A little on the wild sid.., p.31
A Little on the Wild Side, page 31
part #3 of Wild Thing Series
Nan’s car made a five-point turn into a handicap-parking place, nearly hitting a police officer. “That’s it. I’m taking her license away as soon as she gets up here—if they don’t shoot her first.”
Then she heard a cop on a bullhorn telling her grandmother to get out of the car with her hands up. “Oh, God! They can’t be serious, can they?”
Kate moved beside her. “Don’t worry. Look—Trapper’s down there. See him in his hat?”
Yeah, Trapper was in the thick of things. She just hoped Nan didn’t go after him too.
“The police will listen to him. I’m sure he’ll get everything under control.” Kate moved beside her. “Come on. Let’s get you back to bed.”
“Okay.” She took a step, and then there was a splash. “Oh God.” She looked down and was standing in a puddle. The babies moved, and more splashing ensued. “Um, I think my water just broke.”
Karma, Toni, and Jessie all gasped and stared and took big steps away, as if she’d just urinated. Kate was the only one who didn’t look shocked. “Toni, Jessie—you go get the nurses. Tell them Bianca’s water just broke. Karma, you go downstairs and get Trapper and Bianca’s grandmother. Whatever you do, please don’t give the police officers any reason to shoot you. Trapper has enough to worry about without you getting in the way or stirring up trouble.”
When no one moved, Kate just shook her head. “Now! Move it!”
Wow, that got them going. Everyone skirted the ever-growing puddle and ran. Bianca was happy to see them leave.
“Kate—” Her future mother-in-law looked as if she dealt with this kind of thing every day of her life. Thank God. “If you’re worried, why did you send Karma down there?”
“I know Karma. There’s no way I’d be able to keep her away from the scene down there—a warning was the best I could do.”
That made sense.
Kate’s arm tightened around her. “Are you having contractions?”
“No, not yet. At least, I don’t think so. My back is killing me though.”
“Okay, I’m going to get you a fresh gown. We need to change you out of those wet things.”
Bianca looked at her feet. “Trapper’s slippers are toast.”
Kate laughed. “That’s okay. He never did wear them anyway.”
She felt tears sting her eyes. “I know, but they were the only shoes that fit me.”
***
Trapper made eye contact with every one of the seven police officers surrounding what he thought was Bianca’s grandmother’s car. When he scanned the license plate, he was sure. Fabulous. The only good thing was he knew every one of the officers standing there.
The leader was Officer By-The-Book, and he’d had a nightstick stuck firmly up his ass since he’d entered the police academy in the early 1980s. He hiked up his pants. The man had a major case of Dunlop’s disease—his belly done lopped over his belt buckle—and strode to him. “Judge Kincaid, you need to step away from the vehicle.”
“Officer Jones, is it? Yeah, well, you need to call your chief of police, Cyrus Stanhope, and tell him my future grandmother-in-law just arrived in Boise. You and six other officers are scaring the crap out of her.” The big man paled. Good, what the hell was he thinking following a little old lady like that? “I’d really appreciate it if you’d let me take her upstairs to see her granddaughter, my fiancée, who is about to deliver our twins any minute.”
“Trapper!” He turned at the sound of his name and saw Karma flying toward him. “Trapper, the babies are coming! Bianca just exploded!” Karma made an explosion motion with her hands.
“What?”
“It was like a gusher!”
“Her water broke?”
“I guess. They’re taking her into the OR. She saw the whole thing, Trap.” She pointed to the windows.
Fuck.
“She knew that was her grandmother, and the next thing I know, it’s like someone dropped a full trough of water between her feet.”
“Oh, God! Okay.” He turned and spotted a flash of red behind a wall of blue. “Charlene, Mrs. Murphy?”
A small woman pushed her way through the police officers and looked up at him. “Are you Trapper Kincaid?”
“Yes, ma’am. Please come with me. Bianca just went into labor. I need to get you upstairs.”
“What about all these cops?”
“It’s taken care of.” His gaze flew from the gray-haired woman who came up mid-chest to Officer Jones. “Isn’t that right, Jones?”
