The Risks We Take Duet Box Set

97. The Hospital

THE HOSPITAL

Cooper

T he fluorescent light buzzes above Dr. Wren Davenport Kingston as she stands next to my sister in the small hospital room. It probably wouldn’t seem so small or so damn hot if it didn’t currently hold half my family. Or maybe it’s just the nerves finally hitting me, reminding me this is real.

Carys and I are about to get the one thing we’ve aways wanted.

Ready or not, our boys will be here soon.

I rest a hand on Carys’s hip and squeeze as she leans against me, and not for the first time, wonder what the fuck I ever did to deserve this life... This woman.

Wren looks between Brady, Carys, and me as we hover next to Nattie before she glances around the rest of the room and clears her throat. “I’m sorry, but if you aren’t Mom, Dad, Nattie, or Brady, I’m going to have to ask you to wait in the family room down the hall.”

Holy shit . That makes me Dad .

Murph grumbles something I can’t make out before Sabrina shushes him and shoves him through the door. Dad and Katherine kiss Nat and Carys before they follow, and it’s finally just us.

“Okay, then.” Wren looks between the four of us. “Let’s see how we’re doing, Nat.”

She moves between my sister’s legs, and I cough. “Uhh... how about I wait in the hall while you do... that.”

“What’s wrong, Coop?” Nat laughs.

“There are some things a brother doesn’t need to see, Nat.” I kiss the top of Carys’s head. “I’ll be just outside the door.”

“Don’t go far,” she whispers.

“I’ll be right outside the door,” I tell her and get the hell out of dodge before I’m forced to see more of my twin sister than I’ve ever wanted to see.

Declan stands on the other side of the hall, waiting. “You doing okay, Coop?”

I lean back next to him. “Wren was going to...”—I clear my throat—“examine Nat.”

“Say no more.” The fucker laughs, then hands me a bag. “Belles said this is Carys’s. Her phone’s been ringing nonstop.”

I take Carys’s purse from Dec. “Little weird, since everyone she knows is here.”

Wren steps into the hall. “Cooper, we’re going to be taking Nattie in for a C-section immediately. Those babies are ready.”

I look over at Dec. “Holy shit. I’m gonna be a dad.”

He wraps an arm around me quickly, then shoves me toward the door. “You’re gonna be a great dad, Coop. Now get in there.”

“Thanks, man.” I walk back into the hospital room with two nurses behind me who get right to moving Nat. “Wait?—”

Nat reaches up and grabs my hand. “You ready for this, little brother?”

“Listen here, little Sinclair,” I tease. “You may be older, but I’m bigger.”

“Pretty sure I’m bigger right now,” she laughs back, followed by a small groan of pain. “Love you, Coop. The next time I see you, you’re going to be a dad.”

I press a kiss to her head. “Love you too, Nat.”

We’d talked about a C-section already. Wren originally said only one person could be in there with Nat, but they’re making an exception and allowing two since she’s a surrogate. Carys and Brady are going in with her. They’re both pulling pale blue scrubs on over their clothing.

Once Carys has the shirt pulled over hers, she throws herself into my arms, shaking with excitement. “It’s happening.”

Brady walks by and squeezes our shoulders before he follows Nattie out.

I cup Carys’s face in my hands. “No going back now, baby.”

She looks up at me with tears pooling in her mossy-green eyes. “Time to meet our boys.”

I brush my lips over hers, then push her through the door as my heart threatens to beat out of my chest.

Our boys.

Declan waits for me as I watch my wife follow a nurse down the hall, and her phone starts ringing again.

“Maybe you should answer it, Coop. Someone’s really trying to get ahold of Carys.”

“Yeah.” I pull it out, and the adoption agency’s name flashes on the screen. “Hello?”

“Mr. Sinclair?”

“Yes. This is Cooper.” I shift and look around, unsure why they’re calling.

“Mr. Sinclair, this is Mrs. Clifford. I was trying to reach Carys. We’ve found a match for the two of you,” her crackling voice on the other end of the line tells me what Carys and I had waited years to hear. What we’d hoped and prayed for but never came.

“I’m sorry. What?” I ask, the reception inside the hospital making it hard to hear. “I think I heard you wrong.”

“I know this may come as a shock to you, but we’ve found a match for you and Mrs. Sinclair. A young woman went into labor this afternoon. She’s chosen your family. She’s just given birth at Kroydon Hills Hospital. If you and Carys would like to head over to the hospital, we can have someone meet you there.”

“We’re already here. We’ve... I—” I cut myself off, unable to find the words as my pulse races. “When we didn’t get matched, we went a different route. A surrogate is giving birth to our babies right now.”

