𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 | +𝟏𝟖

𝐁𝐎𝐍𝐔𝐒 𝐈𝐈

—

"Goddamn it— fuck you," I cursed out random words. Sweat prickled on my brow as I swallowed heavy breaths. My nails dug into Clay's hand, but he didn't seem bothered by it one bit.

"I know, baby, I know," Clay's free hand rested on the side of my head, his thumb stroking my hair.

I think gut-wrenching contractions have been the worst pain I've ever been through. I feel like stabbing one of these nurses for not taking my baby out faster. Though, I know deep down I can't blame it on them.

"Almost there, just a little more," the nurse in front of me spoke. Sweat trickled the edges of my hairline. I began to think of things rather than the pain shocking throughout my body, like how beautiful this baby is going to be.

We don't know the gender, but Clay was sort of hoping for a girl. Though, neither of us cared.

Clay kissed the top of my head, letting it linger before angling his head downward, allowing me to hear him as he whispered. "Almost there, sweetheart. Our baby's almost here. I love you."

A noise of agony came from me, and I shut my eyes tighter than I ever have. Think of good things. Don't think of the pain. "We see the head, just one more push, Valentina." The nurse encouraged. She had introduced me to herself a few hours ago. Marissa. She's probably one of the sweetest women I've ever met.

"Come on, baby," Clay's whispers of sweet nothings filled my ears, and I focused on his voice rather than the pain coursing through my body.

"Here we go," Marissa spoke softly, reaching forward. I could have screamed if I wanted to, tears brimming my waterline. I choked up a breath as Marissa cradled the baby in her arms, I couldn't see it as she carried it over to a separate table.

A silence took over the room. A horrifying, dreadful silence.

My heart stopped, and for a moment I'd thought my whole world crumbled beneath me.

"Why isn't it crying?" Clay asked. When nobody answered, I felt his grip on my hand tighten. "Why the fuck isn't our baby crying? What's—"

A baby's cry cut him off, and I almost bursted into tears of relief.

I smiled widely, my eyebrows pinching in too many emotions. Relief, happiness— it could have been anything with the amount of emotions hitting me at once. A tear slid down my cheek as I turned my head up to Clay, seeing him let out a shaky breath. I held his cheek in my hand as I turned his head down for a few-second-long kiss.

When I opened my eyes, Marissa was carrying my baby in her arms, wrapped up in a small blanket. "Here's your baby girl, Valentina." She smiled, extending her arms to hand me my baby.

My gaze was seeping in awe at the amount of hair she already had, dark curls sat on her head just like her Dad. "Hi, baby," I cooed.

I held her to my chest as close as I could, never wanting to let go of the baby girl I'd just fallen in love with in a matter of seconds.

"She's almost as beautiful as you are," Clay whispered. I shook my head with a grin at the almost and looked up at him. He grinned, "She's got my hair."

"She does," I sniffled. I hadn't even noticed the nurses in the room had left until I looked up to see the room empty. I shifted to the left side of the bed, welcoming Clay as he didn't waste any time climbing onto the mattress with me. I held her between us, slowly giving her to Clay.

"What are we naming her?" I whispered, leaning onto his side as I stared down at our baby.

"She looks like an Alora," Clay responded. "Maybe a Maria?"

My wide eyes looked up at him, and I think I fell in love with him all over again at the smile on his face when he stared down at our baby. "Alora was my mom's middle name," I whispered. His head snapped to mine, his eyes wide. "I like Alora."

"I like Alora, too," he smiled. Kissing my forehead, he shifted Alora to sit in both of our arms. I brushed a small, dark curl off of her forehead, amazed by how much hair she already has on her head.

"Should we let them in?" I asked.

"No," Clay responded, leaning forward to leave a kiss on Alora's head.

I chuckled, "Let's let them in. They've been standing out there for hours." Clay playfully rolled his eyes with a groan before sending a kiss to my cheek.

He stood up and walked over to the door as I cradled Alora to my chest, my arms wrapped around her securely. He opened the door, and I watched as a wide-eyed Simon came rushing in first, Arya right behind him and Griffin trailing behind her.

I grinned at the three of them, Simon and Arya already at my side. Arya practically squealed, a wide smile on her face. "She's adorable! It's a she, right? Or is it a baby boy?"

I laughed, "This is Alora, our baby girl." I responded, angling Alora to face the two.

Simon's jaw dropped, "Is a baby supposed to have that much hair?" His eyebrow raised in concern. Griffin, all tall and scary as usual, walked over on my left with a small smile on his face.

I looked over to Clay, who was obviously irritated by the lack of space for him now, yet still had love in his eyes.

"Can I hold her?" Arya asked, her hands already outstretched. I nodded, slowly handing off Alora into her arms. I couldn't stop staring her, she was the most beautiful baby I've ever seen.

To be fair, she's got good genes. But still, as a newborn, she's adorable.

As Arya held Alora out to Griffin, he hesitated. Though, he took her from Arya anyway. Whilst he cradled her in his arms properly, he turned his back to us and walked elsewhere in the room, toward the couch as Simon brought up conversation, "We didn't hear crying at first, did they say why?"

"No," I shook my head. "But, I think Marissa would have told me why when she handed her to me. It was only a few seconds anyway, probably nothing."

I looked over to Griffin, seeing his head cocked to the side as he looked down at her. From my angle, I saw his cheeks rise in a grin, his thumb brushing her cheek.

Clay took his spot, now stood on my left as he placed a kiss onto my forehead again, "I love you."

He pulled back to lock eyes with mine, so many emotions swirling beneath them. I changed my voice to a whisper, "I love you."