Through the Darkness: Of Love and Loss Series Book One

51

The door to Everett's classroom swung open and banged against the wall, drawing his attention from where he stood at the front, writing on the chalkboard. He turned and smiled upon seeing Sally standing in the doorway.

"It's time," she said with a short nod, her hands clenched into fists at her side, a look of worry and excitement on her face.

Glancing at the clock, he shook his head. "We've still another—" The smile slipped from his lips as her words sank in. His heart hammered, and his stomach clenched. "Now? She's having the babies?"

She nodded.

He forced a swallow down a suddenly too-tight throat. Then, dropping the chalk, he knocked over his cane while blindly retrieving his coat from the chair at his desk. "Class is dismissed," he said in a daze. Stuffing his arms in the sleeves, he didn't spare a glance at the cane on the floor and limped toward the door.

The students loudly collected their belongings, leaving the schoolhouse in a rush as Everett followed Sally to her car and climbed inside.

His mind was in a panicked fog the entire drive to his home. How was it possible he'd faced a year of war without flinching, and yet he quaked in fear at the thought of witnessing his wife go through childbirth?

Leaping from the car before Sally came to a complete stop in his driveway, he lumbered up the stairs, vaguely aware he was missing something. Although what it might be, he hadn't the foggiest clue. Sweat broke out on his brow, his hands trembled, and his stomach threatened to expel its contents.

But the instant he limped through the front door, everything clicked into place, and his mind became crystal clear. Elyria's loud wail of pain probably had something to do with it.

He walked to their bedroom like a man on a mission with the paralyzing fear of moments ago pushed aside.

Daphne looked up from where she crouched near the side of the bed, holding Elyria's hand, and smiled. "Oh good, you're here. He's here, El."

"Everett?" She whimpered.

He removed his coat, flung it over the back of his desk chair, crawled onto the bed, and settled beside her.

Taking her face in his hands, he wiped the hair from her sweaty brow and smiled. "Hi, Pegleg."

She smiled back, but it wobbled as her eyes filled with tears. "I'm so glad you're here."

He kissed her. "Want to hear a joke?"

Chuckling through clenched teeth, she took his right hand in hers and held it tight, groaning against a sudden pain. After it passed, she laid her head on his shoulder, "Only if it's a silly one."

Everett winced against the pain in his right hand, positive that when this was all over, every last bone would be broken. "It's me you're talking to; I only do silly," he murmured, kissing her brow. "Which side of a duck has the most feathers?"

"I don't know, which side?" She whispered with a grimace.

"The outside."

Her laugh quickly turned into a moan. She curled in on herself, squeezing his hand tighter than before until the contraction eased. "I don't know how much more of this I can bear."

"What can I do? How can I help?" He whispered with a kiss.

Elyria shook her head and closed her eyes. Her pale lips trembled when she said brokenly, "Just be here with me."

"And tell you bad jokes?"

She nodded, her lips bending in a teary smile. "Yes."

True to his word, Everett remained at Elyria's side over the next several hours, holding her hand and doing his best to comfort her in any way he could through each contraction.