The Struggles Of Waiting ✔

TWENTY-TWO

2085

"Luka! Get back here, please!" Alexander cried, sighing and chasing the three-year-old down the hall. The little boy only giggled in response, ducking into his bedroom.

"We'll be there as soon as we can," he heard Jaden say from the living room. "Alex is just trying to get Luka sorted." There was more chatting but Alex paid it no mind, concentrating on trying to get his son ready to go.

Luka was sitting on his bed when he walked into the room, hiding underneath the thick blanket. Alex stifled a laugh and made his way over. He pulled the blanket from the bed and Luka let out a shocked gasp. "How did you find me?" he asked.

"I'm magic," Alex said. "Now, come on, you need to put your shoes on."

"I don't want to!" Luka cried, crossing his arms over his chest and pouting.

Alexander frowned, squatting down on his knees to face the little boy. "Why not? Don't you want to go meet your sister?" he asked.

"No!"

"But you said you did yesterday."

"Well, now I don't want a sister."

"Why not?" Alex asked, but the boy didn't reply. He let out a huff and moved further up the bed away from him. Sitting on the bed, he reached out for him, bringing the young boy closer to him. "You know daddy and I love you, right?"

"Yeah," Luka said, climbing into Alex's lap and snuggling against his chest.

"We're still going to love you even with your sister around, okay?" he said. "We're going to love you both the same. And when she's big enough, she'll love you too. You'll have someone new to play with."

"How long will that take?" Luka asked in his high pitched voice.

"Only a couple of years," Alex answered.

"But that's so far away!"

"I know, but it will go by quickly," he said. "And daddy and I will play with you while we wait for her to get bigger, okay?"

"Alex, we need to go!" Jaden called from the living room.

"Two minutes!" he yelled back before turning to look at his son again. "Come on, put on your shoes. We have to get to the hospital." Luka huffed again but jumped from Alex's lap to grab his shoes. Alex helped him tie up the laces. They were still teaching Luka how to do it properly and it was taking some time.

Luka grabbed his hand as they made their way from the room and towards the front door of their little house, where Jaden was waiting with bags in his hands. "Come on," the younger man said, limbs trembling from excitement. His soulmate had been like that when Luka had come along as well, all jittery and nervous. Alex had been terrified. He hoped this time would not be a repeat of the first for him.

They were packed and ready in the car before he could even blink. All Jaden had to do was press a button and they were off towards the hospital. Luka played with his favourite teddy bear, not paying much attention to his stressed fathers in front of him.

"How are you feeling?" Alex asked his soulmate. He grabbed his clammy hand, holding it tightly in his lap.

"I'm more than a little terrified," Jaden said. "Abigail's already gone into labour and I don't want to miss our daughter being born."

"We're not going to miss it, Jaden," he replied. "She's only having contractions at the moment. We'll get there in time." Despite him trying to comfort Jaden, even he could feel the worry of missing his daughters birth.