I SIGH OUT heavily and lean back into the uncomfortable chair. My head rolls to the side and I rest it on Levi's shoulder as we sit side by side in the hospital waiting room.
We had all followed Vera and the ambulance hear. And by we I mean everyone. The two female workers from Dairy Queen, Lucinda and even the Officer McKenna who was given the rest of his night off after bragging to his captain that he just delivered a baby.
Levi got to ride in the front of his car and had the lights going. It was really cute.
Mom, David and Michael had shown up about the same time we did. Now we were all just chilling in the waiting room, eagerly standing by for a nurse to come out and give us an update on the baby. Because Stella was three weeks early, they needed to do a couple more tests on her to make sure she's okay.
We were all worried but excited nonetheless. I glance around the waiting slowly. There were a couple other people in hear two. There was a son and his parents sitting on the other side of the room with the boy holding onto his hand that was wrapped in a dish cloth.
There was also a guy in hear with burns on his anus because he stuck a firecracker up his ass. I couldn't stop laughing when he was yelling at the nurse. I think he blew both his eardrums out too.
The double doors burst open and four familiar bodies rush in. I throw myself out of the chair as they all spot me and run over.
"Is she okay?" Penn questions as she reaches me first.
"How's the baby?" Chase asks next.
"Is she cute?" Noah burst with a smile, still dressed in his disco gear. I grab a hold of Penn's hands as I smile softly at all of them.
"Vera's fine and so is the baby." I explain as everyone sighs heavily in relief, "Her name is Stella."
"She was named after me!" The dairy queen worker announces as we all glance over at her. Her friend Mari rolls her eyes while shaking her head.
"Hay, who are these people? And why is there a cop?" Penn question while lowering her voice. I chuckle and shake my head.
"Long story." I say as I walk back over and take my seat next to Levi. Penn, Noah, Chase and Emily all take up the seats in front of us. I glance at Noah who was busy reading a magazine on elderly health that he somehow obtained, "Tonight has been so fucking crazy that I'm not even sure if I'm awake right now."
"Did you actually deliver her?" Penn questions as she folds one leg over the other.
"Yup." I nod with pursed lips, "It was disgusting."
"Hayden! Birth is a beautiful thing." My mother gasps as she whacks my arm. I flinch away with a confused frown as everyone laughs at me.
"There were so many...liquids." I screw my nose up as everyone groans in disgust. I laugh evilly, "Aha! I'm not going to suffer with these images on my own people."
While everyone chuckles again, my eyes glance at Chase who was staring at me with a fond smile. It made my skin tingle but then I quickly reminded my skin that we were angry and him and the only thing it should be tingling for is to punch him in the throat.
It was almost midnight now and I could tell everyone was tired. People were either on their phones or reading magazines; like Noah who was very interested in a tabloid about elderly health.
"You can take the afro off now, Noah." I point out as he glances up at me from the shiny pages.
"No I can't." He shakes his head with a blank face, "I used super glue so now it is apart of me. It shall live on my head forever."
I tilt my head back and laugh along with everyone else just as a Nurse walks through the doors and glances over at us.
"Hayden Jones?" She questions as everyone goes quiet and I stand up, "Your fiancee would like to see you know."
"Fiancee?" Everyone seems to ask in unison. I smirk as I walk backwards while following the nurse.
"Hell yes." I say with a cheeky grin, "It made all the visiting details easier.'
Everyone rolls their eyes at me with amused grins as I turn around and skip after the nurse. She leads me through the double doors, down the hall and into the elevator. We ride it up to the seventh floor which I know where the private rooms are.
She leads me to a room that was honestly bigger than my apartment back in Rhode Island. It was so quiet when O open the door and for some reason, I held my breath. I'm a fucking idiot.
"Hi." Vera smiles lazily at me from the bed as I tip toe inside.
"Hey, mama." I smile at her as I float over towards her bed. She looked more calm but that was probably due to the many drugs she was most likely on. According to the nurse, Vera needed to be sewn up down there with a few stitches. "How are you feeling?"
"Tired as fuck." She explains as I scoff. She then rolls her head to the other side and glances down at the plastic cot on the other side of the bed that held a very snuggly burrito. "This little lady just needed to take all the attention and my energy too."