“Oh.” She sounds disappointed. “I can tell the young woman you’re no longer interested.”

“No—” I bite out quickly. “No. Don’t do that. Can you give me a little time? An hour. Let me talk to Carys.”

She hesitates for a minute. “An hour, Mr. Sinclair. After that, I’ll need to let the mother know she has to consider a different match for the baby girl.”

“Baby girl?” I ask cautiously.

“Yes. She gave birth to a girl two hours ago.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Clifford. I’ll call you back as soon as I talk to my wife.”

A little girl. Our daughter.

Carys

I sit on a chair in the ice-cold operating room, holding Nattie’s hand in mine, while Brady does the same on the other side of the bed. A blue curtain is drawn over her bump, which we can look around, but my eyes never leave hers as tears spill down both our faces. “You’re the strongest woman I know, Nat.”

She turns her head and shakes it the tiniest bit. “I’m not, Carys. That’s you.”

Brady sniffles on the other side of the table, and both our heads snap to his. He wipes his eyes, then kisses his wife. “Either of you tell Coop I cried, and I’ll deny it. But you’re both pretty amazing.”

“You ready, Nat?” Wren asks, and moments later, I hear the most amazing sound in the world, followed a minute after from his brother.

K roydon Hills Hospital believes in surrogacy and parents’ rights. Luckily for us, this means we get our own room with the boys, and as I follow the nurses into that room, I find my husband, standing awed in the center of it as both boys are wheeled in, in their little clear boxes. I watch as Cooper loses the battle with his composure, and I fall just a little more in love with him.

Tears pool in those gorgeous baby-blue eyes, and I walk into his arms and kiss his chin. “I wanted to wait for you to hold them.”

Our nurse, Sarah, steps around Baby A. “Skin on skin is best for the babies.”

Coop nods nervously and rips his shirt over his head, then looks down at the boys. “Should I sit?”

Sarah smiles softly, reminding me of a sweet grandmother who could probably whip you into shape, if necessary. “If you’re more comfortable sitting.”

She picks up Baby A and carefully places him in his Daddy’s arms, and Cooper’s breathing catches in his throat, then he slowly sits down on the couch. “Hey, little man... I’m your daddy.”

My heart melts and grows as a love like I never knew wraps me in its warmth.

Once he’s situated, I don’t wait for help. I scoop up Baby B and kiss his beautiful little forehead before I sit down next to his daddy and brother.

“Have you two picked out names for these little guys?” Sarah asks as she pulls a pen from her pocket.

I look at our boys, then up to Coop and wait.

Every time we talked about naming our boys, Coop struggled.

He knew what he wanted but wasn’t sure if he’d be able to do it.

The sweetest smile I’ve ever seen graces his lips before he presses them to the baby’s head. “Lincoln Joseph Sinclair.”

I kiss his cheek and shift the sleeping baby in my arms. “It’s perfect. Our Linc. I love it,” I tell him. “Lincoln and Lochlan,” I whisper, in awe.

“Lochlan?” Sarah asks.

Coop kisses the top of Lochlan’s head.

“Lochlan Michael Sinclair,” I announce. “For my grandfather,” I add.

“Beautiful names,” Sarah muses. “I’m going to leave you alone for the golden hour to bond with the boys. Just call me if you need anything.”

“Thank you,” I whisper, already tuning out anything that isn’t the four of us. “I can’t believe they’re actually here. I’m not sure I truly thought it would happen. I mean...” I try to explain, but words are hard. “I knew?—”

“Carys...” Coop interrupts me. “I got a call while you were in the OR.”

“What’s wrong? Who’s hurt?” I jump because he wouldn’t dare ruin this moment for anything less than that.

“No, baby. No one’s hurt. It was Mrs. Clifford.”

Lochlan fusses in my arms, and I stand to sway, hoping to calm him and wondering if he can sense my fear. “Like, adoption agency, Mrs. Clifford?”

He nods and looks down at Lincoln. “A birth mother went into labor today, and she picked us.”

“What?” I ask as the world shifts beneath my feet, and I drop back down next to Coop on the couch. “What do you mean she picked us ?”

But I know the answer. I see it in his eyes before he says it.

“She gave birth to a baby girl. Today . Here. And she wants to give her to us.”

“Are you kidding me?” I laugh through uncontrollable tears.

“No, baby. Our daughter is in this hospital.” He kisses my temple, and I lean my head against his.

“What do we have to do?” I ask, still crying.

“I’m not sure. I guess call Mrs. Clifford.” He laughs.

“Well then, where’s the phone because I want my baby.”

“I love you, Carys.” Coop looks around for my bag and grabs it with his foot, scared to move with Lincoln in his arms. He pushes it my way. “Let’s get our girl.”