The Billionaire’s Creed

MYKEL

Ten months ago, I would have laughed my fucking ass off if someone came to me and guessed my future of being married, let alone having two kids at this moment. I would have said, you’re fucking insane, man. But life happened, fates collided, stars aligned, and all those shits.

“Babe, please hurry up!” Adley was literally screaming as I tried to scramble, picking things into my hands. “Babe, relax. We practiced this a thousand times!”

I dropped things down and closed my eyes for a moment so I could focus. “Those are shits, Adley! When it’s the time, I can’t focus when you’re in so much pain.” Just by looking at her, it hurt like fucking shit. She had contractions, sweating, and her face contorted in pain.

She did a breathing exercise just like we practiced so I would not panic. She was the one who was so calm when she was about to pop our baby out. She was relaxed despite the pain all over her tummy.

“Calm down. Give me my phone.” She gestured.

“Now it’s not the time to call the cavalry, baby.”

“Just do what I said, Mykel!” She yelled out. I knew it was the time of her contraction, which happened every five minutes.

“Okay, baby. Calm down.”

“You, calm down!” She pointed her finger at me while her other hand was on her hip.

I gave her the phone, and she dialed someone. “Get over here in the room-the two of you. Now!” she just barked an order. Then she ended the phone and threw it on the bed.

“Did you just call Sax and Kye?”

“Yes. Because you will pass out at any moment, and I better be not delivering this baby alone in bed, you jerk!” She pouted. Her face flushed.

“Mrs. C?” It was Kye.

“Come in, boys?”

“Is everything okay?”

“No. Nothing is okay. This big guy here is panicking! We practiced everything, and now he’s beyond scared than me. Please, take these things and put them in the car. I’m in labor, guys.”

“What?” The guys asked in unison.

“Oh, no! Not you too! Hurry up. Ugh!” She formed her hands into fists toward the guys.

Sax and Kye grabbed the bags. We prepared everything as soon as Adley hit thirty-seven weeks.

“Let’s get you in the car.” I rushed to her side and was about to carry her.

“No! I’m walking.”

“Are you sure?”

She glared at me. “Yes, Mykel.”

I nodded, even if I was terrified and nervous at the same time. “Okay.”

She rose to her feet.

Weeks ago, she started to have swelling. Her doctor said nothing to worry about since her blood pressure was within normal range. She just asked me to watch out if her wedding ring got smaller around her finger.

I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and helped her walk. When she had another contraction, I gave up. I couldn’t wait another minute before her water broke. I carried her no matter how she tried to resist.

“I will take you to the hospital, baby. Watching you in so much pain is hard, and I can’t help you take it away. That’s why I panicked.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“Tell that to yourself.” I placed her in the car and buckled her up. Once we were ready, Sax drove us to the hospital.

Adley constantly did deep breathing when the pain intensified. “I think I’m not gonna have another baby. It hurts a lot!” She gripped my fingers tightly every time the pain intensified.

“Don’t say something like that. You’re gonna be okay.”

“Not so long ago, you were panicking, butthead!”

“It’s just you were screaming, and I lost focused-”

“Just stopped talking already!”

“We’re almost there, Mrs. C.”

“Hurry up, Sax. I should have followed my doctor to admit myself to the hospital yesterday.”

“We’ll do it next time, baby.”

“No more next time. I told you!”

“Okay, just calm down. We can talk about this later.” I was rubbing her arm, kissing the side of her head to soothe her, even though it was not helping.

“I hate you, right- ugh!”

I put her in a wheelchair as soon as we arrived at the ER.

“We’ll prepare her and inform you once she’s ready.” The doctors rushed in our direction and took care of Adley.

There was a moment when you realized that you were not ready to let go, but you had to. I felt like I should have done something, like tell my wife how much I loved her before I let her hand go, but there was no time to wait. I knew that this was out of my control anymore.

It terrified me watching the love of your life in that position that even my comfort was not much of a help. But I knew once it was over, it would be pretty rewarding.

I deeply sighed as I watched her fade out of my sight to the delivery room. As much as I’d like to hold her, I knew she was in good hands.

“Can you two stay with me for a while?” I talked to Sax and Kye.

“We’re not going anywhere, boss,” Kye said as he sat beside me.

“Mr. Creed, can we have her things, please?”

Sax gave the bags to the nurse. “Is she okay?”

“She’s fine. We’re preparing her.” She then turned to me. “Would you like to be with your wife?”

“Of course, he will,” Kye answered, patting my shoulder.

The nurse smiled. “Very well. I’ll come back for you once it’s all set up.”

“Thanks.”

Once the nurse left, Sax turned to me. “How do you feel?”

“Terrified. I might have lost my mind. I’m glad Jax is with Mom and Knox. Thanks for being here with me.”

“Mykel, we came as soon as we found out!” Blaze and Elise came rushing to us.

“How did you find out?” I asked them, confused.

“Seriously?” He looked at us. “Adley created an SOS group.”

“And she just activated it twenty minutes ago,” Elise added. “Everyone knows by now.”

“I don’t even know what you’re talking about. Who’s everyone?”

“How is she?” I turned to my back. It was Dad.

I shook my head in amusement.