I giggle as I go to move around the bed, "Can I hold her?"
"Of course." Vera nods her head as I quickly make my way over to her. I slowly pick her up and Vera starts to direct me, "The nurse said to hold her head like this—yup and with you other arm cradle her body like that—there we go."
"Hello Stella." I whisper down at the sleeping baby. I subconsciously begin to sway as I hold her little life in my arms. I fix the wrapped blanket around her face and it must've woken her because her eyes open. I gasp slightly as I notice the bright blue color, "Oh my, look at those eyes!"
"They're exactly like Sam's." Vera explains as I glance up at her to see a sad, solemn expression on her face. Stella had all of Vera's attributes—the golden skin and the dark curly hair—except the eyes. There were a gorgeous glassy blue.
"You hit the genetic jackpot, didn't you?" I chuckle just as Stella's tiny little hand wraps around my finger and my heart was just about ready to burst. I pout at her cuteness, "She's amazing, V."
Vera snorts, "She's a shrivelled prune is what she is."
"That's what I was gonna say." I say truthfully as Vera tilts her head back and laughs gently.
"But she's my shrivelled prune." Vera mumbles as I glance up from the baby to the mother, "I think I'm gonna keep that one."
My smile grows, "Really?"
"Before I had no clue what I was going after labor. But the second I saw her something inside me just...clicked. She's apart of me now and I don't want to let that go." Vera explains as my eyes start to water. She groans as her smile grows, "Don't fucking cry Hayden because you're going to make me cry."
"I'm sorry I can't help it." I sniffle while glancing back down at Stella, "I hope you know how loved you are, little bug. Everyone is so excited to meet you."
She stares up at me with those beautiful bright eyes and I'm instantly reminded about Sam. I didn't want to stress Vera out at the moment so I don't bring the topic of him up.
After I spent a little more time with Stella, I start bringing people up one by one. First it was Penn and my mother, then David and Michael and so on. Spencer had arrived, wrapped in yellow police tape, while his boyfriend was wrapped in a twister mat.
Soon, Vera's large room was filled with everyone meeting the baby. Even Officer McKenna came up. My mother, being the person she is, asks the nurse to take a picture of all of us. It must've been the craziest picture ever. From Noah's afro, to Spencer's costume, to the policeman.
We all gathered around Vera's bed while she held a sleeping Stella in her arm and we all smiled widely for the camera.
This was going to be one hell of a story to tell when Stella gets older.
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Slowly, one by one, everyone said their goodbyes to Stella and left. It was hard to take all three boys away from Stella. They all seemed to love and adore her. It was so cute and it made my heart ache seeing Chase hold Stella. He was so caring and loving and kind.
Noah kept whispering to Stella that he didn't actually have an afro as if she was judging him because of it.
Soon, it was just Vera, Stella and I . Vera had passed out due to it being almost 4 in the morning and I took a seat on the comfy armchair facing the bed while holding Stella in my arms. I couldn't get over her, she was too perfect.
"You are going to have such an awesome life, Stella." I whisper to her as I caress her soft, red cheek with my finger, "I could be holding the future president right now. Or, y'know a criminal. But I wouldn't love you any different."
Oh god. Was I really saying this to a baby who was only a few hours old? Great job, Hayden.
The door to Vera's room slams open and I jump in fright. A heavily panting Sam stood in the door way, slightly wet from the rain outside, while a Nurse shouts at him from behind. Vera stirs awake on the the bed and frowns at the intrusion.
Sam didn't seem to hear the nurse behind him as he marches into the room, looking incredibly pissed.
"What. The. Fuck?" Sam questions as he long legs carry him from the door to Vera's bed in a damn second.
Vera pushes up from her laid out position, "Well, hello to you too Samuel."
"I go on a business trip to Naples then return a few days later only to find that you've packed up and ran away from me. I've spent the last couple weeks and long, sleepless nights trying to track you down. Then I get a phone call six hours ago saying you're giving birth in the middle of a Dairy fucking Queen parking lot?" Sam explains and I could basically feel the anger and confusion rolling off him in waves.
"Who called you?" Vera questions as she runs a hand through her curly hair.
"Levi." Sam answers honestly, "But he was more interested in telling me about the flavour of ice cream he ate."
