The Rivalry

The Rivalry: Epilogue

I counted the number of wood planks in the floor for the ninth time as I paced back and forth. How long had it been?

"Grant, you are going to tire yourself out man," Roren said from the loveseat next to the fire. He had been sitting with me through this entire time.

"Nonsense. I cannot sit down! I don't know what is going on in there!" I said as I pointed to the door that lead to the hallway. Across the hallway was the door that lead to where my wife was.

"You did it to her, mate," he said as he chuckled. I shot him a glare as I ran my fingers through my hair.

What if everything wasn't going as it should? Did it always take this long? The midwife and Lynnae's mother, along with Vivian were the only ones in the room. The men weren't allowed to be in the room for the birthing process. I was half grateful for that. Grateful because I did not want to see my wife's face twist in pain from the contractions but on the other side, I wanted to be able to try and comfort her. But to be honest, I was terrified. What if the child wasn't alright? What if something happened to Lynnae?

It had all happened so quickly.

"Grant, would you like to visit Shelisaere today? I am in the mood to see what baubles Jerrica has for me," she said as she smiled, her eyes lighting as she did so.

"Of course, love," I said as I pressed my lips to her forehead and rest a hand upon her swollen belly. It was still amazing to me, that her abdomen was swollen with my life. I couldn't wait to meet the little one.

She smiled slightly as I wound my arm around her side, helping her along. Her walk had become more of a wobble lately, as she was very close to her term. She was glowing with a new light and had never looked so beautiful to me as she did these past few weeks. It was easy to tell that she was completely ecstatic, an easy smile always rest upon her lips. I will never take for granted her beauty and grace.

We were slowly walking down the corridor before I heard her gasp and an instant later she was half bent over, clutching her belly with one hand, and grasping my arm with the other, her skirts wet.

"Lynnae?!" I asked as I held onto her arm, holding her up.

"Oh!" She gasped as another spasm ripped through her body.

"We need the midwife! It's nearly time," she said as she looked up at me and smiled, her eyes crinkled as she fought against a contraction.

I laughed to myself as I remembered how she was so calm, so collected. I had expected her to be frazzled, but she wasn't. She held her composure, as always.

Today my wife would bore me my first child. Today, I would get the family I never thought I would have. Just months ago you could have asked me if I would ever be married and with a child, I would have scoffed in your face. I would have denied ever needing another soul in this life. I would have vehemently refused even the idea of a family.

Now, I could not imagine my life any other way. I could not imagine my existence without Lynnae.

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"Push, dear! You're almost there!" The midwife, Molly, said to me urgently. I nodded and gritted my teeth against the pain. I squeezed the fabric of my sheer white gown that was pulled up above my stomach with all of my strength, hoping in vain to transfer some of the pain into it.

I could feel my entire face scrunch up and I locked my jaw against the scream that was threatening to rip through my mouth as I tensed my lower half and pushed against the wall that was separating my child from this life.