Page 76 of Love, Lies and the Lost Lord

Another labor pain began, and Violet started to panic.She couldn’t do this.She leaned heavily on her arms at the side of the bed as the pain ripped through her.Rhys’s breath was warm in her ear.“You are so strong.So fierce.”He rubbed circles over her lower back until the pain passed.

The midwife came to her other side.“Time to push when the next one hits.Like I told you, you bear down and push.”

Violet shook her head from side to side.“I can’t.I can’t do this.”Tears ran down her face.

Rhys pulled her up to face him.He brushed sweaty curls of hair off her face.Then he laid his forehead against hers.“Violet, you are so brave.You are a survivor.You will survive this.You have fiercely protected this babe from the minute you knew about it.Now it’s time to meet it.Breathe with me, baby.”

His voice settled in her chest, and she focused on matching her erratic breathing to the steady rise and fall of his chest.As the pain built back up to an overwhelming crescendo, the midwife grasped her shoulders gently and guided her to a squat.Rhys lowered down with her, supporting her arms, his piercing blue gaze never leaving hers.“You can do this, sugar.Now, push.”

An hour later, she held her baby in her arms.Rhys surrounded them both in the circle of his arms, his back to the headboard.Violet leaned against his chest, and the tiny baby girl lay on hers.Ginny and her mother left the room to give them a few moments to themselves.Rhys kissed her temple.“I am so proud of you.”

“I am proud of me too.”Violet was exhausted, but she was also exhilarated as she stared down at the beautiful child lying on her chest.She brushed her fingers across the downy head of her daughter and down along a perfect little arm to the end, where she counted five tiny fingers.“I made this,” she said with absolute wonder.

Rhys’s chest hitched behind her.Violet looked up at him as a tear streaked down his face.“She is beautiful, amazing.You are amazing,” he said.

“I think we should name her Lillian.It seems fitting, don’t you think?”

Rhys was silent.She tilted her head to look back up at him.His lips were pursed tightly together, and his eyes swam with emotion.He nodded, then reached out to caress the baby’s head.“Baby Lilly.I love it.I think my mother would too.She would be so happy to see that I had a family to love.You are a blasted miracle in my life.And now you are multiplying them.I love you so much.”

This wonderful man with his big heart was her miracle, her dangerous angel, who had appeared to watch over her when she had most needed it.There was nothing ordinary about the way they’d found each other, or the way they fell in love, but she had found happiness again in this life less ordinary.Perhaps their future would hold more sweetness than their pasts.With this little miracle in her arms, Violet was certain that it would.

The End