Theodore’s P.O.V
I woke up suddenly, my heart pounding against my sternum and my entire body drenched in cold sweat. Amidst the darkness of the room which was somewhat made less dense by the moonlight streaking through the blinds covering the windows, my hand searched the space right bedside me. A feeling of relief washed over me when my palm made contact with the smoothness of Maya’s arm.
She was sleeping soundly, her body directed in the opposite direction. Her curls were splayed on the pillow beneath her head and soft snores were perfusing through her slightly parted lips. She looked perfectly fine, one hand resting on her now prominent bump and the other tucked at her neck. Then why the hell had I been having this recurring nightmare of her suddenly going into labour?
The first time I had such a dream was about a week ago and the one’s that followed subsequently were just as vivid. They all began with me on my private plane, heading out of the country to finalise some crucial business deal. Halfway through the trip, I’d get a call from someone telling me that Maya had gone into labour, due to some freak accident. I panic, for obvious reasons, and alert my pilot to turn the plane around. But I always end up arriving to a cruel outcome; no baby…and no more Maya.
And heaven knows there is nothing I’m more afraid of in this life time.
When Dana had been pregnant with the twins, I don’t remember being this cautious about their birth. Well, she had made it look relatively easy and her reassurances had helped in subduing any anxiety or fears that anything could go wrong. They arrived two days before their due date, but there were no complications at all.
With Maya, I’ve learned that pregnancy is a very scary thing. First, it was the terrible morning sickness she had to endure, which made me feel very helpless. Seeing her hunched over the toilet for weeks on end…that shit hurt to watch. When it finally went away, I was very happy, happier than her it seemed because all she did was laugh if off. Like she hadn’t almost vomited her intestines out at some point.
Then came the gestational hypertension, which was another type of torture. The onset of it was immediate and unforeseen, but when it hit, it hit pretty damn hard. I panicked when she ended up in the hospital on one working day, with a reading of 150/100 mm Hg. The risks associated with it were even scarier; less blood flow to the placenta, low birth weight or premature birth. Now, there really is no known cause for this type of hypertension, but I chose to believe it had to do with her cut throat working environment which led to me ultimately requesting she stay at home for the rest of her last trimester.
For the last couple of weeks, things have been fairly quiet. I leave the house around ten and make sure to be back before six, because I just cannot be away from her for too long. It helps to soothe my worries knowing that my mother, Ann and when the twins are around, help to keep an eye on her. But Maya being Maya, she gets so pissed that we’re treating her like an invalid. And she makes sure to echo her views whenever she gets the chance, which has resulted in me receiving a few slaps and punches. Not to mention the torture of going on late night craving runs.
I have to say, I’ve never quite experienced anything like this before.
But Maya is my queen, and I’d do anything for her…even if she doesn’t appreciate it at times.
Exhaling audibly, I wound my arm around her frame and pulled her closer to me, placing a lingering kiss on the crook of her neck. She stirred a bit at my touch, before releasing a low groan. “You okay, Theodore?” she mumbled sleepily, nuzzling her head against my chest.
“Just another nightmare,” I replied in a far-off voice, my heart rate starting to wane down. For a second there, I thought I would be going into cardiac arrest.
Squinting her eyes open, she turned her head to look at me. “The same one?” she asked, and I hummed in response. Moving up, she reached over to the bedside lamp on her side and flicked it on. The room became less dim and I could see the concern on her gorgeous face. “Why have you been having these dreams?”
I too sat up and ran a hand through my damp hair in frustration. I wish I could respond to her question, since I’d wondering about it too. I couldn’t just rule it off as my sub conscience playing tricks on me, this is a freaking premonition. I’m not really a superstitious guy, but I do believe in the power of prophetic dreams, as funny as it might sound.
Seeing my inner turmoil, she scooted closer to me, taking my hand in hers and using her other one to cup my cheek. “There’s nothing to worry about, my love. Everything’s going to be alright,” she cooed at me, her voice angelic. And yet, my frigging nerves wouldn’t calm down.
