Chapter 311 - Birth in the Heights - meters
Alfredo
I just checked Lupe, she's at six centimeters dilation, still several hours to go.
"Here." Patricia handed me an energy drink. "You've been awake for more than thirty-six hours and it's not like you've been partying." I stared at her. "I don't even know why I bother keeping an eye on you."
She turned around, and I grabbed her hand, pulling her close to my chest. We were in the room, and despite Lupe watching us, I kissed her. I was dying to do it. She took a moment to react, and when she tried to follow my kiss, her soft, warm tongue brushed my lower lip. I was about to deepen the kiss, opening my mouth wider to devour her... then Lupe's scream pulled us apart. Patricia turned red. She needed to talk.
"If you're going to say something stupid, just keep quiet."
She left the room. Lobo was asleep; I had given him a sedative to help him rest for a few hours.
"I think I peed myself. Sorry for interrupting the kiss you should have given a long time ago." I smiled. Honestly, kissing her felt so gentle.
"You didn't pee yourself, Lupe, you're going to have your babies."
"Why did you scream, Little Frog?" Arnold burst into the room like a whirlwind.
"Arnold, get out! You're in the way."
"I'm the father," he said, frustrated.
"Yes, and I'm her doctor." Mrs. Carmela and Inés arrived.
"Arnold, get out."
Inés stood with her hands on her hips, looked at me, and pointed at me as a warning.
"You know what to do."
Lupe's water had broken. I put on gloves. The stretcher wasn't ideal, so I carried her to the bed and told Mrs. Carmela to sit behind her for support since she would be leaning back.
"Lupe, we're going back in time. We're going to give birth like our ancestors did." I made her smile.
"Yes. Let's not forget our history."
"Inés, tell one of the girls to heat some water in the plane's kitchen to clean the babies." She nodded. I knelt down. "When you feel the contraction, push." She did. "That's it, again..."
......
This is shit. Not even when we trained in the icy mountains, in that course we all had to pass to get where we are, when they taught us to climb, to withstand the icy water, to face our fears in the open.
None of that shit compares to sitting outside the room where your woman is giving birth to your children, hearing her scream in pain and being unable to do anything. I've already gone to the bathroom twice, these nerves have made me shit twice, and to top it off, in the situation we're in.
Roland, after mapping out the plan we worked on for five hours of flight and knowing that the people he needs will arrive in Colombia before us, has calmed down. As soon as we told him everyone was on their way, he stopped talking and hasn't moved from the same spot.
I sat down again, with a nervous tic that started the moment they pulled me out of the room. I moved my legs, and my friends just laughed... then I heard a cry at a thousand feet in the air, causing all my hair to stand on end. That cry, a piece of my life, broke through any adversity.
"Congratulations!"
I hadn't noticed Roland had stood up. He hugged me, followed by everyone present. When Gustavo hugged me, the second cry was heard, and something in me clicked.
"Shit, I'm a dad!"
Everyone smiled, but the situation wasn't one for jokes. Two nephews were kidnapped. Roland looked at the screen again, never stopping. The trackers on his babies kept him calm because they were together.
Whenever tough situations arise, he remains calm. The good thing is that Nikolay is on our territory. The room door opened, Inés carried a blue blanket, and my mother-in-law a pink one. I sat down, and my brothers mocked me.
"Son, meet your eldest child."
They say men shouldn't cry. For many years, I only received blows telling me I was an abomination and the worst in the world. Now, holding a piece of me, I wonder, don't they understand that this being is the most perfect thing in the world?
They handed me Demetrio Delgado, born in the air. He was a little monkey, no denying it. Only someone who's been a dad can understand me; your best day in life boils down to the moment your children are placed in your arms.
I kissed his forehead, then they handed me the princess of all princesses, Dayana Delgado. I started crying like a fool. At nearly twenty-six, I was already the father of two precious little monkeys.
"Lupe?"
"She's fine. Tired, but happy. We cleaned her up and she's resting in bed."
I got up and went in. There was my Little Tadpole, the girl who used to spy on me to mess up my hookups. I looked at my kids, and now she was the mother of my children, the woman who looked at me with love, despite knowing who I was.
"Congratulations," Alfredo said.
"Thanks, man."
"You're welcome, buddy. Lobo is still sedated. Now enjoy your family. Get some rest, remember you have a wound in your leg."
"I don't have the bullet or the mic anymore. Thanks for everything. You get some rest too."
"I'm going to see if I can sleep these last eight hours before we land."
I went over to my Mermaid and knelt beside her. Despite being exhausted from all those hours of labor, she looked incredibly beautiful.
"Even if you scold me, I'll tell you that if you weren't so worn out down there, I'd eat you up right now out of gratitude for our kids."
"I do want to scold you, but I don't even have the strength. Come on, hand me my little blondies. They don't look like me at all, they're all you."
I laughed and kissed her. I handed her Demetrio and lay down on the other side of the bed, placing Dayana next to her brother.
"Guadalupe, thank you for helping me get better every day." I looked at my kids, and now I understood Roland much more. "Our kids are beautiful. When they turn three, we'll look for my little Mexicans, because these two came out very German." I saw her laugh.
"I love you."
"I love you more."
……
Roland
My kids have already arrived in Medellín. We still have eight hours to go. The bosses of each mafia that Nikolay called have also answered the call. What a surprise they'll get.
I had already assigned Mueco and Zombi to not arrive with the mafia delegation. They will go to where my kids are, get them out of there, and once they tell me they have them, I'll open the gates of hell, and Nikolay will be mine. As for that bitch Marcela...
She only gets a pass because she's a woman, but I'll hand her over to Any. After all, she kidnapped two Americans. I need to stay focused; my kids depend on my clear mind.
"Sapillo has confirmed his help. He's going to pick up Zombi and Mueco," Rata said.
"Thanks."
I looked at the cameras, and Verónica was still under the effects of the sedative Rino told me to give her. I smiled.
"What are you laughing at?"
"Dante and Enrique are usually very restless, but they must sense something because this time they got up and stayed quietly by their mother's side, one on each side. Their grandmother gave them their bottles, changed their diapers, and even so, they've stayed quiet, as if they knew their mother needed them."
"Boss, Yan should arrive in Medellín in five hours."
"Thanks, Cebolla."
"Are you sure about what you're going to do?"
I looked at my second-in-command, and he fell silent. I'm going to hit Nikolay and Medrano hard, damn traitor.
"Did Blaz confirm?" He shook his head.
"He can't make it. He's on his way to India and has to land to come back."
"Cereza, handle everything: policy, compensation, and a proper funeral for Lucrecia."
"Yes, Boss."
"The weapons..."
"González will bring us a good arsenal," Rasca culo said.
"Take these."
Churrusco handed out energy drinks to everyone. I looked at Rino, who had sat next to Patricia, and she found him a blanket. The guy succumbed to sleep within seconds.
"I want Rino to stay in charge of the general management of the clinics. He's proven to have what it takes. Both Mendoza and Jones should report to him."
"Yes, sir," Rasca culo commented.
I looked at the clock. An hour before we arrive, I'll call Nikolay. I'll give him the place and time. Everything will go down at the airport in the city center. We won't reveal my identity to anyone. In fact, Sapillo was told they were Rata's kids. I'll keep the hood on until it's just the mafia bosses and us.
The hours passed, and it was almost time to land. I played with my phone, barely speaking. If I did, I'd let my anger take over. I received a message.
"We're on the ground, proceeding to find the kids."