TRIGGER WARNINGS:
EXPLICIT LANGUAGE
SWEARING
VIOLENCE
BLOOD
Lira winced, her face screwing up in pain. "Oh God Enzo do something!" Her voice strained. I quickly tucked away my cock, forgetting what just happened. I held out my hands before putting them back down. What the fuck does she want me to do?
She panted, getting off the bed. "Oh shit is it supposed to hurt this much?!" She groaned. She looked up at me with wet eyes. "I wish my mom was here." She wobbled her lower lip.
"Shh." I reassured, standing, placing a hand onto her back and rubbing it slowly. "Just let them come. You're doing great. Admir's on the way and mom will be back soon."
She nodded slowly before controlling her breathing. I gulped. I didn't know what to do, or how to help her. All I could do was wait with her. "Don't leave me." She whispered.
I kept rubbing her back with one hand and used my other to grab her hand. "I'm not going anywhere." I assured her.
She spent the next hour in complete agony, crying sometimes. I called a doctor over when I grew concerned but again, she still had to wait. Fuck. How long did labour last?
She lay on the bed much calmer now when the doctor gave her some pain relief. Some little strands of her hair had come loose and were now sweat slicked to her forehead. She kept her eyes closed as she breathed through her nose.
I sat by her legs, slowly running my hand up and down her thigh. I'm unsure if it's helping at all but she hasn't kicked me yet.
The door cracked open and mom walked in, with dad in tow. They both looked at Lira. "Is she all right?" Mom asked worried. I nodded. "They've given her some painkillers but she's not dilated enough." I looked between mom and dad.
Dad ruffled his hair, shrugging his shoulders. Mom frowned slightly, before coming up to the bed. She stroked Lira's head, pushing back some of her damp hair. She then walked to the end of the bed. "Call a doctor Ace. Now!" She pointed a finger dads way, which sent dad racing out of the door.
My eyes pulled wide in alarm. "What? What's wrong mom?" I asked quickly, looking at where she looked. "I don't know baby, but I don't think her feet should be that swollen." Mom said and I looked at Lira's feet which were swollen and slightly red.
"What? Is she going to be okay?" I gulped, looking at her dozing form. Quick footsteps entered the room. Dad had got ahold of two doctors, one being the woman who gave her the painkillers.
Both doctors quickly assessed Lira, talking about her condition and what options were best. "Sweetheart wake up. I know it's hard but you need to wake up." Mom said to Lira, urging her to wake up.
Lira blinked her heavy eyes open and looked at me. I instantly held onto her hand, entwining our fingers together. The doctors helped her turn around and called in two nurses. "We're going to need you to push. So relax, deep breaths and push." The doctor said, who was hastily pulling on gloves.
Dad muttered something about going outside to give us privacy so only mom and I were here with Lira. Her shorts were pulled off and she was asked to push. Her legs seemed floppy when they propped them up. "I can't." Lira's voice cracked.
I looked down at her. "You can. You know you can. I love you." I squeezed her hand. She squeezed it back. "I love you." She smiled and something glittered in her eyes.
Her face screwed up as she began pushing. She screamed each time and I hoped that everything was all right. Whimpers left her lips and tears streamed down her face and all I could do was hold her hand.
"We can see the head. Now a big push." The doctor instructed. Lira's legs shook but she took in several deep breaths before pushing. My head began to spin as I watched our baby make it's way out of her.
She let out one final whimper and gritted a scream, crushing my knuckles as she did so. Then the whole room filled with a baby's cry, loud and strong. And everything seemed to go silent. Like it was just her and I and our baby.
I felt her hand slacken in mine. With tears I didn't know I shedded running down my face, I leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Lira you-" I stopped short when I heard the doctors raising their voices.
I shot a look towards our baby and then the puddle of blood between her thighs. Fuck.
Before I could panic and shout at the doctors, mom grabbed my hand. "They know what they're doing." She spoke and pulled me out of the room. I didn't want to leave her.
The hallway was quiet and empty, with only the sounds of my relentless pacing. I kept my fists clenched at my sides, seeing memories of Lira flash before my eyes. They were so sweet but yet so painful. Not right now. I needed her to pull through.
And she looked so weak and exhausted, like she gave her everything. As if that was all she could muster and I know deep down that if that was all she could do, she would gladly sleep. That was what glittered in her eyes, she didn't mind dying.