I laugh lightly at yet another classic Levi thing to doo. It was pretty good ice cream though, I must admit. He shared it with me as we waited downstairs in the waiting room.
"I got on my private jet the second I hung up and flew here. I have no clothes, no wallet, my phone's dead and I'm only wearing one sock." Sam lists as I can't help but snort at his situation, "So, I ask again Vera Miller, what the fuck?"
"...Surprise?" Vera offers with a sheepish smile.
Sam grins widely as he swoops down and wraps Vera up in his arms. He presses his lips to hers as Vera wraps her arms around his neck. They begin to passionately make up for the lost time between them.
I glance down at Stella and cover her eyes, "I will not let them scar you so soon, little bug."
After I let them reunite for a few more seconds, I clear my throat and stand up. Sam glances over his shoulder at me and his eyes drop to the bundle of joy in my arms.
"Sam, would you like to meet your daughter?" I ask softly, not wanting to freak him out just yet. I'm sure this is quite confronting, realising that there's a whole new human being that half of you.
Sam glances between Vera and I. He grins, "Daughter?"
I nod my head as I pass Stella down to him. Vera helps him hold her properly and Sam goes silent as he stares down at her.
I glance at Vera, "You guys have a lot to talk about. I'm just going to grab something to eat."
Vera gives me a fond smile which I return before grabbing my phone from the armchair and quietly leaving the room. I walk down the hall towards the elevator and stumble when I see a familiar face walking towards me.
"What are you doing here, Everett?" I questions as he meet each other in the middle of the hallway. It was so bright in here and it was reflecting off the white floors and white walls.
He gestures to the large bag in his hand, "David was going to bring you girls some fresh clothes but I offered instead."
"Great. Thanks." I smile as I take the bag from him. He stares down at me and I keep my expression blank, "You can go now."
We glare at each other for a while, both of us just waiting for the other to make a move. I do it first and I got to walk away but he stops me.
"Finish your sentence." Chase says as he clenches his jaw. I glance around, noticing only a few nurses coming in and out of rooms. Of course he wants to do this now at four in the morning.
"I told you, I can't remember it." I shrug arrogantly as Chase rolls his eyes.
"Bullshit, Jones." He scoffs before grabbing my wrist and pulling me into a less crowded hallway. I rest back against the wall, fold my arms and tilt my chin up slightly in defiance, "I have been going out of my goddamn mind, Hayden. I can't sleep because all I can fucking think of is you. Please. I have waited too damn long to hear the words you were going to say."
"Well, you sure couldn't wait to go on a date with Emily could you?" I scoff as Chase frowns again in confusion, "Why did you agree to go out with her when you knew I was so fucking close to telling you how I felt."
"What?" Chase scoffs and shakes his head, "Jones, I agreed to go out with her weeks ago. Remember? She wanted to thank me for saving her? I suggested that we go with Noah and Penn so it would make things more casual. Obviously that was a fucking bad idea."
"But she said..." I trail off before shaking my head, "Look, it doesn't matter what she said. The point is that I can't tell you."
Chase steps forward and grabs onto my waist, "Why?"
He swoops down as his lips brush mine slightly. I grip onto the material of his shirt and lean into his touch. My mind is instantly covered in a thick haze and all I could think was him.
"Jones, come back to me." He whispers against my lips as his eyes flicker to mine and I suck in a sharp breath.
"Chase," I say trying to keep my words steady and not as shaky as they sounded, "I can't."
He freezes as he stares at me with no expression at all. Then, a dark smirk forms on his hips as he scoffs, "Okay, Hayden."
He then drops his hands from my waist, turns and walks off. I drop the bag from my hand as I stare up at the ceiling trying to keep my tears back. I was so torn between doing what's right and following my heart.
I was so damn lost. I kept coming back to the same question; do I risk it? I knew what Thomas would do if he found out we were back together. And I also knew what Chase would do if he heard what Thomas did. I should just let him go and move on with my life. Right?
...Fuck it.
I push off the wall and take off into a sprint down the hall. My converse slap on the linoleum flooring and I head to the elevator. It was on floor 2 and I knew it would take a while so quickly changing course, I head for the stairs.
