Protecting Love (LarssonSiblingSeries #3)

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

There's someone I want you all to meet...👶🏻❤️

Betty

Today is the day. Baby Larsson is on the way. I hover around the bedroom door, my tiredness long forgotten when Delilah shouts out in pain, my brother flying around the house like a headless chicken. There's a burst water main along the junction that leads to the apartment. The police have shut the two roads needed to get here and diverted traffic which means the jams are miles long.

Hence, Delilah's midwife being late.

I walk into the bedroom and find her clutching her stomach, panting out loud. "Betty, I'm thirty-seven weeks. It's too early. What if something's wrong?"

I lower myself onto the bed and give her my hand to squeeze. "Edward's just got off the phone with Tony. Everything is normal. They could have your due dates mixed up by a week or two. Just try your best to relax."

"Relax?" she grits her jaw, eyes flooding with pain. "I'll kick you in the boob if you don't shut up."

I widen my eyes, not used to this side of her. Pain does weird things to people. I relax my hand as she digs her nails into the skin, my bones crushing together. "Try those breathing exercises you learnt. In and out."

"They don't work. Biggest waste of time I spent in those classes. As if, a frigging gemstone is going to stop the pain. I want my money back!"

"Happy thoughts," I respond, feeling way out of my depth.

I get Delilah's fierce frown as she closes her eyes. "Why is it this so painful?"

I glance over to the door, seeing Edward come back in carrying a mixing bowl.

"I brought you some ice chips," he says, placing the bowl on the table next to Delilah, feeding her a few while her body has a break from the contractions.

"Betty, I'm sorry for being mean," she says, sniffling.

I kiss her hand. "You can call me what you want. You're allowed."

Delilah reaches for another ice chip. "I'll be there for you when you have babies. You can kick me in the boob too."

I giggle. "Okay. It sounds like we have a deal."

The smile on her face disappears into a grimace. "Ouch! Ow, ow, ow, ow. Ah, this one's bad."

Edward swoops in running his fingers through her hair. "I got you. You're doing so well, baby. I'm so proud of you."

Delilah grips onto Edward's arm and squeezes hard. "You did this to me. You and your stupid penis. I'm going to pluck the hairs out of your testicles one by one. Then you'll know the pain I'm in."

Edward winces, trying to remove her grip from his arm. "Okay. Whatever you want."

"You don't even care about me," she sobs out of nowhere, seeming almost delirious.

Edward keeps his fingers light on her head. "You know I do. Don't be silly."

"You think I'm stupid?" she lowers her head and keeps crying.