His Hotcakes Baby (16 page)

Emotions that took control of him.

Emotions that made him weak and
vulnerable.

He
knew he was lost and it was useless to fight against it.  He knew it the moment
she looked into his eyes when she said ‘I do’.  His heart did not belong to
himself anymore.  It beat inside her.

They
followed Billy and Gaby’s example for a honeymoon and went on a two week cruise
in the Caribbean.  Chase did not want to chance a longer break in case Carter
decided he wanted to be born earlier.  He promised he would take her and Carter
on a proper honeymoon within six months.

They also decided to move to Nassau
after the honeymoon.  The distance was just too far for Chase’s peace of mind,
in case she went in labor while they were still on the island.

The move to Nassau was also what
triggered their first fight. 

Mackenzie stood scowling at Chase on
the docks of Nassau.  He just informed her they would be moving into a hotel
until Carter’s birth.

“Why not your penthouse?”

Chase visibly started and looked at
her questioningly.

“How do you know about the penthouse?

“Billy told me.  That is where he
assumed we would stay.”

“No.  We’re not staying there.”

“Why not?”

“Because we are not!”

Mackenzie’s heart missed a beat and
the hurt was clear in her eyes.

“You … you’re keeping a mistress
there!  Is that it?”

“Don’t be ridiculous!”

“Then take me there!”

“We are not going to stay there and
that is final!”

“I want to go and see it. Now, Chase Paxton!”

He sighed and rubbed his neck. 
Somebody should have warned him pregnant women were bloody stubborn and
annoyingly demanding.

“Mackenzie, we are not staying there
and I am not taking you there!”

“So it is true.  You do keep a
mistress there.”

The tears were visible in her voice
and he cursed.

“No.  I am not.  Honey, it is part of
a life that I have not lived for over two years.  I do not want you there.  In
fact I have been meaning to sell it.”

“Really?  Have you put it in the
market?”

“No.  Not yet.”

“Then you have not made a decision to
get rid of it.  You’re keeping it for when you get tired of me!”

“Bloody hell, woman!  Would you stop? 
I am not going to get tired of you. Ever!”

He looked in her eyes and sighed
heavily when he noticed the hurt look in hers.

“You lied to me Chase.”

“What the hell about?  I never lied to
you!”

“You told me you never slept with
other women, that you went to sleep in your own bed.  If that was true, why
this place and why can’t I see it?”

He ran his hair through his fingers
and cursed himself for never selling this damn place.  He had no idea why he
kept it.  Maybe as a reminder how fickle women were.  Now it got him in deep
shit!

“It was the weekend getaway I bought
for Vivienne and me years ago.  We used to spend weekends here.  She decorated
it and it is still that way.  I never bothered with it and never sold it. Billy
and I used it for stay overs since then.  It is also the bed I slept in on … those
nights.  I don’t want you there, because you and I deserve our own place.”

“You kept a penthouse you bought for
Vivienne for twelve years … you still … oh God.  You still love her!”

She spun around and walked as fast as
her very pregnant body allowed her to.  Tears blinded her and she had no idea
where she was going.

Chase stopped her with his hand on her
elbow, but she kept walking and refused to look at him.  He sighed and guided
her to the waiting shuttle.  She got in and sat staring out of the window,
refusing to acknowledge him.

She gasped when Carter kicked her painfully
in her side.  She rubbed the spot and tried to hold the tears back.

“You’re wrong, Mackenzie.”

“I would prefer not to talk about it. 
I would also prefer to go and stay with your mother, than in a hotel.  She did
offer.”

It sounded more to him that she did
not want to be alone with him and he cursed.  Why the devil had he not sold the
bloody place long ago?  Trust a woman to place an emotional attachment to a
place he purely saw as a convenient and nice property!

The
following two weeks were a nightmare, to say the least.  Mackenzie was hurt and
refused to discuss the matter in his mother’s presence.  Chase was annoyed and
angry, which made him snap at everyone.  This was not how he thought they would
wait for their son’s birth.  Angry and a wide birth between them.

How the hell did they go from a happy,
glorious honeymoon to anger and resentment the minute they returned?  He had no
idea how to fix it.  He already told her Vivienne meant nothing to him. Now
because of a damn penthouse she thought he still loved her!

Bloody females!  He just did not
understood them!

“What went wrong, Chase?”

Chase looked up.  His mother stood in
the doorway, a worried frown on her face.  He sighed and swung his eyes back to
the bay.  Lucy has been terrific, trying to pacify them both, even though she
had no clue what was wrong.  Chase shrugged.

“The penthouse.”

“The penthouse?  I don’t understand.”

“I never told her about it, because it
belonged in my past.  I already decided to sell it the last time Billy and I
came to town.  He assumed we would stay there and mentioned it to her.”

“I still don’t understand.  Even if
you did not tell her about it, why would she be upset?”

He swung his eyes to her.  Lucy
noticed he looked warn and tired.

