Cale stood up and looked at me with hungry eyes. "Lay down on the bed on your side Maddie. I'm going to take you now."

I swallowed hard. I slowly made my way onto the bed and lay down. Cale positioned himself as he lifted my right leg and slipped his dick inside of me. The relief I felt when he entered me was heavenly. As he moved in and out, I let myself go.

"Maddie, I'm going to come, baby."

I called out his name softly as he called out my name again. Cale didn't move for the longest time. I was about to say something when I felt another pain. At that point, I knew it couldn't be anything else it was a contraction.

Cale pulled out. "Hold on baby, let me get a washcloth to clean you up.

I inhaled deeply through my nose and slowly blew the air out my mouth. I looked over at the clock and made a mental note of the time. I didn't want to tell Cale just yet. I wasn't sure why. I was pretty sure it was because once I told him; it would all become real. I was scared to death.

After Cale and I got dressed, we headed out to the kitchen to start dinner. Lily had gone down for her nap later than normal, and I knew she would be starving. I started to pull out chicken for Cale to put on the grill.

"Cale, will you start the grill?" I asked. He laughed and I turned and looked at him. "What's so funny?"

He looked at me with a confused look. "Baby, it's snowing hard outside. I'm not going out there to grill."

I placed my hands on hips and glared at him. He knew how much Lily and I loved grilled chicken.

"I'll use the indoor grill if you want," he said as he smiled and winked at me.

I smiled and nodded. As I made the salad, I heard Lily singing over the monitor. I smiled and placed a hand on my stomach. I picked up the glass bowl and turned to set it on the island and a contraction hit me hard and fast. I dropped the bowl and watched as glass shattered everywhere. "Fuck," I said as I glanced at the clock.

Cale came running and stopped when he saw the glass. "Maddie, are you okay?"

I nodded. "I um...I dropped the bowl."

Cale ran to the laundry room and began cleaning up the broken glass. Lily was crying like crazy. She must have heard Cale call my name. "I'll go get Lily," I said.

Cale bent over and swept glass onto the dustpan. "Okay, I'll get this mess cleaned up and will make another salad in no time. Don't worry, baby."

I went up to Lily's room. When I opened the door, she smiled and said, "Mama."

I got her out of her crib and brought her over to the changing table. I changed her diaper, then helped her walk down the stairs into the living room. I retrieved one of her favorite toys and set it in front of her. I knew the toy would occupy her for at least fifteen minutes while I helped Cale finish dinner.

I pulled the rosemary potatoes out of the oven and placed them on top of the stove. I was about to take out our plates when another contraction hit me.

"Oh shit!" I said, starting to breathe like they taught us in Lamaze class. The contraction lasted longer. I looked at the clock. "Oh gosh," I whispered.

I turned to see Cale on the floor playing with Lily. They were both laughing at the sounds the game made. "Um, Cale?"

"Yeah?"

"I think...well no, I know for sure...I'm having contractions."

He was making a silly face at Lily. "Is that right?"

I rolled my eyes. He clearly wasn't paying attention to me. It must of hit him, though, because he jumped up, turned and looked at me. "What? What did you say?"

I STARED AT Maddie. She was rubbing her hand across her stomach, smiling. "I said I'm having contractions."

Shaking my head I said, "No, you can't."

She shrugged. "Oh, yes I can...and I am."

I placed my hands on Maddie's upper arms. "Maddie, there is a blizzard outside. You're not due for another few days. You can't have this baby."

Her face turned red. I instantly dropped my hands and took a step back.

"I don't care that there is a blizzard outside, or that I'm not due for another few days. I do care that I've been having contractions all day and now they are about thirty minutes apart. I'm having this baby, Cale Blackwood. Now."

I swallowed. "Now? Now? Like right this second?" I looked at her stomach and turned around in a circle. "Holy shit!"

Lily jumped up and spun around as she repeated what I'd said. "Shit! Shit, Daddy!"

I looked back at her and nodded. "I know, Lily! Daddy knows." I took Maddie by the hand and led her to the sofa. "Hold on," I said. "Let me see how bad the weather is."

