ASHANTI
10 hours later...
The pain was beyond excruciating now.
It was like the epidural wore off for me because the contractions were coming subsequently frequent and lasting longer than before.
Nobody ever told me that it takes this fucking long for a baby to come out.
Like I knew it was gonna hurt, but goddamn.
I took a few deep breaths as another contraction hit.
"Oh my god! Why couldn't I get you pregnant?!," I screamed as I squeezed the life out of his hand.
He kissed my forehead and whispers, "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I wish I could have this baby for you, but you are strong enough to get through this."
The nurse waltzed in and performed the 20th cervix exam.
"It looks like you are ready to give birth," she says with a smile as if that would make me feel better or make the pain go away.
The nurses wheeled me into the delivery section as I saw Lamonte keeping up with them, staying by my side to the best of his ability.
Lamonte put on scrubs as well as the nurse and the doctor that assisted me through the pregnancy.
He held my hand once again and placed chaste, demonstrative kisses to my forehead and my lips as he spoke, "I love you more than anything and I'm so proud of you for getting to this point. Now, it's time for us to meet our baby and share the love we have for one another."
"I love you," I mumbled against his lips before another contraction hit and the doctor told me to push.
I continued to push for what felt like days, but it was just an hour.
Soon, I heard the muffled cries of my baby.
Lamonte showered me in kisses and there was nothing more satisfying than seeing the beautifully bright smile that covered his face.
"It's a girl!," Dr. Walker exclaimed as our baby's cries filled the room.
Lamonte cut the umbilical cord while the doctor held our baby.
The doctor handed the nurse our baby and it felt like my heart was leaping out of my chest when she wasn't in sight anymore, but she soon returned with my baby wrapped in a pink blanket.
The nurse handed Lamonte our baby and he stared at her with such loving eyes.
He knelt in front of me to show our baby's beautiful features.
She was so pink, tiny, eyes closed, and came out with a head full of soft, curly black hair just like her daddy.
She looked so cute curled up in her father's arms and it made me swoon helplessly.
I held her as if she was the most delicate thing in the world, which she is.
I kissed her forehead and her tiny little fingers, just for her to show me a little smile and showing me those beautiful brown eyes for just a second before closing them again.
"We're going to take her to get checked up. In the meantime, get some rest and I'll be back to show you how to properly feed," Dr. Walker said reassuringly as she handed our baby to her assistant nurse.
Soon after they left, I felt myself drift off into a deep sleep.
LAMONTE
Our baby girl is so beautiful.
I fell in love with her the moment I laid my eyes on her.
The nurse took her to get checked up and by the time I looked over, Ashanti was fast asleep.
I placed a soft peck on her lips before I exited the room and went to go talk to our awaiting family.
As soon as I exited the room, everyone rose to their feet in expectancy.
"It's a girl!," I exclaimed proudly with a cheeky smile.
They all jumped for joy and started hugging one another.
Laviere and Ajax leaped in my arms and hugged me with all their might, scaring me half to death. "We're so proud of you, brother," Laviere spoke with adoration in her voice. "You are going to be a great father and husband," Ajax states as he pats my back gently.
My parents walk up to me and pull me in a tight embrace. My mom was the first to break the silence with sniffles, "My baby is all grown up..." She sobs some more before continuing, "Make sure you bring our granddaughter over. I won't keep you, son, I just love you so much." She kisses my cheek as I say, "I love you too, mom." My mom walks off and my dad daps me up and whispers, "I'm proud to call you my son." With that, my dad walks off to console my mother as Ashanti's parents approached me.
"Is my daughter okay?," her mother asked.
"Yes, she's just sleeping right now," I say with a smile knowing that Ashanti just gave birth to our beautiful baby girl.
"I'm going to say this... I don't like the idea of my daughter getting married to you and having had your child when we've only met you once at the baby shower. I don't think you're good enough for my daughter, and if you hurt her, I'll do more than hurt you."
Her mother stared at me with these hateful eyes, shooting daggers that she thought would cut deep, but they just skimmed the surface if that.
"Mrs. Clare, with all due respect, I don't give a fuck what you think about your daughter and I. She's going to be my wife and she's the mother of my child. You have no say in our relationship or her life because you were never there for her in the first place as you should've been," I say with a completely straight face.
Her mother scrunched up her face in distaste while Mr. Clare pursed his lips together to keep from laughing.
"You little son of a—."
"I'm sorry if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to my wife."
Ana stopped me in my path before I could move any further.
"You good? What was going on with you and her mom?," obviously sensing the tension that clouded the atmosphere.
"She doesn't like me," I said simply with a shrug of my shoulders and my face as unbothered as it could've possibly been in that moment. "We got into an argument about Ashanti, that's all."
"Is she okay in there?," she questions, concerned about her best friend, completely disregarding the previous conversation.
"Yes. She's strong," I say with a smile, thinking about how wonderfully she did.
"I know she is," she mumbled the first part under her breath. "Just go take care of her, alright?"
She brought me in an embrace before maneuvering her way back to Ajax.
I glanced back out at the family from my peripheral, and I observe her mother shooting daggers with her eyes as if she wished she could kill me with just one look.
It was almost hysterically pleasing that she believes she could ever scare me away from the woman that just gave birth to my beautiful daughter, the woman that I love, and the woman that I could never live without again.
I walk back to the room without entertaining anyone's bullshit.
Ashanti is still sleeping peacefully and I couldn't help but admire her. She looked so damn beautiful, I couldn't help but stare.
I sat by her side and took a hold of her hand to kiss her soft knuckles.
She stirred awake and I felt terrible, I couldn't imagine how much pain or how tired she is right now.
"Hi, wifey," I say in a hushed tone.
"I'm not your wife, yet. What if I change my mind?," she says groggily rubbing her eyes.
"You're going to be my wife. You already know if you try to leave, I'll hunt you down. You're stuck, baby girl." I look at her in all seriousness as a small giggle escaped her lips.
Her giggling seized once she looked upon my face and saw how deadly serious my facade was.
"Are you serious?," she looked shocked as if she didn't know this already.
I nodded my head as we both bust out in a fit of laughter before it became too much for her body to handle.
"You can't make me laugh like that," she says pushing her head back in the pillow, clear discomfort etched onto her face.
"I'm sorry, baby."
I held her hand tightly, giving her all the reassurance she needed.
I will do everything in my power to always make her feel secure, I'll never have her looking stupid, I can't do that, not again.
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