“Do you really think I will miss this most significant moment of our lives? Why do you think I asked for great-grandchildren.” Lex arrived as well. “Where is she?”

“They’re preparing her, sir,” Sax replied.

“Fine. Whatever.” All I could do was rubbed my temple as they occupied the waiting area.

A few minutes had passed, and Jax just called out my name. “Daddy!”

“Really, Mom?” I looked at Mom with Knox joining us.

“My sister!” Jax just jumped onto my lap.

“You’re gonna be a dad of two, bro.”

“Thanks for reminding me, Knox.” I rolled my eyes.

“Congrats, honey.” Mom came to me and kissed me on the cheek.

“Thanks, Mom. Glad you’re here. I was like crazy, panicking, when Adley told me it was time. I stared at her for like a whole damn-dang minute.”

“Mr. Creed, come with us, please?”

“Take care of my granddaughter and my great-granddaughter, son.”

“Jeez, Lex. I might pass out before my wife gives birth.”

“Don’t do that,” they said in unison.

The nurse chuckled.

“Forgive my annoying family. It’s our first girl in the clan. Well, except my wife.”

We entered a room and allowed me to put a gown, a cap, and a mask on. Then we went to another door to where the labor happened.

I froze in my place as I watched all three doctors in gowns, and the room suddenly turned small and narrow.

“Glad you could join us, Mykel.” It was Adley’s OB, Doctor Chesca.

“Thank you.” I swallowed hard.

“Breathe. It’s gonna be okay.” I was not aware my wife was looking up at me. “You’re pale, babe. You can do this.”

“I’m not the one who’s in labor, baby.”

Adley was lying flat on the bed. Her body was covered with sheets.

We agreed on an epidural during her labor. Just watching her screaming and grimacing in pain crushed my heart into pieces.

I took a seat on her side and grabbed her hand. She squeezed mine, reassuring me that everything was going to be okay when it should be me convincing her.

I pressed my lips into her knuckles. “You’re the strongest woman I’ve ever met. You know that, right?”

Adley nodded. “We’re gonna meet our baby girl.”

“I’ve waited long enough, baby.”

Adley and I decided to capture each moment when our baby was born. The nurse started snapping pictures of us. I knew the camera was in the bag.

Adley and I shared a look of surprise. I could see the excitement and pure love in her eyes. I was sure she could see the reflection through mine as we heard our baby’s first cry.

My heart melted. My chest expanded. I felt tears forming in my eyes as we stared at each other. I leaned over and kissed her lips. “I love you, baby. Thank you for giving a wonderful gift.”

“Meet the new member of the family, baby Creed.” Her doctor placed our baby girl wrapped in a blanket on Adley’s chest.

“Hey, Amelie Everette Aurelia Kross-Creed. Welcome to the world, our baby girl.” I held her through the blanket. Tears finally fell from my eyes.

I couldn’t take my eyes away from the most precious girl on the planet. She was so tiny and pink and still covered with vernix. But one thing for sure, she got her mommy’s copper brown hair.

Adley lifted her hands and held our baby. She was also crying with joy.

“Hey, Amelie.”

“Your mom’s name suits her perfectly.”

***

Adley finally transferred to the room so everyone could see her and our baby.

“You all came, huh. Thank you, guys,” my wife said as she looked at everyone in the room, including Sax, Kye, and Romare.

I sat beside Adley in bed. “Can’t make them go home.”

“I came late. I had to wait until Mara woke up.” Lyra was carrying her baby. Xiomara was growing fast, and her chubby cheeks were the cutest.

“Can we see baby Kross now?”

I snorted. “Kross-Creed, Lex.”

“Actually, it’s Kross-Creed-Hartford,” my father butted in.

“Really, Dad?”

“Fine, whatever,” Dad dismissed. “I’m glad Adley and the baby are well and healthy.”

“Please, come over.” As soon as Adley allowed them, they rushed as if there were fifty percent off.

“Whoa, whoa. Easy.”

Knox looked amused. “You’re definitely a father to a girl. Overprotective as fu-”

“Can I see, baby girl, Daddy?”

I kissed Jax on his head. “You will, buddy. Just wait until they’re done, okay?”

They oohed and awwed. Some said my baby girl looked like me, but Lex said she looked like Adley. Of course, he was also protective of his genes.

“Meet Amelie Everette Aurelia.”

They had this aw reaction again.

“Beautiful name, darling. I’m proud to have my name on your first baby. Thank you.” Mom kissed her forehead.

“You’re welcome, Mom.”

“That’s beautiful, honey.” Finally, Lex agreed on something.

“Can I hold her?” Mom asked politely at Adley.

“Of course.” She held out our baby to Mom.

Mom carefully held baby Amelie in her arms. “Hey, baby Amelie.”

Lex and my father couldn’t help themselves. They had to see our baby again.

“Buddy, you can go and see your baby sister.” I didn’t finish my words. Jax was already beside Mom.

I turned to my wife. She had a smile on her face. “How are you feeling?”

She lifted her gaze at me, smiling. “Like I just gave birth.”

“I’m so glad you’re okay.”Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

“I’m taking it back.”

“What are you taking back?” I was confused.

“I wanna have more babies.”

I felt my lips just curve into a smile. “I love you, Adley Kross-Creed.”