The Risks We Take Duet Box Set

61. Carys

CARYS

E merson is still upstairs, sleeping, when the last of the guests, including her parents, finally leave after the service. Leaving Jack, Theo, and me sitting in the kitchen, looking around at the mess. Jack stands behind me, rubbing my shoulders, and I crack my sore neck. “Dad said he’d send a cleaning crew tomorrow morning to take care of everything.” He squeezes one more time before moving to the side and helping himself to another cup of coffee from the tureen that’s still warm.

“Thank God.” I drop my head down onto my arms that are resting on the counter. “It’s been a really long day already. I just want to go to bed.”

“I second that,” Theo agrees as he stands and drags his hand down his face.

“Umm... guys?” Emerson walks slowly down the stairs, her hair sitting in a messy bun on top of her head, and her sleep shorts and a tank doing a terrible job covering her extremely pregnant body. One hand white-knuckles the railing while the other rubs her back. “I don’t think anybody is going to sleep anytime soon.”

We all look at her, a little surprised to see her awake and joining us. “What’s up, Em? What do you need? I’ll get it,” I offer, just as Jack asks the same thing.

But it’s Theo who quickly darts across the room and grabs her arm, so she can lean on him.

“My water just broke.” She doubles over and screams in pain, and I see the water leaking down her legs.

We all scramble, rushing Emerson into Jack’s car and practically flying to the hospital. At one point, Jack blows through a red light, and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t stop for a single stop sign. Em sits next to me in the back seat, sobbing when she isn’t breathing through contractions. “This baby cannot come today. I can’t have to celebrate my baby’s birthday every year on the same day I buried him, CC. I just can’t.”

“It’s okay.” I push the messy hair that’s fallen out of her bun away from her face. “Just breathe, Em. Don’t worry about that now.” I meet Jack’s eyes through the rearview mirror, and we share a moment of concern.

Emerson has slipped into a dark place since she lost Linc. In the days since I’ve been back, she’s barely left her room or spoken to anyone. And each of us have been taking turns trying to get her to eat. We’ve all hoped, with the funeral behind us, we’d be able to help her get to a better place by the time the baby came.

We thought we had a few weeks.

Looks like we thought wrong.

After I time another contraction, I look at Em hesitantly. “Should I call your mom or dad and ask them to come to the hospital? I think your mom said she wasn’t flying out until tomorrow.”

“No,” Em snaps. “Don’t call them. I just want you guys and Jessie. Please don’t call my parents tonight.”

“Whatever you want, Emmie. We’ve got you,” Jack soothes his sister as he pulls up in front of the hospital, his breaks squealing as he throws the door open and commandeers a wheelchair.

I t’s a long night for all of us. Emerson oscillates between crying hysterically that the baby can’t be coming the same day she buried Linc and begging for the baby to come, so this can all be over. I’m not sure I’ll ever regain the feeling in my fingers again after the way she crushed my hand during her labor. But she does it.

Finally , with tears streaming down her face and her gut-wrenching cries filling the room, Emerson gives birth to the most beautiful baby girl I’ve ever seen.

A little after six in the morning, Elodie Madden-Alexander is born, screaming at the top of her lungs. And as if she already knows she comes from rock royalty, even her cries sound like the prettiest song I’ve ever heard.

“You did it, Em.” I wipe her face with a damp cloth. “You did it, and she’s beautiful.”

She’s tiny, barely over six pounds, with eyes so blue, they look purple, just like her momma’s. Soft jet-black hair is sticking out in every direction when the nurse tries to hand her to Em, but she shakes her head no and closes her eyes.

I open my arms instead, and the nurse places her small bundled body into them. And even though I know, logically, she can’t really make out my face just yet, I feel like this tiny little girl is staring into my soul.

At that moment, I make her a silent promise that Auntie Carys will always be there for her, no matter what.

I settle into a chair next to Em’s bed, holding a sleeping Elodie, who’s wrapped up like a baby burrito in a white hospital blanket with a big pink bow wrapped around her little head.

“Are you sure you don’t want to hold her, Em?”

She looks at me with empty eyes and shakes her head. “I just want to sleep, CC.”

“Okay. I’ve got her. You rest.” We’re definitely going to have to speak to someone about her depression. Em rolls to her side and pulls the blanket up.