A figure stepped in my way, someone I didn't even hear approach, not above the roaring of my head. Arms wrapped around me and I felt my shoulders go limp. I hugged dad back, letting myself cry on his shoulder and he didn't pull back, he didn't move because he knew how painful it was. This waiting. She had to be okay.
Everything I was, didn't matter now. She was the only thing that mattered.
I choked back a sob when I saw Raf. He had his hands in his pockets, bowing his head. "I uh don't know what to say but she'll be fine. She'll be back to kicking your ass in no time." He chuckled nervously.
Dad pulled back and I let go of him, wiping my eyes dry. Gulping a tight lump, I inhaled a breath. "What about..what about the baby?" I asked, looking at mom.
She smiled warmly. "It's a boy Enzo and he's healthy." She swiped at her cheek when a lone tear fell. Blinking my eyes, my chest stopped moving. A boy. It was a boy.
The doctors wouldn't let me in to see Lira, not while they stitched her up. She had lost a lot of blood but was lucky that she was at the hospital. They worked on her for almost two hours and then they finally allowed me to see her.
The doctors didn't object when mom, dad and Raf also stepped with me into the room. With the price we were paying for everything, they couldn't say anything to us.
The soft hum of the air conditioning was the only sound. Everything was clean and so ordinary. My eyes darted to Lira, who was asleep, pale and quiet. On her left arm was a IV line, and also one attached to her hand, which was feeding her blood and fluids. Fuck. I hated seeing her like this.
Before I could check on her, a nurse came into the room with a small bundle in her arms. Mom seemed to have gone rigid, holding onto dads arm. I couldn't move. The nurse began talking about the baby's health and if I wanted to hold him. But I couldn't move.
Raf cleared his throat. "Uh I'll hold him." He shrugged his shoulders and so the nurse approached him, telling him to hold his arms out. She set the bundle into his arms and after explaining some more details, she left the room.
Raf was looking down at the baby with such tenderness I hated myself for not being the first one to hold him. But I couldn't, not with Lira so unwell. I needed her. She was my life.
"Give him to me." Mom approached Raf and for a second I wasn't sure that he would let go but he did. Mom's whole demeanour changed. She held the baby naturally, cooing at him as if he were awake. "Hello gorgeous. I'm your nonna, although I prefer Alessia. Come let's meet your daddy." She said quietly.
My eyes went wet again as she walked up to me. "Enzo sit." She ordered and somehow my body listened to her, taking a seat in the chair beside Lira's bed. "She's fine. She will be fine. She will want you to be fine and to take care of this little one. So pull yourself together because you can cry later okay baby." Mom spoke softly.
I nodded and held my arms open and she lay my son into them. He was so small, he hardly weighed anything. Sucking in a breath, I peered down at him. He was beautiful, small but perfect. He gurgled slightly as if he knew I was holding him and in this moment, I knew. I would do anything for him.
I glanced up at mom finally understanding what she meant about dying for me, because I would too. For him I would.
I smiled, holding back tears and looked back down at this tiny boy with a head of dark hair. He had no idea that everyone in this room adored him already. "Hey. I'm your dad." I smiled, lips trembling. He wiggled in my arms and I just couldn't stop staring at him.
Everything in me wanted to tell Lira, to show her, to just hear her say something sarcastic. But she wasn't awake and so all I could do was wait for her while holding our son.
"What's his name?" Raf's voice broke up the quiet in the room. He was on the other side of Lira now, concern etched on his face as he looked down at her. No doubt he was worried for her too.
"Lira and I were going to decide once we saw him." I said quietly, careful not to raise my voice. I wouldn't want to name him without her even though I knew what we chose.
I held him for a while before letting mom hold him once more. Then dad held him and in his gaze was something different to moms. Like he remembered holding me in his arms the day I was born. He brushed his finger, being so gentle, across the baby's cheek. "I guess I'm your grandad little Hernandez."
It was now an hour later and everyone had left, with Raf seeing to some important business. Mom and dad went home to check on Grandad as well as to tell Uncle Kaden and Uncle Mariano the news. Shit, I haven't even told Admir that the baby was born.
I glanced down at him in the cot, watching him sleep so undisturbed. For as long as I breathe, he will be safe.
A creak sounded and I twisted to see the door open. Amidst all the chaos, I hadn't brought any weapons with me, even if the guards were stood just outside the door.
I sighed in relief when I saw Admir step inside, his chest visibly beating hard. With him was Asim who panted softly, rubbing his face.
