Authors: S. Nelson

Torn (35 page)

BOOK: Torn

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“I will, honey. I’ll ask for you. But be prepared for her to say you can’t have it until you’re a little more dilated.” I nodded, knowing she was right, but I had to try nonetheless.

****

“Are we ready, Kalista?” Dr. Sulley asked, securing my feet into the stirrups. Nudging my knees apart, she wheeled her stool closer so she could assist in the delivery of the baby.

I’d finally been able to receive the epidural an hour before, coming right when I was ready to give up. Or at least that was exactly what I felt like doing. Sixteen hours and I was finally ready to start pushing. I swore if Eli asked me about having another child anytime soon, I was going to have some more choice words for him.

Clutching my hand, he was sitting next to me and coaxing me through what was about to take place. Since Dr. Sulley assured me both of my babies were head down and in the right position, I was thirty-five weeks along and they both weighed four pounds, I was cleared to deliver without surgery.

Did I say both babies?

Yes, that’s right. Eli and I were having twins. Fraternal twins. A boy and a girl. Holden was ecstatic when we told him the news. Eli, on the other hand, took more time to come to terms with having two newborns in the house. He was scared and he told me as much; his fear of not knowing what to do with one baby, let alone two, had him peppering me with questions until I calmed him down. He wasn’t there when Holden was born, so he indeed missed out on all the opportunities to care for a baby, then a young child as he grew older.

I assured him he was going to be a great father, just like he was to Holden. He laughed and reminded me that Holden was self-sufficient when he came into his life.

To further placate his worries, I encouraged him to talk to Drayden because he knew exactly what his older brother was about to go through. After all, Drayden was father to two beautiful twin girls, Isla and Emma.

His talk with his brother proved successful, thankfully calming him enough to where he wasn’t freaking out the closer I came to my due date. There was still concern and worry in his eyes, but a simple reassuring touch from me was enough to calm his erratic nerves.

“On the count of three, I want you to start pushing. Okay, Kalista?” Dr. Sulley questioned, her brows raised in expectation of my answer.

I inhaled a quick breath and nodded, ready and willing to finally bring my babies into the world. Locking eyes with my husband, I smiled for the first time in hours while I listened to the doctor count to three.

****

ELI

I
’d always thought my wife was a strong woman, and after watching her give birth to not one but two babies, I was sure of it. My son, Aiden, was born first, a full five minutes before his sister, Addison. Both of them were born healthy, and with a full set of lungs. I’d never been so happy to hear babies cry in unison before. It was as if they knew they were no longer joined together inside the safety of their mother and were speaking to each other, letting the other know they were all right.

“Are you ready?” I asked Kalista, holding Aiden in my arms and waiting for her to situate herself in the rocking chair. It was feeding time and although my wife looked tired, I’d never seen her so beautiful.

“Yes, you can hand him to me now,” she said, reaching out her arms to take him. Aiden was being breastfed, while Addison had to be bottle fed because she was allergic to her mother’s milk. My wife had been saddened she couldn’t provide for her daughter like she could for her son, but she soon realized it was a wonderful bonding opportunity between father and daughter.

We fed our children together.

As I looked around the nursery, I counted my blessings, giving thanks that Fate had stepped back in and brought Kalista and I back together, for giving me Holden, and now the twins.

I used to think my destiny was to live that of a desolate man, one whose heart had been shut down, never to love again. But I quickly realized I was simply preparing for a life more precious than I could have ever imagined.

THE END

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thank you to my husband for being patient with me as
I hide away in my office day after day.
Thank you for giving me the time I needed to get these characters out of my head and onto paper. I love you!

A huge thank
you to my family and friends for your continued love and support. I don’t know what I would do without you!

To the ladies at Hot Tree Editing, I can’t say enough great things about you. You continue to amaze me and I can’t wait until our next project together. You have been truly fantastic!

I would also like to thank Clarise
at CT Cover Creations. Your work speaks for itself. I’m absolutely thrilled
with each and every cover you’ve magically created for me. I can’t wait until Feb when we start working on the next ones!

To Beth, the best PA ever! Your love and support is truly priceless. I’m beyond thrilled we’ve become such dear friends. I don’t know what I would do without you, woman!
You cheer me on when I’m nervous, and celebrate when I succeed. Love you!

To all of the bloggers who have shared my work, I’m forever indebted to you. You ladies are simply wonderful!

To all of you who have reached out to me to let me know how much you loved
my stories, I am beyond humbled. Thank you so much, and I’ll continue to do my best to bring you stories you can lose yourself in, even if for a few
hours.

And
last but not least, I would like to thank you, the reader.
If this is the first book you’ve read from me, I hope you enjoy it. If this is
yet another story from me you’ve taken a chance on…THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

S. Nelson grew up with a love of reading and a very active imagination, never putting pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard until 2013.

Her passion to create was overwhelming, and within a few months she’d written her first novel, Stolen Fate. When she isn’t engrossed in creating one of the many stories rattling around inside her head, she loves to read
and travel as much as she can.

She lives in the Northeast with her husband and two dogs, enjoying the ever changing seasons.

If you would like to follow or contact her please do so at the follow:

Click here to visit author website

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OTHER BOOKS BY S. NELSON

Stolen Fate

Click here to view link to purchase