I sprinted to the front door and heard Lily running behind me. I slid to a stop at the door and turned. Lily was running as fast as her little legs could go, laughing. I bent down and held out my arms and scooped her up as I stood and ran back into the living room. "Mommy needs lovin', Lily. You baby brother..."

"Or sister," Maddie said with a smirk.

I gave Maddie a look and set Lily down next to her. "Your baby brother or sister wants to come out of mommy's tummy now to play with you."

Lily smiled and Maddie clapped her hands as Lily followed.

"I'll be right back," I said, taking off again.

"Where are you going, Cale? We have to call the doctor!" Maddie called after me. I threw the door open and ran outside. I wasn't wearing anything but a T-shirt, sweatpants and my socks. I stopped right at the edge of the front porch. All I could see was snow. It was falling from the sky in a full-blown blizzard. "Why? Why today of all days?"

I pulled my phone out of my sweatpants pocket. I found Jack's number and called.

"Are you missing me, bro?"

"I need your truck. I mean, I need to borrow your truck right now."

Jack laughed. "Fuck no! You're not driving my truck in this weather. Jesus, Cale, it's a damn blizzard outside."

I felt my breathing pick up. I was freezing my ass off, but I didn't want Maddie to hear the panic in my voice.

"Dude! Listen to me. I don't have time for this. Maddie is in labor. I need your truck. It's a four-by-four, and the only thing that will get us to the hospital."

"Maddie's in labor?" Jack asked as I heard Monica yelling in the background. I heard some noise and then Monica's voice.

"Cale, how far apart are her contractions? I knew something was off with her. I knew it!"

I took a deep breath and looked back at the front door as I jumped around to warm up. "She said thirty minutes."

"Okay. Jack is on his way over. Call the doctor first and let them know. Then call your neighbor and ask them to come stay with Lily-you can't bring her to the hospital. Then call your parents and Maddie's dad and Michelle."

I nodded. "Got it." I turned to open the door and ran smack into it. "Shit. I locked myself out."

I rang the doorbell as I listened to Monica tell me all the things I needed to do. I kept jumping around to warm myself up. I rang the doorbell again. "Damn it. Maddie isn't answering the door. What the hell? Oh God. Oh, no-what if something happened to her? Fuck! Fuck! Fucker! Suck a dick!"

"Um, yeah I don't want to ask about that last outburst. Bang on the door."

I banged on the door and kept ringing the doorbell. "Monica, I'm freaking out. She isn't answering." I banged louder and rang the doorbell again and again. I put my ear to the door. When I hit the doorbell, nothing happened. Then I heard music. Loud music.

"She's playing music. Like really loud."

"Huh?" Monica asked.

I ran my hand through my hair as I blew out a breath. "She's dancing with Lily, I bet. Lily loves the music up as loud as we can get it, and they dance. The doorbell is fucking broken and she can't hear me banging on the door."

Monica laughed. "Is it cold out?"

"I really hate you right now, Monica." I hung up my phone and looked out over the front yard.

I stared at the falling snow. It really was beautiful. The white snow blanketed the area, making everything look new. This was it. This was the one thing I'd been waiting for. The moment in time I'd been dreaming about for years.

The front door opened and Maddie laughed. "Jesus, Cale get in here!"

I spun around and ran into the house. I pulled Maddie into my arms and gently brought her lips to mine. "Thank you," I whispered.

Her breathing was rapid as her eyes searched mine. "For what?"

"For loving me."

She smiled bigger and whispered back, "Always."

MADDIE WAS HAVING another contraction when Jack finally pulled up to the ER. "I'm really going to have to thank James for calling the cops." he said with a chuckle.

Maddie groaned. "I'm...going...to...kill...my...oh God!" Maddie took quick breaths as she worked her way through the contraction.

She let out a breath. "Father...I'm going to kill my father for this police escort."

I jumped out of the truck and ran into the ER, slipping twice. Just as I was about to reach the door, I slipped again and fell. Two nurses came running out to help.