I leaned into her touch and squeezed her hand. “What if it’s not going to be okay, huh Maya? I’ve never been this on edge before, and I don’t think those nightmares mean nothing? Don’t you understand that I cannot lose you or this baby,” I murmured lowly, my voice unrecognisable with anguish. I’m not one to express my feelings most of the times, but this time around, I couldn’t contain the agony of such a notion running through my mind every other hour.
This time she used both her hands to make me face her. I could sense that my rather insensitive words had affected her too, judging by the watery rim surrounding her lower lids. Her lips were quirked upwards in a sad smile. “I know you’re scared; hell, I’m scared too. But there really is no reason for us to be. I’m fine, our son is fine, the twins are fine. We’re fine because we have you, and we will always be together no matter what,” she affirmed courageously, rubbing the sides of my face with her thumbs.
Dipping my head forward, I connected my lips with hers. As usual, she quickly reciprocated and allowed my tongue to explore with no hindrances. It’s funny how just a few meaningful words can make all the fears and insecurities fade away, like they weren’t even there in the first place. I roamed my hands on her golden-brown thighs, eliciting a delightful moan from her.
She moved backwards, her fingers trailing into my hair. Her eyes were fully dilated and hooded, and I bet mine didn’t look any different. “Knowing you, a kiss isn’t the only thing you want right now, is it?” she questioned with a tiny smirk. This woman knows me too well.
Inching my hands up higher underneath her nightdress, I clasped her hips and gave them a squeeze. The small action made her bite her lip and something within me stirred. I might sound like a hormonal teenage boy, but there will never be a moment when I don’t want to feel her bare body pressed against mine, reaching new heights of ecstasy with every single stroke.
“Only if you’re willing to,” I replied calmly, but she could read me like a novel. It was long before the lights were off again, along with our clothes and undergarments.
***
“You know I don’t have to go, right? I can always get other clients better than them,” I said, stressing just how reluctant I was to fly across the globe just to close this deal.
Maya gave me a stern looking, crossing her arms. “You’ve been trying to land this for years, and now you’re willing to let it slip past your fingers? I won’t allow it,” she replied fiercely, even shaking her head vehemently.
So, I’d been wanting to have my business expand all the way to Japan for quite a while now. I’d been pursuing a project with a certain Japanese mogul who wanted to construct a dam, which is a pretty sweet deal. But he’d scheduled an abrupt meeting, saying that he wanted to go into business with my company, which mean I had to fly out there as soon as possible. The exact opposite of what I want.
Especially now that my son’s due date is six days from now.
I sighed and took a seat on the edge of the bed. “Maya I can’t-,” she cut me off with her hand, disappearing into the walk-in-closet and reappearing with a suitcase, that she rolled in front of me.
“I packed for you as soon as you told me about it over the phone. NO excuses, Theodore. You better get your ass on that plane, and go get that deal,” she said with a pointed look.
I laughed, despite myself. “I’ve never heard you talk like that to me, it’s a turn on,” I told her truthfully, earning me an eye roll. Standing up once again, I stepped closer to her and wrapped my arms around her. “You know I don’t want to leave you right now.
She reciprocated my hug and began to rub circles on my back. “I know, but I also don’t want you to miss out on this wonderful opportunity. Plus, you’ll be there for three days max. I’m due in almost a week. I trust you’ll be back in time,” she said.
If I kept arguing with her, it wouldn’t end well so I conceded. After being wrapped up in each other’s arms for a few more minutes, I bent down until I was at eye level with her belly. “Don’t you dare go anywhere until I get back,” I warned playfully, before kissing it. Maya giggled at my antics, running the tips of her finger through my hair.
“He won’t. We will both be here when you get back.”
I straightened up. “Promise?”
She nodded with a grin. “Promise.”