“Yes, sir, Judge Kincaid. That’s right. It’s all taken care of.”
Trapper took Charlene’s arm and nodded at the law. “Thank you. Please give my regards to Cy, and tell him I’ll call him later.”
He did his best to slow his steps for Bianca’s grandmother’s sake, but he had to take off. Gramps and Karma stared at Charlene. “Ma’am, this is my grandfather, Joe Walsh, and my sister, Karma. They’ll take you upstairs. I have to get up there. I’ve got to… I’m sorry, ma’am.”
Charlene waved him away, and he took off running.
He took the steps three at a time, figuring that waiting for the elevator would likely kill him. He slapped through the double doors of the maternity ward without slowing down and skidded to a halt in front of the nurse’s station. “Where’s Bianca?”
One of the nurses shook her head. “Go put your hat in her room for safekeeping, and I’ll take you down to get you gowned and gloved. I suspect they had to start without you, Dad.”
“She’s gonna kill me.”
The nurse just walked alongside him. “She heard all about the ruckus outside. I’m sure she’ll think you’re a regular Prince Charming as long as her grandmother doesn’t end up behind bars.”
He tossed his hat in her room, not bothering to look where it landed. “Okay, where is she?”
“Don’t worry. Your mother’s with her. Just take a breath, Judge. The last thing Bianca needs is you running in there like your hair’s on fire.”
Right. Like he could breathe at a time like this. “I just need to—”
“Get gowned and gloved.” She pushed him through some doors and smiled at the women in the room. “Here he is—you know the drill.”
He had to scrub up, his hair was put in some stupid-looking hat, a mask was put over his face, and he had a blue paper gown. Hell, even his boots were covered.
The one nurse looked him over. “Are you ready to go in there?”
Shit, he didn’t think he’d ever be ready.
“Just focus on her face, and you should be okay. I’ll stay with you until you get in the chair. Let me go and get your mother. She’s been taking care of Bianca since you were running a little late.”
“Okay.” It came out sounding more like a croak. Great. He really regretted that hamburger his grandfather forced down his throat. Please God don’t let me be sick.
His mother came out and hugged him. “She’s doing fine. They just did the epidural.”
“Thanks for going in with her, Mom.”
“She’ll be happy to see you. Good luck.” His mom gave him a look he’d never seen. She looked as if she was about to cry.
“She’s okay?”
His mom just nodded, as if she couldn’t speak.
The nurse gave him a shove toward the door. “She’s about to be a grandmother, Judge. She’s just a little choked up. Now, in you go.”
He hadn’t been prepared for all the bright lights. It was like high noon on a cloudless July day.
He hadn’t been prepared to see Bianca lying there with a sheet over her, and some kind of drape in front of her belly.
He hadn’t been prepared for all the people or the way the place looked like an operating room.
The nurse behind him gave him another shove. He was really getting sick to death of that.
“There’s a seat right next to Bianca’s head for you. I suggest you sit down before you fall down. You’re not looking too steady on your feet.”
He saw Bianca’s face—she was the only one without a mask. He wanted to kiss her, but that might be pushing it. “How are you doing, sweetheart?”
“I’m okay now that you’re here. Is my grandmother all right?”
“She’s fine. I left her with Gramps and Karma. She’s waiting with the rest of the family. Mom will see she’s set for the night. Let’s just concentrate on you, okay?”
Dr. Weaver came in and stepped beside Bianca. “So, it looks like we’re going to have a few babies this evening.”
“I shouldn’t have gotten out of bed—”
He gave her hand a pat. “Bianca, you lasted longer than I expected. You and the babies are going to be fine. I just thought I’d chat with you about having your tubes tied while we’re in there. I strongly recommend it. Another pregnancy isn’t advisable. With your age, your proclivity for gestational diabetes—”
Trapper swallowed hard. He felt nothing but relief. He wouldn’t want Bianca to go through another pregnancy ever again. Hell, he’d already planned to talk to her about it.
Bianca looked at him, and tears streamed down her face. “Trapper?”