“Did you forget why I bought it in the
first place, Mom?”

“Vivienne.”

“Vivienne.  Now Mackenzie’s put an
emotional attachment to the place and believes I still love her.”

“Vivienne!  Why … oh, I see.”

“Well, I am glad one of us do!  I sure
as hell don’t!  I told her a while ago already that Vivienne meant nothing to
me anymore, have not in a long time, that I do not even believe I loved her.
Now all of a sudden, bam!  She is right in the middle of my marriage!”  He
swung back to gaze out the window.

“Let me ask you this my son.  Have you
seen Vivienne or met her at some point over the past twelve years?”

“Yes, Mom. A few times.”

“And?  How long ago was that?”

“The first time was a year after she
left and hooked up with that actor.  Then a few times at movie premiers.  The
last time was when I went to Miami for my book release.  She came to my hotel
room and made me a proposition.”

“No!  What kind of proposition?”

“The same one she has made every time
I have seen her.  That she loved me still and wanted me back.”

“No she didn’t! Did you … did you ever
consider it?”

He sighed and ran his hand through his
hair.

“The very first time, yes.  It was
also the only time I … had sex with her again.  I realized then already that
she was not the woman I wanted to share my life with.”

“And the last time?”

He laughed sardonically.

“The last time I thought it was
Mackenzie that knocked on my door and I was annoyed when I saw it was
Vivienne.  The fact that Mackenzie filled my thoughts the whole time she was
there … well I made it very clear to her then to stop wasting her time.  I was
not interested.”

He turned and stiffened when he
noticed Mackenzie standing in the doorway, her eyes glittering brightly.  Her
hands clasped her belly.

“Well, Chase, you better make it right
and quickly.  Carter is due to be born any day now.  You don’t want to have
this between you when your son is born.”

His eyes remained fixed on
Mackenzie’s.  He saw her flinch.

“No, Mom.  I most definitely do not.

Mackenzie gasped and stooped over,
grasping her belly.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but … ooohh …
I think Carter is ready.”

Chase was by her side the moment she
gasped and picked her up to put her on the couch.  He brushed her hair from her
brow.

“Did your water break?”

“No, but my back has been killing me
since yesterday and I have terrible cramps.”

“Mom, I am taking her to the Clinic. 
Will you bring her bag?  I don’t want to waste any time.”

He picked her up and carried her to
the car.  They arrived at the Private Clinic within ten minutes and Doctor
Stiles met them in the Lobby.  He was already there for daily visits.  They
have been pre-booked so Chase had no need to waste time on completing forms. 

Mackenzie was taken to Doctor Stiles
examining rooms, where he did a thorough examination and a sonar.  He stood back
and pulled the sheet back over Mackenzie’s belly.

“Well, Carter is most definitely ready
to be borne, but perhaps just a tad eager.  Your water has not broken as yet
and the cramps are pre-birth cramps that some women get.  Yours seem a bit
stronger than most.  I would prefer to keep you here until the birth, just in
case.”

“But everything is in order?  There is
no cause for concern?”

“You can relax, Chase.  Mackenzie is
healthy and strong and as long as she remains calm, all will be well.”

Lucy arrived just as they pushed
Mackenzie into the private suit allocated to them.  She assisted her to get
dressed and Chase lifted her on the bed.  He drew the sheet over her and
smoothed it over her belly.  He sat down on the chair next to her and held her hand. 
Lucy disappeared silently.

“How much did you overhear earlier,
Mackenzie?”

“Most of it.”

“Is that what upset you and brought on
the cramps?”

Mackenzie sighed and caressed his
stubby bearded cheek.  She drew his head closer for a soft and tender kiss.

“Why would it upset me, Babe, when it
completely absolved you from what I accused you of?  I am sorry.  I guess I am
still insecure as far as she is concerned.”

“Which from this point you won’t be
anymore?”

“No, definitely not.”

“Good, because the past two weeks were
hell!

 “Did you really wait for me that night?”

“You bet I did.  I never had such a
desire for a woman as I had for you that day I first saw you.  I was highly
upset when you did not arrive.”

“Hmm … oohh!”

Her hand tightened its grip on his hand
and he stroked her belly with his other.  The cramp passed and Mackenzie patted
the bed next to her.  It was a Queen Size bed and he did not need a second
invitation.  He kicked his shoes off and got in beneath the sheet with her and
held her close against his chest. Her eyes met his and she smiled tremblingly.

“He only has another twenty four hours
to hold on.”

“Hotcakes, I am still not comfortable
with you wanting to give birth naturally.  Why don’t we tell Wayne to do a
caesarian? I don’t like seeing you in pain and this is not even labor pains!  I
am not going to survive this, honey!”

“Then Carter might not be borne on
your Dad’s birthday!”

   “Dammit woman!  That would have
been terrific, but I am more concerned about you than that!”

“I am fine, Babe.  Labor pains is
something all women have to suffer and I am stronger than I look.”

“Please, honey.”