As I let Maya, the twins and my mother see me off, I forced myself to smile at them. After giving precise instructions for them to not take their eyes off Maya, they practically shooed me away without so much as a goodbye. Settling in my car, I waved at them through the window, memorising all of their faces, especially my wife’s. The duration of the drive to my private hangar, I busied myself with my emails and liaising with my team that had already taken off for Japan.
It wasn’t long before my Gulfstream G800 was airborne, and it was now a fait accompli from then onwards. I tried to distract myself as much as I could with project details, fine tweaking them and adding in a few titbits. Some five hours into the flight, when I was refreshing a glass of scotch the unthinkable happened. I received a WhatsApp call from Aiden, which if I’m being honest, never really happens. Right away, I knew something was wrong and I picked it up with my hand shaky.
“Dad! Maya fell down the stairs and went into labour. We’re rushing her to the hospital right now,” Aiden’s voice blasted through the ear piece, very nearly bursting my tympanic membrane.
For a few seconds, I forgot how to breathe. I could feel blood rushing to my ears and my heart almost imploding. The rage I felt came at one go, that it had me thinking that blood would shoot out of my nose. I gripped the phone so hard as I pressed it against my ear that I was surprised it didn’t crack. “How did that happen? Weren’t you supposed to be watching her?” I growled darkly, dark spots tainting my peripheral vision. I know I shouldn’t be blaming anyone, but honestly, how could this have happened? My worst nightmare is becoming a reality.
When he didn’t respond, I ended the call there and then. Tossing my phone onto the seat beside me, I shot up out of my seat and marched to the cockpit, startling the flight attendants along the way. The co-pilots were having an amicable chat whilst keeping their eyes trained on the sky, which was slowly dimming down.
“Turn this plane around right now,” I commanded fiercely, and there was no room for discussion in my tone. Both of them jumped back upon hearing my voice, before one of them, Geoffrey, turned to look at me in surprise.
“But sir, we’re halfway there-,”
Grabbing the back of his collar, I leaned down until my lips were right next to his ear. “Did that sound like a fucking suggestion? It was an order. Take me back to London, right now,” I barked harshly, eliciting an audible gulp. Releasing him, I glared at both of them and returned to my seat.
The next couple of hours proved to be the worst time of my life.
I sat there, watching as each minute passed by agonisingly slowly, my phone perched on my lap as I was kept up to speed by my mother. This is exactly what I had wanted to avoid in the first place, but she assured me that the first stage of labour can last up to 19 hours, which would give me ample time to get there. I at least got to speak to Maya, who was in a lot of pain by the sound of it. The fall she took plus the contractions, I could easily tell that she wasn’t taking it very well. I tried my best to soothe her, to calm her with my words, which got her a little bit distracted.
I still hadn’t gotten an answer as to how she had fallen down the stairs, but when I do find out, there will be hell to pay. I also called Mr. Gushiken to let him know that I couldn’t attend that meeting due to unforeseen circumstances. He was surprisingly understanding about it, and said that I should contact him as soon as I’m available once more. Although this deal was officially postponed, I was willing to lose it. I don’t care about my business that I’d put it over my family.
“How are you holding up, baby?” I asked Maya, massaging a knot that had formed in my neck.
She laughed, but it came out rather strangled. “Not any better than I was when you asked me ten minutes ago. Relax, Theodore. You sound more nervous than me and I’m the one about to pop out a human out of my area,” she joked light heartedly, and I cracked a smile at this.
“Knowing how you are helps make me stay sane. It’s bad enough that I’m not there with you right now,” I pointed out gloomily.
She sighed, and I could hear shuffling on her end. A groan escaped her lips a second later. “I-it’s not your fault. I was going down the stairs to grab some water from the kitchen, when I suddenly felt weak. The next thing I know, I’m tumbling down and I swear I saw stars,” she whispered sadly, her voice cracking with raw emotion. It was silent for a few seconds before I heard a sob. “I’m sorry, Theo. I didn’t mean-,”
I shushed her gently, fisting my hand due to a surge anger because I couldn’t console her physically. “Darling, don’t cry. It’s not your fault and I certainly don’t blame you. You heard what the doctor said, the baby’s vitals are fine and all the fall did was get you into an onset of early labour. Nothing to worry about. Besides, I will be there to help you through this,” I assured her in a soft voice, but her sobs continued.