“Sweetheart, you and the babies are all the family I’ll ever need. I never want you put in danger again. If we want more kids, we can adopt. Okay? As long as I have you, I’ll be more than happy.”
“You’re sure?”
“I’m positive.”
The doctor looked from Trapper to her and back. “Are we decided?”
Trapper took her hand in his. “Is it okay, Bianca?” He held his breath.
Bianca looked at the doctor again. “Are you certain this would happen again?”
“I’m ninety-five percent certain. Bianca, believe me when I say that we were very lucky this time.”
“Okay, then.” Her hand tightened on Trapper’s. “Tie my tubes.”
Trapper wasn’t the only one who let out a relieved breath. He could swear if he removed Dr. Weaver’s mask, he’d find a smile.
Dr. Weaver clapped his gloved hands. “Okay, people. It looks like it’s time to have a few babies! Bianca, Trapper, you’ve met Dr. Stephens and Dr. Luntz—they’re here to assist.”
Trapper must have nodded. But he wasn’t sure all he could do was concentrate on Bianca’s face and not look at the mirrors they had everywhere—it was like watching a game at a bar filled with big screens—there was no way not to look. God, he was so thankful he’d never have to do this again for as long as he lived.
Dr. Weaver nodded to someone, and they lowered the drape. “Okay, Bianca, lots of pressure on your tummy now.”
One of the doctors stood on a stool and actually pressed on Bianca’s distended belly.
The grip Bianca had on his hand tightened, and the next thing he knew a little baby’s head popped out, resting in Dr. Weaver’s hand. A nurse suctioned the mouth and nose even before Dr. Weaver pulled the baby the rest of the way out.
“It’s a girl.” The doctor handed the baby to a waiting nurse. The other doctor clamped the umbilical cord in two places and cut it, handing the baby to a waiting doctor.
“Charlie,” Bianca whispered. “Charlie’s the oldest.”
A second later, he heard it. It started out as a cry and ended with a wail. God, she sounded pissed. Pissed and healthy and squirming.
“Charlie’s the kicker.”
They took Charlie away.
Dr. Weaver’s eyes crinkled in what must be one hell of a smile. “She looks fine. They’re just going to check her out, clean her up, weigh her, and make sure she’s breathing well.”
Everyone started talking at once. He heard six pounds one ounce, perfect little girl, look at all that pretty blonde hair, curls, and something about a good APGAR score.
The doctor was still pressing against Bianca’s stomach.
Dr. Weaver nodded to someone. “Okay, we’re ready for baby number two.” A half a minute later, Katie was delivered.
Trapper only caught a glimpse of her, but she looked smaller. He waited. Held his breath. Then he heard it. A cry—a little cry. Not loud like Charlie’s, but it was there. They took longer to suction Katie’s mouth and nose, and she didn’t like it at all. He watched her squirm, her arms flailing. His Katie was fighting the tube they had in her mouth. She had spirit.
Dr. Weaver looked up from the baby. “She’s doing well, Bianca. She’s smaller than the first, but still a good size. She’s breathing on her own.”
“She’s fine, sweetheart.” Trapper wrapped an arm around Bianca’s head and listened.
Five pounds two ounces, same blonde hair, same curls, same perfection, not as large but a good size, APGAR was lower. She was okay though.
A nurse carried his daughter over to him. “Here you go, Dad. Here’s your first little girl. Keep her wrapped up. You can take my word for it—all her fingers and toes are accounted for, but we need to keep her nice and warm now.”
“Okay.”
The nurse handed over the smallest baby Trapper had ever seen—well, okay, Katie was smaller.
“Hey, Charlie. Look at you.” He blinked back tears as he held his little girl so Bianca could see her. “She’s gorgeous, just like her momma.” Then he looked into his daughter’s eyes and couldn’t believe how perfect she was. He remembered seeing Karma and the twins after they were born. They were all red, and their heads were cone-shaped. Charlie was a perfect pink bundle. They had a little pink hat on her head, but it was nice and round and fit perfectly in the palm of his hand. “God, she’s so small.”
Bianca couldn’t do much moving around, but she placed a hand on Charlie’s little body. “She didn’t feel that small.”
