Chapter 62: I have a son

It was exactly two hours after Jules had landed, and Janice was feeling a bit relieved. Not only had the pain in her tummy and lower back lessened, but she could also move around the room without feeling like she would be ripped in two. The only restriction she had was that she couldn't go a long distance, but it was better than being confined to the bed.

"How about you take a warm shower to help with the pain?" Jules asked, noticing Janice fanning herself.

She nodded without hesitation and allowed him to help her out of the bed. Stripping to nothing, she stepped into the bathtub, and sighed as the warm water caressed her delicate skin. Janice eyed Jules from the corner of her eyes and noticed him watching her from the doorpost. He stood there for a brief second before the ringing of his phone broke his connection.

As Janice settled more into the bathtub, Jules left to attend to whoever had phoned him, and she dozed off soon after. Waking up a while afterward, she realized she had only been asleep for ten minutes.

Stepping out of the bathtub slowly, she let out a loud gasp as another contraction slammed into her, and she felt warm liquid flooding out.

"Jules!" Janice groaned, gripping the wall to steady herself.

Luckily, she managed to make her way to the door and hollered his name once more. Jules jerked awake as he heard his name, and disoriented, he peered around the room, squinting and creasing his brow.

"Janice?" He called gruffly and stood up from where he lay as he heard the shuffling of feet in the bathroom. When he had gotten off the phone earlier, he saw Janice sleeping soundly in the bathtub and didn't want to disturb her. So, he decided to nap a little before she woke up, hoping it would do him some good since he had a hard time sleeping the night before. Also, he wanted to be alert rather than asleep when his child arrived.

"Jules!"

This time, the mention of his name and the agitation in her voice snapped the haziness away from his mind. He scrambled to the bathroom and noticed she was by the vanity, gripping the white sink tightly.

As she looked at him, he glimpsed the alarm on her face and the crimson liquid that stained the silvery dress she donned.

"What now?" Jules questioned, raising his eyebrows.

"Call the midwife! I think our baby is about to arrive."

Jules nodded and sprinted out of the bathroom without question. Oddly, Janice remained calm while mentioning that their baby was ready to be born, whereas he was panicking and prepared to tear the palace down when he didn't see the midwife who had attended to her earlier.

A few seconds later, he returned to the room with the doctor at a brisk pace, followed by several other midwives. He assumed his mother had gotten them ready for the birth, and he was glad she had done so before he arrived since he didn't think running helter-skelter to find one would make any sense.

The doctor examined Janice and nodded. The others helped her onto the bed to prepare for the birth.

"I think you need to leave, sire. As soon as she gives birth, we'll announce it."

"She is my wife, and I am not leaving the room," Jules argued.

He doubted he needed to tell them she was his wife, but he only chose to emphasize his response.

Moving towards the bed, he took a seat on the chair beside it before clutching her hand.

"We are in this together," he mumbled, dabbing at her face with the towel from the bowl.

Janice groaned, "Always."

"I love you, darling," Jules kissed her forehead, not minding the sweat coating it.

Janice's eyes widened as she heard those three words she had wanted to hear ever since she had been with him.

"I love you," Jules repeated, noticing the skeptical look on her face.

"I love you so much, Janice Marie Forrest, and I don't think I will ever stop loving you because I want to have as many children with you as possible. So, this is forever."

"You don't have to respond. Just concentrate on bringing our child into the world."

Janice sobbed and giggled at the same time. She let Jules kiss her hand and followed his advice.

"Are you ready to bring your child into the world? I think he or she is ready," the doctor, a blonde, smiled kindly.

Janice nodded, and her hands tightened around Jules as she shut her eyes.

It wasn't long before she was instructed to push by the midwives, and she obeyed, hearing the air fill with a child's wail.

"It's a boy," a midwife announced with a grin.

Jules' grin widened as he was handed the infant, wrapped in swaddling clothes.

"I have a boy!" He said proudly, pumping his fist into the air. "Prince Michael Jules Harold Forrest!"

"We did it," Janice said with an exhausted sigh, beaming as she glimpsed the broad smile on Jules's face. She couldn't ask for anything more than that moment, feeling the instant love that radiated from him as he stared at their son.

"Yes, darling, you did it," Jules grinned. "I have a son!" He exclaimed again, chuckling.

Janice had given him a son, and he didn't think there was anything more worthwhile than that.

It was precisely midnight the baby arrived, and the dowager queen celebrated in the palace, filling everyone with utmost joy at the new prince's arrival.

The dowager queen was even happier that Janice had produced an heir instead of the heiress she had in mind. Although she had nothing against a female child, she was aware that the Forrest firstborn was always male, preceded by females. Anything other than that might have been seen as illegitimate, and she was glad it didn't happen, even though she was aware Jules was the father of the child in her womb.