Temporarily diverting my attention from my wife, I called one of the flight attendants and told him to ask how much longer before we reached Heathrow. He returned a minute later, alerting me that we were about thirty minutes out. I sighed in relief, satisfied with knowing that I wouldn’t have to endure this inexplicable torture for much longer.
As soon as the jet hit the runway and became stationery, I was out of the door before anybody could blink. I’d notified my driver, Oliver, to be waiting for me earlier on so it came as no surprise that he had the Rolls Royce waiting for me not too far from where my plane had landed. I’d long discarded my suit jacket and tie. I’m pretty sure I looked like I’d just walked out of a tornado with how wild my hair was, sticking out in various ends.
Sliding into the vehicle, he sped off with no need for me to tell him to do so. He knew how dire this situation was, and I really liked just how loyal he had been throughout the years. Half an hour later, he pulled up to the front of Portland Hospital.
Rushing past the front door without so much as a care for who was watching, I marched up to the reception area probably looking like I was possessed or something. The nurse there did a double take, and stepped back in apprehension. “Can I help you sir?” she questioned warily, running her eyes over me in intrigue.
“Where can I find Maya Duke?” I fired desperately. She moved to her computer before giving me her room number. I mumbled a rapid thanks before sprinting past her to find my wife. I took the stairs, until I reached her floor. Soon enough, I had arrived at her door and did not hesitate to pull it open.
My mother, Aiden and Brianna were all by her side, along with two medical personnel. Maya was in the middle of a contraction, her face scrunched up in anguish, but when her eyes met mine, I saw her eyes flash with joy. “Y-you made it,” she exhaled and I was by her side very fast.
I placed a kiss on her forehead, cupping her face in her palms. “Damn right I did.”
Early the next day, we welcomed our baby boy into the world. Maya had been a champion throughout and having held her hand the entire time, the satisfaction of hearing that first cry made my heart swell with happiness. When the little being with skin this is the lightest shade of brown, and the signature Duke eyes was handed over to me…a lone tear escaped my eyelid.
“He’s beautiful,” Maya gasped, a lazy smile playing at her lips. She sounded exhausted and her hair was sleek against her forehead with sweat.
I nodded in agreement, wiping the traitorous tear away. “Just like his mother,” I said earnestly, briefly glancing at her. He was so tiny, his small lips twisting and moving about. I touched his nose with my index finger, making him catch it in between his little fist. That has to be the cutest thing I’ve seen in a long time.
“What are we going to call him? We never did get about to deciding a name,” Maya indicated insightfully. It was true, we really hadn’t decided on a name, but I did have one in mind.
“How about Chance?” I suggested, looking at her to see what she thought. She remained quiet for some time, privately contemplating whether it was a good enough name or not.
She nodded her head in approval. “I like it. Has a nice ring to it,” she giggled contentedly.
I trained my attention back to my new born son. Dammit, it was hard not to want to stare at him. The little munchkin was just too adorable, but I could tell that one day, this boy will undoubtedly be a little trouble maker. His big blue eyes gazed at me in curiosity, and I beamed at him.
“Welcome to the madness, Chance Duke.”
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Hi guys. How is everyone doing? Good I hope.
Remember when I said I would write another bonus chapter.... I'm so glad I was able to finish it. Again, it took two days to write and this is the end result. Hope it didn't disappoint.
Was is good? Enjoyable? Fun to read?
Any favourite moments?
This one is actually longer than the last one😅...
Anyways, I'll be out of your hair...for now. Vote, comment and share. Sorry if there are any typos.
See you never (just kidding),
~Deetronite.