Obsessed Bonus Epilogue

Evan and Sierra from Whiskey Run 3

Nine Months Later

Evan

I thought boot camp was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. It was mentally and physically grueling, and I thought I wouldn’t survive it.  But come to find out, it’s nothing compared to watching my wife, the woman I love, give birth.

She’s been in labor for almost twenty-four hours, and I’m about to lose my mind. She’s in so much pain, and as soon as the doctor walks into the room, I charge toward him.  “She can’t keep this up. It’s been twenty-four hours, doc. Something needs to happen, and it needs to be now.”

The doctor, who has always been patient and kind even when Sierra and I have asked a gazillion questions, looks worried.  He walks toward Sierra and simply put, she looks haggard. She can barely lift her head she’s so tired. She’s still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, but she’s tired.

She tries to smile. “Hey, Doc. Sorry about my husband, he’s a worrywart.”

She tries to joke, but to me it’s no joking matter.  I crowd the doctor and am quiet while he’s examining her, but when his face loses a little color and gets even more of a worried look, I have to say something. “So what are we going to do?”

I have my hands crossed on my chest because I know if I don’t, I’m going to put my hands on him, and that’s not going to do anything but upset Sierra.  And even though she’s used to my overpowering controlling ways, she doesn’t need to deal with it right now. That’s the only thing that’s stopping me from putting my fist into the doctor’s face right now.

He blows out a breath and talks in his calming voice. “We are going to have to do an emergency C-section. She’s not dilating, and the baby needs to come out.” He turns to Sierra, and I grab on to the edge of the bed before I fall out into the floor.  I’ve read up on all this baby delivering shit. I’ve watched the movies, gone to the class, did it all. I’ve also read about all the things that can go wrong.  “Not dilating” and “baby needs to come out” tells me that I need to be worried. My wife is about to have surgery.

“Doctor, is there any other way?”

“No. I’m afraid there’s not. But you shouldn’t worry. Your wife is strong, she can handle this.”

Twenty-four hours ago I would have agreed with him, but now I’m not so sure. She’s weak and tired, and the fight has gone out of her.

“Sierra, honey, look at me. I’m going to be right there with you, okay?”

“Actually,” the doctor interrupts, and I give him a death stare.

“What? What is it now?”

He clears his throat. “It’s too late to do an epidural. We will have to put her under, and unfortunately it’s hospital policy that no one can be in there.”

“The fuck I can’t,” I boom loud enough to rattle the glass of the windows.

“Evan. Evan. Look at me,” Sierra says, holding her hand out to me.  “I’ll be back before you know it.”

“I can’t,” I tell her, and a tear rolls down my cheek. I have no shame. I don’t care if I’m a grown fucking man, I can’t let my wife do this on her own. I can’t.

“Everything is going to be fine. I’m going to have the baby, and I’ll be out here in an hour, and we’ll all be together.”

The buzzing of the machine gets louder, and I know it’s my son right now that needs help. “I love you.” I bend down and kiss her, my tears falling onto her face as she’s kissing me back.

“I love you too. We’ll be back soon. I promise,” she says, and they wheel her down the hallway.  I hold her hand the whole way until we get to the door that I’m not allowed past. 

A nurse takes pity on me. “I’ll keep you updated.”

I nod but keep my eyes on Sierra.  I squeeze her hand and let her go, hollering after her, “I love you, Sierra.”

I go back to the room and pace.  I’ve never felt so helpless in my life. If anything happens to her or our son, I don’t know what I’ll do.  The anguish inside me guts me. I’ve seen my brothers in arms shot. I’ve seen innocent people hurt. I’ve been shot and stabbed, and the list goes on. But none of it even comes close to how I feel right now.

I sit down in my chair and put my face in my hands.  I plead with the man above to make sure my family is all right. I don’t know how much time goes by, but when the door opens, I bound from my seat.  It’s the nurse that went with Sierra, and she’s holding a baby.  “Here you go. I’d like you to meet your son.”

I hold my hands out to take him. “Where’s my wife?” I demand.

“She’s in recovery. We’ll bring her in as soon as she wakes up.”

I look down at the little guy in my arms.  He’s snuggled tightly in a blanket and sleeping peacefully. I touch my finger to his fat little cheek, and he opens his eyes. He’s staring back at me and it’s his momma’s blue eyes that are staring back at me. Looking at him literally takes my breath away.  I sit down in the chair and snuggle him close. “Hey, little guy. I’m your daddy. Your momma and I have been waiting to meet you.”

I swear he smiles, but I know other people would tell me it’s gas. We sit like that for a while, content just looking at each other. 

When the door opens again, I can’t jump up like I did before, but I do get up and walk over to the bed as they move my wife into place. She’s groggy and still in and out of it. “Hey, baby. You did good.”

She smiles and then opens her eyes. “I love you” is the first thing she says, and I’m crying again.

“I love you too.  I have someone here you may want to meet.”

Her eyes snap open, and she looks at the bundle in my arms.  I lay him down onto her chest, and mother and son look at each other in awe.  I put a hand on each of them because right now, I can’t ever imagine letting either one of them out of my sight again.  The hour or so they were gone was the longest of my life, and I never want to go through anything like it again.

I push the hair off her face. “You look beautiful, Momma.”

She laughs. “Oh, you’re a good man, Evan McCarthy.”

I nod my head at our son. “So what are we going to call him?”

We’ve thrown around a bunch of names, but never made a decision.  “EJ,” she says without even hesitating.

“EJ?”

“Yeah, short for Evan McCarthy Junior.”

My heart clutches in my chest, and the tears start to well again. “Fuck, woman, you’re killing me today.”

She tsks at me. “No cussing in front of EJ.”

I nod my head and lean down to kiss EJ on the head, and then I kiss my wife on the lips.  “Thank you.”

She smiles and no doubt already knows the answer but asks anyway. “For what?”

I put my hand at her neck. “For loving me in high school. For sending me care packages when I was gone. For giving me a chance. For loving me now. For being my wife and making me a father.  I love you, baby.”

She turns her head and kisses my palm. “I love you more.”