I sit quietly watching Elodie sleep until Jack comes in, having snuck past the nurses. He takes one look at the beautiful newborn resting in my arms and steals her from me, whispering, “Go get yourself something to drink, CC. I won’t go anywhere.” He holds his hand up. “Scout’s honor.”

“Like you were ever a boy scout,” I whisper.

He tips his head and runs a gentle finger down Elodie’s nose. “Yeah... that sure as fuck wasn’t happening. Now go. Let me get to know my niece before I have to leave for two weeks.” He sits down on the arm of the chair. “I never thought I’d be pissed about going on tour, but I’m worried about leaving her.”

“Don’t be. I’ve got her. Take your shot, Jack Madden. Show the whole damn world how incredible Six Day War is. But promise me I get a private preview of your set with the whole band before you leave. I need to meet your new singer.” Emerson told me she loved the singer they found after I left, and I’ve been dying to hear them since. “Want me to bring you back anything?”

“Nope. I’m good. Thanks.” He doesn’t take his eyes off the sleeping baby, and I don’t blame him. She’s everything.

The hum of the hospital relaxes me as I walk through the maze of corridors in search of the cafeteria. Following a sign, I turn down a hall and see Jessie coming toward me in pink scrubs and matching Crocs. She squeals.

“Well? Did she have the baby? I’ve been stuck in surgery all night and haven’t had the chance to check in.” She grabs both my hands, and I wince.

“She did. A baby girl named Elodie Madden-Alexander.”

Her face softens. “Linc would have loved that.”

“Yeah. I think he would have. Em’s sleeping, but Jack’s up there with her now, if you want to stop in.”

“Thanks. Did you see the guys? They were here for a few hours, but Ford texted they were going home around two a.m. We’ll have to let them know she had the baby.” Jessie claps her hands with excitement, and I yawn in contrast.

“Let me get some caffeine before you make me deal with anyone else, okay?” My stomach growls as if on command, and Jessie laughs at me.

“Get a muffin too. They’re delicious.” She hugs me to her. “I’ll talk to you later. Text if you need anything.” She walks away, and I’m left wondering where the heck she gets her endless energy from, as I step into the cafeteria.

After grabbing a tea and a blueberry muffin the size of my head, I sit at a table and pull my phone out to check my messages.

One from Daphne, two from Chloe, and one from Mom.

Everyone wants to know if I’m okay after the funeral.

At least I can give them some happy news this morning.

I’m sending them all a picture of Elodie when the chair next to me is pulled out. My head snaps up, thinking it’s Jack or Theo, but I’m surprised to see Axel sitting down instead.

“How ya doin, baby momma?” His black ball cap is pulled low over tired eyes as he wraps an arm around my shoulders and tugs me to him.

“Axel.” I hug him back. “We missed you yesterday. What are you doing here? I thought Jessie said the guys went home.”

“Yeah. They did. I talked to them this morning though. I just got in yesterday and missed the service. But I thought I’d check in. Are you back in town permanently? Did you and Sinclair figure your shit out? You know I’m always an option, right?”

I laugh him off. “Yeah. I know, and thank you for that. But you know Cooper has my heart. Even if we’ve still got a few things to talk about.” Just saying it out loud hurts, though, in a way I’m not sure will ever go away.

“You guys gonna talk soon?” Axe seems pushier than usual, but I’m so freaking tired, maybe it’s just me.

“I’m not sure, Axe. He’s still pretty mad.”

Axel’s hand, which had been resting on the back of my chair, begins playing with my hair, making me a little uncomfortable. “Do me a favor, baby momma. Can you tell Sinclair he’s got something of mine, and I want it back?” He tugs on my hair, pulling a little too hard on my scalp.

“I was never yours, Axe.” I try to laugh his innuendo off.

Axel lets go of my hair and taps the table with his hand. “Just tell him for me, okay?” He stands up and stares at me, waiting for an answer.

“Sure.” I hesitate at the uncomfortable vibes rolling off him. “I’ll tell him.”

“We could have been good together, Carys.”

Something about the look in his eyes puts me on edge, but I try to shake it off. I just need sleep. “Whatever you say, Axe.”

He laughs, then picks up my muffin and walks away.

That could possibly go down as my strangest conversation with Axel since I’ve known him. And I’ve had some strange ones during that time. Maybe we all need a little bit of sleep.