(Wichita is going to kill Columbus. If she can just lure him into reach. Fourth in my Columbus/Wichita Z-Land series following "Perfect". Wichita's POV.)
"Come back here you little scrawny son-of-a bi... awwwwwwwwwwwwwww." Damn that HURT! I glare at Columbus. Glare? I thought for sure he would drop dead on the spot. I know I don't have a laser stare of death but the way I feel right now it should be fatal. I try to increase the intensity, hoping at least the look will get strong enough to sear off his pecker. I deserve that much at least.
My concentration is broken by another wave and he escapes while I cry out again.
"Ohhhhhhhhhhwwwwwwwwwwwwwww."
I pant for a bit and regain my equilibrium. Okay, the glare isn't working. I need to try something else. I take a second to rake my sweat-soaked hair out of my eyes and smile the sweetest, most loving smile I can muster at him. The one that started as grateful thanks that I developed for gas station attendants when they promise to send my engagement ring back to me, further honed to disarm suspicious cops and hotel clerks and yes, genuinely and sincerely perfected for Columbus.
That staggers him. I knew it would. It's staggered him in the past, most notably last fall when finally he stopped fainting and we both stopped falling asleep. We both declared it would be a night that we would remember forever. Well, that'll teach me to have unforgettable nights.
He comes closer. Yes, I'm reeling him in. Encouraged by Tallahassee and Memphis he reaches for the trembling hand I beseechingly stretch out to him. Closer I urge him, just a little closer. I visualize just exactly how I will twine my fingers with his, how I will squeeze his hand, then draw him to me and then just exactly how I will RIP his arm off at the shoulder and beat him to death with it I feel it hits me again. And this one makes all the previous ones together feel like nothing at all.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
When I come back to the world around me Columbus has jumped back. Way back. I have to admire someone who can cover ten feet in one backwards move. It's not leaping tall buildings but it really is quite an impressive single bound.
Wait a minute; wait just one minute. He's coming back. Part of it might be Tallahassee telling him to "Nut up or shut up you little spitfuck; you got her into this you need to help her now". Part of it might be Memphis telling him to "get over here NOW! It's time." Yes it's time, time for me to finish him off once and for all. But something about his deliberate, calm approach makes me hesitate even as he comes into range. Then he's taking my hand and sitting down on the stool next to the bed. He leans over and kisses my forehead.
Oh that's no fair! He can't do it. He can't make me forget my plan. He can't make me not tell him how much I hate him; how he never, ever, EVER going to touch me again. I lose myself in those deep brown eyes and they never flinch even though I bet that I'm squeezing his hand so hard that I'm afraid he might permanently lose feeling in it. But it helps as the worst one of all crashes in on me and Memphis yells for me to push. I do and it feels like strength is coming through our hands from him to me and I push harder than I have in my entire life.
And then...
"Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
Oh my god, oh my GOD it's done. And Memphis wraps the little pink bundle in a blanket and gives it to me.
"Congratulations you two. You have a healthy baby girl."
Memphis and Tallahassee are both smiling although their smiles are tinged with the memory of happiness lost. Of course judging from how big she is now it won t be long before they are parents again. Little Rock is jumping up with Dallas and down screaming "I'm an aunt, I'm an aunt!" Taos is just watching everyone with his brow furrowed as he tries to make sense of what is going on. But he's old enough to climb up on a chair on my other side and look at our new arrival.
"Baby," he says confidently.
I look at our daughter. I look at Columbus. And my body feels as spent as it ever has and I've never been happier in my entire life. When Columbus leans over again I kiss him.
"I love you," I whisper. I paused for a moment and thought. "But you STILL may never get to touch me again."
(The End)
(A quickie to be sure I know. The idea came to me looking through old pictures and coming across one taken right after my first child (also a girl) was born. I'm sitting up in bed with her in my arms and my husband next to me looking as pooped as though he did all the work himself. Men. God bless them. But I nearly DID break his hand and promised him that his sex life was done forever. Since we had three more I obviously didn't keep THAT promise.)