"Are you okay, sir?"

I pointed to the car as I kept doing that stupid breathing exercise from Lamaze class. "My wife. Contractions."

I looked back and Jack was walking slowly with Maddie up to the doors. They all walked past me and sat Maddie in a wheel chair. I brushed off the snow as I followed them in, ignoring the incredible pain in my left leg.

"Cale! You're limping. Did you hurt your leg again? Wait, stop!" Maddie attempted to get out of the wheel chair, but the nurse stopped her.

I caught up to Maddie and kissed her lips. "I'm okay, baby. I promise." Tears filled her eyes and she nodded.

She grabbed my hand. "Cale, I'm so scared."

"Don't be scared, Maddie. I'm right here with you, baby. I won't leave your side. I promise."

We got Maddie checked in and they brought her up to her labor and delivery room. The room was decorated in neutral colors. The nurses all wore scrubs patterned with kid or baby themes. Some were in bright pink, some in baby blue. Maddie's nurse was wearing some with rubber ducks on it. I laughed as the memory of cleaning Lily after the shit fiasco came back to me.

Maddie had decided to have a natural birth. I was pretty sure she was regretting her decision. Especially when she grabbed me by the T-shirt and pulled me down. "I can't take the pain anymore. Do something. Cale do something!"

My eyes widened and I looked around. The nurse smiled and winked at me.

Maddie let me go and let out a moan. "Please can I have an epidural? Please."

I turned to the nurse and gave her a look. She nodded and said, "Let me get your doctor in here, sweetheart, and we'll see how far you're dilated."

I sat next to Maddie as her doctor examined her. He turned and said something to the nurse and she rushed out the door. Doctor Green walked to the side of Maddie's bed. "Maddie," he said, "you've been a trooper, but we can't give you an epidural."

Oh shit, I thought. This poor man is about to die at the hands of Maddie.

"What? Why not? Please, Dr. Green. Please." Hearing Maddie beg nearly killed me.

Doctor Green took a deep breath. "Maddie, the baby is breach. You're dilated too far for us to give you an epidural. We need to get in there and get the baby out. Her heart rate is starting to drop."

My knees almost gave out. "What?" both Maddie and I said at the same time.

More nurses walked in as Dr. Green kept talking. "Cale, you can walk with us down to the OR, but you can't come in."

Maddie sobbed. "No. Cale has to be there. Someone has to be there for our baby."

The nurse grabbed Maddie's hand and said, "Maddison, I promise you, Cale will be the first person outside of the OR to see the baby. I promise you."

They moved Maddie out of the room and I followed along with her. Everything was happening so quickly. She held my hand so tight that it felt like she was breaking my fingers, but I didn't utter a word about it. I just kept telling her how much I loved her.

"Maddie, baby I love you so much," I said. "I'm so proud of you. I'll be right outside the doors. I swear."

She looked at me as I wiped her tears away. "Please, Cale, please don't leave. You promised me."

My heart broke as I let my tears fall freely. "Never, Maddie. I'll be right here."

They pushed her through the doors and she held my hand as long as she could.

Dr. Green stopped and put his hand on my shoulder. "Everything will be fine, Cale. I promise. Maddison will be out for about forty minutes. As soon as possible, the nurse will come and get you."

I nodded. "Take care of them, please. I can't live without her."

He nodded and smiled as he turned and walked through the doors. I raked my hands through my hair and walked over to the small waiting area. I sat down in the chair leaned back against the wall as I thought about the day Lily was born. Zoey had pretty much given up the fight. For months, I couldn't get it out of my head-why Zoey did what she did. I'd finally asked Jack for the name of Zoey's cousin, and I'd called and arranged lunch with her.

I closed my eyes and was brought back to the day I meet Zoey's cousin, Lori.

I WALKED INTO the restaurant and looked around. A young girl with blonde hair stood and waved. I smiled and nodded as I made my way over to her. I reached out my hand.

"Hey, Cale," she said. "It's nice to finally meet you."