Military Daddies’ Nanny (Lucky Women’s Daddies Reverse Harem #1)

Chapter 27

Carlos

The rhythmic beeping of hospital monitors fills the air, a constant reminder of where we are and why. I pace the length of the waiting room, my hands clenched into fists at my sides. Every few seconds, my eyes dart to the closed door of Nancy's room, willing it to open with news.

"Carlos, man, you're going to wear a hole in the floor," Nathan says, his voice tinged with amusement and nervousness.

I stop, realizing I've been muttering under my breath in Spanish. "Sorry," I say, running a hand through my hair. "I just...I can't believe this is happening."

Drew looks up from where he's sitting, his knee bouncing nervously. "Neither can I. But it is, and Nancy needs us to be strong."

I nod, taking a deep breath. He's right, of course. But it's easier said than done. The last few months have been a whirlwind of emotions and preparations, and now that the moment is finally here, I feel completely unprepared.

A scream pierces the air, making us all jump. Nancy. The urge to rush into the room is overwhelming, but we've been told to wait outside until we're called. I've never felt so helpless in my life.

"She's okay," Jamie, Nancy's best friend, says softly. She's been a constant presence throughout the pregnancy, and I'm grateful for her calming influence now. "This is normal. She's strong. She can do this."

I nod, trying to believe her words. But as another scream echoes through the hallway, I can't help but wince.

"Maybe one of us should go in there," I suggest, looking at Drew and Nathan. "To hold her hand or something."

Before either of them can respond, the door opens, and a nurse steps out. We all freeze, waiting for news.

"She's asking for Jamie," the nurse says, her eyes scanning our group.

She jumps up the moment her name is mentioned and hurries towards the nurse. She turns back before stepping into the room and offers a small smile in consolation.

“Don’t worry guys. I’ll try to get you on video call so you can see that she’s doing fine.”

“Thank you, Jamie,” Drew says, and I nod in agreement.

A part of me is jealous that I don’t get to witness the moment for myself. Nancy has tried to arrange for the guys and I to be present during the procedure, but the doctors believed we would only serve as a distraction with that many of us present.

As much as I hate it, I can’t help but admit that he’s right. It’ll be difficult for them to focus if we are all crowding over her, trying to encourage her as she pushes.

My phone rings and I pull it out of my pocket quickly, holding it in a tight grip when I see that it’s Jamie on the other end.

“For God’s sake, pick up the call, man,” Nathan snaps, reaching forward to grab my phone.

I stretch my hand out of his reach, pressing the answer button before the call ends. The three of us lean in, pressed close as we try to see our angel.

“Nancy? Are you all right?” Drew asks when the call connects.

I glare at him. “Of course, she isn’t all right, Drew. She’s in labor.”

My jaw grinds sharply as I try to calm myself. We’re all so tense now, and it’ll do Nancy no good to show signs of that. We should be calming her and not adding to her stress.

Jamie turns the phone to Nancy, and the sight that greets me nearly brings me to my knees. Nancy is there, her face flushed and hair matted with sweat. She looks exhausted, but her eyes light up when she sees us.

"Guys," she breathes, offering us a smile through gritted teeth only seconds before her face tenses and she releases a guttural sound that clenches at my heart. It’s torture seeing her like this. I wish I could be by her side, clasping her fingers in mine so she could transfer her pain to me.

"We’re here, querida ," I murmur. "You're doing great."

She manages a weak smile before another contraction hits.

"It hurts," she gasps when the contraction passes. "I don't know if I can do this."

Jamie leans in, pressing her hand to Nancy’s forehead.

"You can," I say firmly. "You're the strongest person I know, Nancy. You've got this. And we're all here for you."

“Yes, Nancy. Soon, all of this will be over, and we’ll take good care of you. Only a short time now,” Nathan says beside me.

“You can do this, Nancy. Remember, we’re only outside the door, and we’ll be here for you whenever you need us,” Drew adds.

She nods, taking a deep breath.

The next hour passes in a blur of contractions, encouragement, and controlled chaos as doctors and nurses move around us. We lose track of time, focused solely on Nancy and the miracle that's about to happen.

Finally, the doctor announces that it's time to push. Nancy’s face is a mask of determination and pain.

"You can do this," Drew tells her, his voice hoarse with emotion. "You're amazing, Nancy. So amazing."

With a cry that seems to come from her very soul, Nancy gives one final push. And then, suddenly, there's a new sound in the room, coming in through the phone’s speaker—the strong, healthy cry of a newborn baby.

"It's a girl!" the doctor announces, holding up our daughter for us to see.

My breath catches in my throat. She's perfect. Tiny and red-faced and screaming her lungs out, but perfect. And as the nurse cleans her off and wraps her in a blanket, I notice something that makes my heart stop.

“She looks exactly like you, Nancy,” Nathan says, voicing my thoughts.

“A perfect little angel like her mother,” I say wistfully, swallowing the lump in my throat.

“Oh, she’s so beautiful.” Drew’s voice is filled with the same wonder ours holds.

The nurse places her in Nancy's arms, and we watch in awe as Nancy's entire face transforms with love. "Hello, little one," she coos softly. "We've been waiting for you."

I can't take my eyes off them. Nancy, exhausted but radiant, cradling our daughter. Our daughter. The words echo in my mind, filling me with a joy I've never known before.

"Do you want to hold her?" Nancy asks, looking up at Jamie with a tired smile directed at the camera. Her curly brown hair comes into focus, followed by her tiny, wrinkled face. My hands ache to hold her as Jamie hands the phone to Nancy and carries our daughter in her arms. Despite the urge, I’m still a little worried. What if I drop her? What if she doesn't like me and cries when I hold her?