“You are so sweet.  Okay, my love.  If
I have not gone into labor by tomorrow this time, we can do a caesarian.”

“I meant now, today!  Not wait and you
continue to be in pain!”

She hugged his arm around her belly
and looked at him.

“Will you stay with me?”

“Until I take you home.”

“Then I will be fine!  For now … I
have a craving for some …”

“Don’t tell me!  Ice cream!  What
flavor are we at now again?  Oh yeah … rum and raison.”

“No, that was yesterday.  Today it is
banana.”

“The ice cream distributors on Nassau
is going to go bankrupt once Carter is borne!”

Her sexy tingling laugh followed him
down the passage and he shook his head.  His relief that she was no longer
angry visible in the wide smile on his mouth.

Sixteen hours later, Mackenzie’s water
broke and she went into labor. Lucy and Lauren was there and realized it was
going to be a long drawn out process.  Her labor pains were far apart, but very
strong and she was dilating very slowly.

Within two hours Chase was ready to
kill everyone in the vicinity.  He could not stand to see Mackenzie in so much
pain.  He was not satisfied with Wayne, the obstetrician’s explanation that
some births are just more difficult than others.  Mackenzie refused to consider
a caesarian and Wayne felt it was still too soon for the epidural.  Ideally she
should be five centimeters dilated before it should be administered.

Eventually even Mackenzie tried to
calm him down.  He was more stressed than she was.

“Babe … please relax.  I am fine.  Mom
says I should try walking.  It might speed up the dilation.”

“Is she crazy?  No.  You are staying
right here in bed!”

“Babe, please.  I need to get up. 
Even if only to walk around the room for a few minutes.”

“When is this going to end?  It has
been close to four hours already!”

“Come and help me out of the bed.  I
am going to need your arm to hold on to.  I think it will do us both …
aaarrgghh!”

Chase grabbed her hand and folded his
other arm around her shoulders, holding her tight as she breathed through the
contraction.  They were a lot closer, but she was still dilating slowly. He scowled
at her when she still wanted to get up after the contraction.

“Chase, the contractions are a good
fifteen minutes apart.  Lots of time to walk around a bit.”

“I want it noted that I am not
comfortable with this.”

“Your notation has been acknowledged, my
love.  Now get me out of this damn bed!”

The walking seemed to have aided and
she started to dilate faster and her contractions became closer.  It took
another two hours however before she was five centimeters dilated and they came
to administer the epidural.

“Chase, just realize it takes about
forty to fifty minutes to take effect.  Just a little patience a little longer
please.”

“How much longer?”

“At this rate, probably another three
to four hours.”

“Oh Lord!”

“At least she would not be in so much
pain.”

Chase held Mackenzie’s hand and shook
his head.

“We are not having any more children! 
I refuse to allow you to go through this again.”

Mackenzie smiled tenderly at him and
squeezed his hand.

“The next one might be quick.  My
birth was apparently an eighteen hour marathon, but Aiden was born within two
hours.  I promise you, I am fine.  Once the epidural kicks in, you can even
start telling your stupid jokes again.”

“Stupid?  I never tell stupid jokes!”

Lucy and Lauren stood watching and
just shook their heads.  Neither could believe how ruffled the strong Chase
Paxton was.  Hopefully after this he would realize how much he loved the woman
he did not let out of his sight for even a moment.  Even when she needed to go
to the toilet, he went with her.

The nursing staff just smiled and
shook their heads. 

Carter Hawk Paxton was born at one in
the morning on twelve October.  Even with the epidural Mackenzie was very tired
and felt fuzzy.  She held her son and cried when she looked up and saw the
strong, muscled Chase Paxton watching them with tears running down his cheeks. 
Their eyes met and she smiled, holding her hand out to him.  He sat on the bed
next to her and embraced the two most precious people in his life.

Mackenzie handed Carter to him and he just
sat looking at him in awe.  He could not believe that they had managed to
create such a perfect, beautiful human being.  He leaned over and captured
Mackenzie’s lips in a deep, yet tender kiss.

“Thank you, my exquisite wife for my
beautiful son.  I will forever treasure the both of you.”

“As I will you.  Chase …”

He stiffened at the panic in her
voice.

“Yes, hotcakes.”

“Call doctor Stiles.   Something is
not right … I feel …”

Her eyes rolled in her head and her
body started convulsing.  Chase still had Carter in his arms and could only
look on, trying to hold her down with his one arm.

Chase screamed for help and the nurses
and Wayne Stiles were there almost immediately.  Stiles issued orders and they
ushered Chase out of the delivery room, still clutching his precious son in his
arms.  He fought having to leave, but the nurse managed to get him to
concentrate on Carter.  He refused to go any further than the doors and handed
the baby to her.  He stood at the doors leading into the delivery room watching
through the small square windows at eye level in the door.

Lucy and Lauren came running closer,
trying to get him to leave, but he refused.  His eyes were glued on the still convulsing
woman on the bed.