Page 13 of The Champion
“We make a good team.” He agreed.
Nancy and Jimi came in after that just to say hello andwish us good luck and Merry Christmas. I kept adjusting my blanket to make sureJimi couldn’t see anything.
He noticed and just like his sons, felt the need toembarrass me.
“Sweetheart,” he drawled out slowly. “I’m damn near fiftyyears old...I’ve seen it all before.”
Jameson realized what I was covering up.
“That doesn’t meanyouneed to see it!” He barkedat his dad handing me another cup of ice chips. “Stop looking.”
“Okay...well...we will be in the waiting room.” Nancyannounced and leaned down to kiss my forehead. “You look great.”
“You don’t have to lie.”
“Yes I do.” She smiled and patted my shoulder. “Afteralmost thirty years of being married to a Riley...you’dlearn to lie as well.”
Charlie was the last to come in and didn’t stay very longonce the contractions started to pick up and I began to sound like a drowningferal cat. He did wish us a Merry Christmas and sent me into another round ofemotional frenzy when he gave me a heart shape locket he’d given my mother whenI was born.
It took me a good hour to recover.
When the narcotics kicked in, I started to calm my innerdemons and the need to junk punch my husband. That was a good thing if I wantedmore kids in the future.
Suddenly I was relieved to have this wonderful man by myside. I knew it was the drugs talking but I was grateful regardless.
He held me and ran his fingers through my hair as theyput the needle in my back, whispering that he loved me. He added the line,“Even if you did throw my muffin away,” with a hint of resentment.
Once the contractions increased and I started to feellike I was having the baby any minute—Jameson freaked out and left the room,which brought me to another round of hysterics.
Alley stepped in to take his place and said that Aidenwas comforting Emma but just told Jameson if he didn’t get his ass back in herehe was going to junk punch him for me.
There was a lot of threatening punches going on today.
I thought poor Emma was freaking out because she saw howmuch pain I was in and that Jameson said they weren’t close but come to findout she was freaking out at the gowns they make you wear.
Some days I can’t believe I married into this madness.
Alley sat there comforting me. The more I watched herthough, the more I realized something was incredibly different, besides thefact that her hair was back to one color.
“What is up with you? You are all perky and cheerful.”
“Nothing,” She smiled. “This is exciting. You’re having ababy...likereallyhaving ababy.”
“So everyone keeps saying that.” I rolled my eyes. “Whyare you excited?”
“I’m uh...” shesmiled widely.
“You just found out, didn’t you?” Yesterday she had thesneaking suspicion she might be pregnant again.
Alley only nodded with a smile. “But let’s not focus onthat right now. Today is about you guys and this little guy coming out of you.”
I didn’t like the phrase,coming out. It remindedme of some kind of alien movie or some shit.
Jameson came back in a few minutes later, looking smug,and a little frightened that Aiden also threatened to junk punch him.
“Whathappenedto you?” I seethed.
“I’m sorry.” His head hung. “I got scared.”
