Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 86126 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86126 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
“That looks good,” Titus said, changing the subject. “How long does it take?”
“About four hours on high,” I replied, grateful for the subject change. “It’s kind of a lazy meal since you just dump everything in.”
“That’s the best kind,” he said with a grin.
A few minutes later as I was washing my hands Diana called down from behind our bedroom door.
“Princess is awake,” Titus announced.
“I hear her.”
“Mama! Diana’s awake!” Ariel yelled from the living room.
“Thank you,” I called back, rolling my eyes.
Titus laughed.
“Get those Legos cleaned up,” I ordered as I headed upstairs.
Diana was her usual grouchy self as I sat the girls down for a snack and with Titus at the table, teasing them and making them laugh, I didn’t even realize how much time was passing. It wasn’t until Flora climbed onto the couch and cuddled into my side that I thought to look at the clock.
We hadn’t seen Esther and Otto in almost four hours.
Titus must’ve seen the look on my face as I rubbed Flora’s back, because he quickly got to his feet and pulled out his phone, striding toward the kitchen.
“I’m hungry,” Flora said with a dramatic sigh.
“It’s almost dinnertime. Mom and Dad should be back any minute,” I told her, kissing her head. “You want to help me pick up the toys so it’s all nice and clean when she gets here?”
“Yeah!” She hopped off the couch and skirted around Diana and Ariel.
Glancing toward the kitchen, I wondered if Titus was talking to Otto. Maybe they’d stopped for lunch or something. There was no reason to be concerned that Esther was taking longer than she’d thought it would take. She was with her husband for pete’s sake.
I was just about to go tell Titus not to call and bother them—they deserved a little time to themselves—when he walked back into the room, his expression carefully neutral.
My stomach sank.
Chapter 8
Titus
“Hey,” Otto answered distractedly. “Sorry I didn’t call sooner. Shit’s been kind of crazy.”
“Everything alright?” I murmured, walking to the furthest edge of the kitchen. “We were gettin’ a little worried.”
“It’s good. Fine.” There was rustling while he covered up the phone for a moment. “Esther’s in labor.”
“Say what?”
“Yeah, that’s what I fuckin’ said.” He huffed out a laugh. “I thought we had a couple more weeks, but we got here and they checked her out and told her it’s happening now.”
“Oh, shit.”
“I was gonna head back in a few minutes because we didn’t even bring her fuckin’ hospital bag. They said it would be better if she stayed at the birth center since shit has already progressed so far.”
“Uh,” I glanced toward the living room. “Congratulations. It’s not too early, right?”
“Nah, it’s all good. He might be a little on the small side, but he’s pretty well cooked.” The excitement in my older brother’s voice was palpable, even through the phone.
“That’s good news.”
“You cool with hangin’ at the house?” he asked. “Sorry, I know you’ve probably got shit goin’ on, but with Esther’s brother hangin’ around I’d feel better if—”
“No worries,” I replied, cutting him off. “You just take care of stuff there. I got it handled here.”
“You sure? I could probably get Dad or Mick to come over.”
“I’m sure,” I assured him. “What do you want me to tell Noel and the kids?”
The phone rustled as he covered the phone again. “Let Noel know, would you? She’s probably gettin’ worried. Don’t say anythin’ to the kids. Tell Flora Mom and Dad’ll be home in the mornin’. We wanna surprise her.”
“Will do,” I replied. “Fuckin’ awesome.”
“Agreed,” Otto said with a chuckle. “I’ll see you guys at some point later when I come to grab that bag.”
“Ask Mom to bring it,” I argued.
“That’s a good idea. I’m gonna call her.”
“Give Esther my love,” I said quietly as I walked toward the living room. “And keep us updated.”
“Will do.” He hung up without saying goodbye, and I couldn’t contain my grin.
Esther was having the baby. I put my phone back in my pocket and shook my hands out before clearing my expression to walk back into the living room.
My phone dinged with a text.
Not telling my wife you love her. Fuckface.
Noel looked up at me when I reached the living room and immediately got to her feet as our eyes met. As nonchalantly as I could, I jerked my chin toward where I’d come from.
She followed me out of the room with some excuse to the kids, and the moment we were out of earshot, she stopped me with a hand on my arm.
“What’s wrong?” she asked anxiously, her hands twisting together. For a split second I wondered if she knew she had a tell.
“Nothin’ is wrong,” I replied quickly. “Esther’s havin’ the baby.”
“What?” she whisper screamed.
“Otto said that once they checked her they told her she needed to stay. I guess she was too far along in the—you know—process.”