My steps loudly echo as I race down them, somehow managing to not trip which was by far a damn miracle. I quickly make it to the ground floor and I burst from the stairwell door, frightening a nurse who was standing on the other side.
"Shit, sorry." I mutter before racing past. I stumble into the main hallway of the hospital, just in time to see Chase's large body walking out into the parking lot.
I sprint after him, through the sliding doors and out into the pouring rain. My clothes instantly get soaked and my hair becomes plastered to my head. It wasn't the cute, cliche rain that I would've pictured. It was the tail end of the storm we were experiencing and it was still pretty harsh.
The chilly wind bites at my exposed skin and the rain felt like bullets on my skin. But I didn't give a shit.
"Chase!" I shout as I run after him into the dark. "Chase! Please stop!"
"Why?!" He shouts over his shoulder at me, not bothering to turn around as he walks between two cars. I come to a stop a few feet from him.
"Because I love you, you fucking asshole!" I reply back an Chase's instantly stops in his stride. I had to shout even louder because of the noise of the storm. Chase slowly turns around and I noticed how drenched he was as well.
His hair fell down in front of his eyes as he stared at me, "...What?"
"You want me to finish my sentence? Okay!" I say as I gesture my arms violently, "I love you Chase Everett. I've never stopped loving you. In fact, I don't think I ever could. The very thought of it makes my heart squeeze and crack and I feel—"
Chase takes a few steps forward and grabs a hold of my face. He presses his lips to mine passionately and eagerly. My arms instantly wrap around his neck as I arch up into his chest. One hand comes down and wraps around my waist to support me.
I grab onto his jaw as our mouths ravish each other. Our tongues meet and battle for dominance as our hearts beat fast against each other. We were ignorant to the rain that was literally cutting into our skin and the harsh, strong winds that were slicing us.
We move together and Chase presses me back against one of the cars. However, somehow by leaning on it I set off the car alarm and both Chase and I jump in fright. Of course.
Chase grabs my hand as we run back towards the hospital and find cover just outside the door. Chase leans back against the brick wall and pulls me towards him by my hips.
"Say it again." Chase smirks at me as I roll my eyes and place my hands to his shoulder.
"What? You fucking asshole?" I question cheekily as Chase chuckles and I give him a quick peck, "I love you."
"You have no clue how long I've waited for you to say that." Chase mumbles as he moves the wet hair that was sticking to my face, "You're a fucking pain in my ass, Hayden Jones. And I hope you know that we are going to spend the rest of our lives together."
I smile up at him, "I like that idea."
"It's a great idea." Chase laughs as he kisses me softly on the forehead, "I love you so fucking much."
I grin widely as I push his wet hair back from his face. We were both completely soaked and should've been freezing but we were keeping each other warm. Just like Hayley said and Levi, I feel warm when I'm with Chase. In the figurative and literal sense.
Chase continues, "I'll go home and get us something to change."
"You're coming back?" I question with a curious frown.
"Of course. I just got you back, Jones. There's no fucking way in hell I'm letting you go again." Chase smirks before he kisses me again. My heart was so uncontrollably happy right now.
Suddenly, the electronic sliding doors open and a nurse walks while pushing an elderly lady in a wheel chair. I take my lips from Chase and smile down at the sweet lady.
"See, if someone kissed me like that I wouldn't be dying alone in the hospital." She explains as both Chase and I widen our eyes in shock.
"Ada, you're not dying and you're not alone. You rolled both your ankles at your husband's seventy-eighth birthday party." The nurse explains as she sets up Ada on the other side of the doors, allowing easy passage into the hospital.
Ada pulls out a box of cigarettes from her dressing gown, "Arthur can kiss my wrinkly ass. He didn't even help me up."
Chase and I try to stifle our laughter as the male nurse rolls his eyes at us, "Ada, just have your smoke before I get in trouble again."
"Yeah, yeah." Ada waves her hand as she places the cigarette in her mouth. Chase and I just laugh as I rest my forehead against his chest and he kisses the top of my head.
I smile softly. I was home.
about fucking time, am i right?
it only took twenty five bloody chapters.
also, you guys might be curious as to why hayden hasn't said anymore. but just wait, it'll come.
anyone, let me know what you thought about this chapter!