Chapter 107: EPILOGUE

HAYLEY’S P.O.V

It took me weeks to finally feel comfortable enough to leave the house without an army behind me.

It was so easy to pretend to the public, to put on a smile and act like things were fine when in reality, they weren’t. The only people who saw the real me were my family. They saw every breakdown, every nervous wreck, every tear. A few years ago, I would have hated the idea of anyone seeing me weak but now, I was glad to have people I could lean on.

It took months, but I was fine now. Marie was convicted of Charles’ murder as well as the other two and my kidnapping. She was never getting out of jail for the rest of her life and the thought made me giddy.

“Stop watching the sentencing,” Kate chided, turning off the TV. “It’s over now.”

I rolled my eyes at her. “It relaxes me.”

She raised a brow. “A court case relaxes you?”

“If I was allowed to go to work, I wouldn’t need to watch the sentencing,”

She stared at me incredulously. “You’re ready to pop. There’s no way in hell that you’re going to work.”

I shrugged in response and she murmured a curse under her breath. Kate had been an amazing friend during my pregnancy. After her exams, she came straight home. She didn’t say much but she told me that things didn’t exactly work out with her professor. I tried to ask more questions but she wouldn’t share and I decided not to push until she was ready.

I still did some digging of my own and found out that the bastard was married.

“Can I have some ice cream at least?” I called out to her and even though she didn’t respond, she returned with a bowl of ice cream.

I felt a sharp pain in my stomach but I ignored it, choosing instead to focus on the bowl of creamy goodness in front of me. Kate mumbled something about having projects to work on before disappearing up the stairs, leaving me alone in the living room.

I ate my ice cream and watched a few more cases before taking out my phone to call Jake. He was away for a business meeting. He didn’t want to leave but I asked him to go. I didn’t want him breathing down my neck and watching every step I took.

“Are you okay?” he asked as soon as he picked up the phone and I rolled my eyes at his overprotectiveness.

“I’m fine, the baby is fine too. I just wanted to hear your voice.”

I could almost hear the relief. “That’s good to hear. I should be back by tomorrow morning. I’m wrapping things up here.”

“I miss you,” I sighed, rubbing my hands over my stomach as another wave of pain hit me. ”I am just about ready for this baby to be out.”

He laughed. “I’ll be there soon, I promise. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

We spoke for a little longer before hanging up and I finally allowed myself to take a deep breath. The pain was getting worse but I knew it was false contractions, I had them during the week but today, they were more frequent. I still had a week left before I needed to have the baby.

“Are you sure that you’re okay?” I heard Kate’s voice behind me and I nodded. “You don’t look so good.”

“It’s fine, it’s-”

Another wave of pain hit me. It was so fierce I had to grip the edge of the counter for support. Kate was by my side in an instant but I waved her off. I was fine, I had to be.

“I just need-” I felt a trickle of liquid on my thigh and stared down at my shorts that were now stained. “I think I peed myself.”

“No, I think your water just broke,” Kate snapped. “We have to get you to a hospital.”

“But Jake isn’t here.”

“I’ll call him. We have to go, now!”

Her urgency snapped me out of whatever haze I was in. I couldn’t afford to be stupid right now. While she got the baby bag, I called the hospital and sent a text to both Jake and my dad. My fingers were shaking as I texted them.

My heart was pounding the entire way to the hospital and the pain was getting worse. I was ushered into a private room where I changed into a hospital gown and then… I waited.

Kate was with me, holding my hand and handling my messages because I couldn’t focus long enough to talk to anyone.

“Has Jake responded?” I asked and she shook her head. “Can you call him?”

“I already did, it went straight to voicemail.”

My father arrived within ten minutes, he looked more scared than I felt. He kissed my forehead, assuring me that everything would be fine before asking about Jake as well. He tried calling him but my boyfriend was nowhere to be found. All calls went to voicemail and panic rose in my chest.

“Is he in trouble?” I asked. “Could he be hurt?”

“Jake is fine, I’m sure he just turned his phone off because he’s in a meeting,” dad assured me.

“What if he’s not here when I’m having the baby? I want him here.”

Dad cursed, running his hands through his hair when Kate cut in.

“I’ll go outside and call him.”

The nurse checked on me, making sure I was fine and comfortable. As soon as the option for an epidural became available, I took it. It helped with the pain but it did not help my worry. Three hours passed and there was still no word from Jake.

I wasn’t sure when I finally fell asleep but I woke up, I heard muffled arguments.

“Where the hell were you?” dad hissed. “We’ve been trying to call you for hours.”

“I was on my way back. I wanted to surprise her. My phone was off. I saw your texts as soon as I landed.”

“It’s been four hours.”

“I was in Miami, Michael.”

Jake.

My eyes flew open and I saw him. He was in his suit, although the jacket was discarded on a hospital chair. He ran his hands through his hair in frustration as he spoke to my dad. It was obvious they were both trying not to bother me but I was already up.

“Jake?”

He turned sharply, ignoring my father and making his way over to me. “Hey, baby girl. How are you?”

I shrugged. “Better, I don’t feel the pain as much. How long have I been out?”

“Twenty minutes.” It was dad who spoke up. “The doctors said to let you sleep as long as you wanted.”

I turned back to Jake. “I’m glad you’re here.”

He placed a soft kiss on my forehead. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

It took two whole hours before I was fully dilated, by which point I was equal parts frustrated and tired. I couldn’t describe the birth process even if I tried. Only Jake remained in the room for that part and it was both the most terrifying and exhilarating thing I had ever done.

I cursed him out and called him every name under the sun but the moment I heard the cry, everything else faded away.

“You have a beautiful little girl,” the doctor said, her voice soft. “Do you want to hold her?”

I nodded and watched as they placed my daughter in my arms. She was so tiny, with a healthy set of lungs and a loud scream that nearly shattered my eardrums. As she lay on me, her screams slowly softened into mewls.

“Hello, sweetheart,” I whispered, tears gathering at the back of my eyes as I spoke.

I trailed a finger down her face. Her eyes were closed but she had a head full of Jake’s dark hair. I turned to Jake who was freely crying as he watched us. He lifted a shaky hand and placed it over her back.

“Fuck,” he whispered, leaning down to kiss my forehead. “She’s perfect. You’re perfect.”

“Do you want to hold her?”

He nodded and gently lifted her. She didn’t protest, merely nuzzled closer to her father and I knew the world couldn’t get better than this.

The little moment was broken by the nurse. “Do you have a name?”

Jake nodded. “Kaitlyn.”

It took us weeks to agree on a name that we both liked for her first name. Her middle name however was never up for discussion.

“Kaitlyn Helena Ryker.” I finished. “Can you call our family in?”

“Of course. I’m sure they’ll be more than excited to see baby Kaitlyn.”

They were beyond excited,

Grandpa arrived sometime during my labor and he cried when he heard her name. Dad brushed past everyone fawning over my daughter and headed straight for me.

“I love you,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “You’re an amazing young woman, Hayley, and you’ll be an even better mother.”

“Thank you.”

“You should rest. We’ve got her.”

“Are you sure?”

He nodded. “You’ve done enough for today, Hayley. Sleep, we’re right here.”