Yet, as she coos and nuzzles into Jamie, my fears melt away.

“You can come in now, guys,” a nurse says, making our heads shoot up from the phone.

We hurry down to the room. I zero in on Nancy, as do the guys, and we take turns placing kisses on her sweaty forehead.

“You were wonderful, Nancy,” Drew says, kissing her fingers as he watches her reverently.

“You were so strong and brave,” Nathan adds, standing beside Drew.

“Now it’s our turn to look after you and the baby. You have nothing to worry about,” I pledge.

Nancy smiles and holds out her hand for our daughter. Jamie places her in Nancy’s arms carefully and she looks up at us in excitement.

“Guys, meet your daughter,” she says, her voice filled with exhaustion.

Nancy passes her over to me. She's so light, so fragile. I cradle her close to my chest, marveling at her tiny features. Her features are so identical to that of her mother.

Tears blur my vision, and I blink them away. " Hola, mi amor ," I whisper to her. "I'm your papa. Well, one of them, anyway."

I pass the baby to Drew. The look on his face as he holds her for the first time is one I'll never forget—a mixture of awe, love, and fierce protectiveness.

"She's beautiful," he murmurs, gently stroking her cheek with one finger. "Just like her mother."

Nathan takes his turn next, his eyes suspiciously bright as he cradles her. "Hey there, little one," he says softly. "Welcome to the family."

Jamie hangs back, her phone in hand. "Mind if I take a few pictures?" she asks. "My sister, Temple, is dying to see her new niece."

We all nod our agreement, and Jamie snaps a few photos of the baby with each of us. As she does, I can't help but marvel at the situation we're in.

Here we are, four adults and a newborn, creating a family that defies convention. We'd decided months ago not to do a paternity test. It didn't matter whose DNA the baby carried—she was ours, all of ours.

"What's her name?" Jamie asks, lowering her phone.

We all look at Nancy. We'd discussed names, of course, but had decided to wait until we met her to make the final decision.

Nancy smiles, looking around at all of us before her eyes settle on the baby. "Esperanza," she says softly. "It means 'hope' in Spanish."

My throat tightens with emotion. It's perfect.

"Esperanza," Drew repeats, testing the name. "I love it."

Nathan nods in agreement. "Welcome to the world, Esperanza."

As Jamie starts texting the news and pictures to her sister, I find myself overcome with emotion. I step out of the room for a moment, needing to collect myself.

In the quiet of the hallway, the reality of what's just happened hits me full force. I'm a father. Me, Carlos Rodriguez, the orphan kid who never thought he'd have a family of his own.

But I do have a family now. A beautiful daughter. A woman I love more than I ever thought possible. And two brothers in all but blood who will stand beside me every step of the way.

I lean against the wall, letting the tears flow freely. They're tears of joy, of gratitude, of love so intense it almost hurts. A hand on my shoulder startles me. I look up to see Drew, concern etched on his face. "You okay, man?" he asks softly.

I nod, wiping at my eyes. "Yeah. Just...overwhelmed, I guess."

Understanding dawns in his eyes. "It's a lot, isn't it? Being a dad."

"I never thought I'd have this," I admit, my voice rough with emotion. "A family. People who love me. A child of my own."

Drew pulls me into a hug, surprising me. We're close, but not usually given to such displays of affection. "You deserve all of it, Carlos," he says fiercely. "You're going to be an amazing father."

I hug him back, grateful for his support. "We all are," I say as we pull apart. "Esperanza is lucky to have all of us."

He nods, a smile playing on his lips. "She really is. Now come on, let's get back in there. I think Nathan's trying to teach her engineering already."

We laugh as we reenter the room. Sure enough, Nathan is holding Esperanza, pointing at various medical equipment and explaining how it works in a soft voice.

"Starting her education early, huh?" I tease.

Nathan grins, not looking up from the baby. "It's never too early to foster a love of science."

Nancy laughs from the bed, the sound tired but happy. "As long as you wait a few years before trying to build robots with her."

Jamie finishes sending pictures and comes over to hug the guys and me. "Congratulations, Papas," she says warmly. "She's beautiful.” She looks around at the three of us and shakes her head. “And this…this is just fucking remarkable.”

"Thank you," I say, my eyes drawn back to Esperanza. "She really is, isn't she?"

For the next few minutes, we pass Esperanza around, each of us getting time to bond with her. We take more pictures, make calls to share the news, and just bask in the glow of new parenthood.

As the excitement begins to wind down, I find myself back by Nancy's side, Esperanza having been taken away by the nurse for some exams.

"How are you feeling?" I ask Nancy softly.

She smiles up at me, her eyes heavy with exhaustion but shining with happiness. "Tired. Sore. But so, so happy."

I lean down to kiss her forehead again.

"You were amazing. I'm so proud of you." Nathan takes her hand in his as his eyes shine bright with adoration.

She reaches up to take Drew’s hand in her free one and looks at all three of us by her side. "We did it," she says. "We're parents."

"We are," I agree, my voice filled with wonder. "All four of us."

Nancy nods, her smile widening. "It's perfect, isn't it? Our little family."

Drew, Nathan, and I smile at each other before looking down at her, nodding in sync.

"It is perfect," I say, my heart full to bursting. "Absolutely perfect."

I make a silent promise as we stand over our angel. To love her and our baby unconditionally. To protect them fiercely. To be the best father I can be, alongside Drew and Nathan. And to always, always be grateful for this incredible gift of family.

"Thank you for the gift Esperanza Rodriguez-Johnson," I murmur quietly. "You have no idea just how much you have made us happy."