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“We want to donate two weeks of healing and growing at this retreat. We all came here for a weekend experience and met Fiona and it was an experience we will never forget.” Sebastian handed the papers over to Megan and waited while both women looked the pages over. “You’re reading an agreement that you’ll need to sign to keep this out of the court system. You’ll need to commit to the full two weeks here at Bending Branches Mindfulness Retreat. Starting today. We’ve already made sure the kids can stay with us during your scheduled times with them.”
Sara laughed bitterly and balled up the paper before throwing it at his chest. “Fuck you. There’s no way I’m giving up two weeks of my time to come do yoga and talk about my feelings.”
Megan looked up at Jake and then back down at the paper. “Throw in an extra five thousand a month of spousal support and I’ll sign.”
“No, Megan. They’re just flexing their muscles. They can’t make us do this.” Sara tried to snatch the paper from Megan but Megan held tight. “Megan, come on.”
“You’re not getting more money. That’s not part of this.” Jake growled out the words. “You two hurt the woman I love. I wanted to send you as far away as possible, so you’re lucky I didn’t get what I wanted. This? This retreat? It’s the best thing you’re going to get.”
“If I do this, you’ll forget everything that came before this?” Megan pulled her arm away from Sara as Sara grabbed at her. “You don’t get it, Sara! I already have a harassment charge from a few years ago. I can’t chance it.”
“You’ll have a clean slate with us. As long as you never come near Fiona with negative intentions again.” Sebastian held a pen out to Megan and I watched as she scribbled her name across the bottom of the paper and thrust it back at him.
Sara turned her attention on me. “So, you’re just going to get rid of me for two weeks? I have a life, Ryder. I can’t leave the boys.”
“This is your only option. Do this and maybe you’ll come home to the boys a nicer person.” Shrugging, I made it clear that I didn’t care what she did. “Just make up your mind fast. I don’t have all day.”
“I fucking hate you, Ryder. You’re a piece of shit.” She snatched the pen from Sebastian and signed the paper with an angry flair. “You better tell the boys something good about me being gone for two weeks.”
“It’s been nice doing business with you, ladies. You’ll find your new leader for the next two weeks just over there. He’s the one twisted up like a pretzel.” Sebastian folded the papers and shoved them back into his pocket. “Also, I just want to let you know that you didn’t win. We pulled some strings and Fiona got her job back. The new principal at her school is thrilled with her talent.”
My phone vibrated in my pocket and I pulled it out to see Fiona’s name and face on the screen. Smiling, I turned away from the women and their looks of defeat and answered. “Hey, angel. Is everything-”
“They’re coming!” It was Mallory screaming back at me. “The babies! They’re coming right now! Get back here! Fiona gains superhuman strength during delivery and I can’t do this alone!”
“Where are you?” The urgency in my voice alerted Jake and Seb to the fact that something wasn’t right. I looked back at them and pointed to Jake’s SUV. “She’s in labor.”
“We’re at home! I can’t get her to leave the house! She’s lost her mind! She’s talking about a water birth!” Mallory groaned. “That’s not in her birth plan!”
“We’re coming. Hang up and call 9-1-1.” I jumped in the passenger seat and gripped the strap over the door as Jake immediately slammed his foot on the gas and jerked us forward. “Tell Fiona to get her ass away from the bathtub.”
Mallory hung up right away and left me panicking as Jake broke every traffic law in existence to get to Fiona. Seb slid around the backseat, his eyes narrowed on the road ahead as he swore under his breath. Besides that, it was a silent drive. We were all lost in our own worry over Fiona.
I saw the ambulance in the driveway as we pulled onto our street and felt my heart kick up another notch. “If she isn’t in that ambulance already, I’m going to lose my mind.”
Jake slammed the SUV to a stop and we all sprinted up the driveway and into the house. Immediately, I saw our kids in the living room, all sitting together, eyes wide with worry. I heard Mallory shouting upstairs and two more voices I didn’t recognize doing what they could to calm her down.
“Everything’s going to be fine, guys. It’s all good.” I tried to reassure the kids while charging up the stairs. My heart was in my throat so I didn’t exactly sound calm, though.
One loud wail from Fiona was all it took to redirect the adrenaline pumping through my body. Everything else faded away. I pushed past the small crowd in the bathroom and found Fiona on her knees, leaning against the side of the tub. She looked up at me as another scream tore out of her and dropped to my knees in front of her, wrapping my arms around her.
“We need to get you to the hospital, baby. Now.”
She shook her head. “They’re coming now!”
“They can’t come now, angel. You can’t have the babies in our tub.” I glanced up and saw Sebastian shoving his shirt sleeves up his arms. “What the fuck are you doing? Don’t do what I think you’re doing, Seb. We need to get to a doctor.”
Seb stepped over the side of the tub, into the water, and knelt down behind Fiona. The tub was nowhere near big enough, but he folded himself around her as he reached between her thighs. His jaw went slack and his eyes widened. “There’s no time to leave this tub. I can feel a head.”
“I tried to tell you! They’re not waiting on a drive to the hospital!” Fiona screamed and her face went blood red.
Jake grabbed the shirts of both paramedics and shook them. “Do something!”
Sebastian let out a shocked sound and sent a panicked look my way. “I’m holding a head!”
Mallory screamed. “Just a head?!”
I reached back and smacked the leg of the closest paramedic. “He’s holding a head!”