"Is she all right?" Was the first thing Admir asked before he walked over to his sister. He took in her paleness instead of her usual tanned skin. And he took in the wires attached to her. I swear if I could see it, his heart had probably dropped.
He bent down on one knee and kissed the top of her forehead. He whispered something in Albanian which I didn't catch. I suppose that all he's lived for is her. Everything that he built was for her. And she was his little sister. Asim too came over to Lira and gently kissed her cheek when Admir moved out of the way.
I gave them both a quick run down on what happened and told them that she needed a lot of rest. The faint sound of gurgling stopped us all and Admir went still.
"Is that my nephew?" Asim asked excitedly, already heading over to the cot. He stared down with a broad smile. "You know before I said it was kind of stupid when she got pregnant but I was wrong. He's cute."
Half smiling, Admir went over to see the baby and his eyes sparkled with unshed tears. He reached out a hand. "May I?" He turned to look at me. I nodded and so he gently picked the baby up, being so gentle you'd forget he's killed people with his hands. You'd forget who he was.
The baby fussed in his arms before settling when Admir shushed him, using a tone so soft I think he saved it just for this moment. "Hey there." He cradled the baby properly, holding his head up right. For a moment, he gazed into his eyes. "He reminds me of when Lira was born but he's not crying, not like she was. Yes your mother-your mom was crying non stop." He chuckled.
Asim neared closer to Admir and he asked if he could hold him. The boy eagerly took a seat on a chair beside me, holding out his arms. When the baby was in his hold, he did what I did and could not stop looking.
"Congratulations Vicenzo." Admir said, taking a seat on Lira's bed, careful not to sit on her legs. Cracking a smile, I nodded. "Congratulations to you too. You're an uncle. And you Asim."
Then I saw Admir gulp. "I uh I never thought this would ever happen for her. That she would get it all. You're truly good for her and I know that you'll do everything for her..does he have a name?"
Before I could reply, Lira groaned quietly. My heart stilled entirely as I looked at her. She opened her mouth, breathing in air and then blinked her drowsy eyes open. Her gaze was on Admir. Slowly, tears rolled down her cheeks and she worried her lower lip. This was a little girl looking at her big brother for comfort.
And he did not disappoint.
"Lira Lira shh je ne rregull. Bëhu trim, je kaq e guximshme xixëllonja ime (You're okay. Be brave, you are so brave my firefly)" Admir soothed, smiling at her tightly. He didn't like seeing his sister cry and neither did I.
She released a wavered breath. "Everything hurts. I can't move..I feel so weak and..and." She turned her head to the right and I smiled when caught her eyes. She sniffled. Getting off my chair, I knelt by her bed and brushed back her hair. "It's okay. Just rest beautiful." I hoped my words would somehow soothe her.
I can't imagine the pain she might be in. "Enzo is the baby okay?" She asked, holding her breath, so her voice wouldn't crack. I gulped and nodded, clasping her hand. Turning to look Asim's way, she followed my gaze and shuddered.
"He's healthy Lira. Absolutely perfect." I pulled my lips together, wondering how on earth she made him so perfectly. She choked out a sob finally realising that she had a boy. "I don't..can I see him?"
Asim looked up between Admir and I. To make his choice easier, I picked up my son from his arms and brought him over to Lira. At that exact moment, the doors to the room swung open again, with Raf, mom and dad coming inside. Raf seemed more cleaner somehow but still wore his shorts and T-shirt. In dads hands, he carried bottles of smoothies and snacks, presumably for Lira.
But everyone was silent as Lira beheld her son for the first time. Because she was weak, she couldn't lift her arms so I lay him down onto her chest, still wrapped in his little white blanket, still asleep. She peered down at him and willed a smile on her face.
"Hey. I've been waiting for you. I wish I could hold you." She said quietly. Without her asking, I helped raise her arm and placed it onto him so she could touch him. She looked at me gratefully and slowly rubbed the little bundle. "You really did your worst Thiago." She chuckled lightly.
"Thiago?" Dad spoke. I looked at them all, seeing everyone staring at Lira. My heart leaped and I couldn't keep it to myself any longer. "Everyone, meet Thiago Ferrari Hernandez."
That statement was met with gasps and happy smiles. And Lira just looked down at our son, her little finger being grasped by his hand.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GAHHH 😭
WAAAA 😭
Why is my heart racing?
Stop it's too cute
Bye imma go and drown in my sink