I think my water broke, Kip."

I nod toward Jordan and the coach, letting them know I have no choice but to bail. I wouldn't miss this moment for the world. Jordan runs up to the podium and alerts the current speaker of our situation.

"We'll call the doctor on the way," I assure Sky as I help her put on her coat. I get one arm in it before I have her out the door and back into the car that, thankfully, Lisa had the valet bring around. In a rush, I speed out of the parking lot. I can't believe I’m about to be a father. I know the baby is early, and I hope like fucking hell nothing is wrong. I can't handle the thought of losing either of them. Her panting and groans of pain make my foot press harder on the gas.

"Jesus, Kip. I’d like to get there alive." She hisses through a contraction.

"We're almost there, Sky. We're almost there."

She nods and stares forward, trying to keep her breathing level. I ease off the gas, but not much—just enough to help her relax. Drifting into the ambulance lane at the hospital, I jump out and flag down a nurse. She quickly brings me a wheelchair, and I help Sky out of the car and into it.

Hurriedly, I push Skila through the sliding doors to the nurses’ station inside the ER. It's impossible for me to stay calm any longer. I get the attention of the receptionist.

"Excuse me, but could you help us? She's gonna have a baby," I explain.

The nurse, who looks about fifty, glances up at me and then down to Sky, who is sitting in the wheelchair, breathing in and out heavily. “Take her to labor and delivery in the maternity ward and move your car. You can't park there.”

I reverse Skila and push her in the direction of the elevators, hoping and praying I can find a sign that says something about maternity when I get there. “Your car,” the nurse calls.

“Fuck the car. I'm having a baby.”

When I finally reach the maternity ward, a short, robust woman in a lab coat kneels down in front of Sky. "Are you contracting, and how far apart are they?" Skila shrugs and looks at me.

"About three minutes apart would be my guess."

She nods her head and pushes Skila down the hall to triage. "Come with me. I'm gonna get you guys ready and prepare a room," she says. I'm anxious, nervous, and excited as I follow closely behind.

It has been almost two hours since Skila went into labor at the awards ceremony. We’ve been at the hospital now for thirty-two minutes. I bite my thumbnail as I watch her writhe in pain. The contractions are now coming more intensely, and I wish I could take some of the pain away from her. Dr. Thompson says she can't get an epidural until her platelet count comes back, but they gave her something called Fentanyl. I just wish it did more to help her. She's almost eight centimeters dilated. It's not going to be much longer.

She has been checked twice in the last ten minutes, and each time she is getting closer. I'm doing everything, from rubbing her back to singing horribly to try to make her laugh. It helps some, as she enjoys my stupidity, but I don’t feel like I can ever do enough. The door slowly creaks open, and Granny has Nana in tow.

"Oh, Skila, we came as soon as we could, sweetheart," Nana says, kissing her cheek. "How are you, baby girl?"

“Fine. Kip has been awesome, Nana." She manages to smile through her painful tears. Nana cuts her eyes at me and offers a half-smile.

"Thank you, Kip, for bringing her to the hospital,” she slurs. She’s already been celebrating. Granny rolls her eyes, knowing that Nana has a pint of Henny tucked away in her purse.

"How are you holding up, Kip?" I nod my head and shrug my shoulder. I feel helpless. I want to take away all of Skila’s pain, and not being able to do that is tearing me up inside.

"I'm great. Nervous, but great." At that moment, Bo and Lisa rush in bearing gifts of their own.

"Sorry, we got held up in traffic. We came as quickly as possible,” Lisa explains excitedly.

Bo pats me on the back, "How you doing, Daddy?" I smack his arm and give him a thumbs-up. I'm just ready to meet my son.

A moment later, Dr. Thompson comes back to check Skila's dilation. She shoos the men, except for me, out of the room and checks Sky. She looks up and nods at the nurse standing by Sky’s head.

"She's ready to push. I'm going to go scrub in, so I'm going to need everyone except Kip to leave."

She prepares herself for delivery. Nana and Granny bid their good luck to Skila and me as they walk out. I'm given a pair of scrubs to put on over my own clothes, as a precaution, I'm told. I grab Skila's hand in my own and kiss her forehead.

"Are you ready for this?" I question, mostly to myself, lightly kissing her knuckles.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

Dr. Thompson and her team of nurses come and surround Skila, tools and blankets on deck. Dr. Thompson then instructs Skila on how to push and asks me to help keep her calm.

"All right, Skila, come on girl, push," she yells. Skila takes in a deep breath and gives it all that she can. Viv, the nurse to her left, offers her encouragement.

"That's a good girl. I can see the head, a bunch of hair! Just two more good pushes like that."

Skila looks up at me. "He has hair." I laugh, amazed at this special woman. She's in labor, delivering my son into the world, and she still finds time to pick at me.

"Don't be so sure it's a boy. It could very well be a girl," I tease her.

"You shut your face, Kiptyn. It’s a boy."

Skila gives another push with the nurses and me cheering her on. Although she would never admit it, it’s strange having a room full of people seeing her body, but I can tell she really wants this to be over, so she's dealing.

Dr. Thompson looks up at Skila and inquires through her mask. "Can you give us just one more good, strong push?"

Squeezing my hand tightly, Skila gives all the strength and love she can into a final push. She lets her body jerk backward into the bed when she hears the beautiful, sharp cry. Dr. Thompson smiles as she holds up the baby.

"It's a boy!"

One of the nurses hands me a pair of surgical scissors as she instructs me where to cut the umbilical cord. As the neonatal technicians clean the baby and check his vitals, I kiss Skila.

"You're amazing," I whisper against her lips.

One of the nurses comes back and gently places the now calm baby boy in his mother's arms. Skila looks up at me all teary-eyed. "What do you want to name him?"

"I thought we had decided," I say. Skila looks into the small, brown eyes of the creamy-skinned newborn. She takes in his small size and mop of black hair that comes out from under the small blue cap.

"He looks like a Lennon. Lennon Asa Price, for each of our parents." I reach out to take him from Skila and hold him to my chest. Tears fall from my eyes as I cradle the tiny baby in my arms. My son.

"I love that." I smile and kiss baby Lennon's forehead, inhaling his unique baby scent before passing him back into the arms of his mother.

Soon after, the rest of the family, including proud Uncles Devan and Jax, come together, laughing and gushing over the new addition. We are all celebrating a new life that is sure to bring joy to us all. Only one person is missing. I feel his loss like a gaping hole in the depths of my soul, but I know as soon as he can, he will be here with us where he belongs. It's just a matter of time, and if there is one thing I have learned, it’s that everything in life happens in its own time.

No need to rush. I plan to just sit back and enjoy every day with my beautiful bride and the sweet, adorable bawling baby boy she just so kindly blessed me with. My life is finally complete.