Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 122609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 613(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 409(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 613(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 409(@300wpm)
He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it. Chasity had passed soon after the baby shower, which was a mere two months prior. Honey believed she’d held on just for that. Their son was going to be named Chase, after her best friend. That was decided before she’d passed away. “My sister said Chasity will be here with us in spirit. She’ll see the baby, too. I hope so. She was so excited for me. She couldn’t wait to be a godmother.” Honey fell into a fit of tears again. He squeezed her hand in a comforting gesture while keeping his eye on the road. “Oh God…” This time it was more than obvious that she’d had a contraction, right out of the blue.
“I want you to take a deep breath, count, and think good thoughts, okay?”
She gave a little whimper of assent.
When they got to the hospital, he pulled up front and she was escorted inside. He parked and quickly joined her, at which point things went on like a blur. The lights in the hospital were so bright, and his mind was speeding. Thoughts danced inside his head. Irish, Mama, and many of his friends from work started to arrive, some bearing tins of cigars, waiting for the momentous occasion. Finally, after a few hours, it was showtime… Time for Honey to push.
“You’ve got this…” he encouraged, pride swelling within his chest. Honey had taken no epidural. No nothing. It wasn’t because she didn’t want it, but they said it was too late by the time she decided to sign up for pain relief. “Come on, Honey, you’re doing it, baby!”
He cheered her on as he held her ankle while it rested in the stirrup, and her sister stood there crying tears of joy when the head began to emerge. That’s my baby… That’s my baby being born… He ran his hand through his hair, shaking.
Honey gave two more pushes… and then, Chase James Wilde came into the world.
Weighing eight pounds seven ounces, the healthy baby with a headful of black hair cried and screamed, his face red from the exertion. Honey burst into tears when she held him for the first time. He leaned over and kissed her forehead, feeling such gratefulness as he looked down at his baby, a beautiful newborn child who was so pure, never knowing a single sin, never knowing anything but pure light in a world of darkness. He leaned over her and kissed his son for the first time.
He took a snapshot of his baby in his mind. Then, the tears flowed. He gave himself permission to love once again. To know he’d die for a person he loved if it came to his life or theirs. Finding a woman that was a perfect match for him was a tall order. Getting married and settling down was playing against the odds—truly hitting the target with one arrow. Having a child with Honey, the woman he believed he could never have, and then, never knowing that he could create life with the one who’d captivated his heart… Well, that was a shot in the dark…
READY.
AIM.
FIRE.
Mission accomplished.
~The End~