Kathleen Brooks - Secrets Collide

Dani pushed hard for what seemed like forever. But then she finally felt her baby’s head crowning. She gripped Mo’s hand hard as he calmly gave her encouragement, but his excitement was clear. She took a deep breath and pushed again.

“Congratulations! You have a son.” Emma called out as she held up the screaming infant.

“Oh, he’s perfect. I love you so much, Danielle,” Mo kissed her forehead and leaned down for a closer look at his small son. “Is he going to be okay?”

“Here, you can cut the cord and then the NICU doctors will look him over. He’ll probably have to stay here for a couple days. He looks about five pounds or a little less, so they’ll want to make sure he’s gaining weight and can breathe on his own before he goes home,” Emma told them as she showed Mo where to cut the cord.

Dani nodded; she knew he’d be fine. She felt it in her heart. Tears came to her eyes as Mo cut the cord and the nurse snapped some pictures for them. “Emma,” Dani gasped. “Something’s not right.”

The pain started again and Dani just knew this wasn’t normal. Fear flooded her as the pain came again. Emma pulled on a new pair of gloves and examined her. “Did you say you had an ultrasound and that everything was clear?” Emma asked.

“That’s what the doctor said. He’s not allowed to tell us anything,” Dani panted as Mo ran to her side after turning their son over to the doctors.

“Well, then I guess you wouldn’t have known you were having twins. Now push,” Emma ordered.

“Twins?” Mo said in awe as he stared at her. Dani didn’t know what to think; her body had just taken over as she pushed. Relief came and she fell back to the sound of more cries.

“It’s another boy,” Emma laughed as Mo cut one more cord before she handed the squirming bundle to Dani.

“Two sons. My father may forgive you for not crossing your legs until we flew to Rahmi,” Mo laughed. Dani felt the laughter start in her belly and then was laughing so hard she could hardly catch her breath.

“You better go tell him,” Dani said as she watched in amazement as the doctors examined not one, but two babies. Her babies. Hers and Mo’s. She looked up at her husband and felt like crying again. She was so happy she didn’t think she could stand it.

Mo looked upon his wife holding their two sons and thought he’d never seen a more beautiful sight. He called in his best friend and celebrated with hugs before handing his camera over for him to take pictures. Ahmed snapped the first family photo and some of each of his sons before he left to get the king.

He was holding his sons, the heirs, in the bed with Dani when he heard the king practically running down the hall. It was hard to miss with him shouting to Ahmed about which room they were in.

His father burst through the door and looked from one bundle to the other and tears welled in his eyes. “Father, may I present my two sons and your heirs.” He’d never seen his father so overwhelmed with emotion. Dani sat beside him puffed up with pride and filled with the calm of a mother he never could've guessed she possessed. She was so sure of herself and he was just scared he’d drop the small bundle.

“Two babies,” the king whispered reverently as he approached the bed. “I am deeply indebted to you, my dearest daughter. You have given me a gift I will never be able to thank you for. To be surrounded by grandchildren in my old age is all I have ever wanted. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, grandfather.” Mo looked to Dani and saw the tears in her eyes as she proudly handed one of their sons to him.

Mo rapped on the door to the waiting room and Nabi moved aside. The rush of feet was deafening as the townspeople all pushed forward to hear the news. His parents and Dani’s parents were back in the NICU watching their grandsons being examined and cleaned up. They were both five pounds and only slightly premature. They’d be in the NICU for the next week, but both were perfectly healthy, happy, and hungry boys.

“Thank you all for coming out and showing your love for Dani and me. Emma showed us a picture of your support during the delivery. Dani and I really appreciate it. We are very blessed. Everyone is doing and feeling great. Mom and her two sons.” Mo smiled into the sea of stunned faces.

“YES!” Dinky leaped up into the air next to his girlfriend, Chrystal. “I can’t believe it. I bet that she’d have twin boys. I won. I can’t believe it. I won.”

“You were the only one with that bet, too,” Miss Daisy said with a huge smile. “The entire pot is yours. It was our biggest yet.”

Dinky suddenly dropped to the ground and everyone gasped as he took Chrystal’s hand into his. “I can now give you the ring and the wedding you deserve because you deserve only the best. How I got you, I don’t know. But I don’t care if I’m not the best. I’m holding on tight and loving you every day for the rest of my life. Will you marry me?”

“Yes. Yes, Darrel Dinkler, I’ll marry you.” Dinky leapt up and kissed Chrystal as all the town and nurses and staff started clapping.

Neely Grace turned to Henry. “Are you crying?”

“Just thinking,” Henry said wistfully.

“About what?”

“I want this,” Henry told her as he looked around the happy room.

Mo knew what bet he’d be placing next time he was in the café.

Cy drove his truck from the airport into Keeneston. It was evening by the time they touched down and he felt invigorated after their night and morning together in Los Angles. They had relaxed, laughed, played, and made love. It had brought them closer together than he ever thought two people could be.

“This is strange. Where is everyone?” Gemma asked as they pulled to a stop in front of the café.

“Something’s happened. There’s a note on the window.” Cy and Gemma got out of the truck and walked with dread to read the hastily scribbled note.

Dani’s gone into labor. No more bets can be placed at this time.

Cy let out a breath. It was a good something. “You know what this means?”

“We don’t have dinner?”

“It means we’ll have to fend for ourselves. Luckily I’m good at fending, among other things.” He got a laugh out of Gemma and felt invincible.

Cy drove her back to Miss Lily’s and took her to the kitchen at the back of the house. He’d make her dinner. He’d never made a woman dinner before, but he had an urge to do so now. He scrounged around the cabinets and found a box of pasta, some tomato sauce, and some sausage and hamburger in the refrigerator.

“How does penne with meat sauce sound?”

“Great. I love a man who can cook,” she teased. Only Cy wished it were the truth. He’d woken up this morning knowing without a shadow of a doubt that he loved the woman he had been holding in his arms. He only hoped she loved him, too.

Gemma set the napkin down and leaned back on the kitchen chair. Dinner had been fabulous. Cy hadn't struck her as the cooking kind but had proved her wrong. He moved confidently through the kitchen and she had to admit it was a major turn-on. The only problem was, she got tired of trying to guess which Cy would show up. In public it was Cy Davidson, CIA superspy and Hollywood playboy. But alone it was just Cy Davies. Her Cy.

“Now, about that other idea I had,” Cy grinned as he finished putting the plates in the dishwasher.

“Hmm? What could that be?” Gemma pretended to ponder as Cy leaned over her.

“Here, I’ll show you.” Gemma felt the butterflies in her stomach as his lips met hers. Soon she was lost to his mouth and hands. But then suddenly he froze with his mouth still against hers. One of his hands was on the back of the chair and the other was cupping her breast. “Someone is coming up the back walkway,” he whispered into her mouth before quietly standing up and sliding a large knife from the block sitting on the counter.