Dr. Weaver cleared his throat. “We’re going to start stitching you up now, Bianca.”
“So it’s done? You did the tubal?”
“Yes.”
Tears Trapper knew weren’t happy ones escaped and rolled down Bianca’s cheeks. “Hey, look at what we’ve got. I’m the luckiest man alive.”
“Are you ready for number two, Dad?”
“Oh, yeah. Come here, Katie.”
“We’re just going to take—”
Bianca smiled. “Charlene Ann, but we call her Charlie.”
“Charlie Kincaid—nice name. We’re going to take little Charlie into the nursery while you’re finishing up here and in recovery. The doctor wants to give both babies a thorough once-over.”
“Trapper, go with Charlie and Katie.”
He cradled Katie in his arms. Her face screwed up in a pout that started as a whimper and ended as a cry. He was incredibly happy to hear it. “I don’t want to leave you.”
Bianca put her hand on Katie’s little squirming body. She did not like having her arms inside the blanket. “Go with the babies. I’m fine.”
Trapper looked up at Dr. Weaver. “Bianca’s okay? Her blood pressure—everything. She’s doing well?”
“Bianca’s doing beautifully. All three of your girls are doing better than I could have hoped for.”
“Thank you, Doc.” He got up, holding Katie close to his chest, and did his best not to look at the incision. He tugged his mask down and kissed Bianca. “I love you, sweetheart.”
“I love you too. Take good care of our girls. Don’t leave them, okay?”
“I promise. I’ll be with them the whole time.”
A nurse took Katie from him, and another pulled his mask back up. He watched as the nurses put the babies in little incubators, took one more look at Bianca, and then followed the nurses and babies into the nursery and to the waiting doctors.
Chapter 23
Karma paced the waiting room. God, she ached all over. As soon as she saw Bianca’s water break, she swore she was getting her period—which was weird because it wasn’t due for another week and a half. She grabbed a cup of coffee and downed four Motrin.
“Karma Lynn.” Her mother’s voice rang out across the waiting room. “If you don’t stop pacing, I might just have to duct tape you to a chair.”
“Mom, it’s been an hour. How long does it take to deliver two little babies?”
“As long as it takes.”
For all her huffing, her mom looked just as worried as Karma felt. She just did her worrying sitting down.
As much as Karma hated to admit it, she was as worried about Bianca as she was about the babies. Maybe more so. She’d never seen a woman look worse. If anything happened to Bianca, she wasn’t sure what Trapper would do—he was over the moon for her. She’d never seen anyone fall so far so fast. She’d never seen her big, can-handle-anything-he-man brother look so scared before—not even when Gramps had his heart attack. That alone was enough to scare Karma.
Bianca had really grown on her over the last few months. She wasn’t at all the witch she liked everyone to think she was, and Karma didn’t think that just because Bianca was having her nieces either.
She ignored her mother’s glare and took another turn around the room while she sent up a quick prayer that she was right about Bianca having girls. If not, she was going to lose a shit-ton of money.
After seeing her friends, her brothers, and cousin fall in and out of love over the years, she was glad that she was immune to that kind of thing. Hell, at twenty-six, she’d never been in love. All her friends had. Granted, Mary Claire had only been in love once, but she’d never fallen out of love with Jack, so Karma had to count it. Her friend, Trish, had been in love at least three times, but her love never seemed to take. Still, Trish kept looking for “the one.” All of Karma’s brothers and her cousin Ben were in love, and even with the heartache that came along with it, they happily took to love and marriage. She was happy for them. She just didn’t see it ever happening to her. No, she was too busy to deal with a man full-time. Between the bar and Three French Hens—the store she owned a share of—she didn’t have time to deal with romance. Not if she wanted to make her dreams of franchising Humpin’ Hannah’s a reality. Besides, she’d never met a man she didn’t want to wave good-bye to when she was finished with him. She just hoped that once Trapper talked Bianca into marrying him, Gramps wouldn’t set his sights on getting her hitched. That would definitely be a problem. She’d hate to break her grandfather’s heart, but there was no way any man was going to drag her down the aisle.
