And he did. She was seven months in when she started experiencing complications. The nagging morning and afternoon sickness had left her to be replaced by swollen ankles and acute dizziness. She was ordered to go on bed rest for two weeks, and he was adamant about her sticking to it.
The two weeks did her wonders, but he put his foot down when she tried to return to the office.
“Absolutely not.” Her in-laws backed him up, of course, so she was outnumbered.
“What am I supposed to do?” She demanded.
“There is a homeless shelter the committee has been interested in for the past two months,” Donna told her quietly. “Why don’t we have a look at the place?”
*****
Their son, Michael James, was born on a blustery day in January. The labor had started on the first day of the New Year. She was rushed to the hospital as soon as her husband discovered that she was in pain.
Several hours later, when the baby still had not been delivered, his joy and expectations had turned to mindless panic and fear. He could hardly stand in the room with her but could not bear to leave.
Even though he tried to keep up a façade, he knew his intuitive wife had realized that he was falling to pieces.
“I am sorry.” He whispered after another bout of contractions had left her limp and exhausted. “It won’t happen again.”
“Yes, it will, and I am fine.” She assured him.
He turned to the hapless doctors and vented his frustrations. “What the hell are you doing for her?”
“Our jobs,” The OB told him calmly. “We are almost there, Jacinth,” he told her with an encouraging smile.
Three hours later, he was going insane.
“The head is crowning.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“It means our son is about to come into the world, darling,” His courageous and exquisite wife explained.
And he should include perceptive in that description. Because shortly after, he was holding his perfect son in his arms.
“Hello, Michael,” he murmured. “This is your Daddy.”
“He is adorable, isn’t he?” His wife murmured from the bed.
Lifting his head, Reginald stared at the woman who had brought so much to his world. She was dressed in a light blue robe with buttons down the front. After twelve hours of grueling labor, she looked like she had just returned from a walk in the park.
The lump inside his throat expanded until he could barely swallow. He loved her so much that it was difficult to put into words. But he tried. Walking over to sit at her hip, he kissed her forehead. “Thank you.” He told her simply, unable to verbalize what he wanted to say, but she understood.
“You are welcome.”
*****
The Present…
“What do you think?” She implored him when he came into the room carrying the pink dust-covered hard copy of her book in one hand. It had taken her six months to write it. As soon as she submitted it to a publisher, it was accepted. The entire process had taken a little over a year.
The house was quiet; the children were in bed, and the servants retired. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Reginald stared at the woman he adored. “I think you have quite the talent.” He murmured.
“You are not just saying that.”
“No.” Taking her hand in his, he lifted it to his lips, his tawny eyes glittering with passion. “Even though I know the story, it had me fighting tears.”
She gave him a quizzical look. “Are you certain it’s not the corniness of the topic?”
“It’s not.” He was planning on making love to her, but the emotions inside him were threatening to overpower him. Putting the book away, he hauled her into his arms and buried his face in her neck, breathing in her scent. “My love, my life.”
“My all.” She finished, her arms wrapped around his body.
The end… or is is?!
Nope, this was just the beginning! If you enjoyed this introduction to the Members From Money world, there’s so much more waiting for you. Dive into Season 1 (Part one of Season 1, Patrick here*) or Season 2 (Part one of Season 2, Jake here*) for full-length stories featuring these characters and more. While each book stands alone, you’ll love spotting familiar faces as they weave through each other’s lives. Join readers who’ve made Members From Money the top-rated BWWM romance series, your next favorite love story is just a click away.
